Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ (ACU) is expanding its portfolio of online undergraduate programs with the launch of a Bachelor of Science in Education Studies, a faith-driven degree designed to prepare aspiring educators to make a meaningful impact in classrooms, schools and communities.

Created for those looking to begin a career in education or to advance from a paraprofessional to a teacher, this fully online program combines educational theory, instructional practice and leadership development to provide graduates with the knowledge and skills to serve diverse learners. Through seven-week courses and a flexible online format, students can earn their degree while balancing work, family and other commitments.

“At ACU, we’re dedicated to creating programs that meet the evolving needs of today’s learners while preparing graduates to lead with purpose,” said Dr. Stephen Johnson, chief executive officer of ACU Dallas. ā€œThis new program reflects our commitment to deliver accessible, Christ-centered education that empowers students. Whether they’re preparing for the classroom or another educational setting, graduates will leave equipped to serve with excellence and compassion.ā€

The curriculum provides students with a strong foundation in educational leadership, child development, communication and instructional practices. For students interested in becoming classroom teachers, the program also offers an educator certification pathway through the Texas Institute for Teacher Education (). As part of the Bachelor of Science in Education Studies, students can complete their teacher certification through TXITE, a faith-based, fully online educator preparation program dedicated to equipping future educators with EC-6 certification and the practical wisdom needed to serve elementary students across Texas.

“The need for exceptional educators has never been greater,” said Dr. George Saltsman, provost and vice president of academic affairs. ā€œThis program prepares students not only with the academic and practical skills needed to succeed in education but also with the Christian values that inspire servant leadership. We believe our graduates will positively influence students, families and school communities for years to come.”

Graduates of the program will be prepared for a variety of careers in education, including instructional support, educational leadership, nonprofit organizations, community education and youth-serving agencies.Ā 

The online Bachelor of Science in Education Studies is accepting applicants for its inaugural cohort beginning this fall, with classes starting on August 25, 2026. Learn more or apply for the program today.

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Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ received the highest possible score and an A+ rating for financial health in the

The list assessed 928 private colleges using data from the Department of Educationā€™s National Center For Educational Statistics as well as from higher education analytics and consulting firm Perspective Data Science, which zeroes in on colleges’ true liquidity. Only 103 universities in the nation received an A+, and only 71 scored a 4.5 GPA.

ā€œTo be recognized among the top performers nationwide ā€“ at a time when financial pressures across higher education continue to intensify ā€“ speaks to ACUā€™s strength and sustainability,ā€ said Dr. Phil Schubert, ACU president. ā€œIā€™m incredibly proud of the way our administration, faculty and staff steward our resources with integrity and excellence. A solid financial foundation allows us to provide a world-class education and an exceptional experience for our students.ā€Ā 

The Forbes College Financial Grades report used 10 metrics in evaluating the financial health of private, not-for-profit colleges:

• Endowment assets per student (15%)
• Three-year average of liquid reserves compared to annual operating expenses (15%)
• Primary reserve ratio (10%)
• Long-term debt coverage (10%)
• Core operating margin (10%)
• Two-year enrollment growth (10%)
• Tuition as a percentage of core revenues (7.5%)
• Return on assets (7.5%)
• Net tuition revenue per student (7.5%)
• Instruction expenses per student (7.5%)

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The Friday, May 8, ceremony at 7 p.m. will award 52 doctoral and 261 masterā€™s degrees. On Saturday, May 9, 650 bachelorā€™s degrees will be presented in two ceremonies ā€“ 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.Ā 

The 10 a.m. ceremony includes bachelorā€™s degree candidates fromĀ 

• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Biblical Studies
• College of Health and Human Services
• College of Learning and Development
• Onstead College of Science and EngineeringĀ 

The 2 p.m. ceremony includes bachelorā€™s degree candidates from

• College of Business Administration
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
• College of Leadership and Professional StudiesĀ 

Dr. Wes Crawford (’02 M.Div.), vice provost, will give the charge to the graduate class at the Friday ceremony. Kevin Washington (’11 M.A.), associate athletics director and athletics chaplain at Baylor University, will give the charge to the undergraduate class at both ceremonies on Saturday. Washington played football at Notre Dame and ACU, earning bachelorā€™s degrees in sociology and film and television and masterā€™s degrees in communication and biblical counseling.

