When Dr. Coleman Patterson, HSU associate professor of Management and Leadership, currently teaching a course at International University Vienna, Austria, asked Leland Harden to teach a class to his students, Harden said, “will tomorrow at 8:00 work for you?” Harden, the HSU vice president of Institutional Advancement didn’t check his passport, flight schedules, or obligations for the next week, because advances in internet technology made possible a virtual classroom right in Harden’s office.

Dr. Patterson’s students are studying internet marketing using Harden’s book, Net Results II, as one of the texts. “The internet connection gave us a chance to tackle this topic with the person who literally wrote the book on the subject while using the actual technology.”

The presentation required laptops with built-in web cameras at each location, and specialized “Skype” software. “By pulling this off, we are demonstrating the exact things we have been reading about and studying,” says Dr. Patterson, “it is now just as easy to work with someone around the world as it is the person next door.”

Leland Harden addressees IU Vienna class

International University Vienna is a small Christian school in a part of the world that needs Christian schools. There are 15 students in the class from 12 countries: Libya, China, Boznia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Korea, Austria, Croatia, Kosovo, and Nigeria. The school specializes in American-style higher education, English instruction, and small class sizes.

Harden was enthusiastic about the video conference, “this was a keen example of how easy it is to connect to and market to anyone in the world. There are no longer bureaucratic barriers, telephony barriers, or other trade barriers to keep small business people from connecting directly.”

His message was timely for students from countries with emerging internet markets, “I discussed the power of the internet through its measurability and the ability it provides to directly interface and incorporate consumers. Traditional brand marketers are increasingly finding it necessary to go to Internet boot camp to change their mind-set from a traditional brand-building enterprise, to a direct marketing, metrics centric, sales conversion driven enterprise. The power of the Internet over traditional media is its ability to close the sale. Before the web, consumers could learn about a product through television, radio, or print, then perhaps buy said item the next time they ran across it in a store. Now, consumers can learn about a product, research it, get references from other consumers, and buy it, all via one communications vehicle. I encouraged students to define who their target market is, and seek out other sites where their market congregates on the web, then create relationships with those sites and other influencers, to drive consumers to their site and their product.”

“The students really enjoyed the experience,” according to Dr. Patterson, “In fact, in light of today’s conference we are going to try to offer a course with HSU and IU in the Spring 2007 semester. Using video conferencing, facebook, the web, and possibly Blackboard, I am going to develop a course that would allow our students to work with IU students on projects, reports, and other interactive assignments. The technology will allow for students from around the world to work together in a college classroom without ever leaving home.”

Posted by Dave Coffield · July 26, 2007 10:33 AM · Comments (0)

On Wednesday, July 18th, during a ceremony held in the House Chamber of the Texas State Capitol, HSU alumnus Phil Wilson was formally sworn in by Governor Perry as the 106th Texas Secretary of State. Secretary Wilson was joined by his wife, Kristen, HSU administration and faculty, over 30 HSU Theta Alpha Zeta brothers, legislators, and many other family and friends.

Phil Wilson (right) receives oath of office
from Governor Perry

A Brownwood native, Wilson has a long, distinguished career in public service throughout Texas, acting as a key advisor to three statewide elected officials as well as serving on numerous national, state and local campaigns.

While a student at HSU, Phil was a Presidential and Honors scholar. He received the Tomorrow’s Leaders today scholarship from the board of Young Associates, and he won the E.P. Mead Speech Contest, the University Interscholastic League’s Clark Scholarship, HSU’s George Skiles Anderson Award, and was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. He was elected as vice president of the Student Congress, servied as freshman class president, and was president of the Cowboy Activities Committee. He was a member of Theta Alpha Zeta, men’s social club, and the Law and Politics Club. Phil also served as the co-editor of the Bronco, and was a staff writer for The Brand.

HSU President Dr. Craig Turner (left to right), Wilson,
Dr. Shane Davidson, and Leland Harden visit after the oath.

Phil remains active an an HSU alumnus and is a former Board of Young Associates officer. Married to the former Kristen Kincaid, also a 1990 grad, he was honored as an Outstanding Young Alumni in 2005.

