HSU Insider

A Hardin-Simmons physical therapy faculty member and student swept the most prestigious awards at the recent Texas Physical Therapy Association's annual conference.

Members from throughout the state gathered as the representative body for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students in the state of Texas recognized its best for the year 2008.

The Ruby Decker Award, considered the most prestigious honor a Texas physical therapist can receive, was given to Mary L. Garrett, assistant professor of physical therapy and director of clinical education for the doctor of physical therapy program at HSU. To be singled out for this award is significant, there are approximately 10,126 actively licensed physical therapists, and 4,673 physical therapist assistants in Texas.

In 1962, an anonymous donor, who wished to perpetuate the recognition of outstanding physical therapists in Texas, established the award in honor of legendary physical therapist Ruby Decker.

In a citation accompanying the award, Garret was called, "not just an asset to the profession, but also to the human race. She has dedicated her life to providing care to others while teaching, mentoring, and inspiring the next generation of physical therapists. Her approach to all things reflects her deep devotion to God and to everyone around her." Garret has served on the March of Dimes Board, the West Texas Autism Center Board, volunteers with Special Olympics, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The citation went on to say, "An incredibly active member of the APTA and TPTA, she always gives the very best of herself whether in a practice environment or a classroom. She is one of the best people you will ever meet."

This year's Rex Nutt Outstanding Physical Therapy Student Award went to our own Laura Fisher. Fisher is the seventh HSU student to receive the award since the physical therapy program graduated its first students in 1997. There are 10 physical therapy programs in Texas.

Given to the top Texas physical therapy student, the award is given to an outstanding student sho exhibits excellence in both leadership and clinical skills. The award was renamed and first bestowed in 2000 in honor of Rex Nutt, a physical therapist who has dedicated his professional career to furthering the educational and professional advancement of physical therapy.

The Texas Physical Therapy Association empowers its members as professionals, acknowledged by consumer and other healthcasre provides, as leaders in the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments and conditions that affect movement, function, health and wellness an whose services are directly accessible by all.

Coach Keeling in his "Office"

From his days as assistant coach at Hamilton High School to Hardin-Simmons University, Jimmie Keeling has coached a lot of football. Saturday, the 19-year HSU head coach will reach a rare milestone in the sport; he'll coach his 500th career game. In all, Keeling has a career record of 351-137-11 in 50 seasons.

When Hardin-Simmons went looking for a coach to revive its program after a 27-year hiatus, it didn't take long to find their man. Keeling's successes at the high school level and his ability to build a program from the ground up were key in his selection. "Dr. (Merlin) Morrow and HSU President Dr. (Jesse) Fletcher were so supportive and made it a lot easier on me because they were so extremely helpful," said Keeling. "I didn't have a lot of time to think about it, we were hired in January and had to have a team by August."

That HSU won any games that first year was a tribute to Keeling and his staff, "We won three games our first season and made it to the national semifinals by 1993." It didn't take long for the Cowboys to become a dominant force in the conference. Coach Keeling's teams won 11 conference titles from 1993 to 2004 and have a 155-46 record.

His players have not only had great success on the field, but have become better people off of it. "We have guys that have become doctors, lawyers, ministers, veterinarians, Navy Seals, Army Rangers, dentists, police officers and all walks of life," said Keeling. "We also have over 120 guys that are in coaching at the collegiate and high school levels. Darren Allman, who was one of our first recruits, is the head coach at Odessa Permian, we have several other head coaches, and Will Wagner is the assistant head coach at Northwest Missouri State. It is a thrill to me to have kids come here from all different backgrounds and for them to do well in life. That is probably the highlight for me."

Keeling credits much of his success to some of the biggest coaching names in Texas history. "Gordon Wood (Brownwood) helped me a lot, and Gene Mayfield (Permian and West Texas) was another very successful coach who helped me. Coach Darryl Royal was a great teacher. I spent many days watching his teams work out and trying to pick up things from him. He was so open. Basically, anyone that was doing something good that we liked, we tried to borrow it. When we took it home, we kept it and called it our own."

Keeling has very specific advice to young coaches.
Marry well. "You have to have a family that is very supportive and I have the absolute best at that. A coach's wife has to be there to be supportive of what you are doing and they have to basically raise a family alone for a lot of the time. I am so grateful to have Susan and that she was so involved in what I have done over the years.

"Be ready to work really hard and love it or don't do it. It is very time consuming and if you are going to do it, you better be ready to work. One of our big things is 'They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.' If you are going to coach you better really care about the kids, because if you don't they figure it out in a hurry. Be ready to discipline 100 percent and love them. You have to help them grow up, mature, and become something special."

