HSU Insider

With the start of the new academic year looming less than one month away, the academic affairs office of Hardin-Simmons University will be under the leadership of an experienced professor, pastor, administrator, and theologian.

With the announcement this week that long-time provost and chief academic officer Dr. Bill Ellis would be assuming the presidency of Howard Payne University in Brownwood, HSU president Dr. Lanny Hall indicated that he would appoint an interim academic officer in the next few days.

Today, Dr. Hall appointed Dr. Don Williford to that post. "I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Williford as interim vice president for academic affairs," says Hall.

"With Dr. Williford's appointment, we will experience a seamless transition. The current associate provost and professor of New Testament is intimately familiar with the operation of the office of academic affairs and is well respected by his peers." Hall continued," Williford also brings to the task a keen understanding of faculty and accreditation issues."

Williford has been at HSU since 1992 when he accepted the position of assistant professor of church ministry and director of church relations. He became associate vice president for academic affairs in July of 2002 and associate provost in 2006.

He earned his undergraduate degree in secondary education in 1970 from Howard Payne. Williford went on to receive both his Masters of Divinity and his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Williford started his teaching career at Carter Junior High in Arlington. He has been a professor of New Testament at HSU since 1996. Williford became a pastor even before he graduated with his bachelor's degree, starting out at a small Baptist church in Hasse, Texas. He also was pastor of First Baptist Church of Brownwood for almost eleven years.

Dr. Hall says, "HSU owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Williford for rearranging his personal life to adjust to these new interim responsibilities." Dr. Hall went on the say that he has known Williford for more than 36 years. "I know him as a fine professor, preacher, pastor, and administrator. We are fortunate that he is willing to assume this important interim post," says Hall.

Williford is married to Dr. Pam Williford, dean of the Irvin School of Education. The Willifords have one daughter, Natalie.

The Princeton Review says HSU one of "2010 Best Colleges" in Region by Region Report

Hardin-Simmons University is one of the best colleges and universities in the West according to The Princeton Review. The education services company selected the school as one of 123 institutions it recommends in its "Best in the West" section on its website feature 2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region that posted July 27, 2009.

Says Robert Franek, Princeton Review's V.P., Publishing, "We chose Hardin-Simmons and the other terrific schools we recommend as our 'regional best' colleges primarily for the excellent academic programs. We also work to have our roster of 'regional best' colleges feature a range of institutions by size, selectivity, character and locale. We choose the schools based on institutional data we collect from several hundred schools in each region, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of independent and high school-based college advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what each school's customers - their students - report to us about their campus experiences on our 80-question student survey."

The 123 colleges The Princeton Review chose for this year's "Best in the West" designations are located in fifteen states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, The Princeton Review also designated 218 colleges in the Northeast, 141 in the Southeast, and 158 in the Midwest as best in their locales on the company's 2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its site. The 640 colleges named "regional best(s)" represent only about 25% (one out of four) of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in its 2010 Best Colleges Region by Region website section. The Princeton Review survey for this project asks students to rate their own schools on several issues -- from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food -- and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.

"Life at Hardin-Simmons is pretty easygoing," observes a junior on the 80-question survey. The report also says of HSU, "Despite the emphasis on religion, students tell us that belief in God 'is not shoved down anyone's throat.' Athletics are also really big. The football team in particular has a storied tradition. Mostly, goofy fun abounds, 'like bringing pillows and sleeping bags out to the campus lawn and watching movies.'"

"The theology and ministry programs are tremendous. Offerings in music, education, physical therapy, and the hard sciences are reportedly excellent as well."

"The school's administration and professors work hard to be available to students," boasts a psychology major. "Financial aid is ample and the 'HSU Commitment' is definitely worth noting." As long as you stay enrolled for consecutive semesters, and don't flunk, Hardin-Simmons guarantees that your tuition will not increase.

"The classes are the perfect size," says one undergrad. "I love that the professors know my name," adds a sophomore.