All three ceremonies will be livestreamed; visit acu.edu/commencement for more information.Ā Ā 

Honorary Doctorate

At the Saturday morning ceremony, ACU will award an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Barbara (Bell ’50) Packer. Alongside her late husband and former ACU board chair, H. Lynn Packer (’50), she played an integral role in advancing the mission of ACU through investment and support of initiatives that shaped the universityā€™s spiritual and academic identity. The Packer familyā€™s impact is reflected in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, the Robert S. and Katherine Bell Chapel on the Hill, two endowed chairs in the College of Biblical Studies and the Packer Scholars program.

Outlive Your Life Award

In both Saturday ceremonies, Dr. Perry Reeves (’65) will be awarded the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award. A longtime member of ACUā€™s chemistry faculty, Reevesā€™ love of teaching and research made him an inspiration and mentor to generations of future scientists, science teachers and medical professionals. The Outlive Your Life Award is named for its first recipients, Dale and Rita Brown, and for the book by ACU 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.

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Gasore addressed the United Nations General Assembly on April 7 as part of a ceremony marking the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. In a powerful account of survival, he urged the audience to remember the victims and pursue ā€œunity, reconciliation and dignity.ā€

He said he hopes the UN will remain vigilant against ongoing hate and division, refusing to turn away. In doing so, he says, ā€œwe can all proclaim ā€˜never againā€™ in an authentic way,ā€ not only in words but in action.Ā 

While revisiting his story can be painful, Gasore also finds it therapeutic to share. ā€œFor survivors, every time someone is willing to listen to you, it helps you make it to the next day,ā€ he says. ā€œIt helps you feel like, ā€˜What I went through, someone wants to listen to.ā€™ā€Ā 

In his day-to-day life, Gasore lives out the message of his speech. He and his wife, Esperance, founded , a holistic ministry serving the physical and spiritual needs of children and their families, regardless of their background. The ministry now serves over 1,500 people per day.Ā 

Gasore envisions those children growing up to transform their communities. ā€œWe are all called to serve and bring peace and bring justice,ā€ he says.Ā 

Each year, groups of ACU students partner with Gasore and Rwanda Children to serve these families. Engineering students surveyed the property for an erosion control project. Nursing students assist in the medical clinic. The ACU womenā€™s basketball team will host a basketball clinic in August.Ā 

Gasore, who received in 2018, is grateful for these partnerships and the relationships he built during his seven years at ACU.Ā 

ā€œACU not only gave me an education and prepared me to go to serve God, they also transformed my community,ā€ he said.Ā 

Whether on the world stage, at home in Abilene or back in his home village, Gasore continues to share a message of restoration: ā€œEven in the darkest moment, hope can survive.ā€

ā€“ Kayla Hewitt

May 4, 2026

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More than 1,500 alumni, faculty, staff, students, friends and fans joined together to raise a record $1.4 million ā€“ all to directly benefit students at Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­. The total is a record high and the first time in its nine-year history for the event to top $1 million in contributions. It also represents a 57% increase over last yearā€™s ACU Gives.

ā€œThe ACU community is truly unmatched,ā€ said Blair Schroeder, vice president for advancement and external affairs. ā€œWildcats around the world stepped up to support our students and the mission of ACU, and we couldnā€™t be more grateful.ā€

During the 1,906-minute-long event, in honor of the year of ACUā€™s founding, ACU Gives participants chose from more than 38 specific funds to support in four main areas of emphasis:Ā 

• Student support, access and scholarships
• Academic excellence, experiential learning and career preparation
• Student belonging, traditions and campus life
• Faith, service, global and calling
• Athletics

ā€œThank you for believing in ACU, but more importantly for believing in our students ā€“ in the purpose and promise of their lives,ā€ said Dr. Phil Schubert, president. ā€œWe are so grateful for your willingness to partner with us in the journey to shape the lives of young men and women into the image of Jesus.ā€

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Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ā€™s Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action will host the Don Williams and Royce Money Distinguished Lecture Series May 1 at 7 p.m. in Chapel on the Hill in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. The event, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annette Gordon-Reed, is free and open to the public.

