Compiled by Mike Davis, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications.

International and National Media Highlights

The Business Strategy Game | May 1, 2023
A group of students in Dr. Khalid Hafiz’s Business Administration Strategic Planning Class received a Global Top 100 ranking for the last week of April in the McGraw Hill Business Strategy Game, competing against students from over 3,000 other colleges/universities, including many MBA programs.

Centenary | May 26, 2023
The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference recently announced its 15th annual spring All-Sportsmanship teams. Garrett Gray ’23 (baseball), Carrie Johnson ’24 (softball), Tate Nelson ’23 (tennis), and Sierra Thomas ’24 (tennis) were among the 62 honorees.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy | May 30, 2023
The estate of Clifford J. Grum donated $20 million to support full-tuition scholarships at Austin College. Grum, who died in 2016 at 82, earned a bachelor’s degree from Austin College in 1956 and maintained deep ties to the college throughout his life.

Collegiate Water Polo Association | May 10, 2023
The Austin College women’s water polo team was ranked 7th in the final Division III national rankings by the Collegiate Water Polo Association.

Great Value Colleges | May 2023
Austin College has been named by Great Value Colleges as one of 30 American colleges that are lifting people out of poverty. The award cites Austin College’s Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation (SEPA) student grant writing program, which has successfully raised over $1.1 million for local nonprofits, and the college’s generous financial support of low-income students through a robust gift-aid program.

Newswise | May 18, 2023
Dr. Lance Barton is one of the three newly elected Council Representatives for the Council on Undergraduate Research. Dr. Barton is currently a professor and chair of the Biology department at Austin College; he will be leaving this position to take the next step in his career with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in June 2023.

Presbyterian Colleges | May 20, 2023
President Steven P. O’Day, J.D., L.H.D., has announced the largest single gift in the College’s history, a $20 million bequest from the estate of Clifford J. Grum of Lufkin, Texas. The bequest will provide full-tuition scholarships for eligible students, beginning in 2024-2025.

The Salem News | May 18, 2023
Blyth Hazen ’85 has been named one of the five new members to the Board of Trustees at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts. She earned her B.A. in art and philosophy from Austin College prior to earning her M.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. Hazen is currently the Coordinator of the Animation + Interactive Media Program at Montserrat.

Dallas and Regional News

Advocate – Lake Highlands | May 18, 2023
Lake Highlands Exchange Club members presented $131,000 in college scholarships to 49 graduating students. One of the recipients was incoming Austin College first-year student, Sher Moo Ku ’27.

Amarillo Globe-News | May 3, 2023
Jaxsen Hall ’27 from Amarillo has signed with Austin College for baseball.

City of Frisco | May 23, 2023
E.A. Hoppe ’04 named as Assistant City Manager in the new expansion at the City of Frisco. Hoppe earned his Bachelor of Arts at Austin College before earning his Masters of Public Administration at the University of North Texas. Hoppe has held a variety of positions in city management around the state, most recently in Kerrville, where he served as a Deputy City Manager for nearly five years before being appointed as City Manager in 2021.

Dallas College | May 3, 2023
Daisy Donjuan ’25 overcame many obstacles as she began her education journey as a first-generation college student with dreams of becoming a lawyer. She spent two years at Dallas College and will transfer to Austin College in the fall to complete her bachelor’s degree.

Dana Point Times | May 11, 2023
Ishaq Kundawala ’99 J.D. is taking his experience in law practice to higher education as a new law professor at Mercer University in Georgia. He majored in business at Austin College and chaired its peer judicial board before pursuing his law degree at Tulane Law School.

Hill Country Community Journal | May 23, 2023
E.A. Hoppe ’04 will leave his position as City Manager in Kerrville to pursue a new opportunity on the team of Assistant City Managers for the vastly growing City of Frisco. He has served in Kerrville for seven years and will transition to his new role in June 2023.

KRQE | May 17, 2023
Spencer Lyon ’27 from Albuquerque, New Mexico has signed with Austin College for football.

Lufkin Daily News | May 20, 2023
On the eve of its 175th year, Austin College has announced the largest single gift in the college’s history, a $20 million bequest from the estate of Clifford J. Grum of Lufkin.