The report also says, "'HSU is friendly towards homeschoolers,' according to one sophomore, 'that's a big reason I applied and came here.' On the whole, these students identify themselves as 'very religious' and 'fairly conservative.' Most of the kids here are 'friendly, normal students who hold open doors and say hello.' They are like typical students elsewhere, only minus the rampant partying."

The Princeton Review www.PrincetonReview.com is known for its tutoring and classroom test preparation courses, books, and college and graduate school admission services. Its corporate headquarters is in Framingham, MA, and editorial offices are in New York City. It is not affiliated with Princeton University.

"We congratulate Dr. Ellis on this significant advancement in his career," Hardin-Simmons president, Dr. Lanny Hall said in a letter to faculty and staff.

Dr. Bill Ellis, who has been the Provost and chief academic officer at Hardin-Simmons since 2001, broke the news that he had accepted the president's job at another Baptist university.

Howard Payne has been looking for a president since March, when Dr. Lanny Hall announced that he would be coming back to HSU for a second term as president. (Hall was president of HSU for 10 years before becoming chancellor in 2001 and then later taking the president's role at HPU.)

In a statement to the media concerning Ellis's new opportunity, Hall said, "While his leaving represents a major loss for HSU, we are happy for him and very glad that he will still be in Texas, leading another well-respected institution with which we have close ties." Hall went on to say, "Dr. Ellis is a proven and dedicated academic leader. We were not at all surprised that the Board of Howard Payne pursued him to be the new leader there."

Ellis told fellow HSU employees, "While Diana and I are very excited by this new opportunity, we will be leaving Hardin-Simmons with a sense of sadness because of all of you who have made our years here so satisfying."

As to finding a replacement for Dr. Ellis, Hall says, "I will be announcing the appointment of an interim academic officer in the next few days. We will launch a nationwide search to fill the position with the hope of naming a new academic officer within the next nine months."

Ellis and Dr. Hall will be working together during this transition to ensure things continue moving smoothly as the beginning of the new academic year approaches.

Ellis's resignation was no surprise to Hall. "Dr. Ellis and I have been in conversation about this possibility over the last several weeks," he said. "This is a great opportunity for him and Howard Payne will benefit from his seasoned academic leadership."

Ellis will be starting his new job at HPU next week.

Gracen Harris knows the secret of a high flat-footed jump. Gracen is a Hardin-Simmons volleyball player, and she is one of four college students helping with a new camp called Volley Kids.

"It's important to put your arms way back. That's how you get a really high jump," Gracen tells the fourth and fifth graders who have gathered around her. Pulling her extended arms as far back as possible, Gracen suddenly springs high into the air, effectively demonstrating the move to the amazement of the campers.

The camp is somewhat unusual since it is for elementary-aged students.

HSU head volleyball coach Sabrina Bingham says the sport is hard to learn when students are this young. "We try to make it a little more hospitable by using a lighter ball," says Bingham.

Bingham picks up a regular weight ball and one of the lighter ones to show the comparison. "Kids get exposed to some sports while they're young, like basketball and soccer, for example. Volleyball sometimes scares smaller kids, especially when they get hit by the hard ball," says Bingham. "I want these younger students to learn to love the sport earlier. That's why we are working to develop some of the skills they need before they reach middle school." Bingham adds, "This is really just a way to introduce them to the sport as an option for later on."

Although Volley Kids is an HSU camp, it's being taught at the Craig Middle School gym. Sabrina says since the camp is new, the facilities on campus were already booked up. Sabrina says the middle school gym is really a blessing since much of the equipment is geared to younger students. "We have activities like scooter races to develop leg muscles. We use some of the smaller equipment to work on shuffling techniques, and we play games just to practice getting their arms in the air."

At ages four and five, Lex'n, Hanna, and Micah are among the youngest campers here. They are in a group of children who range up through the third grade. The HSU coaches work with them using slightly less rigorous drills.

