Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University Life Beautiful Awards for 2010 graduates were announced at Spring Commencement on May 22, 2010, 10 a.m., on the Merrill Burnidge Memorial Forum. Guest speaker was U.S. Congressman Roy Blunt.
Life Beautiful Presentations were made by President Pat Taylor and Provost Bill Brown
The Life Beautiful Award was established in 1937 by Rosalee Mills Appleby, a career missionary to Brazil. This award is given annually to an outstanding man and woman in the Southwest Baptist University spring graduating class. These individuals have demonstrated by their scholarship and character that they are living a “life beautiful.” The faculty selects the recipients, whose identities remain confidential until commencement.
The female recipient of the Life Beautiful Award for 2010 is: Marita McCampbell.
Marita is from Marshall, Missouri, and is graduating summa cum laude and receiving a Bachelor of Science in physical education. She was recognized in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.
Marita has been on SBU mission trips to Guatemala, Brazil, and Baja, and she led the trip to Baja over spring break this year. She attends Southern Hills Baptist Church in Bolivar where she plays the piano and sings in the college worship service, and leads a women’s accountability group. Marita teaches several aerobics classes at the Meyer Wellness Center and is very active in intramural athletics.
Dr. Taylor said, "Marita is a servant leader. One faculty member described her as a great representative of the SBU mission statement. She is caring, hard working, and very involved in her classes and community. She consistently exhibits Christ-like character as she extends grace to others."
Marita’s parents are Roy and Margaret McCampbell.
The male recipient of the Life Beautiful Award for 2010 is: Micah Titterington.
Micah is from Tonganoxie, Kansas, and is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies and communication, and a minor in biblical languages, with a 4.0 GPA. He was recognized in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and has received the Baker Book Award, Greek Scholar Award, and Hebrew Scholar Award.
Micah has participated in SBU mission trips to Utah, North Africa and the Phillipines. He was a welcome week volunteer from 2006-2009, was a member of symphonic winds for four years, and was a member of the SBU debate team.
Dr. Taylor said, "Micah is a member of South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield where he is a member of the praise band, youth worker, and Sunday school teacher. He has been a Discipleship Now leader for the past four years. A faculty member describes Micah as 'relentlessly pursuing academic excellence while maintaining an uncompromising commitment to Christ and His message.' Micah is gracious, patient, and continually strives to spread the word of God."
Micah’s parents are Michael and Diane Titterington.
U.S. Congressman Roy Blunt gave the commencement address and it can be viewed at http://bit.ly/SBUCommencementRoyBluntspeech
###
PHOTOS to Media are available upon request.
Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. Since 1878, the faculty and staff have created a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. The University has been named one of America’s Best Christian Colleges® for 13 consecutive years, one of America’s 100 Best College Buys® for 14 consecutive years, and it has been named among institutions with America’s Best College Scholarships ® for the past three years by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.
SBU’s Office of Marketing & Communications is available to news media 24/7 at 417-399-7918.
