Ferris Akins of Ballinger named Howard Payne University Distinguished Alumnus

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Ferris Akins was named HPU's Distinguished Alumnus for 2011

BROWNWOOD , TX (10/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Howard Payne University will recognize nine outstanding alumni and friends of the university during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 14-16. Ferris Akins '52, pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Ballinger, was named the university's Distinguished Alumnus.

Akins graduated with his bachelor's degree from HPU in 1952 before receiving Bachelor of Divinity and Master of Divinity degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has since served as pastor of several churches in Ballinger, Early, Cleburne, Covington, Lampasas County and Comanche County.

His wife, Grace Ramona (Tennison) Akins, is a 1952 HPU graduate, and their four children also graduated from the university – Ferris "Rick" Akins, Jr. '75, Andrea (Akins) Harp '79, Martin Akins '84 and Ferrisa (Akins) Childs '86. The couple has 11 grandchildren.

Rev. Akins served as moderator of several Baptist associations, including Runnels Baptist Association on three different occasions. He also served as an HPU trustee, a trustee of the Heart of Texas Baptist Encampment and on several different committees of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He is the past president of the Ballinger Rotary Club and the Ballinger Ministerial Alliance.

Akins' award will be presented during the 2011 Sodexo Alumni Banquet on Friday, Oct. 14 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Beadel Dining Area of HPU's Mabee University Center. Tickets for the Banquets are $16 each and can be purchased by contacting the Alumni Office at 800-950-8465 or 325-649-8069 or by visiting http://alumni.hputx.edu/.

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Founded in 1889, Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered academic community dedicated to excellence by developing and equipping the whole person for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity, and service to God and humanity.

Located in Brownwood, Texas, HPU offers a full array of undergraduate programs and a limited number of graduate programs in a traditional residential academic community. The university also offers selected undergraduate and graduate course work by electronic means and at extended learning centers responsive to the academic needs of the communities served. HPU maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio, which contributes to the university's reputation of being "a place where everybody is somebody."