Meanwhile, at another net across the gym, Gracen pitches balls into the air as the fourth and fifth grade campers practice springing into the air and knocking it over the net.

Volley Kids is one of three volleyball camps going on at HSU this summer. High school students come to the campus for extended camps and get to experience staying in the dorms. Coach Bingham says many of these younger students are already talking about a summer in the future when they will get to stay in the dorms also.

Ryan Shaughnessy is well over six feet tall, athletic, and sports a red, white, and blue lei around his neck. The lei is easily explained since he is the coach for the USA soccer team competing for the World Cup bragging rights.

In fact, he is one of some 24 coaches helping this year with what has become an annual summer event at Hardin-Simmons University.

Shaughnessy is a 2006 HSU graduate and has played professional soccer in Belgium for several years. That is also why he doesn't seem to mind wearing his shoulder-length hair in two braids tied with yarn. Ryan says one of the USA players did the special "do" as part of his costume for the World Cup.

HSU Women's Soccer Coach, Marcus Wood, is the organizer of the camp. He says World Cup Night is the highlight of the four-day event. "It's the part of the camp that all of the players look forward too."

Campers live in dorms from Wednesday through Saturday while working on dribbling, passing, and other drills to hone their skills. Students, ages 7 through 18 come from all over the state to participate. "One camper even came from as far away as Durango, Colorado," says Wood.

There's no doubt about this night's festive atmosphere. Campers devote the day to preparing for the big event. Players participate in a mock draft as they are divided into teams representing real teams who play in the real World Cup. Then players paint their faces, their hair, and their T-shirts to represent the country for which they are playing.

Thirteen-year-old Joshua has been coming to the camp for four years. He is excited to be playing for Italy and has painted a white T-shirt with red and green stripes. Ryan says the Wylie seventh-grader showed up the first day wearing a jersey with an Italian player's name on the back. "We just started calling him 'Totti,'" says Shaughnessy. "He's a funny kid. On the first day I told him he didn't have to call me 'sir.' He told me he didn't call me 'sir' he called me 'son.' So Josh became 'Totti' and I became 'son,'" Ryan says with a laugh.

Among the unique T-shirts and hairdos, there is also a range of festive costumes. Eight-year-old Mandy of Wylie was selected to play for Egypt, an especially festive team. Coach Brent Camp did not seem to mind wearing a pyramid for his costume. Camp is an assistant soccer coach at HSU and also the head girl's coach at Abilene High School.

This is the first year two sisters from Weatherford have attended the camp. Seven-year-old Maysi sits with a group of friends on the sidelines as she watches two teams battle it out. She is also wearing a T-shirt bearing red and green stripes. Not to be confused with Italy, Maysi has been drafted to the Mexico team. "It's pretty cool, the way they do this, and being on a college campus is fun," she remarks.


Maysi's eight-year-old sister, Morgan, has been playing soccer since she was three. She wears a T-shirt with a large red dot on the front representing Japan. Morgan is eager to tell what she got to do for the tournament. "The first chance I got, I asked Coach Wood if I could sing the national anthem during the opening ceremony. Then I sang a little bit and he said 'You're hired!'" Not standing far away, Coach Chris O'Brien comments on the singing. He says of the national anthem, "That was pretty awesome. Morgan is a good singer!"

Opening ceremonies is another one of the elements that makes World Cup so much fun. O'Brien, a star soccer player for HSU and a criminal justice major, explains that teams paint the flag of the country they represent. "Then painted flags, T-shirts, costumes, and all parade from Anderson dorm to the playing fields." Campers wave to the crowd of parents gathering for the event.

Morgan's and Maysi's mom is on hand for the tournament. She says the girls are having a lot of fun at the camp. Lori Richards says, "Maysi and Morgan will probably come back next year since they have made so many new friends."

