Tim Holt, Young Alumnus of the Year

This award recognizes professional achievement and/or distinguished service to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. To be eligible, a recipient must not be over 40 years of age at the time of selection.

Tim Holt (¡¯15) produces videos that bring smiles to the faces of millions of viewers around the world, and he¡¯s grateful his faith can play a starring role in his life¡¯s calling.

The son of two Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumni, Holt arrived in Abilene and quickly showcased the skills that would eventually put his work on display to millions. He participated in the Los Angeles Film Studies Center and won multiple awards in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s annual FilmFest competition, including best picture and best director during his senior year.? He earned a bachelor¡¯s degree in digital entertainment technology with a minor in digital media in 2015 and began working for the sports and comedy group just months after graduation.

Dude Perfect, which rose to prominence in part thanks to viral videos of increasingly elaborate trick shots and world-record attempts, now boasts more than 61 million YouTube subscribers who tune in to enjoy the content Holt helps film and edit. Regardless of their soaring popularity, members of the group maintain that their purpose is ¡°about giving back, spreading joy, and glorifying Jesus Christ.¡± For Holt, this integration of faith and work is part of why he calls this opportunity the privilege of a lifetime. ¡°I am really blessed because we are all actively striving to live out our faith,¡± he said.

Holt continues to give back to his alma mater, serving as a FilmFest judge and sharing his faith and experiences with students as a Chapel speaker and Young Alumni Forum panelist. He and his wife, D¡¯Ann, have a five-year-old daughter, Everly, and live in Prosper, Texas.

John Warner, M.D., Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

This award honors timely recognition of lifetime achievement that brings honor to the university through personal and professional excellence and service to the university, church or community.

Throughout his career as a cardiologist and a leader of renowned institutions that train doctors, John Warner, M.D. (¡¯87), has made a real difference in the world of medicine that will be felt for generations to come.

Warner arrived at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ as an accomplished distance runner, and he lettered in track and field for the Wildcats as part of several NCAA Division II national championship teams. After graduating from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ with a Bachelor of Science in biology, he attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at Duke University Medical Center. Warner eventually returned to UT Southwestern in Dallas, where he served as a cardiologist and an institutional leader for 20 years, helping oversee planning and construction of the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. He eventually became executive vice president for health affairs and CEO of the UT Southwestern Health System.

?In 2023, Warner became CEO of and executive vice president at Ohio State. In this role, he leads an expansive organization encompassing six hospitals, a network of outpatient care and research facilities, and the College of Medicine. Under his leadership, the medical center is completing $3 billion in capital projects to advance its mission to improve health in Ohio and across the world through innovations and transformation in research, education, patient care and community engagement.

Warner served as president of the American Heart Association from 2017-18 and has been on its board of directors since 2014.? He is married to fellow Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alum, Lisa (Fielder ¡¯89). They have two grown children and live in New Albany, Ohio.

¨C Wendy Kilmer and Jonathan Smith

March 31, 2026

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Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ presented six-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Amy Grant with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree March 28 at the university¡¯s annual President¡¯s Circle Dinner. Grant also performed at the event, which honors Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s most generous donors.

The honorary degree recognizes her extraordinary contributions to contemporary Christian music and her enduring impact as an entertainer, storyteller and artist, said Dr. Phil Schubert (¡¯91), Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ president.?

Though not an alumna, Grant has historic connections to Abilene Christian. The late Jeanette (Scruggs ¡¯50) Lipford, a beloved voice teacher at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, was a close family friend and coached Grant in her early career. Three Abilene Christian alumni were instrumental in managing or producing some of Grant¡¯s first albums: , 2019 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year; Brown Bannister (¡¯75), who received an honorary doctorate from the university last year; and Chris Christian (¡¯73), a Distinguished Alumni Award winner in 2015. Another alumnus, Nashville author and minister Don Finto (¡¯50), encouraged Grant in her career, and Grant was a close friend of the late Dr. Bob Hunter (’52), longtime administrator at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½.?

In addition, one of Grant¡¯s early performances ¨C as a 19-year-old English-major college student in 1980 ¨C took place in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s Cullen Auditorium, now known as Boone Family Theatre.?