The question Keeling gets a lot at age 73 is how much longer he'll coach, and the answer is pretty much the same every time.

"I don't have any intention on doing anything else," said Keeling. "As long as I still love waking up in the morning and coming here and doing what I do, I don't ever feel like I am going to work. I get to do something I love and enjoy.

"My prayer daily is 'God if I am to do this, let me help the players I am working with and let me help the coaches I am working with and let me be an influence on them.' When I can't live up to that, then I guess it will be time." Evidence that he's still making a difference came in 2004 when the Fellowship of Christian Athletes selected Keeling for the Grant Teaff Lifetime Achievement Award.

Winning isn't everything, but it is important, "I love to win games. I don't know how guys do it a long time and don't win. I think winning is important thing for the kids to learn. If you work hard and pay the price and you have success, that is going to directly relate how you do in your jobs, families, marriages and the rest of your life. That is what I hope that I do, the best job of teaching--not only football, but something for the rest of their life."

This weekend, Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys will light up the West Texas sky--and we're not talking about the NASA engineer. Accompanied by a fireworks display rumored to be "better than the city of Abilene's 4th of July show," local band, Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys, will take the stage at HSU's Shelton Stadium Friday night at 8:00 pm for a free concert.

Branded Friday Night Lights, the latest event hosted by HSU Student Life is being talked about all over campus as the place to be this Friday night. So just how did the fireworks show become so large? It all began last summer when Lindsey Snodgrass, Coordinator of Student Activities, began planning events for the Student Life Department to host. Lindsey learned that the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor first sponsored a fireworks display in 2006 to coincide with their homecoming celebration, and has since made the show an annual tradition. Through our affiliation with the university, HSU was able to form a relationship with Premiere Pyrotechnics, the company which UMHB uses.

The generosity of local businesses, Wes Tex Connect and Taylor Electric, has made the concert and fireworks show totally free and open to everyone who wants to attend and experience the lights and the Rocketboys firsthand. When asked about the excitement of hosting such a unique event, Lindsey replied, "We're thrilled to host this event for HSU students as well as the Abilene community. Everyone in the Student Life Department has been working on the event and we hope it will be fun for everyone."

While thirty minutes of stimulating visual effects illuminating the Forty Acres is appealing, one of the main draws of Friday Night Lights is the music. HHRB may be rooted in Abilene, but garage band they are not. The six-member group has just been selected to be the featured band for the newest Dell computer systems campaign, set to debut this fall. They were also the winners of the 2007 "Sound and Jury" competition which landed them a 45-minute gig at the famous Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Their most recent independently released EP, "Sing. Bird, Sing" features the melodic artistry of lead-singer Brandon Kinder accompanied by visionary lyrics and musical talent that rivals many of today's top bands. Along with Kinder, the band is comprised of Josh Campbell, Philip Ellis, Mitchell Holt, Daniel Wheeler, and Justin Wiseman. Since their modest beginning in 2005, they have expanded their audience by touring across the Midwest and earning stage time at the Northgate Music Festival, the South Padre International music Festival, and the Cornerstone Music and Arts Festival.

However, it isn't just Abilenians who have taken notice of HHRB. The Austin American Statesman praised the band for their "clear, ringing guitars and full-bodied keyboard arrangements, hard-driving drumlines and well-practiced transitions between calm and controlled chaos."

The gates will open around 7 pm and Homer Hiccolm & the Rocketboys will take the stage at 8 pm. Students and community members are encouraged to park on campus and enter through the south-east side of the stadium. The fireworks extravaganza is set to begin at 9:15pm and is scheduled to last approximately 20-30 minutes. Concessions will be provided by Van Meter.

Teeth Good

Lizard corpses brought in by cats, wilting flowers that fail to make their way to the trash, the view from the drawing classroom, the collection of "studio" bones, broken Christmas ornaments, toy soldiers, a stethoscope and a curtain that doesn't conceal. As Xenia Fedorchenko describes her original mixed media drawings and prints, currently featured in the Ira M.Taylor Memorial Art Gallery, she is sure to note that the pieces evolve from the particulars of her own life.

A former student of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, known for its emphasis on traditional art training, Fedorchenko's work is in the permanent collections of several museums across the nation as well as numerous university and private collections. Xenia Fedorchenko is the Assistant Professor of Art at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas where she teaches printmaking, drawing, and color theory.