Among their friends are several Abilene girls: Madelyn goes to College Heights Elementary, Kacee goes to Jackson, and Mandy goes to Wylie. All have been drafted by Egypt's Coach Camp, who wears the pyramid they made for him. In fact, Camp wears the pyramid even while he coaches throughout the tournament.

The World Cup event goes to just past midnight with Mexico winning the bragging rights for the younger player division. Ryan's USA players, one of the ten teams in the high school division, got the shutout from England.

Both teams receive trophies for the wins, only to turn around and break both of them. Coach O'Brien says, "That's okay. That's the tradition." Shaughnessy adds, "We break the trophies with one piece going to each player on the team. The trophies are old ones. The point is, each player gets to take home a little piece of the bragging rights."

Administrators "lead through respect and confidence, not control through fear and intimidation," says one employee of Hardin-Simmons University who participated in a national survey of colleges.

Satisfied university employees leads to more student success, more qualified candidates applying for jobs, and less turnover, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which conducted the survey.

"Those are just a few of the reasons I am so pleased with the outcome of the study," says Hardin-Simmons president, Dr. Lanny Hall.

The 118-year-old Abilene institution of higher learning has been recognized in recent years as one of America's Best Colleges in a ranking done by U.S. News and World Report. Now the Chronicle of Higher Education has named HSU one of the ten top colleges to work for in America.

According to the publication's website, "The Great Colleges to Work For program recognizes institutions for best practices and policies in 26 categories. Within those categories, colleges are classified based on enrollment."

Nearly 41,000 employees on 247 campuses participated in the survey according to The Chronicle. Employees at universities across the nation were asked questions about health care benefits, leadership, recognition practices, skill development, work environment, and pay.

Hardin-Simmons is cited as superior in 11 of these categories according to The Chronicle's survey, making it one of the "Top Ten" of all the small colleges to work for in the nation.

Hardin-Simmons was cited exemplary in the following categories:

• Perception of and Confidence in Fair Treatment
• Connection to Institution and Pride
• Housing Assistance Programs
• Job Satisfaction
• Respect and Appreciation
• Professional Career-Development Programs
• Supervisor-Department Chair Relationship
• Vacation/Paid Time-off
• Work/Life Balance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Tenure Clarity and Process

HSU falls in the small college category, under 3,000 students, and ranks in the top ten with colleges like University of the Ozarks, Saint Michael's College, and Furman University.

The Chronicle of Higher Education says schools which rank high in the survey are able to boost recruitment and retention of the best faculty, administrators, and staff. Also schools which do well receive more qualified job applications for open positions; experience a lower rate of turnover; enjoy higher levels of student satisfaction; and foster innovation, creativity, and risk taking.

Although the questionnaire was done in complete anonymity, the university can request statements made by employees who took the online survey. The Chronicle says knowing what employees think can help an institution better understand its competitive edge.

The survey was given to a random sampling of 400 to 600 employees at each of the participating universities. At smaller schools, where there are fewer employees, everyone is given the opportunity to rate the college.

Dr. Hall says, "This recognition speaks volumes about our faculty and staff. They are dedicated to their profession and believe in their institution. Our committed faculty and staff represent one of HSU's greatest distinctives."

Universities who do well in the survey are given the rights to the "Great Colleges to Work For" logo. Schools are also given detailed results so they can actively improve in areas where they fall short and use their strengths in the best possible ways.

It was a windy shotgun start with temperatures climbing rapidly toward three-digits.

Golf teams were made up of HSU faculty, staff, alumni, spouses, retired faculty, trustees, and a few guys who were just standing around...not really.

After about four hours of play, two teams came in with low scores.

The team of Jon Ashby, Prof. of Speech-Language Pathology; Don Seamster, former Trustee and alumni; Charles White, retired from the Kelley College of Business; and Mitch Ezell, maintenance; turned in a score card of 65. Jon Ashby pointed out, "The old guys team did pretty well!"

