Southwest Baptist
University News Release
Contact:
Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s Life Beautiful Awards for 2012 graduates were announced at Spring Commencement on May 19, 2012. Guest speaker was Clifton Smart, III, the interim president of Missouri State University and father of Murray, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian ministry during the ceremony.
The
Life Beautiful presentations were made by President C. Pat Taylor and Provost
Bill Brown. The female recipient of the Life Beautiful Award for 2012 was Lydia
Nebel, and the male recipient was Scott Davis.
Their biographies follow below.
Lydia Nebel
Lydia
is from Bolivar, Missouri, and is graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor of
arts degree in interdisciplinary studies.
She was recognized in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and
Universities. She is a member of Phi Eta
Sigma and Theta Alpha Kappa. She was
crowned Miss Southwest for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Nebel
has been on several SBU mission trips where she served as co-leader, including
the Philippines and the Lakota Sioux Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
She is a member of Alliance Christian Fellowship in Bolivar.
Nebel
currently volunteers at the House of Hope.
She also has worked as a court appointed special advocate for Child
Advocates, Inc., and a counselor at Camp David of the Ozarks (a camp for
children of prisoners). She is currently
an SBU Resident Assistant, and is vice president of SBU’s chapter of the
International Justice Mission.
Nebel
is passionate about serving and ministering to others. She genuinely cares about others and goes out
of her way to meet people and encourage them. One faculty member shared that Nebel
“exudes joy and her love for the Lord is evident in all she does.”
Nebel’s
parents are Krista and the late Rick Nebel.
Scott Davis
Scott
is from Kansas City, Missouri and is graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor
of music degree in church music. He was
recognized in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities,
is a member of Alpha Chi, Phi Eta Sigma, and Pi Kappa Lambda. He is a Presser Scholar, and has received the
Truett Scholarship for 2012, which is a full scholarship to attend Baylor
University and Truett Seminary, where he will purse masters’ degrees in church
music and divinity.
Davis
is a member of the SBU Chorale, Wind Symphony and Chamber Singers. He is the Pep Band Director and has performed
in three SBU Opera Theater productions.
Davis
is a member of First Baptist Church of Raytown, Missouri, where he currently
serves as the youth ministry interim, the children’s choir coordinator and
director of 1st through 3rd grade choirs, teaches sign language, has an
evangelistic ministry as “Skooter” the clown performing gospel illustrations,
and is the music and program coordinator for Pathway Puppet Ministry.
He
also has served on many mission trips with his home church.
Davis
is known by the faculty as someone whose attitudes and actions always are
consistent with his desire to be the best possible example to those around
him. He exhibits a lifestyle of service
and compassion. One faculty member
stated that his even temperament and teachable spirit have made him a pleasure
to teach.
Davis’
parents are John and Laura Davis.
The Life Beautiful
Award
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.
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PHOTOS:
Lydia Nebel and Dr. Bill Brown, Scott Davis and President C. Pat Taylor
Southwest
Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating
Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at
an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic
community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For
more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.
SBU’s
Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a
day at (417) 399-7918.
