SHERMAN, TEXAS – Austin College celebrated the accomplishments of faculty during the annual Honors Convocation in Wynne Chapel, Clifford J. Grum Sanctuary on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

President Steven P. O’Day began the convocation by presenting the College’s Homer P. Rainey Award. The award was created in 1975 by the Board of Trustees to be given to a faculty or staff member in recognition of outstanding achievement or exemplary service to Austin College.

Homer P. Rainey was a 1919 graduate of Austin College who earned his doctorate from the University of Chicago. A strong and constant champion of academic freedom, he taught at Austin College, among other institutions around the country, and served four of those colleges as president. He was selected as a member of Austin College’s Athletic Hall of Honor and made a Distinguished Alumnus of the College. He received an Honorary Doctorate from Austin College and the College’s Founders Medal.

The recipient of the 2025 Homer P. Rainey Award was Director of Athletics and Kinesiology Department Chair David Norman. “Throughout his time here, Coach Norman has a record of exemplary service,” said President O’Day when presenting the award. “He has been a dedicated teacher, supporter, and mentor, impacting the lives of generations of students who have participated in Austin College athletics. He has also supported and mentored countless other coaches who have spent part of their career at Austin College, and traces of his leadership are present in athletic programs across the state and country.”

Following the Homer P. Rainey Award, Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry Department Chair Dr. John M. Richardson III was installed to The Nancy Bryant ’67 and Jerry Taylor Endowed Chair in STEM Education by Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Dr. Beth Gill.

Austin College also recognizes excellence in teaching each year with two prestigious faculty awards: the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Professor Award Nominee and the Austin College Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Award.

This year’s Piper Professor Award nominee was Associate Professor of Biology and Biology Department Chair Dr. David Aiello and the Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Award was presented to Professor of Psychology Dr. Renee Countryman.

Faculty appreciation concluded with the recognition of faculty who will retire at the end of the academic year; Professor of Philosophy Dr. Karánn Durland, who has been with the College since 1996, and David Norman ’83, M.A.T. ’84, who has worked at the College since 1989.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.