¡°Tonight, in the presence of so many members of the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ community, I am excited to award you the university¡¯s oldest and longest-running recognition ¨C an honorary doctorate,¡± Schubert said to Grant in presenting the degree Saturday. ¡°It¡¯s our hope that this recognition not only honors your remarkable career but also inspires future generations of artists ¨C perhaps some in this room with us tonight ¨C to pursue their calling with the same level of dedication and integrity. Thank you, Amy, for all you¡¯ve done to impact the Kingdom and spread the Gospel.¡±

Other recipients of an honorary degree from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ include Charlton Heston; Byron Nelson; Tom Landry; Kent Brantly, M.D.; and Laura Bush.

About Amy Grant

Grant¡¯s career spans more than 40 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into becoming an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. With three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums, her total career album sales have exceeded 30 million and over 1 billion global streams. Grant¡¯s chart success includes six No. 1 hits, 10 Top 40 pop singles, 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers. In addition to her six Grammy Awards, Grant has earned 26 GMA Dove Awards (including four Artist of the Year Awards) and has been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as the Music City Walk of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. She also is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

¨C Wendy Kilmer

March 30, 2026

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The Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ announced the launch of the inaugural Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Founder Awards, a new annual tradition recognizing exceptional alumni founders and alumni-led businesses. are now open.

¡°The Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Founder Awards will spotlight the fastest-growing businesses, as well as emerging companies and founders from among Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumni,¡± said Dr. Jim Litton, director of the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. ¡°This initiative reflects our commitment to celebrating and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit across the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ community.¡±

The inaugural awards celebration will take place during Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Homecoming in October 2026. The program is presented by Leadwell Advisory Partners and reviewed by Condley and Company, LLP, whose sponsorships help ensure a rigorous and credible selection process for this new flagship initiative.

¡°The Founder Awards are designed to elevate the stories of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ founders who are excelling in the marketplace while reflecting the values-centered leadership that defines our university,¡± said Madison Hall, director of the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Entrepreneur Network within the Griggs Center.

The awards are designed to recognize founders across multiple industries and growth stages, from emerging ventures to established enterprises, highlighting innovation, sustained growth, leadership excellence, community impact and marketplace influence.

Nominees must be Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumni who are founders or executive leaders of businesses. Alumni, peers, employees and community members are invited to submit nominations. Selected nominees will be invited to complete a formal application beginning in mid-April. All applications will undergo a structured review process led by industry professionals and financial reviewers to ensure consistency, integrity and excellence in selection.

The Founder Awards are part of the broader vision of the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Entrepreneur Network ¨C a growing ecosystem of alumni founders, operators, mentors, and investors connected through the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy.

¡°We anticipate that the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Founder Awards will be a cornerstone event within the university¡¯s alumni and entrepreneurship programming, positioning Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alongside leading institutions that formally recognize founder excellence,¡± said Mike Willoughby, dean of the College of Business Administration.?

About the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy
The at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ exists to connect, equip and inspire students along their entrepreneurial journey. Through strong academic foundations and immersive, real-world experiences, the center fosters innovative leaders who create value in the marketplace and meaningful impact in their communities.

¨C Wendy Kilmer
Feb. 18, 2025

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Larry G. Autrey (¡¯18 MBA) retired as executive chairman of Whitley Penn, a large regional public accounting firm he led for 25 years, growing it from a single market firm to the 34th largest firm in the country with nearly $300 million in revenue. He also worked with his partners to build a wealth management firm managing assets of more than $1 billion. Whitley Penn is the only firm in the country to be awarded the IPA Best of the Best Firm for 25 years and was noted as a Best Place to Work by Texas Monthly, Accounting Today and the Dallas Morning News.?

Autrey is a member of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s Athletic Advisory Committee and College of Business Administration Advisory Committee, as well as the President¡¯s Venture Council. He received the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Distinguished Alumni Citation in 2025.

Autrey and his wife of 34 years, Tiffany, live in Westlake, Texas, and enjoy visiting North Carolina and San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, where they play golf, tennis and pickleball. They are the parents of Chandler Autrey and Landon Autrey (¡¯21).?

Jack Rich (¡¯76) served as president and chief investment officer of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Investment Management Company from 2006-23 after holding a variety of positions at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ from 1991-2005, including executive vice president and vice president for business. Prior to coming to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, he was president and chief operating officer of Morton Companies, a San Antonio real estate development company, and senior vice president of InterFirst Bank-San Antonio.

