Spring 2026 Class Notes
1940s
In honor of Col. Lawrence Alexander Dickson, BA ’41, and Maiva Napier Dickson, BA ’44, the Col. Lawrence Alexander Dickson, Jr., and Maiva Napier Dickson Enduring Vision Endowed Fund was established by Maiva Lasandra (Dickson) Fairchild and Patrick Daniel Fairchild of Oceanside, CA, for her parents.
1950s
Robert M. Cox, Jr., BS ’51, DDS ’53, of Waxahachie, TX, established the Dr. Robert M. Cox Endowed Compassion Fund.
When Mariella Vaughan Pennal, BA ’51, and Nedra Moore Hooser, BS ’51, met their freshman year while living in Alexander Hall, they had no idea their friendship would last 74 years and counting. Both pledged Pi Alpha Lambda as sophomores. Upon graduation, they both were hired as teachers in Junction, TX. The next year they both taught in Lott, TX, before marrying their childhood sweethearts. Nedra and Charles Hooser, BBA ’50, married July 17, 1953. Mariella married Neil Pennal, attended ’47-’49, on Aug. 15, 1953. They shared the same wedding dress. To this day, they call each other to see if they are watching televised Baylor games, especially Baylor women’s basketball. The love and support Pennal and Hooser have given each other has naturally been extended to their churches and communities through a lifetime of giving. Their families have known the same grace and kindness, qualities they continue to strive to emulate.
Harold Cunningham, BA ’56, and Ann Cunningham, BMEd ’56, of Crawford, TX, established the Harold and Ann Cunningham Acrobatics and Tumbling Endowed Fund and the Harold and Ann Cunningham Baseball Endowed Fund.
1960s
Barbara Parks, BA ’62, and Jim Parks of San Luis Obispo, CA, established the Barbara Umphres Parks and Jim T. Parks Endowed Scholarship for the Department of Geosciences.
Randall Meeks, BBA ’63, of Dallas established the Ruth Randall Meeks Endowed Scholarship in Accounting in memory of his mother, Ruth Randall Meeks,
BBA ’63.
Ella Prichard, BA ’63, of Dallas established the Ella Wall Prichard Fund for Early Black Baptist History.
Lola B. Blakewood, BA ’64, began dividing her time between her son’s house in Louisiana and her daughter’s in South Carolina following the passing of her husband of 54 years in 2024.
Lee Bush, BBA ’64, and Susan Bush, BA ’66, of Athens, TX, established the Lampsato Endowed Chair of Baptist World Missional Engagement and the Lampsato Endowed Fund at Truett Seminary.
Charles Frances Guittard, BA ’64, and Nancy Davis Labastida of Austin established the Charles Guittard First Book Publishing Award.
Charles F. Guittard, BA ’64, authored a new book, Scribblings from Storage, which contains memories of his Baylor years, 1960-64. An interview about the book can be found on his website, CharlesFrancisGuittard.com, and has links to Baylor-
related stories.
Joe B. Allen, BA ’65, JD ’67, was honored at Scenic Houston’s Annual Dinner, an annual event that recognizes community leaders who have played an essential role in improving Houston’s image, appearance and quality of life.
In honor of John G. Colias, BA ’66, MD ’70, Mary Colias established The John G. Colias, MD, Endowed Athletic Scholarship for Men’s Tennis, an athletics scholarship endowment in her husband’s name.
Susan Torn Young, BA ’67, of Houston, established the Keys Quadruplets Family Endowed Scholarship in memory of the Keys quadruplets, who were the first quadruplets to attend and graduate from Baylor. Roberta Keys Torn, Mona Keys Fowler, Mary Keys Anderson and Leota Keys Hall are members of Baylor’s Class of 1937.
Merriott Terry, BS ’68, says Sic ’em, Bears!
