Howard Payne University will graduate 154 students at its spring Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5, at 10 a.m., in the Brownwood Coliseum. Of the graduates, 150 will receive bachelor’s degrees and four will receive Master of Education in Instructional Leadership degrees. The university will also present an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree to retired faculty member Dr. Robert L. Smith.
Dr. David L. Lowrie, Jr., chairman of HPU’s Board of Trustees and senior pastor of First Baptist Church in El Paso, will deliver the charge to the graduates. Dr. Bill Ellis, university president, will confer the degrees along with Dr. Lowrie and other university administrators.
Other program participants will include: Corey Ash, director of bands and associate professor of music; Dr. Celeste Church, faculty president and associate professor of music; Dr. Gary Gramling, director of the graduate program in youth ministry and professor of Christian studies; P.J. Gramling, director of admission; Tabitha McBride, 2012 top graduate of the School of Christian studies; Dr. Justin Murphy, dean of the School of Humanities, professor of history, and director of the Academy of Freedom; John Music, vice president of HPU’s Alumni Association; Dr. Joe Robinson, director of the instructional leadership graduate program and associate professor of education; Dr. Michael Rosato, dean of the School of Education; Dr. Mark Tew, provost and chief academic officer; and Lana Wagner, registrar.
The Commencement ceremony will be preceded on Friday, May 4, by Chime Out, an HPU tradition in which graduating seniors pass a chain of ivy to underclassmen, symbolizing the passing of authority, responsibility and privileges to those students who remain on campus to carry on the traditions of the university. Chime Out begins at 6 p.m. at the J. Howard Hodge Memorial Bell Towers. Immediately following the event, a reception for graduates, their relatives and other guests will be held at Old Main Park.
For more information about Chime Out and Commencement, contact the Office of University Marketing and Communications at (325) 649-8009 or via e-mail at communications@hputx.edu.
