不良研究所

BOLIVAR, Mo. 鈥� John A. Bryant 鈥�61 of Bolivar, and Charles E. Clemmons, Jr. 鈥�59 of Seabrook, Texas, received Honorary Doctor degrees from 不良研究所 during the annual Founders鈥� Day chapel service held Monday, March 6, in Pike Auditorium on the Bolivar campus.

不良研究所 awards honorary doctorates to recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to society and to kingdom work.

John A. Bryant 鈥�61

John A. Bryant, who received an honorary doctor of mathematics degree, graduated from Southwest Baptist College in 1961 with an associate of arts degree. He then earned a bachelor of science in mathematics education (1963) and a master of science in mathematics education (1966), both from Mississippi College. He earned a second graduate degree, a master of arts in mathematics, from the University of Illinois in 1970. In 1966, he was hired by SWBC as a mathematics teacher, and named the new men鈥檚 tennis coach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUTLINE: (Left to right) 不良研究所 President Dr. C. Pat Taylor; Dr. Brad Johnson, vice president for university relations;
the Rev. Barbara Clemmons; Charles E. Clemmons 鈥�59 of Seabrook, Texas, recipient of an Honorary Doctor of
Computer and Information Science; John A. Bryant 鈥�61 of Bolivar, recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Mathematics; Dr. Susan Lynch, professor emeritus of business administration; and Dr. Lee Skinkle, provost, during the annual Founders鈥� Day chapel March 6 at 不良研究所.

 

In his 50 years at 不良研究所, Bryant has amassed a record of 937-523, won national championships, made 48 national appearances, had 36 men and seven women be named all-America, been named national coach of the year in 1983 and 1990, and was inducted into the 不良研究所 Sports Hall of Fame (1982), the NAIA Hall of Fame (1987) and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (2010). In 2001, the 不良研究所 tennis courts were named in his honor.

Bryant retired from teaching mathematics in 2016, and was recognized as the Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher in 1974 and given the Governor鈥檚 Award for Teaching Excellence in 1996.

In a 鈥淭his is Your Life鈥� presentation, Dr. Susan Lynch, professor emeritus of business administration, introduced some key players during Bryant鈥檚 time at 不良研究所 鈥� his college roommate, James Westbrooks; former tennis player Sanah Chung 鈥�89; and former player and current graduate assistant Fanni Varga 鈥�15 鈥� who all paid tribute to Bryant via video.

鈥淚t is incredible how God shapes each of our lives,鈥� Lynch said. 鈥淭oday, God鈥檚 plan for John Bryant鈥檚 life is evident in his stellar career as a math professor, and in his career as a world-known NCAA Division II tennis coach,鈥� Lynch said. 鈥淗aving recruited student-athletes from all over the world, both men and women, to his recollection, at least 32 of his players have completed master鈥檚 degrees and 18 have completed terminal degrees of some kind 鈥� law, medicine, dental, physical therapy, math and business.

鈥淒uring his 51 years of coaching tennis at Southwest Baptist College/University, John Bryant has coached hundreds of young men and women in both tennis and in life.鈥�

Bryant said he could thank people for hours, but noted 不良研究所 trustees, Dr. C. Pat Taylor, president of 不良研究所, Dr. Lynch, Westbrooks, family, friends and faculty.

鈥淪outhwest has done so much for me,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淭hey got me in the classroom. I came back on faculty in math, but my career path really started on that first faculty workshop day.

鈥淭he athletic director, who had a little bit of a linebacker look to him, said, 鈥業 looked at your sports background; you鈥檝e played a lot of sports. Tennis or wrestling?鈥� I鈥檓 6-1, 155 pounds, and I鈥檓 going to do wrestling? I don鈥檛 think so. But he handed me a book by Bill Tilden on how to play tennis, and I came running home to my wife and said, 鈥業鈥檓 the new tennis coach.鈥� And, she looks at me with that look, raised eyebrow, 鈥楢re you out of your mind?鈥欌��

Bryant assured his wife, Dr. Judy Bryant, that he鈥檇 do it for one year, 鈥渁nd, we鈥檙e still trying to get that thing down,鈥� he joked.