The series of drawings, initially based on photographs found on the curb, has to do with a desire to intertwine personal memory and sense of reality with a stranger's private life and interactions. Of her drawings and the message she desires the pieces to convey, Fedorchenko explains, "I have chosen to omit and abstract identifying features and details from my drawings to make the viewer aware that they are engaged with something private yet common to multiple generations and cultures."

Also included in the exhibition is a suite of prints based on Sky Mall Magazine. Sky Mall offers a broad range of products intended to appeal to the traveling professional. The basis for the amusingly honest portraits was formed on Fedorchenko's initial flight to her current location of Beaumont. She expresses, "On first encounter, I was shocked to find facile and packaged solutions to real issues such as social standing, relationships or ageing. I was also intrigued by products that address problems that I, as a traveling professional, should have been experiencing: how to keep tabs on my family, pets and employees at all times or count and mark my currency. The terrifically outlandish if not morally questionable manufacturing of "need" has led to this series."

Steve Neves, Assistant Professor of Art for Hardin-Simmons University's School of Music and Fine Arts, praises the artist, observing that "Xenia Fedorchenko's mixed media works are powerfully visceral. Her masterful use of printmaking techniques and drawing processes are integrated into the production of deeply layered and emotionally charged images."

Fedorchenko attended Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, where she received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Painting in 2000 and also taught portfolio development workshops. In 2006, she earned her M.F.A. in Printmaking from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where she taught figure drawing and intaglio courses as a graduate student. Prior to joining the faculty at Lamar in 2006, Fedorchenko was employed as a printer at Milestone Graphics, a private contract print shop in Connecticut specializing in intaglio and lithographic editions.

The prints and drawings will be featured in the Ira M. Taylor Memorial Art Gallery located in the Frost Center for the Visual Arts from October 22 through November 14, 2008. A reception marking the conclusion of the exhibit will be held November 14, 2008 from 5-6:30 pm. The display is the third scheduled exhibition in a series of eight for 2008-2009. The gallery is free to the public and is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm or by appointment. For more information, call 325-670-2223.

HSU Candidates for graduation no longer need to pull out the checkbook and fill in those large numbers to proudly wear a Hardin-Simmons University Class Ring. In fact, if graduating students meet published deadlines for completing their diploma cards, they will receive a class ring as a gift as a permanent reminder of the success they've achieved and the quality that stands behind their degree.

A good deal like this doesn't come along often, and we don't know of another university in Abilene that currently offers this program to their students. The program is extended to all Abilene campus HSU degree candidates. In addition to the diploma card, prospective graduates must have their finger sized and must choose custom elements during the announced times, generally early in the semester. Those who miss the sizing dates may not have rings completed by the presentation date.

The ring, although beautiful, is more than jewelry. Britt Jones, director of alumni services says, "The HSU Official Ring is a distinctive emblem symbolizing tradition, honor, pride and academic success. It encompasses who we are. It tells a story of our past and our present. It's a visible reminder of life-long friendships built while attending HSU. It demonstrates our ties to Hardin-Simmons University and is a tradition that will continue through the years."

The month prior to graduation, University Provost Dr. Bill Ellis will personally present each graduate's ring during the "Ring Celebration and Presentation Ceremony." Rings for December 2008 grads will be presented in Logsdon Chapel, beneath the resplendent stained glass window, on two nights; either Thursday, October 23, or Friday, October 24, at 6:00 p.m. Families are invited to attend to share this short yet significant occasion.

In a letter to students, Dr. Ellis said, "We recognize how diligently you have worked to get to this point in your collegiate career. It gives us great pleasure that Hardin-Simmons University is able to honor your accomplishments in this way. My hope is that you will wear your Official HSU Ring with pride wherever your career takes you. HSU will be proud to count you as a member of the Alumni Association. We want you to return to the campus often; you will always be welcome."

Student body president Jessica Jones wanted to do something that would have a lasting imprint on student life at the university during her term, but what? "Most things presidents accomplish are temporal; and temporary," said Jones, "and I have felt called to use my position to pursue something more. However, the only change that will have an impact forever is a change of the heart." REVAMP, the vehicle for that fundamental change, emerged after countless hours of prayer, brainstorming, and planning.

"REVAMP is essentially a worship festival with teaching that is meant to facilitate a head to head encounter with purpose in life, which we believe stems from an encounter with Christ," explained Jones. Not a revival in any traditional sense, REVAMP is a viral means for accomplishing what one speaker at a gathering cannot, "The way we see the outcome is this: even if only 50 students were passionately changed by serving outside of themselves through REVAMP, they would be equipped to take that change into the community, serving and loving and working for those in need. This, in turn, will change lives, inspiring more and more people toward the cause of something bigger than themselves," said Jones.