Martha J. Wofford, BA ’69, retired after teaching English, history and ESL in high schools and community colleges in Texas and Arizona. Additionally, she worked in the Intelligence Division of the U.S. Secret Service, law firms in Washington, D.C., and performed Elizabeth Barrett Browning presentations for groups. Since her retirement, she and her husband relocated to Gatesville, TX. Her book ESL Pre-Writing Fun is available online.
1970s
In memory of Ann McClelland Bishop, BS ’70, The Ann McClelland Bishop Endowed Medical Scholarship was established by Jerry Zamzow, Bishop’s husband, and Jim and Katie Bishop, her son and daughter-in-law, all of Houston. The fund honors Ann’s deep affection for Baylor and her enduring commitment to academic excellence.
David M. Holley, BA ’70, authored Making Room for Mystery: Anomalous Events, Extraordinary Experiences and Christian Faith. The book explores what it would mean for Christians to think that the natural order has hidden depths that can produce phenomena that don’t fit with our ordinary ideas of how the world works. This is the second book Holley has written since his retirement from teaching philosophy in 2018.
Gary McNeil, BA ’70, of Austin established the Professor Rufus B. Spain Endowed Scholarship in honor of Rufus B. Spain and the impact he had as a Baylor professor.
Mike Hoelscher, JD ’72, and Nita Hoelscher, BA ’70, MA ’76, of College Station, TX, established the Mike and Nita Hoelscher Endowed Scholarship in Law.
Louis Bremer, Jr., BS ’73, and Angela Bremer of Edmond, OK, established the Louis and Angela Bremer Endowed Fund in Business.
Barbara Grisham, BA ’73, and Gary Grisham of Weaverville, NC, established the Barbara and Gary Grisham Endowed Scholarship Fund in Music and the Barbara and Gary Grisham Endowed Scholarship Fund in Interior Design.
Danny Prince, BA ’73, and Lenn Prince of Dallas the Danny and Lenn Prince Endowed Excellence Fund in Music and the Danny and Lenn Prince Endowed Scholarship.
Joe Roth, BA ’73, and
Beverly Roth, BA ’74, of Livingston, TX, established the Joe D. Roth and Beverly Narum Roth Endowed Scholarship in History.
Michael Worley, BA ’73, JD ’75, and Pamela Worley, BA ’72, of Woodway, TX, established the Michael and Pamela Worley Endowed Scholarship.
Patricia “Patti” Londa Greene, BA ’75, recently authored Unstoppable: Go the Distance with God (June 2025, available on Amazon), a book about understanding the Bible, prayer, Christian living, leadership and crisis situations. Suitable for seekers and seasoned believers ages 12 and up.
Sandra Gustin, MD, BS ’77, is the author of the recently released book of poems, Balloons Beyond Our Borders (Main Street Rag, 2025). Balloons follows three and a half decades of international, cross-cultural work and explores language, landscapes and what unites us across borders. Gustin’s work has also appeared in Poetry, AAP’s Poem-a-Day, Silk Road, Anglican Theological Review, Bellevue Literary Review and others.
Henry R. Cox, BA ’78, authored his fourth thriller novel, Deceit of the Manna – Nature’s Fury, in the award winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller Deceit series, reaching the Top 10 in Amazon New Release Thrillers. All of Cox’s thrillers have a bit of Baylor tied in. In Deceit of the Manna, two of the main characters are Benjamin Oliver, a former track runner at Baylor, and his granddaughter, Windy Kilmer, a Baylor track All-American and Junior Rodeo Champion turned physics doctoral student.
James C. Meyerhoff, BS ’78, MS ’83, and Lisa Hayes Meyerhoff, BS ’78, MS ’83, of Houston established the Dr. Randall and Brenda Bradley Endowed Scholarship.
James Robert, BBA ’78, and Gail Cooksey of Colleyville, TX, established the Terry Maness Endowed Fund in Finance.
