Howard Payne University recently received a $200,000 grant from the Dean Foundation to establish the William B. Dean, M.D. Lecture Series and Community Impact Day, annual events focusing on the importance of community service.

“These events will recognize Dr. Dean’s longstanding example of Christian service to his community,” said Dr. Cory Hines, HPU president. “The lecture series will provide enriching, inspiring insights, while the related community service projects will be planned, organized and executed by members of the HPU family as we seek to act upon the biblical command to ‘seek the welfare of the city’ as found in Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV).”

The Dean Foundation is chaired by Dr. David A. Dean, son of the late Dr. William B. Dean, distinguished Dallas-area pediatrician and trailblazer in conditions affecting children such as dyslexia and polio. Dr. David A. Dean serves as chair of the North Texas Crime Commission as well as president and CEO of the public policy consultancy Dean International, Inc. He served the State of Texas for more than a decade as general counsel to Democratic Governor Dolph Briscoe and Republican Governor William P. Clements, Jr. He also served as Texas Secretary of State under Governor Clements. He earned the Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University and the Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

“The Dean Foundation is most impressed with HPU’s total commitment to service learning and contribution to the community as exemplified by its President Dr. Cory Hines and indeed the leadership of HPU’s faculty and administration and is most pleased to facilitate HPU’s and the Dean Foundation’s mutual goals and objectives,” said David Dean. “HPU’s service learning programs and this annual lecture series will emphasize our obligation to be givers as opposed to takers and will help set the HPU on the right path to productive citizenship well into the future. May God continue to bless HPU.”

The inaugural lecture and service day is scheduled for March 30, 2022, with keynote speaker Dr. Scott Venable, 2002 HPU graduate and lead pastor of Northwood Church in Keller. Community organizations may request service projects for the March event. Details on submitting projects for consideration will be announced in January.

For more information about HPU, visit www.hputx.edu.