Local Media Highlights

Herald Democrat | May 18, 2023
Austin College held its 2023 baccalaureate on Friday May 19, and graduation on Saturday May 20. The Class of 2023 included more than 270 bachelor’s degree candidates and 15 Master of Arts in Teaching degree candidates.

Herald Democrat | May 17, 2023
Director of Athletics David Norman ’83 has named Amber McNulty as the new Austin College Head Athletic Trainer. McNulty is a 2019 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she earned her degree in Exercise Science before earning her master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She most recently served as an athletic trainer at Birmingham-Southern College.

Herald Democrat | May 5, 2023
Austin College held its annual Athletics Convocation in Hughey Gymnasium. Coaches and team members honored more than 50 student-athletes, including the Austin College male and female athletes of the year.

Herald Democrat | May 3, 2023
The Austin College Honors Convocation returned to Wynne Chapel with seniors and faculty uniting in Clifford J. Grum Sanctuary. President Steven P. O’Day, J.D., L.H.D., presented the 2023 Homer P. Rainey Award recipients; followed by faculty chair installations, Excellence in Teaching Awards and recognition of retiring faculty.

KTEN | May 31, 2023
Director of Athletics David Norman ’83 has named Shawn Counts as the new head baseball coach. Counts has been with Austin College as an assistant coach since 2019 and has served as the interim head coach since the 2022 season.

KTEN | May 4, 2023
Caleb Thompson ’27 from Sherman has signed with Austin College for baseball.

KXII | May 19, 2023
Austin College has a $20 million bequest from the estate of Clifford J. Grum of Lufkin, Texas – the largest single gift in the school’s history. Grum graduated from Austin College in 1956 and was an active member of the Austin College Board of Trustees from 1981-2001.

KXII | May 16, 2023
The Austin College Cheerleading team was invited to compete at the National Cheerleading Association Collegiate National Championship in Daytona, Florida for the first time in school history. Not only was this the team’s first time at the competition, but it was also Austin College’s first year with a competition cheer team.

KXII | May 16, 2023
Matt Hayes ’27 from Howe has signed with Austin College for baseball.

KXII | May 16, 2023
Two students from Gunter have signed with Austin College. Dakota Lowery ’27 will be joining the football team and Peyton Aleman ’27 will be playing baseball.

KXII | May 3, 2023
Austin College student Kate Kahle ’23 has received recognition after having her 2021 TEDxAustinCollege talk posted to the official TED library. Her talk on autism in women and girls has received over 700,000 views and has raised the bar for future TEDxAustinCollege talks.

Blogs and Online Media

North Texas E-News | May 23, 2023
Austin College announces historic gift for full-tuition scholarships. Austin College President Steven P. O’Day, J.D., L.H.D. said, “The gift bolsters the college’s resources to support young people preparing for careers and service in a changing world.”

North Texas E-News | May 18, 2023
Austin College held its 2023 graduation on the Clyde L. Hall Graduation Court. The Class of 2023 included more than 270 bachelor’s degree candidates and 15 Master of Arts in Teaching degree candidates.

North Texas E-News | May 12, 2023
Henry H. Bucher Jr., Faculty Emeritus in Humanities at Austin College, penned an op-ed piece about how closely mental health concerns correlate with gun violence in America.

North Texas E-News | May 3, 2023
Nathan Harris ’27, the Ector High School Valedictorian for the Class of 2023, will attend Austin College to pursue a degree in Sports Medicine, beginning in the fall.  Harris has been involved in BETA, UIL, FCA and various sports during his time at Ector.

News Roos Can Use

Chronicle of Higher Education | May 17, 2023
Gen-Ed requirements are the latest focus in student retention efforts, with strategic gen-ed curricula seen as a possible counterbalance to the next generation of students who want to see ROI for every part of their college experience.

Chronicle of Higher Education | May 17, 2023
As federal and state policies aim to improve the data available on postgraduate earnings in order to better explain the ROI of a college degree, this article examines who actually use that data and for what purposes. Surprisingly, there’s very little evidence that prospective students are receptive to such information.