Beverly Childs, BA ’79, joined 11 other “Girls from Third Floor Collins” at Baylor for a 50-year reunion. The class of ’79 group included: Jan Drake Anthony, Susan Akers Bills, Beverly Bass Childs, Maria Rivero Crosier, Karla Thompson Davis, Sabrina Walker Drewry, Malinda Gozur Gaul, Pam Pridemore Groves, Cynthia Skipwith Hall, Cindy Bethel Hoang, Pam Davis St. John and Jane Smith Tettleton.
John Dean, BBA ’79, recently authored his Texas-themed action/adventure fiction novel, The Barrel Racer: A Whole New World, after retiring from a career as a management consultant. His book is now available on Amazon and is the first in a planned series of books based on the exploits of the lead character and heroine, Quinn Buckley.
Jacob Lozada, MHA ’79, recently authored a memoir, Puerto Rico to the White House, which presents a compelling narrative of perseverance and personal achievement in the face of adversity. It shares how someone raised in public housing in Puerto Rico beat long odds to achieve the American Dream. Lozada served President George W. Bush, received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor and was awarded multiple military awards in recognition of his public service. Puerto Rico to the White House traces a life defined by service, accomplishment and unwavering faith and is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.
1980s
David Lewis, BA ’81, of Roland, AR, established the Ida Marie Lewis Endowed Scholarship for Nursing in honor of his mother, Ida Marie Lewis, BSN ’56.
Gordon Wilkerson, BBA ’82, of Lubbock, TX, established the John and Ruth Wilkerson Endowed Scholarship to support students of Truett Seminary preparing for a full-time ministry in preaching and the John and Ruth Wilkerson Endowed Scholarship to support students preparing for full-time vocational ministry with a focus in church music. The scholarships were established in memory and honor of his parents, John and Ruth Wilkerson.
Dr. Peter McCullough, BS ’84, met with fellow Baylor attendee Senator Rand Paul to discuss the next steps for the nation recovering from the pandemic. Both McCullough and Paul have participated in numerous Senate hearings on pandemic discourse, early treatment, and injuries, disabilities and deaths that resulted over the past five years. McCullough is in clinical practice in Dallas and is a frequent contributor to FOX News and other platforms.
Eilene Carver, BA ’85, and three other Baylor Fine Arts graduates with graduation dates spanning 31 years exhibited together. The Grand Gallery presented “Terra,” a group exhibition celebrating artists whose works are deeply rooted in the imagery, material and spirit of the earth. The exhibit ran from Sept. 15 to Oct. 18, 2025, at the Frisco Discovery Center in Frisco, TX.
Mike Herrema, BBA ’86, has returned to Texas as director of sales for Reichert Woodworks in Dallas after 35 years in the Pacific Northwest. Leveraging 38 years in the lumber business, he’s now overseeing sales teams for four building material companies catering to North Texas’ finest home builders and remodelers.
Toby Whitby, BBA ’87, MBA ’90, merged his Houston-based investment advisory firm, Logic Capital, with Mission Wealth, an award-winning national wealth management firm.
Chris Talley, BA ’88, and Laura Corwin Talley of San Antonio established the Chris and Laura Talley Endowed Scholarship in Journalism, Public Relations and New Media.
Melody Hanson, BSHE ’89, and fellow Baylor alumni gathered to celebrate the marriage of Lauren Graham, BS ’19, and Garret Hanson. The wedding reception was held at the home of the groom’s parents, Kale and Melody Hanson, in Manvel, TX. The graduation dates of those present ranged from 1983 to 2026.
1990s
Clayton Bailey, BA ’90, has been recognized among the nation’s top commercial litigators in the 2026 “The Best Lawyers in America” list. He earned additional recognition for his appellate practice. In addition to Best Lawyers, he has consistently earned professional recognition from Benchmark Litigation, The National Trial Lawyers, Texas Lawyer, D Magazine, BTI Consulting, Lawdragon and Texas Super Lawyers.