The fire in Jones' heart is matched only by the statement of purpose for REVAMP, "It is a movement initiated by HSU students who are determined to set ablaze the heart and soul of their campus, the Abilene community and the world at large with the united, impassioned pursuit of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world. Our far-sighted vision is to break down the barriers of complacency, half-hearted commitment, and unholy fear to achieve a revolution and manifestation of perfect unity (John 17:22-26) and unconditional conviction. Our near-sighted mission is to provide a worship festival and challenging messages over five days to ignite the contagious passion for purposeful living under Christ."

Commitment and purpose have been reinforced by working to finance the festival without support from the University. Students have held fund-raisers, car-hopped at local drive-ins, written letters for support, gone door to door asking for spare change in dormitories, and approached churches and alumni for wisdom and support.

The festival begins Wednesday, 22 Oct, and goes through Sunday. The venue is impressive. The stage will be set at the campus side of the Logsdon complex, facing the long walkway that extends to the clock tower. Bands and speakers are coordinated to keep the energy high. The schedule looks like this:

22 Oct - 8:00 p.m. Worship leaders The Journey and Look to the Sky, speaker Jake
Topper. The evening should close at 10:15 p.m.

23 Oct - 8:00 p.m. Worship leader Close Your Eyes, speaker Tim Palmer. Worship
continues
Until 10:30 p.m.

24 Oct - 6:00 p.m. Worship leaders Mandi Holmes, Brenton Downdy & Band, and Klinch,
Speaker Jason Mannon. Things should wrap by 11:00

25 Oct - 11:00 a.m. Worship leaders RevAmp Choir and No Limitz P&W, speaker Dr.
Kelvin Kelley. After a break for the HSU football
game, the fest picks up at 6:00 p.m. with worship
leaders Sparrow Fly, Klinch, and Joel
Hawkins, and speakers Dr. Kelvin Kelley, Lee
Sheppard, and Jason Mannon. The evening
should close at 11:00 p.m.

26 Oct - 3:00 p.m. Worship leaders No Limitz P&W and speader Lee Sheppard. Close at
6:00 p.m.

The worship festival is remarkable and ambitious, and was planned, funded, and organized in only two months. The students involved are representative of the entire university; no group on campus has a monopoly on the event. "We want every area to be involved and every person, especially those who don't have anything on campus to call their own, to feel welcome."

Jones wants the whole community to show up and take advantage of this free, blessed and extraordinary event. "It was the most far-fetched dream that was next to impossible. It became a calling, and in turn, is now a reality. We are the tomorrow of Abilene and the world, and must set a precedent that will not simply serve ourselves but leave a lasting mark on the hearts of many."

Dr. David Crutchley, Dean of the School of Religion at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, is the featured speaker at The George Knight Lectures, Oct 23, at Hardin-Simmons University's Logsdon School of Theology. An annual conference promoting Biblical scholarship in the Church, the theme for 2008 explores "Christological Lanterns: Images of Christ in a Dark World."

"The simple questions are often the most profound," says Dr. Crutchley, "The 'Who is Jesus' question cannot be ignored and never wanes in significance. From the precarious and fragile lot of Christians living out their fledgling faith - amidst catacombs and Colosseum - to the unpredictability and despair in our historical moment, the Christological lanterns in Philippians and Hebrews provide bright light and welcome spiritual ballast for life and mission."

The schedule for the series includes:

11:55 a.m. - "The Lord of the Harvest," Logsdon Chapel

12:30 p.m. - Lunch in the Johnson Building Multipurpose Room

3:00 p.m. - "Being Fully Human: A Spirituality Out of Africa," Logsdon Chapel Reception
Room

7:00 p.m. - "The Christ of the Cosmos," Logsdon Chapel Reception Room

Dr. Crutchley was born in Zimbabwe and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. He lived in Africa for two-thirds of his life, before moving to the United States. He began his education studying law, but after law school went to seminary school, "not with a calling, but with a curiosity."

He is beginning his fourth year on faculty at Carson-Newman, and has taught at several institutions including Cape Town Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently serving as the Chair of the Theological education Workshop of the Baptist World Alliance Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion Institute of Biblical Research. He is also the teaching pastor at Smithwood Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Dr. Crutchley received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Law (BL) from the University of Rhodesia, Salisbury, Rhodesia. He received the Master of Divinity in Biblical languages and PhD in New Testament from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Additional studies include work at Boston College, London Institute of Contemporary Studies, and post-doctoral research at Oxford University.