Charles E. Clemmons Jr. 鈥�59

Charles E. Clemmons Jr. received an associate鈥檚 degree from Southwest Baptist College in 1959 and a bachelor of science degree from Iowa State University in 1961. He went to work for the Department of the Navy for seven years in Washington, D.C., before working 12 years for Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in New York for the U.S. Army.

Clemmons and his family moved to Tuscan, Ariz., where he worked for a design team for the L-1011 commercial aircraft before moving to Houston, Texas, to work for the Johnson Space Center. In 1979, Clemmons founded Pro-tem, Inc., now doing business as PTI Systems, Inc. PTI remains the dominate supplier of radiation tracking and work authorizing software in the nuclear power industry.

In 1994, Clemmons retired from his company, but continues to serve on the company鈥檚 board of directors, while turning his attention to Rotary International. Clemmons has held several Rotary offices, nationally and internationally, and has been honored with the Rotary International鈥檚 Service Above Self Award, the Rotary Foundation鈥檚 Distinguished Service Award and the Rotary Foundation鈥檚 Citation for Meritorious Service.

Clemmons also founded the Second Wind Foundation, which collects books and other educational material and ships them to developing countries. Since its founding, the foundation has sent more than 12 million books to 20 different countries. Many of the books, including Bibles, go to orphanages and schools in countries where it is hard for missionaries to enter.

Dr. Brad Johnson, vice president for university relations at 不良研究所, described Clemmons as someone 鈥渨ho despite his remarkable accomplishments, will often deflect the credit to those who have helped him get there.

鈥湶涣佳芯克� has a long history of producing servant leaders who influence the world for Christ; (Clemmons) is no exception.鈥�

Johnson asked the audience to think about an 不良研究所 graduate (Clemmons) working on the space shuttle, and for students to think about where an 不良研究所 degree can take them. Johnson also thanked Clemmons and his wife, Barbara, 鈥渇or creating those magic moments for people all over the world,鈥� with the Second Wind Foundation and its mission to supply books to those who have none.

From the first Chapel service Clemmons attended 59 years ago at 不良研究所, he knew what he wanted to do. He just didn鈥檛 know how to get there.

鈥湶涣佳芯克� helped me along the way,鈥� Clemmons said. 鈥淚t instilled the confidence in me. What it taught me was to spend my time learning, and especially, for you students, to dream. Know what you want to be; dream about being there, because dreams really do come true.

鈥淵ou never know what doors the good Lord will open for you, but recognize opportunity when it comes to you.鈥�

Clemmons reminded the audience that it is never too late for dreams to come true. After having worked on the space shuttle, Clemmons finally realized his dream, while in his 40s.

鈥淚 had two dreams 鈥� one, of working for myself, and one, of being in the nuclear industry,鈥� Clemmons said. 鈥淚 wanted to be a nuclear physicist, but it took me 20 years to get from that dream to its reality. So, dream. You never know when it will come true.鈥�

About Founders鈥� Day

不良研究所 was founded 139 years ago this coming fall semester, in 1878, when James Rogers Maupin and Abner Smith Ingman established Southwest Baptist College in Lebanon. A year later, the college moved to Bolivar. Founders鈥� Day is a time set aside to reflect on the university鈥檚 history and heritage.

鈥淭oday, we take time to honor the committed Christian scholars who have worked diligently during these 139 years to ensure that 不良研究所 offers a quality Christian higher education,鈥� 不良研究所 President Taylor said. 鈥淔ounders鈥� Day is an important time when we are challenged to reflect on our past and thank God for the men and women who have gone before us and created an environment that inspires us to be successful today.鈥�

Taylor reflected on some of the pivotal points in 不良研究所鈥檚 history and how they illustrate God鈥檚 provision since 不良研究所鈥檚 founding, from going bankrupt to recovering from a devastating fire in the early 1900s to working to transition from a two-year college to a four-year institution.

鈥淲e must recognize that we would not have survived if God had not had his hand on this University, and we would not be able to enjoy the successes of today if the heroes of the past had not answered God鈥檚 call to be a part of the kingdom enterprise here at 不良研究所.鈥