Gordon-Reed will be speaking on ā€œThe Story of Our Founding and Its Impact for Us Today,ā€ and the lecture is designed to help the community engage in collective remembrance, said Tryce Prince, executive director of the Carl Spain Center.Ā 

ā€œThis year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. America 250 provides us with an opportunity to practice what the Carl Spain Center refers to as ā€˜collective remembrance.ā€™ We can courageously face our past, its triumphs and tragedies, knowing the power of God within us helps us realize our great potential,ā€ Prince said.

Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University. She has won 16 book prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize in history in 2009 and the National Book Award in 2008 for The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. Her most recent book is On Juneteenth, a memoir and history of Texas. A selected list of honors includes a Guggenheim Fellowship in the humanities, a MacArthur Fellowship, the National Humanities Medal, the Frederick Douglass Book Prize, the George Washington Book Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. She is a Texas-raised historian and appears as a featured expert in Ken Burnsā€™ recent PBS documentary The American Revolution.

ā€“ Wendy Kilmer

April 22, 2026

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ACUā€™s student film festival returned to the historic Paramount Theatre this spring for the 22nd premiere event to celebrate student achievement in film. The event featured projects from 14 teams, including narrative, documentary and animated films represented.Ā 

The theme of FilmFest 2026 was ā€œOn Set,ā€ and the evening included past and present judges and mentors describing the experience of being on a film set. Tim Holt (ā€™15), a past FilmFest participant and ACUā€™s Young Alumnus of the Year, described the challenge of stepping onto a new set.

ā€œWeā€™re always trying to make bigger and better videos, and the sets change from shoot to shoot from smaller sets of teams of three to four to bigger shoots which will have probably 50 to 60 people on set. The roles might be carried over but youā€™re always going to be learning something new based on the type of content that youā€™re trying to produce.ā€Ā 

More than 100 students participated in producing this yearā€™s films, with a third of those students working on more than one film. In fact, five students this year contributed to at least five films, including Brooke Musia and Lauren Burris who won Best Direction for their film After Emmy and Abbey Monroe who directed the Best Picture winner Courting, along with writer, editor and sound roles on other films.Ā 

Joshua Varner won Best Cinematography for Sins and Cinders, but shot or helped shoot three other films. One of the stand-out-performances this year came from a sophomore multimedia major participating in FilmFest for the first time. Jaden Frecka won Best Original Score for his film Keeping up with the King but also wrote original music for six other films or, in all, half of all submitted films.Ā 

During the event, students also heard from Randy Brewer (ā€™93), long-time producer with Revolution Pictures in Nashville now in Abilene as ACUā€™s chief storyteller. Brewer told students itā€™s ā€œimportant to network long before you graduate.ā€ He partnered with FilmFest last May on a road trip to Nashville that included visits to sets and production studios where students met professionals in a range of fields. ā€œYou may think, like I did, ā€˜I want to be a director,ā€™ and then when you get out there, you may change your mind and think, ā€˜Maybe Iā€™d be better at what they do.ā€™ I think everyone should look for a mentor.ā€

This year’s judges were industry mentors from production hubs in L.A., Tulsa and Atlanta. Sommerly Simser (ā€˜10) is a returning judge and finance executive at Netflix. She is a member of the Television Academy and Women in Film and is the founder of the Tinseltown Scholarship Society, a nonprofit supporting aspiring college filmmakers.Ā 

Two new mentors joined the FilmFest Gala this year. Amy Teague is a set decorator and production designer from Tulsa whose credits include Twisters, Reservation Dogs, The Low Down and The Great Awakening currently in theatres. Nate Corrona comes from Dustbrand Films in Atlanta having directed and produced more than 200 music videos with Grammy-winning artists like Crowder, PJ Morton and Lecrae. Both met with students this year to share their experience and provide feedback leading up to the FilmFest Gala.