In 2011, Rich received the Rodney H. Adams award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers, and in 2009, Foundation and Endowment Money Management awarded Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s endowment the Small Non-Profit of the Year award. Rich has been chairman of the Community Foundation of Abilene ($100 million in assets) and has served on the boards of the Development Corporation of Abilene, Kenley Schools, Abilene Christian Schools, Southwestern Bankers, Bank of San Antonio, and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

Rich and his wife, Karen (Leith ¡¯78), live in Abilene and are the parents of Mark Rich (¡¯05), Clay Rich (¡¯06), Julie Rich (¡¯09) and Katie (Rich ¡¯10) Gudgel, and they have 10 grandchildren.

Josh Ross (¡¯03) is the lead minister at Sycamore View Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Ross is also a speaker and the author of several books, most recently Coreology: Six Principles for Navigating an Election Season without Losing Your Witness (2024), Scarred Faith (2013) and Bringing Heaven to Earth (2015). He and his mother wrote Scarred Hope: A Mother and Son Learn to Carry Grief and Live with Joy in 2020. Ross has served on the board of Agape Child and Family Services in Memphis since 2011.?

He is married to Kayci (Rogers ¡¯03), and they have two sons, Truitt and Noah. His parents, Rick (¡¯78) and Beverly (¡¯79) Ross; brother, Jonathan (¡¯05); and sister, the late Jenny (Ross ¡¯00) Bizaillion, all attended Ä¢¹½´«Ã½.?

Ross spoke at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s May Commencement ceremonies in 2022. He loves playing and watching sports, going on long walks with his wife, eating wings with his boys and enjoying banana pudding with his friends.?

About the Board
Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s Board of Trustees is the governing body for the university, and members are eligible to serve up to five three-year terms. Trustees set policy, guide the institution¡¯s long-term direction and ensure it fulfills its mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.?

¨C Wendy Kilmer
Feb. 10, 2025

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Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and The Grace Museum will host visiting Chinese artists and dignitaries from Jan. 15-17 for collaborative exhibitions, a public dialogue and a live painting experience, all part of an intercultural project conceived by Robert Green (’79), department chair and professor of art and design at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½.

The show in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½’s Shore Gallery, titled ¡°Boundless: A U.S.-China Collaborative Exhibition,¡± features works by Chinese artists: Zhai You, Gao Yun, Fan Lei, Shao Lian, Wang Ping and Wei Dong, alongside American artists: Dallas-area artist Bonny Leibowitz; Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ adjunct instructor of art and design Hollie Brown; Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ art and design professor Kenny Jones (’82); Abilene artist Polly (Compton ’82) Jones; and Green. A smaller companion exhibition entitled ¡°Boundless: Origins¡± will be in the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Brown Library, featuring works by Green and Chinese artist Sheng Dongqiao. Zhai, Gao, and Fan will be in Abilene for the openings and events. In addition, Chen Chunmei, minister-counselor for cultural affairs for the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Washington, D.C., will attend the opening of these exhibitions on Jan. 17.

Three main events are planned:

• Public Dialogue: A public dialogue between American and Chinese artists, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15 at The Grace Museum. A piano recital by Hanqiu Xu, visiting college assistant professor of piano and collaborative arts at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, will follow at 8 p.m. in the Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
• Opening Reception: The opening reception for ¡°Boundless: A U.S.-China Collaborative Exhibition,¡± 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Jan. 17, at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½’s Shore Gallery. This event will include a poetry reading by Dr. Steven Moore, professor of language and literature at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½; a musical performance by Austin-based actor Ryan Chu (’24); and opening statements by Green and Zhai. Zhai is vice president and secretary general of the Jiangsu Chinese Painting Society.
• Collaborative Live Painting: A public collaborative painting experience where Chinese and American artists will create two works together from 2-4 p.m., Jan. 17, at The Grace Museum.
  

All events are free and open to the public.