Prior to his current role, Secretary Wilson served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Rick Perry, overseeing Texas’ economic development and job creation initiatives as well as serving as the Governor’s designee on the $200 million Emerging Technology Fund and the $185 million Texas Enterprise Fund. Under his leadership, the Enterprise Fund has leveraged more than $10 billion in capital investment to create more than 45,000 new jobs in the state of Texas. He will continue to serve in this capacity as Secretary of State at Perry’s request.

Secretary Wilson was instrumental in landing some of the largest job creation and capital investment projects in Texas, including new investments by Countrywide Financial, Samsun, and Texas Instruments.

Wilson officially took office on July 1st and, in his new role, serves as the chief elections officer, the chief international protocol officer, the Governor’s chief liaison on border and Mexico affairs and maintains the business and public filings for the state of Texas. Secretary Wilson is committed to free and fair elections, promoting a vibrant Texas economy, and furthering the important relationships between Texas and the international community.

‘I will hold this office with the humility required of anyone who serves more than 20 million people,’ stated Wilson. ‘And I will work tirelessly to adhere to the expectations of our people and relentlessly strive to provide them the excellent service which they deserve.

Posted by Dave Coffield · July 20, 2007 10:06 AM · Comments (0)

Over 120 Abilene business leaders, civic officials, as well as HSU faculty, staff, alumni, and friends, gathered at Fairway Oaks Country Club to meet HSU alumnus (class of 1984), former Cowboy Band tuba player, and now foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State Charles (Chuck) Davis as he put a personal face on an agency of the federal government that many know too little about.

Col. McCormick, vice wing commander of the 7th Bomb Wing, visits with Davis

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell launched the Secretary’s Hometown Diplomats Program in 2001. In the former Secretary Powell’s message he said, “The Department's great people can explain best why Americans should care about what happens around the world. Foreign Service and Civil Service personnel have fascinating stories to tell about their careers. They can explain how we stop drugs and disease, improve the environment, make the world safer, and open up economic opportunity for Americans. They can explain what the State Department does, how foreign policy affects Americans' lives, why we need more resources to do our jobs, and how interested people can join our team. Reaching out to the public in this way puts a face on foreign policy.”

A former pastor, missionary, and BGCT staffer, Davis likened his call to foreign service to that of a call to ministry, “in many ways it’s the same thing, you have a passionate feeling in your heart that you can do something good and make a difference in people’s lives,” said Davis. He should know; he’s seen both. After graduating from HSU, he worked with expatriate youth in Taipei, Taiwan under the direction of the International Missions Board. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary in 1992, and worked with the BGCT to fund and coordinate international relief projects for Texas medical students and faculty to remote and impoverished regions of Mexico and Central America.

After passing the Foreign Service exam in 1998, he served in the Hong Kong and London consulates, and last year, during the Israel/Lebanon crisis, helped evacuate over 14,000 American citizens from Israel, the largest evacuation of Americans in history. He will move his family to Jordan later this summer as he takes on duties as the Supervisory General Services Officer for the Iraq Support Unit, providing critical services for the U.S. Government’s efforts throughout Iraq. “I’ll give off-site support to contractors performing services in Iraq under the auspices of Embassy Baghdad,” says Davis.

Davis described the administration’s three-pronged approach to the Iraq war: clearing the insurgents, holding the territories, and building within them. “It’s the building phase that will be the most challenging for me and for the nation of Iraq. Right now it’s like that famous quote from Thomas Jefferson, ‘We have the wolf by the ears and feel the danger of holding him or letting him loose.’ However, if the country can develop economic and entrepreneurial opportunities in a secure environment, then the infrastructure will thrive.” Although he will be based in Jordan, his duties will take him into Iraq as the building phase ramps up. He admits that he and his family look at those trips with some trepidation, but realize that nothing good comes without boldness in the face of risk.

As to the war itself, Davis says, “The key is getting the factions to work together. If we can get initiatives, such as the hydrocarbon law (which apportions revenue from oil to the groups) to work, then the factions will realize they can work together. With our hearts and minds we can win over the Iraqi citizens community by community.”