Trouble was there was another contender for the prize.
Also coming in with a score of 65 was the team of Doug Dotson (Shelly's husband); Shane Williford, tennis coach; Paul Chonko (Melanie's husband); and Gary Stanlake, Dean of Graduate Studies.

That means only one thing...the dreaded score card playoff!

Austin, who answered the phone at Diamondback, explained that a score card playoff is the best recorded score on the hardest hole. Austin says, "That's number seven. It's 445 yards and a 4 par."

However, upon further investigation, the playoff was actually decided by another method. Associate Vice President of Finance and Management Don Ashmore explained, "They compared the scores on the back nine (holes 10 thru 18) and the team with the lower score on those holes was the winner. Rather than having the teams replay holes to determine the winner Diamondback had set up certain comparisons that they went through until they determined the winner."

So, with no further ado, the team with the best score on the back nine...and the winners of the 9th Annual Faculty/Staff Golf Tournament...Doug Dotson, Shane Williford, Paul Chonko, and Dr. Gary Stanlake.

Photos of all teams (except one) are shown below:

Terry Davis, Bill Ellis, Kevin Schulle, Tim Schmidt

David Jones, Steve Barrows, Dale Pugh, Trish Trifilo

Steve Harris, Wayne Roy, Mike Whitehorn, Abby Neinast
Joe Alcorta, Don Ashmore, Wade Ashby, Meredith Stone

Jesse Fletcher, Tim Dunn, Travis Seekins, Mitchell Etter
Larry McGraw, John Hunt, Melanie Chonko, Chuck Sartor

Sharon Green, Jeff Goodin, Cameron Moore
Jim Jones, Susan Keeling, Edgar Reed, Charles Garraway
Alan Wartes, Awilda Hayes, Clay Shelton, Steve Jenkins
Sherwyn McNair, Ben Johnson, Chad Grubbs, Harold Preston

Not shown: Bernie Waldemann, Cheryl Davis, Merlin Morrow, and John Snapp

Brandon Justice is an all-around great athlete, but you truly are not going to believe what he is planning on doing once school starts.

Brandon is at Hardin-Simmons attending the National Cheerleading Association camp being held here this week. What will surprise you is the uniform he plans to wear when he cheers.

In the Mabee Complex gym there is a sea of girls and a handful of guys. Brandon is part of a four-member team learning the basket toss.

There is no doubt about who is in command as he says in a succinct voice, "Ready, one, two, down, up, down, up." In response to his instructions, one brave girl is lifted until she stands at arm's length above the others. Brandon then instructs, "Cradle, one, two, down, up." The young lady is tossed into the air just before gravity takes hold and she falls safely into a group catch.

Brandon is one of about 220 cheerleaders from 25 schools around the West Texas area. This is Brandon's first year as a cheerleader at his high school in Claude, TX,--just east of Amarillo. He says he got a lot of encouragement from many of the girls to try out for the squad. "I have always thought this looked like a fun sport. It gives me something to do in the summer," says Bandon. "But it's a lot harder than I thought."

While Claude is a 1A school in a town of about 1300, the cheerleading squad at the high school seems huge--ten girls and two boys.

Jana Lemons is the cheerleader sponsor and, in her ten years, this is the first time the school has had male cheerleaders. "They bring a tremendous amount of strength to the team.They are also loud," Lemons says, yelling to be heard above the noise in the gym.

William Daugherty is the head instructor for the camp. Since it is raining outside, he is sitting on the first row of the bleachers in the gym as he makes notes during the maneuver the students are practicing. He was a cheerleader at Texas Tech and also at Levelland High School. He says this is a drill the campers have to master in order to move on in the program. "Usually we practice this in the grass outside," he says, "where it feels safer, but the rain has driven us indoors."

During the basket toss, he says, the number one thing is trust. "A girl can go about 20 feet in the air, depending on her reach and the strength of the toss. She truly has to trust the people catching her." And that is the point of this camp: "Safety," he says is number one, "but we also teach the campers techniques and how to interact with the crowd."