Green¡¯s project ¨C ¡°Boundless: An Intercultural Exhibition and Dialogue¡± ¨C centers around exhibiting Chinese and American art, along with public dialogue, in both China and in the U.S. The Chinese exhibition, ¡°Connecting Hearts Through Art: A China-U.S. Artistic Exchange¡± took place in May and June at the Yuan Contemporary Art Museum in Nanjing, China. Green and Kenny Jones traveled to China for the opening of the show. They were joined by Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumnus Allen Smith and Chinese-American artists Kiki Liu (a ceramicist from Los Angeles), Zhao Jianmin (from San Francisco), and Wang Qingxiang (from Brooklyn, New York). Two other American artists¡¯ works were included in the exhibition ¨C Leibowitz and Abilenian Jingyi Teng, although they did not make the trip to China.

¡°The greatest benefit of this exhibition is that it appears in China and America,¡± Green said. ¡°Though it will speak differently in each setting, it will amplify the importance of cross-cultural dialogues and creative initiatives on both sides of the Pacific.¡±

The concept for this project emerged about two years ago when Green connected with Sheng to discuss shared interests in Chinese art, and their conversations sparked the idea of exhibiting works together.?

¡°I was motivated to reach out to him because our paintings were indebted to traditional Chinese landscape painting styles that date back to the 18th century and beyond,¡± Green said. ¡°It seemed to us that as we were in dialogue with one another, so, too, were our works. Our paintings carried on a conversation with the past and with each other.¡±

The two collaboratively planned both events, developing a catalog of works and agreeing on exhibition titles.?

¡°We were also convinced that having the artists attend the exhibition, come to the opening reception, sit for a public dialogue with local audiences and include interactive elements were necessary to promote mutual understanding and respect,¡± Green said. ¡°The public dialogue will allow us to discuss our different approaches to artmaking and the things that we admire in the art of our respective cultures. Additionally, it will emphasize a theme of respect between Chinese and American people during an era marked by distrust and sometimes demonization.¡±

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The inaugural event will take place October 19-21, 2026. The three-day tournament will feature nine men¡¯s and nine women¡¯s golf teams with three rounds of stroke play at the new Halbert National in Granbury, Texas. Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ will host the tournament with both the men¡¯s and women¡¯s teams competing annually in the field alongside some of the country¡¯s top collegiate golf programs.

Early commitments on the women¡¯s side include 2025 NCAA semifinalist University of Oregon in addition to Baylor University and Purdue University. Initial teams on the men¡¯s side feature Southern Methodist University, University of Houston and Texas A&M University.

Located 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth on 170 acres along Lake Granbury, Halbert National is a private 18-hole golf course in Granbury, Texas, owned by medical biotech entrepreneur and founder of Caris Life Sciences David D. Halbert and designed by legendary golf designer Tom Fazio. Halbert, an Abilene native and Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumnus opened the 7,542-yard, par-72 course in 2025.

¡°Partnering with Golf Channel and competing at one of Texas¡¯ most remarkable courses gives us an incredible opportunity to showcase college golf at its highest level. We¡¯re proud to launch an event that we believe will grow into one of the sport¡¯s premier traditions,¡± said Zack Lassiter, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ vice president for athletics. ¡°This tournament highlights the national profile of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, the excellence of our student-athletes and the power of collaboration with our partners at Halbert National. It¡¯s a celebration of what¡¯s possible when vision and commitment come together, and we¡¯re excited to see it become a signature moment on the college golf calendar.¡±

Golf Channel will present live coverage of all three rounds of the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate from October 19-21.

¡°We¡¯re thrilled to partner with Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and HNS Sports Group to present the inaugural Abilene Christian Intercollegiate at Halbert National live on Golf Channel in 2026,¡± said Glenn Grimshaw, Golf Channel vice presidnet for programming and partnerships. ¡°Golf Channel has introduced viewers to future PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour stars through our comprehensive college golf coverage for more than a decade. We¡¯re proud to add the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate to our robust college golf portfolio as we continue to showcase the stars of the future.¡±

The event will honor the late Johnny Perkins, a Granbury native and standout wide receiver at Abilene Christian from 1974-76, where he became the program¡¯s all-time leader in receiving yards and earned All-American honors. His record-setting career at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ helped launch him to the NFL, where he was drafted by the New York Giants in 1977 and went on to play seven seasons. As a member of the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Sports Hall of Fame and the university¡¯s All-Century Team, Perkins remains one of the most celebrated athletes in Wildcat history.