Brewer advised students that opportunities to connect with mentors or get chances to be on set exist through FilmFest. ā€œWho are the mentors at FilmFest who are people you can go up to and ask could I have coffee with you? What are some ways I should be on set? You have the opportunity to be mentored more, but you just need to step out.ā€

Visit acu.edu/filmfest to learn more.

ā€“ Kyle Dickson

April 20, 2026

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More than 140 students from Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ and other nearby schools presented a variety of research findings and creative projects April 7 at ACUā€™s 18th annual Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival.

A related event ā€“ the Excellence in Oratory Forum ā€“ took place the night before the festival, showcasing studentsā€™ public speaking skills. A segment of the forum featured performances of scriptural passages and powerful speeches delivered by the likes of John F. Kennedy, Frederick Douglass, Barbara Jordan, Gabriela Mistral and C.S. Lewis.

At the festival, undergraduate students from ACU ā€“ as well as McMurry University and Abilene High School ā€“ shared the results of their research and projects. Attendees were able to observe findings and creative works across a spectrum of disciplines, including biology, engineering, physics, history, literary criticism, rhetorical criticism, biochemistry, biblical studies, missiology and marketing.

“This diversity reflects ACUā€™s commitment to helping train students to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength,” said Dr. Randall Fowler, director of undergraduate research, creativity and innovation. “This festival showcases the best and breadth of ACU, and I applaud our students’ hard work and dedication to their scholarly craft.”

The event concluded with a dinner and presentation of awards for top scholars, Faculty Mentors of the Year, and outstanding presentations, posters and speeches.

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Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­ professor emeritus of musicĀ Dr. Silas Edwin ā€œEdā€ GeorgeĀ (ā€™61), died March 25, 2026, in Schertz, Texas, at age 89.

A Celebration of Life is planned for May 24 from 2-4 p.m. in the Williams Performing Arts Center at ACU.

He was born Sept. 22, 1936, in Fort Stockton, Texas, and briefly attended Cisco College before earning a B.S.Ed. degree in music (1961) and a M.Ed. in school administration (1963) from ACU and a doctorate in music education (1983) from the University of North Texas. He wed classmate and fellow ACU band memberĀ Kathryn Matthews (ā€™62)Ā on Sept. 5, 1960.

George was a band director in Texas public schools, including De Leon and Abilene ISDs, for eight years (1961-69) before starting a 32-year career on the ACU faculty to teach music history, theory, orchestration and music education.Ā He played multiple instruments and taught at Abilene Christian from 1969-2001, serving as professor and chair (1990-96) in the Department of Music and initially directing the Jazz Ensemble.

For much of the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, he directed The Hilltoppers ā€“ also known as the Hilltop Singers ā€“ a talented group of students who performed pop-rock and contemporary music shows and toured overseas in 1968, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1981 for the USO (United Service Organization) and the U.S. Department of Defense, entertaining troops deployed across Europe; the Caribbean, Pacific and Mediterranean islands; and in the Far East. Hilltoppers included future recording artists and producers such as Grammy Award winnersĀ Dr. Brown Bannister (ā€™75)Ģż²¹²Ō»åĢżRonnie Dunn (ā€™76), Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame memberĀ Michael Blanton (ā€™73)Ā and Grand Ole Opry memberĀ Holly Dunn (ā€™79).

George conducted the orchestra at ACU Homecoming musicals for 21 years (1969-83), and composed music for the 1981 inauguration ofĀ Dr. William J. Teague (ā€™52), the university’s ninth president, and forĀ Abilene 1906, ACUā€™s Centennial musical in 2005.

For nearly five decades, George prepared music for ACU students to perform at Sing Song, especially for several fraternities and sororities, and most notably for Sigma Theta Chi, which won the womenā€™s division six straight years and eight of nine years from 2002-10, all with George as their arranger.