Florence Fitzpatrick, MA ’90, authored Remake the Song (Wild Rose Press, Aug. 6, 2025). The time-travel romance and mystery book sends the heroine back to the year 1975. This is Fitzpatrick’s 17th published novel and is the third of the Fiona Belle time travel series. The novel is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Kristine Barry, BFA ’91, received her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University.
Eric J. Emerson, BBA ’91, MBA ’92, of Orlando, FL, established the Emerson Family Foundation Endowed Fund for International Experiences in Business.
Lisa Walls (formerly Bean), BSEd ’91, retired in 2024 after 33 years teaching and coaching at the middle school level. Five days later, she signed a contract at SPX in San Antonio and taught sixth through eighth grade math and kindergarten, first and third grade PE last year. This next year, she will coach seventh and eighth grade volleyball and basketball and serve as the middle school athletic coordinator at San Antonio Christian School.
Cord Scott, MA ’92, took part in the commemorations of the Incheon landings from 75 years ago in Incheon, Korea. Additionally, he has two items authored with the Marine Corps University Press: They Were Chosin: U.S. Marine Cartoonists in the Korean War and an article in Marine Corps History, Summer 2025 issue.
Albin Guillot III, BBA ’93, recently authored Ghost Rider: The Story of Seth Drew, Scout 1st Calvary Afghanistan, with proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. The book is available on Amazon and his website, www.albinguillot.com.
Kristina Keller, BBA ’93, MBA ’95, authored her debut book, Touch Your Ta-Tas!: My Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing Through Stage 4 Breast Cancer, which became an Amazon Best Seller. Through her writing, Keller aims to inspire others to be an advocate for their own health, trust their faith and never underestimate the power of prayer.
George Clements, BA ’94, and Natalie Clements, BSN ’98, of Nashville, TN, established the Clements Family Endowed Fund for Global Business.
Christopher B. Trowbridge, BBA ’95, JD ’98, was named to the “2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America” list.
Katie Pan, BBA ’96, MTax ’96, has been named to the 2025 Forbes “Best in State Wealth Advisors” list for California. This marks the seventh year in a row she has received this honor. A Merrill Lynch senior vice president and wealth management advisor who has been with the company since 2010, she has held numerous leadership roles and has been an integral member of the Valencia, CA, team.
Richard Pineda, BA ’96, started a new role as director for the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas. This role seeks to establish and maintain relationships with other countries of the Americas.
Lisa Covington, BBA ’97, MA ’97, of Tomball, TX, was elected to the Tomball City Council, Position 4.
Kristen Koepf Ray, BBA ’97, MBA ’97, Jennifer Hood Howington, BBA ’97, Heather Penna, BA ’18, and Carol Rucker Plant, BA ’98, took a trip to Independence, TX, with the Texas Baptists to learn about Baptist history. Four coworkers who didn’t get to go to Baylor Line Camp decided to participate in the tradition!
Matt Friez, BA ’99, and Tara Friez, BA ’01, of Midland, TX, established the Matt and Tara Friez Endowed Scholarship for the Honors College.
2000s
Eric Davis, BA ’00, and Shea Davis, BSEd ’01, of Dallas established the Shea and Eric Davis Family Endowed Fund in BEST.
J.D. Salas, BM ’00, was appointed director of the School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.
Dr. Heather Henderson, BA ’01, of Temple, TX, established the Dr. Heather Henderson Endowed Scholarship in the Honors College.
Brad Herridge, BSEd ’01, MDiv ’04, DMin ’12, and Mary Herridge, BA ’00, MSG ’02, of Waco established the Grant Herridge Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Becky Dean, BA ’03, authored her fourth young adult romance novel. Love Unmasked (Delacorte Romance, 2025) is about a girl who meets a masked stranger in Venice and finds mystery and love. Learn more about Dean’s other books at beckydeanwrites.com.