¡°I¡¯m honored to host the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate at this premier golf course. The event unites the innovative spirit of Caris Life Sciences with my Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ heritage, all while celebrating my friend and Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ classmate, Johnny Perkins,¡± Halbert said. ¡°I look forward to welcoming the Golf Channel and a national TV audience to experience competitive collegiate golf at Halbert National.¡±

HNS Sports Group, an Ohio-based event management LLC specializing in golf, will manage the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Intercollegiate.

For more information on the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate, please visit: . For the latest news and updates on social media, follow the Intercollegiate on Instagram at and on .

ABOUT ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Competing at the NCAA Division I level as a proud member of the Western Athletic Conference, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ fields 17 varsity sports and has built a strong tradition of athletic and academic excellence. The Wildcats are known for championship performances, competitive spirit, and a commitment to developing student-athletes who excel in the classroom, in competition, and in life. The Wildcats boast 62 team national championships and 226 conference championships.

Abilene Christian serves a diverse student population of about 7,200 with world-class teaching in a Christ-centered community. Founded in 1906, this Carnegie Research 2 university is nationally recognized for undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research. Students choose from 90 baccalaureate majors that include more than 186 areas of study, 77 areas of study in master’s degree and specialist programs, and five doctoral programs. Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Learn more at or acu.edu.

ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL¡¯S COLLEGE GOLF COVERAGE
Golf Channel is the television home for college golf, currently providing live coverage of 11 college golf championships throughout the spring and fall seasons. Golf Channel deploys its comprehensive portfolio of news, digital and social media coverage year-round in covering collegiate golf, including season preview shows, signing day specials, regional and national qualifying coverage, serving as the exclusive media partner of PGA TOUR University and exclusive annual coverage for the Haskins and ANNIKA Awards Presented by Stifel.

Following its announcement in 2013 as the exclusive television provider of the NCAA Golf Championships, Golf Channel has provided live coverage of the men¡¯s NCAA Championships since 2014 and the women¡¯s NCAA Championships since 2015, which are hosted at the same venue in consecutive weeks at Omni La Costa, San Diego, Calif. Golf Channel also annually televises the three-day East Lake Cup at historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia; the Western Intercollegiate Presented by Titleist, one of the longest-running college tournaments in the U.S. taking place at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Califfornia; the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Presented by Principal Financial at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head, S.C.; the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship; the Jackson T. Stephens Cup; the NB3 Match Play at Twin Warriors; the St Andrews Links Collegiate and the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Jennifer Kupcho, Rose Zhang and Maria Fassi are just a few of the professional golfers who appeared on Golf Channel while competing in college.

ABOUT CARIS LIFE SCIENCES
Caris Life Sciences is a leading, patient-centric, next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer that is actively developing and commercializing innovative solutions to transform healthcare. Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing) and the application of advanced AI and machine learning algorithms at scale, Caris has created the large-scale, multimodal clinico-genomic database and computing capability needed to analyze and further unravel the molecular complexity of disease. This convergence of next-generation sequencing, AI and machine learning technologies, and high-performance computing provides a di erentiated platform to develop the latest generation of advanced precision medicine diagnostic solutions for early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development.

Caris was founded with a vision to realize the potential of precision medicine in order to improve the human condition. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris has offices in Phoenix, New York, Cambridge (MA), Tokyo, Japan and Basel, Switzerland. Caris or its distributor partners provide services in the U.S. and other international markets.

ABOUT HNS SPORTS GROUP
HNS Sports Group is well positioned to assist companies that find value in the golf industry and build and execute comprehensive golf branding or sponsorship strategies. E ectively understanding the golf marketplace today is a significant challenge, and the HNS Sports Group team possesses over 125 years of collective experience that is applied to lead companies in their e orts to maximize value from golf sponsorship and event participation. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit .

MEDIA CONTACT
Ashley J. Grimmer
Communications Manager, HNS Sports Group
agrimmer@hnssports.com
(513) 349-3389

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He was born Aug. 13, 1931, in Western Grove and grew up in Rogers and various towns across northwest Arkansas. He was editor of?The Optimist?student newspaper in 1952-53, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1953, the same year he wed classmate?Audrey Kitchens (¡¯55).

He began his professional career with Cities Service Oil Company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.?In 1964,?Clark and Audrey returned to Abilene, where they worked for their alma mater until their retirement in 1993.