He has published a number of articles in the areas of New Testament studies, spiritual formation, and missions. Dr. Crutchley has lectured in more than 10 countries and is the founder and former editor of The South African Baptist Journal of Theology.

The conference is named for former Hardin-Simmons University faculty member Dr. George W. Knight, who came to HSU in 1976 from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he had served as instructor of New Testament and Greek. He was subsequently appointed as the first Cook-Derrick Chair of Bible and Greek at HSU. He established HSU's archeology program and led more than 20 archeological expeditions to Israel and Greece. He holds degrees from Louisiana College, the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his Ph.D. in 1973. Dr. Knight retired from HSU in 2002.

For more information contact Carol Bratton at 670-1587, or cbratton@hsutx.edu.

HSU students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to experience the excitement of a criminal courtroom first-hand beginning Monday, October 13th. The case involves a high-profile felony, and the defendant will either be released or remanded to custody, straight from the HSU courtroom facility, depending on the evidence and skill of the prosecution and defense. This is not a drill, the charge involves felony injury to a child, and someone may lose their freedom.

The Honorable Judge Thomas Wheeler of the 350th District Court will bring his courtroom to the Hardin-Simmons campus to give students a sense of what a legal career really feels like. Assistant Criminal District Attorney Sam Carroll, husband of Gracie Carroll, HSU associate vice president for academic advising & retention, will prosecute the case.

"It's so hard to get students to the court house to see how a real-world trial works," said Professor Sandy Self, associate professor of political science and director of legal studies. "So if I can't get them to the courthouse to see a real trial, then we'll just bring one to them." Due to the emotional nature of a criminal trial involving alleged injury to a child, she expects the HSU courtroom to fill up quickly.

Self arranged the first-ever criminal trial on a college campus at HSU over two years ago, a historic event in which District Judge Wheeler moved his entire courtroom to the campus to try a local man for possession of an illegal substance. That case resulted in a hung jury when the prosecution could not prove its case.

The trial will be held in the Elwin L. Skiles Social Science Building Courtroom (Room 114) beginning Monday afternoon, October 13th at approximately 1:00 p.m. and continuing until its expected conclusion on Wednesday, October 15th. Judge Wheeler will conduct jury selection prior to moving the court, give jurors a lunch break, and instruct them to be at HSU by 1:00. Self notes that jury selection is often more difficult when injury to a child is involved and the 1:00 start time may slip from 30 minutes to an hour.

While all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend one of the sessions, criminal justice students as well as political science majors may benefit most from the proceedings. The format is come and go, but students are asked to be as quiet as possible when entering and leaving the courtroom. Judge Wheeler will have a question and answer period after the case is concluded to discuss students' questions about the proceedings.

Hardin-Simmons University offers an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Students may choose to pursue an emphasis in either corrections or police science and administration. The program integrates theory and practical applications through lectures, case materials, guest speakers from throughout the industry, and special events such as this live-on-campus case.

Hardin-Simmons University expects to see approximately 1,100 of its alumni and friends as Homecoming 2008 kicks off Thursday, Oct 9, with the theme "Stars of the West." From the opening Alumni Awards Banquet, to the benediction at the alumni-led worship service on Sunday, graduates returning to the Forty Acres will participate in class reunions, enjoy the All-School Sing, honor special alumni, root for Cowboys athletic teams, and reflect on the common bond that they all share.

Over 72 events are scheduled for the weekend. Director of Alumni Services, Britt Jones says, "Already, alumni from as far away as New York, Washington, D.C., Kansas, Delaware, and the state of Washington are making travel plans."

The Moody Student Center will be packed with registering participants, the University Queen will be chosen, and grads will undoubtedly visit the Alumni Wall--looking for their names, and those of spouses, parents, and friends, forever cast in bronze on the circular edifice.

Highlights include:

Alumni Awards Banquet--Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Abilene Civic Center, $26, honoring the University's Outstanding Young Alumni and Keeter Award Winners.

Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet--Friday, 6:30 p.m., Johnson Building, $25, honoring news inductees into the HSU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Reunion Classes--especially honored this year are 1998, 1988, 1983, 1978, and 1968. These include Friday evening informal gatherings and a Reunion Dinner on Saturday.

Golden Lariat Society Dinner--Saturday for all graduates who have celebrated their 50th Class Reunion.

Age-appropriate activities for kids, 2-15, the Posse Corral and a Behind-The-Scenes Tour.

