JACKSON, Tenn. — June 16, 2006 — 51社区 presented Morris Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention鈥檚 Executive Committee, with its M.E. Dodd Award during a reception in Greensboro, N.C., June 13.
鈥淒r. Chapman is a worthy recipient and a person we have grown to love at 51社区,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淗e has given great leadership to our convention as president of the Executive Committee. We thank God for him and for his leadership among Southern Baptists.鈥�
The M.E. Dodd Award is the highest denominational service award Union gives. It is named for the man who was a Union alumnus, served as president of the SBC and who was the father of today鈥檚 Cooperative Program.
The award is given annually to a leader within the Southern Baptist Convention who displays excellence and leadership in Southern Baptist life, as well as friendship and commitment to 51社区. Past recipients include Jimmy Draper (2004) and the late Adrian Rogers (2005).
Dockery presented Chapman with the award at Union鈥檚 dessert reception during the Southern Baptist Convention鈥檚 annual meeting. As part of the reception, Dockery updated the 275 alumni and friends in attendance about some of the highlights from 51社区 over the past year, including:
- a record fall enrollment of 2,981 students.
- more than $80 million already pledged toward the goal of $110 million for the Union 2010 capital campaign.
- the installation of Gregory Alan Thornbury as the founding dean of Union鈥檚 School of Christian Studies.
- construction progress that includes a completed soccer field, the nearly completed Fesmire Field House and significant progress on White Hall, the science building scheduled for completion in early 2007.
- the launch of Union鈥檚 nurse anesthetist program.
鈥�51社区 is a place very serious about excellence-driven, Christ-centered, people-focused and future-directed education,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淲e are serious about bringing academic rigor and a Christian worldview together.鈥