Five graduating seniors in the Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom honors program at Howard Payne University were recently honored during the annual Sumners Banquet held on the HPU campus.

The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Scholars honored during the banquet included Charity Chambers, of Derby, Kan.; Gabi Guerrero, of Red Oak; Landon Hankins, of Decatur; Kait Kelm, of Lindale; and Kelley Miller, of Paradise. The students dined with members of the Foundation, the HPU Board of Trustees and Academy of Freedom Board of Directors, as well as Sumners Scholar alumni from HPUHPU, before receiving plaques and expressing their gratitude to the Foundation.

Current HPU Sumners Scholars present at the banquet included Catherine Mullaney, a junior from Boylston, Mass.; Jessica Ramirez, a senior from Bangs; and Robin Scofield, a junior from Naples, Fla. Liz Rogers, a junior from Grand Junction, Colo., was studying abroad in London at the time of the event.

The Sumners Scholar program provides a generous scholarship of $5,500 per semester for two years. Students are selected after an in-depth application and interview by the trustees of the Sumners Foundation.

“Sumners Scholars not only receive significant financial assistance but, more importantly, the opportunities to attend lecture series by national figures and participate in public policy seminars and student leadership conferences,” said Dr. Justin Murphy, Brand professor of history, dean of the School of Humanities and director of the Academy.

Named for its founder, former Congressman Hatton W. Sumners of Texas (Democrat, 1912-1947), who served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation is dedicated to the study, teaching and promotion of self-government.

Pictured above: Five HPU seniors were honored during the annual Sumners Banquet. Left to right: Charity Chambers, Gabi Guerrero, Kait Kelm, Kelley Miller and Landon Hankins.