For nearly three decades, most of the images students, alumni, donors and other friends saw of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ were through Potts¡¯ camera lens. While he was a graphic designer and editor, he was the university¡¯s chief photographer most of that time, and in the pre-video, pre-digital era of communications, Potts¡¯ carefully edited multi-projector 35mm slide shows and motion-picture films were staples of student recruiting and fundraising events and campaigns.

He managed photographic services while curating an extensive collection of images for public relations and communications. He also won awards for his photography from the American Advertising Federation and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, many through his work on?Horizons?and?Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Today?magazines.

Potts taught on the journalism faculty from 1964-68, was faculty advisor of?The Optimist in 1965-66 and?Prickly Pear?yearbook in 1967-68, and Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s Outstanding Staff Member of the Year in 1977. While university editor?in 1993, he received Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s Excellence in Mass Media Ministry award.

He served on the Centennial Photography Archivists Team for several years leading up to the university¡¯s 100th school year in 2005-06. During the Centennial, Potts was one of 17 recipients of a?John and Ruth Stevens Historical Hashknife Award for pioneering preservation of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ history.

A gifted writer and Bible school teacher, he authored?Catch the Dream, a 1989 Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Press compilation of inspirational messages he created each week for Hillcrest Church of Christ, where he and Audrey were longtime members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clinton M. and Mary Suzette Clark Potts, and Audrey, his wife of 48 years.

Among survivors are sons?Avery Potts (¡¯77)?and?David Potts (¡¯87); daughter?Shannon (Potts ¡¯81) Jones; grandsons?Bryan Potts (¡¯06), Taylor Potts, Brenham Potts and Hayden Potts; great-grandchildren Kaylyn Ard, Kynzie Ard, Ryann Potts and Nolan Potts; and a brother,?Terry Potts (¡¯61).

— Ron Hadfield
June 16, 2025

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Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ awarded 810 degrees May 9, 10 in three Commencement ceremonies at Moody Coliseum.

The Friday, May 9, ceremony at 7 p.m. awarded 216 master¡¯s and 34 doctoral degrees. On Saturday, May 10, 560 bachelor¡¯s degrees were presented in two ceremonies ¨C 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.?

Undergraduate degree candidates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Biblical Studies; and the Onstead College of Science and Engineering participated in the 10 a.m. ceremony. Undergraduate degree candidates from the College of Business Administration, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Leadership and Professional Studies, and the College of Learning and Development participated in the 2 p.m. ceremony.?

Dr. Stephen Johnson, chief executive officer of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Dallas, gave the charge to the graduate class at the Friday ceremony. Shannon Wilburn, a 1992 alumnus of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and the co-founder and brand ambassador of Just Between Friends consignment franchise, gave the charge to the undergraduate class at both ceremonies on Saturday.

All three ceremonies will be livestreamed; visit acu.edu/commencement for more information.??

Outlive Your Life Award

In both Saturday ceremonies, Olympian Earl Young (¡¯62) was awarded the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award. A standout student-athlete for the Wildcats, Young won Olympic gold for the U.S. in Rome in 1960, running a 45.6-second lap on the second leg of the 4¡Á400-meter relay to help the American team win. He also finished sixth in the finals of the 400-meter dash and, at 19, was the youngest gold medal winner on the U.S. team in Rome. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in June 1961.?

In 2011, Young found himself in the race of his life when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and needed a blood stem cell transplant. Out of millions of potential donors in the registry, only one was found to be a genetic match ¨C a woman he had never met from Germany ¨C and he underwent a successful bone marrow transplant. From that experience, the idea for Earl Young¡¯s Team was born, and today, the organization travels around the country raising awareness and locating potential bone marrow donors. The organization partners with nonprofit DKMS to hold registration drives, primarily at college campuses, to encourage people to take a cheek swab test and be added to the registry as a potential match. Young¡¯s efforts have resulted in more than 150 donor matches, including 28 from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, as of April 2025.?

The Outlive Your Life Award is named for its first recipients, Dale and Rita Brown, and for the book by Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ alumnus Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference. The award recognizes all types of servant leadership exhibited by friends or alumni of the university.

— Wendy Kilmer
May 12, 2025

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Bestselling author and minister

Lucado is the teaching minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He¡¯s been dubbed ¡°America¡¯s Pastor¡± by Christianity Today, and ¡°The Best Preacher in America¡± by Reader¡¯s Digest. His books have sold more than 150 million copies in over 50 languages worldwide.