He was frequently a guest conductor following retirement in 2001, especially with the Abilene Philharmonic, while also writing music for orchestras in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He was involved with the annual West Texas Rehabilitation Center Telethon since its beginning, conducting its orchestra for nearly 20 of its first 46 years (1971-2016), and either performing or coordinating music for the telecast.

Georgeā€™s career included writing arrangements for the San Diego Symphony and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and performing with Bob Hope, Eddy Arnold, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and Glen Campbell, among many others.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Olan George Sr. and Lula Florence George; a brother, Olan George Jr.; a sister, DoloresĀ CrockerĀ George; and Kathy, his wife of 64 years. Among survivors are childrenĀ Melinda (George ā€™84) Hancock,ĢżGlenna (George ā€™86) MirandaĢż²¹²Ō»åĢżGregory George (ā€™90); 10 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; a brother, Lee Roy George; and sister Gwen George Wilbanks.

ā€“ Ron Hadfield

April 15, 2026

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Tim Holt, Young Alumnus of the Year

This award recognizes professional achievement and/or distinguished service to Ā鶹“«Ć½Ó³»­. To be eligible, a recipient must not be over 40 years of age at the time of selection.

Tim Holt (ā€™15) produces videos that bring smiles to the faces of millions of viewers around the world, and heā€™s grateful his faith can play a starring role in his lifeā€™s calling.

The son of two ACU alumni, Holt arrived in Abilene and quickly showcased the skills that would eventually put his work on display to millions. He participated in the Los Angeles Film Studies Center and won multiple awards in ACUā€™s annual FilmFest competition, including best picture and best director during his senior year.Ā  He earned a bachelorā€™s degree in digital entertainment technology with a minor in digital media in 2015 and began working for the sports and comedy group just months after graduation.

Dude Perfect, which rose to prominence in part thanks to viral videos of increasingly elaborate trick shots and world-record attempts, now boasts more than 61 million YouTube subscribers who tune in to enjoy the content Holt helps film and edit. Regardless of their soaring popularity, members of the group maintain that their purpose is ā€œabout giving back, spreading joy, and glorifying Jesus Christ.ā€ For Holt, this integration of faith and work is part of why he calls this opportunity the privilege of a lifetime. ā€œI am really blessed because we are all actively striving to live out our faith,ā€ he said.

Holt continues to give back to his alma mater, serving as a FilmFest judge and sharing his faith and experiences with students as a Chapel speaker and Young Alumni Forum panelist. He and his wife, Dā€™Ann, have a five-year-old daughter, Everly, and live in Prosper, Texas.

John Warner, M.D., Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

This award honors timely recognition of lifetime achievement that brings honor to the university through personal and professional excellence and service to the university, church or community.

Throughout his career as a cardiologist and a leader of renowned institutions that train doctors, John Warner, M.D. (ā€™87), has made a real difference in the world of medicine that will be felt for generations to come.

Warner arrived at ACU as an accomplished distance runner, and he lettered in track and field for the Wildcats as part of several NCAA Division II national championship teams. After graduating from ACU with a Bachelor of Science in biology, he attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at Duke University Medical Center. Warner eventually returned to UT Southwestern in Dallas, where he served as a cardiologist and an institutional leader for 20 years, helping oversee planning and construction of the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. He eventually became executive vice president for health affairs and CEO of the UT Southwestern Health System.

Ā In 2023, Warner became CEO of and executive vice president at Ohio State. In this role, he leads an expansive organization encompassing six hospitals, a network of outpatient care and research facilities, and the College of Medicine. Under his leadership, the medical center is completing $3 billion in capital projects to advance its mission to improve health in Ohio and across the world through innovations and transformation in research, education, patient care and community engagement.

Warner served as president of the American Heart Association from 2017-18 and has been on its board of directors since 2014.Ā  He is married to fellow ACU alum, Lisa (Fielder ā€™89). They have two grown children and live in New Albany, Ohio.

ā€“ Wendy Kilmer and Jonathan Smith

March 31, 2026

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