When Langley Smith boarded her flight to Uruguay to study abroad, she expected a semester of travel and new scenery. What she didn’t anticipate was how deeply the experience would reshape her sense of identity, community and calling.

Smith’s first study abroad experience was to Ģ����ý’s hub location in Montevideo, Uruguay, in Fall 2023. Later, she interned in Leipzig, Germany, with Leipzig Notenspur, a public-history organization dedicated to preserving the city’s musical heritage. Her research focused on how music helped two Jewish girls survive forced labor during the Holocaust.

The academic learning was only part of the experience for Smith, a senior from Murrieta, California, with a double major in political science and history.

“I believe there are many different purposes of education,” she says, ranging from acquiring hard skills and field knowledge to “learning how to present oneself, navigating independence, and developing our emotional boundaries and moral beliefs, all while introducing us to a diverse set of ideas and individuals.”

Smith found her study abroad experience was a catalyst for all of those aspects of her education, she says. Her time in Montevideo challenged assumptions and expanded her cultural understanding. Leipzig strengthened her research abilities and gave her professional experience in an international workplace.��

“To put it simply, studying abroad made my education bigger than simply my classes or extracurricular activities,” she says. “It’s a cringy statement, but I really do feel like the world is my classroom now.”

A competitive edge

Smith, a Rhodes Scholar finalist for 2026, believes her global experiences elevated her application for the prestigious award. “Studying abroad provided the opportunities to practice cross-cultural and interdisciplinary communication,” she says. “Studying abroad also developed my global perspective. I believe that this global perspective also contributed to my application and ultimate selection as a finalist.”

And as a bonus, she adds, “I made lifelong friends and had life-changing experiences all before I turned 21.”

Smith’s reflection echoes a pattern Ģ����ý sees year after year – students discovering not just new places, but new parts of themselves. It’s a defining strength of Ģ����ý’s student experience, and one the university has been nationally recognized for once again in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report �����԰쾱�Բ���.��

Ģ����ý earned honors in four categories that spotlight programs proven to enhance the student experience: Learning Communities (#11), Service Learning (#11 and highest-ranked in Texas), First-Year Experiences (#13) and Study Abroad (#36).

A broader worldview��

“Study Abroad is widely recognized by educational researchers as one of the ‘highest impact practices’ a student can engage in as a college student,” says Dr. Mark Barneche, director of Ģ����ý’s program. “When students step onto Ģ����ý’s global campuses in Leipzig, Oxford or Valencia, or when they attend one of our other international programs around the world, they’re invited to engage their faith, intellect and curiosity in new and meaningful ways.”

Barneche stresses that immersion changes how students learn and who they become.��

“Learning in another culture strengthens independence and resilience, deepens relationships with faculty and peers, and helps students connect their academic work with the realities of an interconnected world,” he says.

“Because high-impact practices are proven to strengthen engagement and personal growth, Ģ����ý students often return from Study Abroad with a clearer sense of calling, renewed confidence, and a broadened understanding of how their education can serve God and neighbor across cultures,” he notes. “It’s not just a semester or short-term program away from home – it’s a formative experience that shapes students for life.”

For Smith, the practical and the personal came together across two continents. Her semester in Montevideo offered community and language practice; the Leipzig internship provided workplace experience and specialized archival research tied to her double majors in political science and history.

The support before, during and after the experience “really makes it feel like there’s a slice of the Abilene campus abroad,” she says.

The Ģ����ý difference

Barneche echoes the importance of that support. “What truly sets Ģ����ý’s Study Abroad program apart is the level of care, intentionality and community woven into every part of the experience,” he says.

Because Ģ����ý owns its global properties and employs its own faculty abroad, he explains, “we have an unusually high degree of control over the environment in which students live and learn.”

Each location is directed by Ģ����ý alumni who were once Study Abroad students themselves. Faculty-in-residence accompany students overseas, living, learning, worshiping and traveling alongside them.

“Each site becomes a vibrant living-learning community marked by strong relationships, shared experiences and a genuine sense of belonging,” Barneche says. “We find this chapter abroad becomes a defining part of a student’s Ģ����ý story.”

A program built on purpose

At many universities, studying abroad is a luxury. At Ģ����ý, it is a deeply integrated educational strategy, one that shapes students academically, spiritually and personally.

The program’s national recognition aligns with measurable outcomes: 46% of Ģ����ý’s university scholars last year were Study Abroad alumni and��applications for 2025, released in November, reached 302, an increase of 60 over the previous year.

Students also participate in spiritual formation overseas, including baptisms, small groups, and communal worship. Earlier this year, two students were baptized at Cenchrae, a sacred site visited during the Leipzig program.

The recognition by U.S. News and World Report affirms what he sees every day, Barneche says – that the depth of care, creativity and excellence poured into Ģ����ý’s global education programs is genuinely making a difference in students’ lives.

“For our team, this ranking isn’t just a badge of honor – it’s external confirmation that the intentional work of resourcing and improving our global campuses, investing in spiritual and academic formation, and creating a transformative community abroad is being noticed beyond our own walls,” he notes. “It validates the long hours, the behind-the-scenes work, the cross-cultural partnerships, and the commitment to delivering a high-impact educational experience shaped by Ģ����ý’s mission. Most of all, it encourages us to keep innovating and expanding the opportunities our students have to engage the world with curiosity, courage, and Christian purpose.”

For students like Langley Smith, the journey has been both academic and deeply personal.

And for Ģ����ý, that journey is exactly the point.

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When senior Abigail Countess arrived on the Ģ����ý campus four years ago, she didn’t yet know where to find her classrooms or how to navigate college life. But she did know one thing: she wanted community.

She found it in the Honors College, surrounded by classmates who shared her curiosity, drive and faith — and that sense of connection, she says, made all the difference.

“Being in the Honors College gave me an immediate sense of community because it made campus seem much smaller and more personal,” Countess said. “From the beginning, I felt welcomed and supported, and that helped me adjust to college life so much more easily.”

Stories like Countess’s are part of the reason Ģ����ý was once again recognized among the nation’s best universities for programs that help students succeed.

In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings released this fall, Ģ����ý earned national distinction in four categories — No. 11 in Learning Communities, No. 11 in Service Learning, No. 13 in First-Year Experiences and No. 36 in Study Abroad.

It marks the seventh consecutive year Ģ����ý has been honored in the U.S. News list of “Programs That Enhance Student Experience,” which highlights colleges and universities that foster engagement beyond the classroom.

“A national research university that is intentional about spiritual formation, impactful co-curricular experiences and forming lifelong relationships is unique in the higher education marketplace,” notes Dr. Phil Schubert, Ģ����ý president. “We’re thrilled when others recognize the value of what we see happening every day here at Ģ����ý.”

A culture of connection

For Ģ����ý, “learning communities” are a core part of the university’s approach to education. In these programs, students live and learn together through shared coursework, residence hall life and faculty mentorship.

The concept has been woven into the fabric of Ģ����ý’s mission: to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. One of the most visible examples is the Honors College Living Learning Communities, launched in 2023.

Honors freshmen participate in the Living Learning Community housed in Wessel, Ģ����ý’s newest residence hall, said Dr. Trey Shirley, associate dean of the Honors College and associate professor of art and design.

“Through this experience, students live together, learn together in Honors courses such as Cornerstone, and grow together through shared experiences that extend beyond the classroom,” he said.

The success of that first-year community was immediate. “In our first year of our Freshman Living Learning Community, we really didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “At our first event, and multiple subsequent events, we noticed that we were getting 100% attendance rates. The students were present and engaged, and anxious to join in all of the activities we planned.”

And when students prepared to leave at the end of the year, many expressed sadness at losing daily contact with friends they had come to see as family, he said. That feedback prompted the creation of a sophomore Living Learning Community in Barret Hall the following year.

Faculty in residence and mentorship in action

One of the defining features of Ģ����ý’s learning communities is the close relationship between students and faculty who mentor, model faith and participate with students in daily campus life.

In the Honors College, that relationship extends into residence life through a faculty-in-residence program, where professors live alongside students in Wessel Hall. It’s part of a broader philosophy of holistic learning that blends academic rigor, personal growth and spiritual formation.

“Faculty also supervise undergraduate research projects, from nuclear engineering to fine arts performances to high-level biblical scholarship,” Shirley said. “They mentor students applying for national scholarships, guide them through research, and even travel with them to present at conferences.”

Beyond the classroom, faculty help students discern their calling. “In our college we have a mantra that we use as a guiding light to keep us on the right path,” Shirley said. “It is a quote from the 20th-century Christian essayist Frederick Buechner. Buechner writes, ‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep passion and the world’s deep hunger meet.’

“Working with high-achieving students, we know that they bring many talents to the table.�� But this quote reminds us that our talents are not to be hoarded for ourselves, but are intended to be shared with the world.�� So our goal is to partner with our students, to help them find the intersection between that which brings them deep gladness and the world’s deep need,” he said.

A student perspective on community

Countess, a senior kinesiology pre-occupational therapy major, says that sense of shared purpose and mentorship defines her Honors College experience.

“I loved my Honors Cornerstone class,” she said. “That’s where I made some of my very first college friends, and many of those friendships have lasted all four years. It felt like a space where everyone wanted to grow and learn together.”

She credits the smaller class sizes and collaborative learning environment with helping her find her voice as a student and as a leader.

“Within the Honors College, everyone is motivated and genuinely wants to learn – not just to get a grade, but to understand how what we study connects to the world,” she said. “The professors also take a more personal approach and get to know you as a person.”

Through her Honors contracts, Countess has worked one-on-one with professors on specialized projects that align with her interests. Those experiences, she said, have given her confidence and a deeper sense of ownership in her education.

“Being part of the Honors College has inspired me to work harder and strive for excellence,” she said. “It’s taught me balance – how to handle challenging academics while still building relationships and enjoying college life.”

Learning that extends beyond the classroom

In addition to the residential communities, Ģ����ý’s Honors College fosters connection through an Honors Commons – a shared space for study sessions, tutoring, Chapel services and social gatherings. The Honors Student Council organizes a variety of events including formals, service projects and field trips.

Shirley says those activities help students integrate “faith, scholarship, and service” into their Ģ����ý experience — a reflection of the university’s broader commitment to spiritual formation and leadership.

“The Honors College offers many opportunities for students to engage in Ģ����ý’s mission from the start of their freshman year through graduation,” Shirley said. “Through our four Honors tracks — Design Thinking and Innovation, Global Service and Leadership, Social and Environmental Justice, and Research and Scholarship — students learn what it means to be a person of faith seeking to do God’s work in the world.”

As for Countess, she’ll soon leave campus with a degree and a clear sense of direction. But what she’ll remember most, she said, are the people — the friends who became family and the professors who saw her potential before she did.

“The Honors College isn’t just about academics,” she said. “It’s about being part of a supportive, encouraging community. That’s what makes Ģ����ý feel like home.”

– Robin Saylor

Nov. 10, 2025

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For the seventh consecutive year, the student experience at Ģ����ý is one of the nation’s best, according to the 2026

According to U.S. News & World Report’s methodology, the are a��national benchmark of “outstanding examples��of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.” In the 2026 report, U.S. News recognized Ģ����ý in four categories – and in the top 15 nationally in three of them. The university has been recognized in multiple categories each year since the benchmark’s debut in 2020.

• #11 in Service Learning [highest-ranked Texas university]
• #11 in Learning Communities
• #13 in First-Year Experiences
• #36 in Study Abroad

One of the pillars of is to “provide a vibrant student experience that strengthens Ģ����ý’s commitment to spiritual formation and leverages Ģ����ý’s national leadership in student success.”

The rankings come on the heels of an eighth consecutive year of record enrollment, with the university topping 7,000 for the first time. In the spring, Ģ����ý was designated as a Research 2 university by the Carnegie Institute for Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education – a milestone that reflects the university’s intentional commitment to research growth and academic excellence.

“A national research university that is intentional about spiritual formation, impactful co-curricular experiences and forming lifelong relationships is unique in the higher education marketplace, and we’re thrilled when others recognize the value of what we see happening every day here at Ģ����ý,” said Dr. Phil Schubert, Ģ����ý president.

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More than 7,200 students enrolled at Ģ����ý this fall, marking the university’s largest-ever student body and an eighth consecutive year of record enrollment. The student total of 7,274 reflects an increase of 787 students or 12% over last year, 37% over the past five years and 60% over the past 10 years.��

A large class of residential freshmen, an intentional focus on retention and continued growth in Ģ����ý’s online programs have all contributed to the eight consecutive years of record enrollments, said Dr. Phil Schubert, Ģ����ý president.

“The high numbers we’re seeing this year, and for the past seven years, confirm that students are attracted to our unique offering: a world class academic education delivered in a Christ-centered community,” Schubert said. “We are committed to welcoming each of them as an integral part of our mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.”

This fall’s record enrollment includes 1,031 new freshmen who come from every region of Texas, the continental United States and across the world with 22 valedictorians, one National Merit Finalist, two National Merit Semifinalists and 31 international students. Among the top programs of interest for incoming students are nursing, kinesiology, finance, psychology and management.

Ģ����ý’s overall undergraduate enrollment is up 10% compared to last year. Among residential undergraduates, first-year to second-year student retention hit a record 82%, and the university’s four-year graduation rate recorded an all-time high.

Demand continues to be strong for Ģ����ý Online offerings as well, with online enrollment up 25% compared to last year. Undergraduate enrollment in online programs is up 39%, and graduate enrollment is up 13%.

Fall 2025 Quick Facts

• Total enrollment: 7,274
• Undergraduate students: 5,101
• Graduate students: 2,173
• Abilene campus: 3,675
• Ģ����ý Online (Dallas):�� 3,599
• International students: 212

This university-wide enrollment growth is supported by key institutional achievements, including the university’s new Research 2 (R2) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and the recent completion of a $300 million comprehensive fundraising campaign.

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Ģ����ý’s Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark has been named the Best Sports and Entertainment Construction Project in Texas and Louisiana for 2025 by .

The $17.5 million renovation, completed over a nine-month period in 2024-25 by , transformed the home of Wildcat baseball with chairback seating, an open-air pavilion roof, a new press box, artificial turf, LED lighting and upgraded player development facilities. The project was designed to elevate the fan experience and athlete performance while strengthening Ģ����ý’s role as a top-tier NCAA Division I program.��

“Every aspect of the design was carefully considered to meet the needs of fans and players, creating a modern venue that will benefit the Ģ����ý community for years to come,” said Kevin Campbell (’00), Ģ����ý’s senior vice president for operations.

Zack Lassiter, vice president for athletics, and head baseball coach Rick McCarty worked closely with the architecture firm with a goal to create the best mid-major baseball facility in the country.��

“Not only will this facility improve the fan experience, but it will be a place where our student-athletes can grow spiritually, academically and athletically,” Lassiter said.

The recognition also reflects the talent of Ģ����ý students and recent graduates. Sam Carter (’23) and Katelyn Graham (’23), now engineers with Linbeck, contributed to the project, along with senior engineering major Jonathan Lochrie, who served as an intern. Linbeck is a member of the advisory board for Ģ����ý’s engineering program.��

“It’s exciting to see our work recognized at this level,” Lochrie said. “We’re proud to represent Ģ����ý and hope to continue building projects that make an impact.”

In 2024, the Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center received second place in the ENR regional awards, but this year’s honor marks the first time for an Ģ����ý facility to win the category.

Learn more about Ģ����ý’s Department of Engineering and Physics.

— Wendy Kilmer
Aug. 22, 2025

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Ģ����ý 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 – 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 Ģ����ý Dallas, gave the charge to the graduate class at the Friday ceremony. Shannon Wilburn, a 1992 alumnus of Ģ����ý 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 4×400-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 – a woman he had never met from Germany – 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 Ģ����ý, as of April 2025.��

The Outlive Your Life Award is named for its first recipients, Dale and Rita Brown, and for the book by Ģ����ý 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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This spring, a record number of students shared short films at the historic Paramount Theatre downtown as part of Ģ����ý’s 21st annual FilmFest. Narrative and animated films from 16 teams showcased student storytelling and creativity from across campus, with awards presented in 15 categories.

For the second year, an award was given for Best Animated Film among the four animated films premiering at the event. Ky (McLeod ’24) Myers and Caleb Myers, senior digital entertainment technology major, won the top honor for their 3D-animated film ELON. The film took 13 months to produce, with Myers and Myers leading a crew of animators, modelers and musicians. A new award was also given for Best Voice Actor, which went to Olivia Cromis, senior multimedia major, for How to Get a Girlfriend, a film she wrote and directed, along with voicing its ominous lead character.

Caleb Shields, senior theatre major, had two films screened with Thumbs Up winning him awards for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Shields was participating this year in his third and final FilmFest before beginning the Master of Fine Arts in film and digital media at Baylor University in the fall.

“Being able to hear and feel the audience around you as they react to your film at the Paramount is about as euphoric as anything can be,” Shields said. “They gasp when you hoped they’d gasp, they jump when you hoped they’d jump, and then afterwards you get to talk to so many people who saw your work and hear how it affected them.”

The film process begins in September as students return to campus and culminates in a gala each April, with several opportunities for collaboration, feedback and support throughout the academic year. This year, FilmFest kicked off in the fall with the Story Workshop, led by screenwriter and past FilmFest judge Jason Baumgardner, and students also received early feedback on scripts from Baumgardner and screenwriter Melinda Hairston.

Earlier this spring, FilmFest worked with Ģ����ý’s Student Life office to bring Ashley Jay Sandberg to campus. Sandberg was an executive producer on Twisters and – in addition to screening the film – met with students to discuss the process of making a blockbuster and the skills needed to become a working producer.

Finally, weeks before the gala, film teams met with Nate Corrona, Atlanta filmmaker with Dustbrand Films, who looked at near-final cuts and provided feedback on editing and sound.

The gala weekend also gives students opportunities to hear from industry professionals who judge the event. This year’s judges included Hairston, returning for her second year, and Randy Brewer (’93), Ģ����ý’s chief storyteller and founder of Revolution Pictures, who has been a judge from FilmFest’s first year on campus in 2004. Joining the panel for the first time was Lara Morgan (’08). In Austin, Morgan works regularly with filmmaker Richard Linklater in a variety of roles on projects like Hitman, Apollo 10 ½, and his current multi-year production of Merrily We Roll Along.

“Returning to Ģ����ý FilmFest after almost 20 years was a surreal, full-circle experience,” said Morgan. “I participated in 2006 and 2007 and was blown away by the quality of the films in 2025. It was inspiring to see how far the program has come and to speak with passionate film-loving students. It was an honor!”

During the weekend, the judges met with students to discuss their unique paths to careers in film and media. Then on Saturday morning, they took time to provide detailed feedback on this year’s films and encouragement to filmmakers interested in submitting to regional and national festivals.

“The judges are always amazing,” Shields said. “Each year FilmFest connects students with experts in their field who are passionate about helping young artists. The judging pool has always been an invaluable resource to support students as they seek to take their films to the next level.”

Visit acu.edu/filmfest to learn more.

— Kyle Dickson
April 30, 2025

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Ģ����ý sophomores Eric Vergane and Haylee Newman have each been awarded $40,000 scholarships by The Sumners Foundation. They are among 36 undergraduate students nationally to receive a Sumners scholarship in 2025.

Vergane is a government major with minors in legal studies and public service from Miami, Oklahoma. He is a Pope Fellow, a member of the Pre-Law Society and the Honors College, and a volunteer with the Taylor Elementary School chess club. Newman, majoring in criminal justice and psychology, is a Presidential Scholar and has participated in the Honors College, Ģ����ý Study Abroad in Oxford, England; and Delta Theta sorority. She is from Jacksonville, Arkansas. Vergane and Newman are are Ģ����ý’s eighth and ninth students to earn this designation from the Sumners Foundation

“Students at Ģ����ý are dedicated to public service and making a real impact in the world. We are so pleased Eric and Haylee join Ģ����ý students from previous years who are recognized as Sumners Scholars,” said Dr. Neal Coates, professor and chair of government and criminal justice.

Sumners scholarship selections are based on civic engagement, academic excellence, a capacity for leadership and a desire to further democracy. The funds apply toward the students’ junior and senior years.

“Our scholars are selected from the very best students at colleges and universities after a rigorous interview process,” said Sumners board chair Scott Higginbotham. “To be selected as a Sumners Scholar is an honor that will remain with the Scholar throughout his or her lifetime. Over the decades Sumners Scholars have made significant contributions to their communities, their states and America.”

Higginbotham said the foundation continues the legacy of Congressman Hatton W. Sumners by supporting students committed to improving the political system, addressing societal challenges through public policy, and educating citizens about civic engagement.

The Sumners Foundation promotes the study, teaching and research of self-government to help Americans understand the principles of democracy and shape effective government policy.

Sumners Scholar alumni include such notables as U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court, and Joseph Foran, chairman of Matador Resources.

Learn more about or about Ģ����ý’s Department of Government and Criminal Justice.

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Following a year of significant renovation, the baseball venue at Ģ����ý now bears a new name to match the upgraded facility. Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark honors former Ģ����ý baseball players Joe Bullock (’80) and Robert Bullock (’81), the only brothers to each earn regional postseason honors while playing for the Wildcats in the same season.

Joe was a sophomore catcher, designated hitter and pitcher who hit .330 while leading his team in home runs and RBIs in 1978, and was named first-team All-NAIA District IV in 1979 as a junior catcher and designated hitter after leading Ģ����ý in hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, co-founded the Bullock Hartley CPA firm in 1994, and died in 2021 at age 62 following an illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is survived by his wife, Emily Bullock, and two children, Tyler Bullock and Taren (Bullock ’09) Lowe.��

Robert was named honorable mention All-NAIA District IV as a sophomore outfielder in 1979 when he hit .299 with 23 RBIs. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and in 1989, became an owner/partner of a senior housing company currently known as Sagora Senior Living Inc. He is married to Melanie (Evans ’82) Bullock, and they have two children, Brenna (Bullock ’07) Blacklock and Calee Wilson.

Joe and Robert are also brothers to April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, chair of Ģ����ý’s Board of Trustees.

“This naming honors two accomplished former Wildcat student-athletes, but more than that, it honors two people of character and purpose,” said Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), Ģ����ý president. “I’m grateful for both of these men and their remarkable legacy of faith and leadership.”

Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark replaces the previous venue built in 1991 – the playing surface of the new ballpark retains the Crutcher Scott Field name in tribute to former longtime trustee and prominent Abilene businessman A.C. “Crutcher” Scott (’24).

Renovations to the ballpark began in May 2024 and include chairback seats, an open-air pavilion roof along the first-base line, a new press box, new artificial turf and LED illumination for Crutcher Scott Field, outdoor gathering spaces, and enhanced player development facilities.

“Our goal at Ģ����ý is to create an environment where our student-athletes can grow in their faith, reach their potential in the classroom and compete for championships,” said Zack Lassiter, vice president for athletics. “I believe these facility enhancements will be a game changer for our baseball program, and I’m so grateful for the unparalleled generosity of the Ģ����ý community.”

Newly named spaces in Bullock Brothers Ballpark include:

• Wessel Family Player Development Center, honoring Rick (’81) and Debbie (Rains ’79) Wessel, as well as their children and grandchildren: daughter Jenny (Wessel ’04) Haskin, husband Travis Haskin (’05) and their children, Holden and Harper; and their son, Jared Wessel (’09), wife Erin (Knight ’08) Wessel, and their children, Rhett and Reagan.
• Mabee Courtyard, recognizing the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation.
• Autrey Family Pavilion, honoring the Autrey family – Larry (’18 MBA) and Tiffany, and sons Landon (’21) and Chandler.
• McCaleb and Miller Team Room, recognizing two former Wildcat teammates who were instrumental in bringing baseball back to campus in 1991: Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), vice president emeritus of the university, and C. Todd Miller (’62), former longtime trustee and Dallas businessman.
• Bourland Family Classroom, honoring the Bourland family – Bart and Amanda, son Lane (’19) and wife Preslee (Hererra ’21), and daughters Peyton (’21) and Logan (’24).

A grand opening of the ballpark will take place April 12 when the Wildcats host Utah Tech in a at 3:05 p.m.��

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Ģ����ý is offering $80,000 in scholarships and grants to local high school students who complete the Hendrick Healthcare Academy and choose a health care-related major at Ģ����ý upon high school graduation.��

The new program is designed to encourage Abilene and Big Country-area students to study psychology, social work or one of several health professions, and stay local for their college and future career opportunities.

“We want to expose students to health- and behavioral-sciences-related disciplines at Ģ����ý and encourage them to stay as a licensed provider in Abilene and improve the quality of life for people here,” said Dr. Dirk Nelson, dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Ģ����ý. “There’s a need right here to help students and positively impact our community’s health, well being and productivity. This is one great manifestation of that.”

, launched in 2023, allows high school students to learn about multiple career options in the broad field of health care. The academy is part of Hendrick Health’s long-term workforce development strategy to partner with local and regional colleges and universities to grow its employee ranks in Abilene and Brownwood. The program exposes students to rewarding career opportunities close to their West Central Texas roots. for the academy are open from Jan. 1 through April 30.

“Hendrick Health is grateful for Ģ����ý’s partnership in the Hendrick Healthcare Academy. We are able to offer these incredible hands-on experiences for our students because of the resources offered by institutions like Ģ����ý,” said Toni Brockway, director of workforce development at Hendrick Health. “This generous scholarship makes a significant impact for students in the Big Country pursuing futures in health care.”

Eligibility requirements to receive the scholarships from Ģ����ý:

• successfully complete the Hendrick Healthcare Academy program, including attending lab days on the Ģ����ý campus
• apply and be accepted to Ģ����ý’s residential campus
• select a major in an academic program within Ģ����ý’s College of Health and Behavioral Sciences or major in the health professions track or biomedical science track within the Onstead College of Science and Engineering

Students who meet those prerequisites will receive:

• priority eligibility for Ģ����ý dual credit course offerings online��
• discounted tuition for dual credit courses at Ģ����ý
• guaranteed $80,000 in Ģ����ý scholarships and grants toward tuition for eight long semesters ($20,000 per year)

For more information, contact Sheila Jones in Ģ����ý’s College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at joness@acu.edu or Toni Brockway at Hendrick Health at tbrockway@hendrickhealth.org.

— Wendy Kilmer
Feb. 28, 2025

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