Elizabeth Anchondo, BBA ’04, earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Communication from Regent University on May 9, 2025. Her dissertation is titled “Learning from Wounded Storytellers: Understanding Health Communication Following Recovery from Childhood Illness.” Her work has impacted families facing childhood illness to improve both quality of life and psychological outcomes of those affected. Following the completion of her degree, Anchondo will continue her work in childhood illness survivorship alongside her career in clinical research.
R. Heath Cheek, JD ’06, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers in America” list.
Brent Wilkins, BA ’07, originally from Crawford, TX, has opened a law firm in Bend, OR.
Jared Hernandez, BBA ’07, was promoted to senior subcontract administrator at Lockheed Martin.
Shyranika Nicole West, BA ’07, and friends gathered in September 2025 for a reunion.
Kristopher D. Hill, JD ’08, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers in America” list.
Brittany Marrs, BA ’08, and Travis Marrs of Magnolia, TX, established the Isaiah’s Promise Endowed Fund for BearAid.
2010s
Robert Avera, JD ’07, of Dripping Springs, TX, established the Avera Family Endowed Fund for the Entrepreneurial Legal Clinic.
Chad Smith, BBA ’07, is teeing off a new chapter with The Back Nine Golf Clubs, launching in Katy, Sugar Land and Houston’s surrounding areas. This venture is about sparking adventure, raising sharp, business-savvy kids and sharing his passion for sports while growing stronger in faith.
Elise Banks-Lovely, BS ’11, was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). Banks-Lovely became their first National Ambassador in 2015 and is honored to step into this new role as she continues making strides in the mental health field.
Lincoln Chen, BS ’11, shareholder in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Commercial Litigation practice in Houston, has been selected to join the Institute for Energy Law’s (IEL) Leadership Class for 2025-26.
T.J. Hales, BBA ’13, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Katie R. Beaird, JD ’14, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers in America” list.
J. Reid Burley, BBA ’15, JD ’18, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list and the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers in America” list.
Jaja Chen, BSW ’15, MSW ’16, and Devin Li, BS ’12, co-owners of Cha Community boba tea cafes in Waco, opened their third boba tea shop in May 2025 across from Baylor at 1205 S 8th Street. They are excited to have a collaborative shop space with Norma’s Florals. This part boba shop, part floral shop is now open and within walking distance from campus. They can’t wait to continue to welcome Baylor students, faculty, staff and alumni to visit.
In memory of their daughter, Major Brenna Cole-Pickrel, BS ’15, Linda and Tom Cole of Altoona, IA, established the Major Brenna Cole-Pickrel Memorial AFROTC Endowed Scholarship for her life and service to her country.
Melissa Hollis, BSN ’16, completed a Doctorate in Nursing Philosophy through the University of Arizona. She utilizes her research and doctoral education by teaching at Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing.
Andrea House, BBA ’16, recently completed a four-year residency in medical pediatrics and accepted a position with The James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, OH, as assistant professor of clinical medicine.
Mason G. Jones, BBA ’16, JD ’19, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Christian J. Cowart, JD ’17, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Nathan Cox, JD ’17, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Amanda Karstens, BBA ’17, and Allen Walker Karstens, BS ’17, married on Aug. 23, 2025, in Bethesda, MD. The couple first met during freshman orientation in 2013.
Austin Nelson, MPPA ’17, graduated from the Law and Government (JD/PhD) Program at the University of Texas at Austin in August 2025, and he completed a clerkship under Judge Lavenski R. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in August 2024. He is currently a visiting assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
Clarissa Anderson, BA ’18, was the recipient of the 2025 Oklahoma Online Excellence Award in Accessibility. The award, established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, honors those that demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovation, collaboration and results to advance online learning and accessibility for the state of Oklahoma. Anderson is manager of course development at OU Education Services, a not-for-profit working with the University of Oklahoma.
Gabriela Chapman, BS ’18, married Caleb Chapman on March 8, 2025, in Montgomery, TX. They now currently reside in Houston.
