SBU to Benefit from Edward Jones Grant

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications

417-328-1803

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University will benefit from a recent grant of $20,000 to the Missouri Colleges Fund (MCF) from Edward Jones. This grant underwrites the Edward Jones Scholars Program with scholarships to students attending one of the 17 MCF member schools majoring in business-related studies. The scholarships will be awarded by the member schools on the basis of financial need to outstanding qualified students. 

MCF member schools are independent baccalaureate degree-granting liberal arts and comprehensive colleges and universities in the state of Missouri. Their income is derived primarily from private sources.

The MCF was incorporated in 1952 as a partnership of private enterprise and the member independent colleges and universities in the Show-Me State. The Fund is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt corporation; therefore, all contributions to the Fund are tax-deductible up to the limits prescribed by the law.

More information about MCF can be found online at www.mocollegesfund.org.

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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.

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Speaking Bearcats Win First Place at Cameron Christmas Classic

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications

417-328-1803

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Speaking Bearcats traveled to Lawton, Okla. to compete against twenty-one schools from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri at the annual Cameron Christmas Classic. SBU earned the coveted nutcracker first place trophy and brought home first place in individual events, first place in debate, and first place in overall sweepstakes.

Team Members Leah Cleek, Kaila Todd, and Julie Strubinger earned first, second, and fifth place respectively in pentathalon - an award given to students who earn high ranks in the three genres through five events. Additionally, Maggie Thomas, Julie Strubinger, Hannah Larino, and Chad Bryant beat out the competition and closes out novice debate.

The Speaking Bearcats earned great individual success in every category. Sophomore Catie Lathrop won first in persuasive speaking, sixth in program of oral interpretation, and was a semi-finalist in novice NPDA. Sophomore Meg Burns earned second in program of oral interpretation, second in informative speaking, fourth in prose interpretation, and fifth in communication analysis. Sophomore Kaila Todd took second in persuasive speaking and fourth in dramatic interpretation. Freshman Leah Cleek brought home third in communication analysis, third in persuasive speaking, and top novice and third in impromptu. Freshman Julie Strubinger earned third in extemporaneous speaking, and top novice, and fifth in after dinner speaking. Freshman Hanna Larino brought home second place in after dinner speaking. Freshman Maggie Thomas won second place in communication analysis. Freshman team Bobby Sterling and Micah Jordan were quarter-finalists in NPDA.

The team will be preparing for the next tournament: The Gorlock Tournament in St. Louis, Mo. on Jan. 25-27.

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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.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

SBU Student Receives Library Student Assistant Award

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications

417-328-1803

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The SBU University Libraries has announced that Traci Richard of Bolivar, Missouri, was honored as the Outstanding Student Assistant of the Month for November 2012.

The University Libraries’ faculty and staff established the monthly award to recognize outstanding employment characteristics such as dependability, quality of work, motivation, attitude, and cooperation. Richard, a student assistant in the Media Services department received an award letter from Dr. Edward W. Walton, Dean of the University Libraries, a certificate of recognition, and a gift.

The University Libraries employs 28 part-time student assistants through the University’s work-study program.  Richard is a Christian Ministry Major concentrating in Children’s Ministry in the Courts Redford College of Theology and Ministry. She is also an Art Education Major in SBU’s Geneva Casebolt College of Music, Arts & Letters.

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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.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

Pastor Wesley Hammond to Speak at SBU Commencement

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications

417-328-1803

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s winter commencement is scheduled for Friday, December 14, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., in the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center on the Bolivar Campus.

The commencement address will be given by guest speaker Pastor Wesley Hammond. Pastor Hammond has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Paris, Missouri, since 1995. He was ordained at North Fallon Baptist Church in Fallon, Nevada, in 1988. In addition he currently serves as president of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

Pastor Hammond graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Theology. He pursued his master of divinity studies at Southwestern Baptist Theologi­cal Seminary and Luther Rice Theological Seminary while a bi-vocational pastor.

Pastor Hammond began supply preaching in 1983 until he was called as interim pastor in 1984 at Liberty Union Baptist Church in Milan, Missouri, followed by Knox City Baptist Church in Knox City, Missouri, in 1988. Prior to his current position at First Baptist Church of Paris, he served as pastor at North Fallon Baptist Church in Fallon, Nevada, for seven years.

An experienced missions participant, Pastor Hammond has served at numerous locations within the United States and internationally. His mission trips abroad have been in conjunc­tion with the International Mission Board as a volunteer. He has served as chairman of the Associational Missions Partnership Taskforce since 2001. Over the years, Pasto Hammond has been in­volved in Baptist denominational activities and has served on multiple state convention com­mittees in Nevada and Missouri. He is active in his local community serving as a member of the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce.

Pasto Hammond and his wife, Diana, have been married since 1988 and have two sons, Stephen and Michael.

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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.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats