Truett Baccalaureate To Honor Graduates May 17
Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary will honor the Class of 2002 -- the seminary's sixth graduating class -- during a baccalaureate service at 6 p.m. Friday, May 17, in the seminary's Paul W. Powell Chapel.
Thirty-eight candidates scheduled to receive their master of divinity degrees in 2002, as well as the first two graduates of Truett's doctor of ministry program, will be recognized and introduced during the service by Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr., Truett's founding dean, and Dr. David E. Garland, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of Christian scriptures. Dr. Paul W. Powell, dean of Truett Seminary, will welcome graduates and their families and provide the ceremony's closing remarks. Dr. Glenn O. Hilburn, professor emeritus of religion, will serve as bearer of the mace.
The honor of conveying the hoods will go to Dr. Ruth Ann Foster, associate professor of Christian scriptures, and Dr. Bert D. Dominy, professor of theology.
The seminary's annual baccalaureate address, titled "Scarecrows," will be given by Dr. Buckner Fanning, president of Buckner Fanning Ministries and pastor emeritus of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio. Dr. Don Mattingly, Baylor's coordinator of youth programs, will give the prayer of dedication.
Truett Seminary's May 2002 candidates for graduation include Jamie Kay Allen of Amarillo; Sean Oliver Allen of Austin; Jennifer Garcia Bashaw of Killeen; Kerry Dean Bashaw of Gainesville, Texas; Kevin Matthew Butler of Houston; Richard Alex Caldwell of Waco; James Chadrick Hartsock of Bristol, Va.; Iwona Jagielska Elblag of Poland; Keith Louis Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz.; Wesley Dale Keyes of Laurel, Miss.; Jennifer Ann Martin of Dickinson; Jason John Mueller of Dallas; Samuel Olmos of El Paso; Melissa M. Dunkin Pardun of Gilman City, Mo.; Jason Brian Pittman of Waco; Michael Daniel Sciretti Jr. of Shreveport, La.; Travis Hunter Smith of Phoenix, Ariz.; Gary Lynn Tapley of Valera; Faith Weaver of Dallas; Suzanne Gail Weidner of San Antonio; and Aaron Luke Young of Friendswood.
Truett Seminary's first doctor of ministry degree recipients are Robby West Barrett of Amarillo, and Miguel A. Mesías of Shreveport, La.
Six students will receive their M.Div. degrees in August, including Eraina Sloan Larson of Waco; Scott David Matthews of Lovelady; Chad Randall Mattingly of Nashville, Tenn.; Lydia Ruth Santibanez of Temple; Christopher Anthony Watson of Pascagoula, Miss.; and Sarah Ruth Wofford of Stephenville.
Scheduled to graduate in December are Meghan Marie Becker of Missouri City; Melissa Danielle Browning of Duluth, Ga.; Charles I. Budd of Jefferson, Ohio; Michael Andrew Ferguson of San Antonio; R. Ray Gatewood of Lonoke, Ark.; Joshua M. Haynes of Kansas City, Mo.; Lance Ross Hutchins of Lumberton; David Scott Johnston of Bryant, Ark.; R. Shane McNary of Malvern, Ark.; Danny Paul Reeves of McGregor; and Christopher Austin Thacker of Frankston.
The graduating class also will announce the recipients of the "Professor of Choice" awards, which will be presented by Michael Sciretti, Truett Seminary's outstanding student in fall 2001, and Jennifer Bashaw, Truett Seminary's outstanding student in spring 2002.
In addition, graduates will hear special greetings from Tiffany Terry, president of the George W. Truett Theological Seminary Alumni Association and minister to singles at Wilshire Baptist Church of Dallas. Special music will be provided by the sanctuary choir of First Baptist Church of Waco, under the direction of David Bolin, minister of music.
Each member of the Truett Seminary Class of 2002 will receive the New American Standard Bible, provided by Dr. Robert G. Gambeth, president of The Lockman Foundation of La Habra, Calif., and Life's Ultimate Questions by John P. Newport, given by David Smith of Houston.
A reception for graduates and their families will be held after the service in the Paul and Katy Piper Great Hall.
For more information on Truett's baccalaureate service, contact René Maciel, assistant dean for administration and academic services, at (254) 710-3755.