Paris Cabrera, BBA ’19, married Zachary Todd in Schulenburg, TX, on March 22, 2025. Todd is a Texas A&M graduate, and the pair now resides in Austin with their two mini-Aussies — Bentley and Maple.
2020s
Olivia G. Stedman, JD ’20, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Yeshumenesh Zegeye, BS ’21, recently authored Let’s Break It Down Together: How to Get Things Done Without Burning Out (available on Amazon). Drawing from her experiences balancing the demands of medical school and life, Zegeye shares practical strategies to help readers stay productive without sacrificing their wellbeing. Her goal is to support others navigating stressful seasons and inspire compassionate approaches to success.
Catherine Helm, JD ’22, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Caitlin M. Richardson,
JD ’22, was named to the “2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.
Kelly Hochstetler, PPOTD ’24, was selected as the Baylor Light Award Recipient — the highest honor awarded to a post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at Baylor, given to the student who has seized the opportunity to “be the light” in the OTD program through academic achievement and professional skills. Also, in July 2025, she was thrilled to share the results of her doctoral capstone project, “Diving Deep: Exploring the Impact of Community Aquatic Exercise on Health, Well-being, and Participation for Women with Lipedema” at the National Lymphedema Network Conference in Baltimore. Hochstetler bridges her passion working in a clinic as an OT certified as a lymphedema therapist to the classroom where she serves as adjunct lab staff for Baylor’s OT program.
Regina Yesaki Hinojosa, BBA ’25, of Monterrey, Mexico, graduated in May 2025 with a BBA in human resource management and entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. She recently joined Carpenter Bus Sales in Waco as international business development manager.
Friends & Family
The Dora Bradley, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, Executive Nurse Leadership Endowed Scholarship was established by Dora A. Bradley and James Bradley of Rowlett, TX.
The Birchfield Family Endowed Scholarship for Speech Pathology was established by Stan and MeMe Birchfield of Sammamish, WA. Their daughter, Kaley Birchfield, CSD ’24, is an alumna of Baylor.
The Kevin and Bonnie Cunningham Endowed Scholarship in Art and the Kevin and Bonnie Cunningham Endowed Scholarship in Engineering were established by Kevin and Bonnie Cunningham of Waco. The Cunninghams’ daughters, Jennifer Cunningham, BBA ’03, and Hannah Cunningham, BA ’11, are Baylor alumni.
The Team Ennis Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by Bill Ennis and Nelia Ennis of Katy, TX. Their daughters, Grace Ennis, BBA ’23, and Amanda Ennis, BBA ’24, are Baylor alumni, and their son, William, is a member of Baylor’s Class of 2028.
The Huffman Family Endowed Scholarship in Education was established by Paul and Angela Huffman of Monument, CO. Their daughters, Madeleine, BSEd ’23, and Aubrey, BSEd ’25, are proud alumni of Baylor.
The Lowe Family Endowed Scholarship for Elementary Education was established by Gregory and Jan Lowe of Glenwood, MD. The Lowes’ daughter, Caroline, is a member of Baylor’s Class of 2028.
The Jimmy Jr., Nicholas, Grace, and Anna Catherine Negem Endowed Scholarship in Law was established by Jimmy and Michelle Negem of Tyler, TX, in honor of their four children, Jimmy Jr., BBA ’16, JD ’19, Nicholas, BBA ’18, JD ’20, Grace, BA ’20, JD ’24, and Anna Catherine, BSFCS ’22.
Lewis Rhoden, ABC ’25, and Shellie Rhoden, BBA ’93, of Cedar Park, TX, established the Lewis and Shellie Rhoden Family Endowed Scholarship for Robbins College. The Rhodens have three daughters: Kamrynn, BBA ’22, MAcc ’22, Amanda, BS ’24, and Emory, who is a member of Baylor’s Class of 2027.
The Next Level Endowed Fund for Truett Seminary was established by Howard Rolf, PhD, professor emeritus and former chair of mathematics, of Waco.