Homecoming Cookout--Saturday prior to the football game.

Cowboy Band--celebrating 85th anniversary with several activities.

All-School SING--Friday & Saturday evenings, 8:00 p.m.

Football Game--2:00 against East Texas Baptist University

Homecoming Worship Service--Sunday, Oct 12 in Logsdon Chapel. The program is entirely alumni-led, with speaker alumnus Charles Massegee '58.

The Alumni Association Hosts Homecoming to encourage and strengthen the bonds of friendship formed in college days, to promote the University and her alumni, and to solidify life-long HSU connections for alumni and friends of the University.

Check the Alumni & Friends website for more details.

Abilenians John and Betty (Thornton) Crowe are the 2008 John J. Keeter Alumni Service Award Recipients for Hardin-Simmons University. They will be honored at the HSU Alumni Awards Banquet, October 9, at 6:30 p.m., in the Abilene Civic Center.

The John J. Keeter Alumni Service Award is the highest alumni honor HSU can bestow. It is presented to the alumnus/a who has/have contributed the most in his or her field of endeavor towards the betterment of HSU or who has rendered the greatest service to the University. Awards have been made yearly since 1943 and are selected by a set committee whose members are established by a campus leadership role.

John and Betty Crowe have faithfully served Hardin-Simmons University for the majority of their lives, whole-heartedly supporting their beloved alma mater. Not only did John and Betty devote their time to HSU when they were students, they also have given of their time and talent to HSU since their graduations more than 50 years ago.

While a student at HSU, John was a member of Alpha Chi and Pi Gamma Mu, was Student Council vice president in 1956, and was named to Who's Who. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1956. While in the HSU ROTC program, John was a member of the Pershing Rifles, received the Distinguished Military Student Award, and was the first HSU ROTC student to be given a regular Army commission. He served in the U.S. Army as an airplane and helicopter pilot, and was stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and Ft. Hood, Texas, and served at flying schools in San Marcus; Mineral Wells; Ft. Rucker, Alabama; Ft. Stewart, Georgia, and Ft. Eustis, Virginia.

As an HSU student, Betty was a member of Future Teachers and the Colt Club, and served as sophomore social chairman and senior class secretary. She was also a member of both the Six White Horses Team and the Cowgirls.

John and Betty met when they were 17-year-old students at Abilene high School. They were married August 12, 1955 at Abilene's First Baptist Church.

John's contracting business, the John Crowe Group, has constructed many of the magnificent buildings on the HSU campus. John also has contributed numerous personal hours to the continued development of HSU by serving as a member of the Board of Development from 1999 to 2008 and serving as an Alumni Volunteer. John and Betty are lifetime members of the Presidents Club.

Betty, who retired in 2002 after teaching in the Abilene Independent School District for 35 years, is a former Board of Development member, a current member of the Academic Foundation and the Ex-Cowgirls club. In 2005, she served as the 1955 Golden Reunion Committee Chair.

John and Betty are members of First Baptist Church of Abilene and have lived in Abilene for over seven decades. They have five children, John and Tamara (Allred) Crowe, both '78; Joseph, Timothy, and David Crowe; and Sara (Crowe) Burleson. They also have 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Heather Portillo recently received an unexpected scholarship as she works to fulfill the requirements for a social work degree. In a gesture of respect and appreciation for her mentor at HSU, alumna Consuelo Kickbusch, guest speaker for the Abilene Southwest Rotary Club's "Top Fifty Plus" banquet, asked that the honorarium for her talk be awarded to a deserving Hardin-Simmons student in honor of Dr. Julian Bridges.

Delbert Allred, Past President of the Abilene Southwest Rotary, presents the scholarship check to Heather Portillo as Dr. Bridges looks on

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, is a 1976 law enforcement graduate of Hardin-Simmons University. She earned her commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army through the Hardin-Simmons University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and became the first woman commissioned as an ROTC officer in the state of Texas.

Born in Laredo, Texas, and raised in a small barrio near the border, Kickbusch is a strong proponent of life-skills and mentorship. She credits a "social experiment" at HSU for giving her the skills and knowledge to succeed. In 1973, Dr. Julian Bridges, then professor of social work, led a program that brought 30 disadvantaged Hispanic youth to HSU as students. Consuelo was among the group of poor, non-English speaking students who were the beneficiaries of Dr. Bridges' encouragement, guidance, and compassion. He helped them find the strength and resolve to succeed at the University despite the alien environment they first encountered.