Department employees are nominated by their Ambassador, Consul General, Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary, to participate in the program. During their scheduled trips back to their hometowns, they will talk to local organizations, visit schools and local government officials, and participate in media interviews. They may talk about foreign policy topics, their careers and the varied work of the Department, and employment opportunities. Participants may establish and maintain relationships with hometown groups, particularly elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities they visited, throughout the year.

Posted by Dave Coffield · July 16, 2007 1:35 PM · Comments (0)

The HSU Office of Enrollment Services and Department of Alumni Relations’ advance screening of the new Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” was a resounding success. HSU hosted the exclusive viewing both at the Abilene Century 12 and at the Dallas Cinemark IMAX theaters on July 10th. Prospective students, their families, and HSU alumni were invited to the free viewing as an entertaining way to give prospective students to meet alumni and get a taste of the HSU experience.

The line formed early for the advance showing

One prospective student sent this note the following day: “I'm writing to let you know how much I enjoyed the Harry Potter event! I had an excellent time. It was such a treat to see the movie with such a great group of people. We enjoyed getting to know several HSU alumni. Thank you for planning such a special, special experience. The event was such a positive reflection on HSU, a university I had previously known very little about.”

Another new high school graduate, already enrolled at HSU for the fall, talked about how wonderful it was that the movie was held as an event for the HSU family. Her parents and siblings read each Harry Potter book out loud, with character voices and expressions, as a family activity, and she was thrilled to find the element of family in the university she will attend.

What's a good movie without popcorn?

Over 500 members of the HSU extended family were able to enjoy a good moral tale, and the requisite popcorn and candy, with almost as many on a waiting list to get in. The event was by invitation only, and some of those on the waiting lists were able to get tickets. They were pretty easy to spot – they were the ones who held their tickets in the air like trophies; as though they’d just won the lottery.

HSU will probably have another similar event, so don't be left standing outside.

One alumnus summed it up nicely, “I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for a wonderful evening with Harry Potter in Dallas last night. My family and I had a wonderful time and enjoyed the film. While in line, we were able to visit with a May 2007 graduate, a possible new student and her family, and a yound lady and her family from the class of 2000. It was great to meet these folks, and because of HSU, it was like we had already known them for a while.

Posted by Dave Coffield · July 13, 2007 3:00 PM · Comments (0)

As your HSU insider returns from vacation, we find the HSU Chorale deep in the lush culture of old Europe on a unique and rather prestigious tour. The 40-member HSU Chorale’s first stop is the invitation-only and very exclusive International Choral Festival in Switzerland. After the inevitable trials of moving a large group long distances, the Chorale is on the ground and already performing. When they leave the festival, one of the performance stops will include singing the Mozart Mass with the finished Credo (completed by HSU musicologist Dr. Murl Sickbert) in the very church it would have been performed in had it been completed by the great composer himself.

The brave explorers set out excited and expectant

Dr. Clell Wright leads the Chorale, and his son Josh will send us updates and images as well. During the tour through Lucerne, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, the Chorale will sing two Masses in the Jesuitenkirche of Innsbruck, and will sing in the Dom (cathedral) and the University church in Salzburg. With Father Ruben Covos presiding, Dr. Wright and Dr. Sickbert will share conducting duties.

After a trans-Atlantic flight, some Chorale members seem to be conserving their energy

Josh’s first update: “The bus ride and plane trips went off without a hitch for the most part, we had some delays leaving Dallas, but it did not effect our connecting flight. We arrived in Zurich tired from the journey, but hit the ground running when we arrived. We spent the late morning and early afternoon in downtown Zurich surveying the sights and then made the last leg of the trip into Luzern about 3:00 in the afternoon. We had a short break at the hotel, and headed off to The Casino Luzern for the welcoming dinner with the other choirs. I has been a great day….couple of days…I am not really sure, but it has been fun. Stay tuned for our adventures!”

Odd, ducks look pretty much the same everywhere you go.

Posted by Dave Coffield · July 9, 2007 12:56 PM · Comments (0)