From the PRESIDENT uch has happened since our last issue of the News and I wanted to share with you personally what is happening in mine and Sadie’s life. I wanted you to be informed Mof the plans that we have made and to thank you for all that you mean to Sadie and me, and to Houston Baptist University. We have been privileged to remain at HBU for 18-plus years and our time has been extra special. The last five have been very intentionally directed toward the funding for the Cultural Arts Center, especially the Chapel and Museum portion, and many of you have shared that dream with us. You will be pleased to know that at its regular meeting in late November the Board of Trustees voted to begin construction of that portion of the project Sadie and I look forward with anticipation to who the new sometime in March. The funds for that phase of the project are President and First Lady will be and how and what the Lord will in place and the necessary permits are in place to allow the do here at HBU to further HIS mission and ministry in the days project to begin. ahead. Your support will be important to them and we know that With all these things having been done and decided upon by you will welcome them to the HBU family. the Board of Trustees, it is now time for Sadie and me to reassign I know we will be seeing many of you at upcoming events our time, talents and address to another place. As many of you this year, but I wanted to take this time to tell you of our future know, we began construction of a future home just west of plans. Please pray for the Board of Trustees, for us, for Houston Boerne, Texas, late last summer. We anticipate that home being Baptist University, its faculty, staff, students and alumni, and the ready for occupancy in late May or the first of June. new President and First Lady as we all go through this time of Therefore, with all the elements lined up in the providence of transition in honoring HIM. God, we have notified the Board of Trustees of our intention to devote our energies to other ministry opportunities as of June 30, 2006. The Board of Trustees has graciously accepted our decision and very appropriately appointed a Search Committee. The Committee is following a process the Board adopted five or so E.D. Hodo years ago for such a time as this. That process is very well defined and the Board and the Committee are committed to following that protocol. Contents VOL. 43, No. 4 Spring 2006 features EDITOR Martha Morrow 2 From the President ASSISTANT EDITOR Sara Hawkins 4 Letters to the Editor DIRECTOR, DESIGN & GRAPHICS Nan Donahoe 6 A Legacy of Faith and Learning An Interview with President Hodo EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kristy Wright 10 Defining Relationships ... “A Defining Mentorship” - John Martin MBA ’03 & ATHLETICS Kristopher Dusek, MBA student Jacque Cottrell “A Defining Achievement” - Senior David Rubio & Jonathan Boyd BS ’04 PHOTOGRAPHERS “A Defining Moment” - Seniors Leena Samuel & Jamie Jacob Wade Bagley, Sara Hawkins, Martha Morrow, Joseph Shannon, Jeff Shaw 14 On Campus SPECIAL THANKS Patricia Bailey, Linda Hammack, 17 Homecoming 2006 - “Leaving a Legacy” Donna Payne 20 Paw Prints VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Sharon Saunders 21 Updates 22 Sports LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: 23 President’s Development Council HBU NEWS welcomes letters to the editor. Mail should be addressed to: HBU NEWS, 7502 Fondren Road, Houston, TX 77074-3298 or you can e-mail us at 24 Alum-A-Gram [email protected], and should include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number. Letters may 29 Honor Roll of Donors be published based on available space and may be edited for purposes of clarity. HBU NEWS (USPS 252-660) is published quarterly by on the cover the Office of Marketing, Houston Baptist University and printed by SOUTHWEST PRECISION. Periodicals On the Cover: Alumni, you have a new home! Don Anderson BA ’68, postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HBU News, 7502 Fondren Road, James Weiskopf BA ’72, Margaret Whittington Weiskopf BA ’70, Houston, Texas 77074-3298. Helen Anderson BA ’68, Steve Stone ’93, and Jane Jester Marmion BA ’68 stand in front of the newly dedicated Hinton Alumni Center. Dedication ceremonies were held during Homecoming weekend. Founded in 1960, Houston Baptist University, a Texas Baptist institution, is a coeducational, independent university with a growing national reputation for offering academic excellence through more than 40 undergraduate and 10 graduate programs. HBU has been ranked in CONTACT US: the top tier among the “Best Universities” offering master’s degrees in Marketing & Communications... 281-649-3470 the Western region by U.S.News & World Report in its America’s Best Admissions ................................... 281-649-3211 Colleges for 2006 edition. www.hbu.edu HBU complies with all applicable federal and state non-discrimination laws, and does not engage in prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, nationality or ethnic origin, gender, age, or disability in either employment or the provision of services. Inquiries concerning this notice or the application of the laws referenced herein should be referred to the vice president for financial affairs. e are happy to include for the first time in this issue of the HBU News a new Wsection, Letters to the Editor. Please feel free to send your comments and thoughts on issues of interest to the HBU family to [email protected] or HBU News, 7502 Fondren, Houston, TX 77074. Letters may be edited for length, clarity or civility. Opinions expressed are those of the signed contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position of HBU. Let us hear from you! Defining Relationships living was infectious. Her skills were and to never lose my idealism. He Remembered almost magical and she never gave up helped me to find the courage to do what I really wanted to do and I have I wanted to respond to the on anyone. I got to where I actually never regretted it. question you posed in the latest issue ENJOYED doing chemical equations Since I had to have two majors, of the HBU News: “Did you have a and almost made an A — in I selected speech as my second major. defining relationship at HBU?” chemistry! (If I’d only studied harder Dr. Rex Fleming was head of the I had many great friendships for the final!) She taught me that department and since it was a small while at HBU and still keep in touch attitude is everything and it’s a lesson department, I had him for a number with some of my old pals. In fact, in I never forgot. Taking a girl who of classes. His sharp wit and caring November I visited Marijane hated science and guiding her not nature made him a favorite of many Roundtree Wernsman (BA ’74) in only to understand, but to actually students and he was attentive to all of Lubbock, where she teaches at Texas like studying chemistry was no small us. He took all the speech majors, and Tech. I hadn’t seen her in almost 30 feat. I will never forget Dr. Fan. especially the Debate Team, under his years, but it was as if time had stood Well, since I really hated science, wing. He taught classes that were still. We had a wonderful visit and Dr. Fan’s class notwithstanding, I both entertaining and stimulating. vowed not to let so much time pass thought it best that I change my He, too, taught me something until the next one! major. I came to that conclusion at that I’ve never forgotten. He always However, the people who had the the end of my sophomore year. That said, “If you want something with all greatest impact on me during the time decision was a very difficult one for your heart, you shall have it!” He’d I was at HBU were my three favorite me to make. I feared disappointing point a finger right at my face and professors: Dr. Daton Dodson, my parents and seeing myself as a glare at me with his dark eyes, Dr. Rex Fleming and Dr. Joyce Fan. failure. But I truly loved studying frowning, when he said it. He’d poke Over the years, I had many teachers literature (and still do). I was in at the air, emphasizing his words, and whose names I can’t even remember Dr. Daton Dodson’s World Lit class would repeat “You shall HAVE it!” I (or whose names I’d just as soon and that’s what really turned me didn’t believe him, at first, but I’ve forget). But these three people spoke around. New worlds opened up to me come to see that he was right. If you to me most about what being a as I studied authors from other don’t get what you want from life, teacher really should mean and, more countries, other centuries. I was so then you didn’t want it with all your importantly, what is most important excited to read everything Dr. Dodson heart. in life. assigned, and more excited to go to When I heard, several years ago, I was a nursing major when I his class to discuss the works. He was that Dr. Fleming had died, I was first entered Houston Baptist College, a tough, demanding professor, but I deeply saddened.