Since retiring from the army, Consuelo has chosen a path of teaching--reinforcing her belief that a nation with strong leaders will be globally competitive. She has been recognized nationally for her selfless devotion and dedication toward improving the lives of children who are dealing with low self-esteem, crisis of identity, poverty, gang involvement, and lack of education.

Dr. Julian Bridges taught at Hardin-Simmons University for 31 years as a professor of sociology. Bridges earned five degrees over a 21-year period from 1952 to 1973. He completed the PhD (1973), MA (1969) and BA (1952) from the University of Florida at Gainesville, and the bachelor of divinity (1956) and doctor of theology (1961) in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

A former minister, Dr. Bridges served with the International Mission Board from 1959 to 1973, and served in Costa Rica and Mexico where he was director and professor at the University (Baptist) Student Center at the 125,000-student University of Mexico in Mexico City. He also taught while on sabbatical at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Madrid, Spain, Hong Kong Baptist University, and in Arusha, Tanzania.

Dr. Bridges has been a deacon at Abilene's First Baptist Church, a city council member, and active in numerous civic and professional organizations. He was recently elected president of the HSU Former Faculty, Staff Administration Fellowship.

Members of the HSU financial aid staff selected Portillo on the basis of academic performance, character, need, and the potential to "pay it forward" through a career in social work. Portillo carries a 4.0 grade point average.

Homecoming begins October 9 on the Forty Acres, and we begin the celebration by recognizing alumni who've been nominated for special honors.

A bank and holding company founder, Gene Adams; an author, guest speaker and columnist, Rebecca (Barlow) Jordan; and the Chief Reporter in the Office of Official Reporters of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC, Joe Strickland are the Hardin-Simmons University Distinguished Alumni honorees for 2007. The trio will be honored at the HSU Alumni Awards Banquet, October 9, at 6:30 p.m., in the Abilene Civic Center.

This award, given since 1970, is presented to alumni whose personal and professional accomplishments exemplify the ideals and aims of the University, and thus bring honor to HSU.

Gene Adams
BBA 1954/MA 1962

Gene Adams currently serves as president and founding chairman of the board of Baylor Bancshares Inc., a multi-bank holding company which he has built to four banks and four branch banks with nine locations. He established the company in 1979 after beginning his career in 1954 at Farmers and Merchants National Bank, Abilene (currently First Financial Bank, Abilene). Gene has now served as president of banks in Abilene, El Paso, Lamesa, Plainview, and Seymour.
During his career he has been recognized as "an outstanding West Texas banker and businessman." He is currently serving as chairman and vice chairman of the boards of four banks. In 1993, he traveled to Moscow while serving on an International Committee invited by the Russian Bankers Association to help convert Russian banks to free enterprise system operation. He has also served on the boards of the Baptist Church Loan Corp. and the Federal Reserve Bank, and was an advisor to the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency.

While a student at HSU, Gene was involved in tennis and played on the 1953 national championship team. He was the 1953 Senior Class Favorite and Senior Class treasurer.
He has continued his involvement with Hardin-Simmons, serving two nine-year terms and twice as chair of the Board of Trustees. He is also a former member of the Board of Development and the Alumni Association Board.
He received the Keeter Alumni Service Award in 1991 and in 2003 was inducted into the HSU Athletics Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Irma, have two adult children and are members of First Baptist Church of Seymour.

Rebecca (Barlow) Jordan
Ex 1966

Rebecca Jordan has a passion "to help others find their own deep connection with a loving, faithful God." She has accomplished her goal by sharing personal reflections of her own profound connectedness with God. Since leaving Hardin-Simmons in 1966, Rebecca has authored/co-authored 10 inspirational books, is a frequent guest speaker, and has been a newspaper columnist.

While she continues to write, Rebecca also teaches a Bible study class at Highland Terrace Baptist Church where her husband, Larry '67, is Executive Pastor. She and Larry lead marriage enrichment retreats and co-authored Marriage Toners, Weekly Exercises to Strengthen Your Relationship. Rebecca has also taught at writers' conferences, has been a church deaf interpreter, and has worked with women's ministry and discipleship.

Her newest book is 40 Days in God's Blessing: a Devotional Encounter, the second in a new 40-day devotional series. She also authored the bestselling Daily in Your Presence and Daily in Your Image, as well as At Home in My Heart: Preparing a Place for His Presence.

Rebecca co-authored with four friends the Courage for the Chicken Hearted and Eggstra Courage for the Chicken Hearted series which has sold over 150,000 copies, has been translated in Korean, and published as a hardback collector edition for Guideposts.
Rebecca and Larry live in Greenville, TX, and have two married daughters and four grandchildren.

Joe Strickland
BM 1976

How does one get from the small farming community of Rotan, Texas, to the U.S. Capitol? Joe Strickland can explain that journey. His starting point was at Hardin- Simmons University.

Joe's career has been a mixture of music, travel, and reporting. Raised by a minister whose mission was to build new churches, Joe and his family moved from church to church and home to home throughout his childhood. While at HSU majoring in music, Joe traveled internationally with the Concert Choir and other HSU singing groups. By the time he graduated from HSU, the love of travel was deeply embedded in his spirit.
In 1978, he and a partner opened Epic Travel, Inc. in Plano, Texas. For the next 10 years, he co-owned and managed this successful retail agency and arts and entertainment tour operation, traveling all over the world.

In 1988 he sold the travel business and began training for his next career--in court reporting. Excelling at his new chosen profession, Joe moved, in only 10 short years, from working as a live on-air closed captionist for a local ABC affiliate in El Paso to become the Chief Reporter in the Office of Official Reporters of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC. Along the way, he served as a freelance court reporter in Washington, DC, as an official reporter, then as the Deputy Chief Reporter for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Joe recently moved from the suburbs of northern Virginia to the vibrant U Street Corridor in the District of Columbia.

Dr. Tom Copeland, director of the Hardin-Simmons University Honors Program, announced the names of this year's Leland Scholars. The four freshmen benefit from the bequest of HSU alumna June Frost Leland. Of students who apply for and receive the $6,000 Presidential or Dean's Scholarship, 15 top scholars are selected for the University Honors Program and receive an additional $2,000. The four Leland Scholars receive an additional $5,000 based upon incoming academic record. The total yearly benefit to the Leland Scholars is $13,000. For a student taking a 12-hour per semester load, this is essentially a "full ride" scholarship.

The 2008-2009 Leland Scholars are:

Caleb Cruce, is a native of Leander and the son of Clay and Patricia Cruce. He is a youth ministry and psychology double major. He plans to be a youth minister or professional musician.

Alexandra Townsend-Dokter, from Abilene, is the daughter of HSU alumnus Kelly Townsend. The fine arts/graphic design major would like to become a visual effects artist for a major movie company.

Phoebe Glick, from Amarillo, is the daughter of Cindy Glick. The biology (pre med) major has wanted to be a doctor since she was six, "so it's amazing to finally be on the way to that goal."

Kelsie Nygren, a native of El Paso, is the daughter of Curt and Diana Nygren. The English major began writing fiction when she was twelve years old and hasn't stopped since. One of her works has already been published by a Christian publishing company, and she would love to earn her living writing Christian fantasy. "Some say the novel or newspaper is almost extinct because of the Internet," she says, "I say there is nothing better than the feel of a book that holds untold riches in its pages."

Katie Witmore, is an official military brat. Born in the Netherlands, she comes to HSU from Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, where her parents Eric and Jean Whitmore are stationed and her father serves as an Air Force chaplain. Sister Tori is also in the honors program, so her entire family isn't half a world away. She plans to major in political science, with a minor in missions. She hopes to have a career in international affairs so she can continue to travel and experience new things.

June Frost Leland, a 1940 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Six White Horses rider, philanthropist, and Ruidoso, New Mexico, resident, surprised HSU with the largest single gift ever received by the University. A significant portion of the bequest was dedicated to the Honors Program, and the establishment of the Leland Scholars endowment for the Honors Program allows the University to compete each year for larger numbers of top academic performers.

The 15 students selected for the Honors Program in addition to the Leland Scholars are:
Abigail Bailey of Demming, New Mexico; Callie Rankin of Midland/Odessa; Chelsea Steelman of Paris; Courtney Browning of Seymour; Cullen Dees of Canyon; Jeremiah Banks of San Angelo; Lauren Jay of Kingwood; Lyndsay Matthews of Henrietta; Meghan Stearns, of Louisville; Melissa Rosales of Mission; Morgan Rainer of Texarkana; Rebecca Roth of Weatherford; Sarah Shurbet of Pittsburg; Tori Whitemore from Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan; and Travis Tincher from Whitehouse.

Students admitted to the Honors Program receive an honors scholarship for each semester, as long as they are in good standing in the program. The HSU Honors Program provides an enriched educational environment for undergraduate students of exceptional promise who have a wide variety of interests and seek an enhanced learning opportunity. In keeping with the University's Christian mission, the Honors Program promotes creative and critical thinking skills to equip individuals for success in today's world.