THE PRESIDENT'S PEN

Guiding passions tied to faith, accessibility issues

In our last issue of Footprints, I started
a discussion about the guiding principles
at Wayland that have really become passions of the university. As we continue our Centennial Celebration themed “Dreams to Reality,” these blessings become even more pronounced and awesome as we study our history.

An institution of higher learning operating
in the context of belief in Christ...

Our faculty and staff are committed
Christians. They help create a caring and
nurturing environment in which faith is a
natural part of the life of campus. Faith is
not used in intimidating or manipulative
ways by our adult leadership; it is simply a
natural thread in the beautiful tapestry
which is the life and ministry of Wayland.
The vibrancy of our students' faith is
astounding.

This summer, we had missionaries, camp workers and summer interns serving our Lord literally around the world. During the school year, a truly significant number of our students serve as volunteers for a number of community faith-based projects. As part of our Centennial Celebration this year our students, faculty and staff partnered with First Baptist Church of
Plainview to construct a Habitat for Humanity house. A significant number of our students serve as paid or volunteer church staff members.

Through the excellent leadership of our campus minister, Rev. Donnie Brown, and our new Assistant Professor of Missions, Dr. Rick Shaw, fresh winds of spiritual vitality and individual discipleship are blowing.

Accessible to as many students as possible...

You know, of course, that Wayland was the first school of the former Confederate South to voluntarily integrate. The year was 1951, thirteen years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed by Congress into law.

We were also one of the first schools to begin a remediation program for students whose academic backgrounds were not what they needed to be for college level work. This program at Wayland has enabled significant numbers of students to be solid academicians. They have been empowered to study and to learn effectively, so that eventually they earn university
diplomas. Many of these students have risen to the tops of their fields – all because Wayland cared enough about them to help them to find their true potential and capability as individuals made in the image of God. By the way, when Texas Tech was mandated by law to begin a similar effort, they came to Wayland for guidance and suggestions because our Academic Achievement program had already been in place for many years.

Wayland Baptist University now has 13 external campus centers, as well as a large number of additional teaching points. We have extended our university in this way so that additional students (many of them the men and women of the United States military) will be given an opportunity to attend and be part of a faith-based institution of higher learning.

We have become a place at which those who never dreamed a college degree could be possible for them are finding that it is possible! They are finding that some dreams really do come true.

These are just some the reasons Duanea and I are glad that we have been called to serve at Wayland. And these are just some of the reasons Wayland Baptist University merits yours prayers and financial support.

Grace and peace...