PLAINVIEW, TX — Dr. Bobby Hall, who retires as president of Wayland University at the end of June, was honored April 25 with a reception in the atrium of the J.E. and L.E. Learning Resources Center.
Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and members of the community attended the reception underwritten in part by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Mark Jones, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented Hall with commemorative items and gifts as he praised the 13th president of the university for his 42 years of service to the institution in a variety of capacities.
“He has modeled service for the whole institution,” the chairman said. “His has been a vast and wide career where he has helped a lot of people, not just the tens of thousands of people across the university system.”
Jones noted that Dr. Hall is the first Wayland alum to serve as the president of the university and listed Wayland’s accomplishments during his presidency.
“We completed Mabee Laboratory Science Building, restored the exterior of historic Gates Hall, traded up a campus in San Antonio by selling one and getting a much better one for much less money,” he said. “He had his hand on the wheel throughout the challenging times of COVID-19. We renovated Harral Auditorium, completed the Jimmy Dean Museum, and designed and completed the Flying Queens Museum. The Flying Queens teams and legendary coach Harley Redin were inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame under Dr. Hall’s watch.”
“One of the biggest things he was asked to do was to raise money,” Jones continued. “In his time here as president, Wayland has had six of the top seven fundraising years in the past 20 years. Our endowment under his watch grew by 28 percent. That’s not a small accomplishment. That’s a very big deal.”
In expressing thanks, Dr. Hall said, “We can read all these lists of things, but we all know that it’s a team sport. None of those accomplishments are accomplished alone, but with the most incredible group of people that you would ever have an opportunity to work with. The one consistency through it all is the quality of Wayland people, their love for the Lord, and their commitment to the mission of the institution.”
He commended the “sacrificial service” of the Wayland family and said, “It feels like I have worked here about five years, but for some of y’all it probably feels like I’ve worked here 500 years. … Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has been a real blessing, and we will see what the Lord has next.”
In an emotional tribute to his friend of about 50 years, Dr. Claude Lusk, Senior Vice President of Operations and 兔子先生系列麻豆, described the retiring president as “a man of integrity” who has been “relentless in his pursuit of the best for Wayland,” adding that he has been “very good at every job that he has had here.”
“He asked us to be confident in doing our job, but to do our job,” Dr. Lusk said. “Sometimes that came with the sting of constructive criticism, but he always asked for the same in return. Proverbs 27:6 — Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
The senior vice president read a long list of comments offered by employees, noting one person offered the acronym STRONG — steady, talented, resourceful, organized, nurturing and genuine.
Dr. Lusk said his colleague has been “predictable in his standard and predictable in his expectation,” adding that the way his friend has approach challenges has been to “out study his ignorance, our prepare his weakness, out work his competition, and outlast his detractors. He can see around corners in anticipation of both pitfalls and opportunities as well as anyone I know.”
“You have to look at his whole career to come close to considering his contribution to Wayland,” Dr. Lusk said. “I do not believe he has ever gotten the credit he deserves for how he has fought for and believed in you, me, and our well-being, as well as how he has fought for and believed in Wayland, her success, relevance, eternal impact, and Christian mission. He has fought for Wayland’s growth and sustainability. At times, to the very limits of his physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing, he has fought for Wayland’s very survival.”
Dr. Lusk recalled a 1992 conversation in which Dr. Hall told him, “If I am ever a president, help me remember that I am just a guy.”
“At the end of it all, he is a regular guy who has done remarkable things,” Lusk said.
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