Brandon will most likely have no trouble interacting with the crowd in Claude after they see what he is wearing. The crazy part about Brandon--he is also a football player! So now, are you getting this picture?

How do you play football and be a cheerleader? Brandon doesn't really know exactly how it will work either, but he anticipates being on the sidelines cheering in his football uniform! Pads and all.

Brandon also runs track, and plays baseball as well as basketball. He says something has to give, so he may have to drop basketball to have time to be on the cheering squad.

Lemons says she thinks the student body is really excited about the guys being on the squad this year. But a football player--cheering for the football team . . . well, that will a game to see!

"I heard about this camp last year, but I didn't think I was advanced enough to come," says Blake Copsey with a bit of a shrug. But this year, the red-haired, soon-to-be a high school junior is one of an exclusive group of students at Hardin-Simmons University.

Only 15 students are allowed to come to the summer piano camp says co-director Lauren Puckett. "That's the maximum amount since we have to make sure each student has a practice room with a piano and an opportunity to perform in a master class."

"When they apply," says Puckett, "they are required to submit a recording of a performance and a letter of recommendation from their piano teacher."

Puckett and husband, Dr. Mark Puckett, both on the faculty in the HSU school of music, started the camp five years ago. "We want serious piano students to experience a week of intensive study and enjoy the company of others who share their love of music," says Puckett, working late into the evening. Students are preparing for a morning recital their parents will be attending.

When Blake was little, he watched and listened as his mother sometimes taught piano to as many as 18 students per day in their home near Flower Mound. At age seven, he says, he was tired of only listening. "I wanted to play!"

"I think I was one of her youngest students," says Blake. "But when friends saw how well I was doing at such a young age, they wanted to play too -- and many did."

Blake says he has spent all summer practicing, participating in recitals, and doing some piano competitions. "I practice at least two hours a day. I haven't really had a summer break, but that doesn't matter, if it has to do with piano, I love it," says Blake.

One of the things the students do for fun is to go to First Baptist Church in downtown Abilene to play the Shelton Organ, a multi-million dollar pipe organ that was donated to the church and recently refurbished. Puckett says, "An organ has a much different feel and it can be a little intimidating. Many of these very serious keyboard students have never played an organ."

Blake says one of his favorite activities is composing a piece of music. Students leave with a compilation of everyone's compositions and they vote on their favorite one during a dress rehearsal.

In the usually formal setting of Woodward-Dellis Recital Hall, students cheer and wildly applaud their fellow campers as they play their compositions. Students practice a deep, sweeping bow to their audience, both before and after their performance.

Blake says his composition was inspired by the quick rhythms of Carol of the Bells. "I've had the beginnings of this piece in my head for several months, but when it was finalized, it was something completely different than I had imagined it. I like it better."

Shirley Anderson, a long-time church pianist and part of the camp faculty, says one of the things they discuss during the week is performance anxiety. "Musicians do some of the same things to conquer fear that athletes do in sports." Anderson continues, "We talk about putting your performance in perspective--recognizing this is just one of many performances. We also talk about foods you should avoid, like caffeine and sugar which hype you up."

"One of the coolest fun things," says Blake "is ensemble. In my group, there were seven of us all playing together, each of us on our own piano. That was a new experience for me."

Puckett says, "Several of the students who have attended past camps have since come to HSU for their degrees - in piano performance, theory/composition, and music education. It's a wonderful way for students to experience HSU and get to know some of the music faculty."

Blake says that's his plan. The camp was a way to check out the university. "I know this is where I would like to be in a couple of years. Each of us got so much personal attention. We were not just numbers. I know a lot more theory and we worked on techniques, I feel a lot more confident now."

Blake's parents will be at the concert Thursday morning at 10:00 in the recital hall. "I'm excited for them to hear what we all have done," he says with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

The recital is free and open to anyone who would like to give support to the week-long efforts of students whose summer break is dedication to their love of music.