Homer Taylor Receives Honorary Doctorate from Hardin-Simmons University

ABILENE, TX (05/23/2011)(readMedia)-- Homer Taylor, of Sweetwater, TX, was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree during spring commencement ceremonies at Hardin-Simmons University held this month.

Homer Taylor, a native of Zion Hill, Texas, came to Hardin-Simmons University as a student after earning an associate of applied science degree from Cisco Junior College. Taylor graduated from Hardin-Simmons in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education and English. He went on to complete a Master of Education degree at HSU in 1963.

After completing his master's degree, Taylor taught English at Jayton High School for a year. In 1959, he moved to Sweetwater where he taught English, Speech and Drama, and Journalism at Sweetwater High School. During the 10 years Taylor taught high school, he was known to have had a great rapport with his students. He optimistically led his journalism students to excel, many of them winning press association awards.

Taylor began his 35-year career at Texas State Technical Institute in 1970 as the second employee hired by the institution. He served as assistant manager of the Rolling Plains extension of TSTI from 1970 to 1973. Due to his dedication to the educational experience and his undying interest in technology in the workplace, Taylor was made manager of instruction at the Rolling Plains Campus in 1973.

Taylor served the college with distinction in various managerial positions at the institution, and was the first person to fill a newly created position as manager of development in 1984. During this time, the Sweetwater campus reached its highest level of enrollment in the history of the college.

Taylor became president of the college in 1999, and served concurrently as president and vice chancellor for TSTC Systems from 2003 until his retirement in 2005. Taylor is the longest serving employee in the history of Texas State Technical College West Texas, serving with distinction in nearly all managerial areas of the educational institution. He provided a significant, lasting, and meaningful impact on the prosperity of the college, its students, and its employees. In honor of this service, in 2006 the TSTC Board of Regents renamed College Drive at the TSTC West Texas Sweetwater campus to Homer K. Taylor Drive.

Taylor currently serves as the executive director for the Nolan County Foundation and is active in the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce and the Sweetwater Industrial Foundation. He also is a member of the Sweetwater Chuck Wagon Gang, which has been serving flank steak dinners in the community since 1930.

With a passion for West Texas, Taylor led the formation of the West Texas Wind Energy Consortium in 2005, serving as the first chairman of the consortium. Currently, Taylor is chief executive officer for Taylor & Associates, Alternative Energies Consulting.

Taylor has been described as a small-town boy who came up the hard way; always taking the high road with an upbeat and positive attitude. It has been said of him, "No matter how far up the ladder of success he went, he never changed as a person." He has passionately climbed to the top of his field while maintaining the integrity of who he is-a man who teaches.