Howard Payne University students and personnel participated in the fourth annual William B. Dean Lecture Series and Community Impact Day on Wednesday, March 26. More than 500 volunteers served at 27 site locations across Brown County, marking the largest participation since the event began in 2021.
“It is a blessing for the HPU family to serve our local community through this annual day of service,” said Dr. Cory Hines, university president. “We were thrilled to have so many volunteers spread across Brown County who were able to give back to many local non-profit organizations and churches who faithfully serve others.”
HPU volunteers served at A Breath of Praise Church, ARK Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Shelter, Brown County Child Welfare Board, Brown County Memorial Building and Park, Brownwood Coliseum, Brownwood Community Garden, Brownwood Public Library, DayBreak, Center for Life Resources, City of Brownwood Parks and Recreation, City of Early, First Baptist Church Blanket, Good Samaritan Ministries, Greenleaf Cemetery, Heart of Texas Camp, Lyric Performing Arts Company, Northridge Baptist Church, Pearl Griffin Memorial Latch Key Program, St. John’s Church, Texas 4H Conference Center and the Vicksburg Retirement Community.
“The HPU family working together during the William B. Dean, M.D. Community Impact Day is fast becoming a campus favorite,” said Dr. Julie Welker, Community Impact Day coordinator and chair of the Department of Communication. “It’s a blessing to serve various community organizations and see the good work they are doing daily in our area.”
The William B. Dean, M.D. Lecture Series featured HPU alumna Leesa Stephens ’80, director of Good Samaritan Ministries in Brownwood. Stephens spoke at HPU’s Wednesday morning Chapel service and addressed HPU personnel at a luncheon prior to the service projects.
During chapel, Stephens shared from Jeremiah 29:3-7 about being an exile and the importance of seeking the welfare of the city where God has placed you. She encouraged students to embrace where God has them.
“Choose to invest in the people and places where God has you today,” Stephens said.
At the luncheon for faculty and staff, Stephens shared reflections from her days as a student at HPU and what she learned from observing her professors inside and outside the classroom. She encouraged personnel to take advantage of opportunities like serving alongside students on Impact Day.
“You will accompany students into the community,” she said. “They will be watching you. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and authentic. That’s what is contagious.”
In 2021, HPU was awarded a $200,000 grant by the Dean Foundation to establish the annual service event. 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 annual event is open to any non-profit organization in the greater Brown County area. Information about HPU’s 2026 William B. Dean, M.D. Lecture Series and Community Impact Day will be released closer to the event date.