At the President¡¯s Circle Dinner, Lucado shared how his life changed 50 years ago as a 20-year-old Abilene Christian student, through relationships with faithful friends and faculty mentors and an encounter with God¡¯s grace during a sermon at Highland Church of Christ.

¡°I heard a preacher do for me what I¡¯m attempting to do for you: describe the grace that is greater than sin. When, at the end of the message, he asked if anyone would like to come forward and receive this grace, iron chains could not have held me back,¡± Lucado said.

¡°That was 50 years ago. In the intervening years I have failed Christ, but he has never failed me. I found a forgiveness that is too deep to be plumbed, too high to be summited. I have never been more or less saved than the moment I was first saved. Not one bad deed has deducted from my salvation. No good deed, if there are any, has enhanced it. My salvation has nothing to do with my work and everything to do with the finished work of Christ on the cross.¡±

Lucado earned two degrees from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½: a B.A. in 1977 and an M.S. in 1983. He moved to Miami, Florida, took a position as an associate pastor at a small church, and met his wife, Denalyn (Preston ¡¯79), also a graduate of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. Together, they lived in Miami and then spent several years in Rio de Janeiro, helping plant churches. He has preached at Oak Hills Church since 1988, and he and Denalyn have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Also at the dinner, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ president Dr. Phil Schubert (¡®91) reflected on the blessings and accomplishments from the past year, including Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s recognition from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a Research 2 university, the new Bullock Brothers Ballpark renovated baseball venue, $300 million raised through the Higher Ground comprehensive campaign, continued enrollment gains, and the addition of several graduate and undergraduate degrees, residential and online.

Schubert also encouraged attendees to consider how Lucado¡¯s experience continues to be lived out through the mission of the university.

¡°Max Lucado didn¡¯t come to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ with his sights set on becoming a bestselling author. But he found people here ¨C friends and mentors who believed in him, who saw something in him that he didn¡¯t see in himself. And because of their willingness to journey with him, he allowed God¡¯s grace to define him,¡± Schubert said. ¡°There are more Max Lucados out there. ¡­ They¡¯re waiting for someone to lead them, to say ¡®God is calling you into His plan for the world. You are essential to His plan for the world. And you are enough. What you have is enough. He will use you to change the world.¡¯ I believe that happens every single day here. Thank you for believing it too and being willing to invest in helping us lean into the open doors of opportunity that God is creating for us.¡±

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He was born Jan. 6, 1932, in Sweetwater, Texas; wed classmate?Betty Bell (¡¯53)?in 1952; earned a B.S. degree in business administration with minors in psychology and Christian education, and was a member of the undefeated 1950 Wildcat football team.

A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. on?March 29, 2025, at St. Andrew Methodist Church (5801 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093), with a reception to follow.

He began his professional career with Wyatt Food Stores, managing supermarkets in Fort Worth and including roles as personnel director, vice president of operations and president while the company expanded to 122 locations in nine states. In 1988, he sold the company to become owner and CEO of Muns Enterprises L.P., a venture capital and investment firm specializing in real estate and related projects.

Muns devoted much of his life to public service in Plano, Texas, serving on its City Council (1981-87) and as mayor (1992-96). He was director of the North Texas Commission, a trustee of Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, and board chair of Presbyterian Hospital Plano. He and Betty were named Plano¡¯s Co-Citizens of the Year in 1995.

Named his alma mater¡¯s 1999 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, Muns was an Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ trustee (1981-2002) who co-chaired the record-setting To Lead and To Serve campaign in the mid-1990s, and served on the National Development Council and on the Hope for the Future campaign steering committee. He was an elder at Walnut Hill Church of Christ in Dallas and Pitman Creek Church of Christ in Plano.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elvie Muns and Claude Muns; Betty, his wife of 71 years; and a great-grandchild. Among survivors are children?Katharine ¡°Kathy¡± (Muns ¡¯76) Spencer,?Marla Muns (¡¯77),?Greg Muns, M.D. (¡¯80), and?John Muns (¡¯82); 11 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½¡¯s?Exceptional Scholarship Fund?(Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699-9132 or).

— Ron Hadfield
March 26, 2025

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