SBU names student ‘Life Beautiful Award’ recipients
Wheeler garners teaching award
June 6, 2006
BOLIVAR – During commencement May 20, Southwest Baptist University (SBU) President C. Pat Taylor named two graduating seniors as recipients of the school’s 2006 Life Beautiful Award.
The Life Beautiful Award was established in 1937 by Rosalee Mills Appleby, a career missionary to Brazil. This award is given annually to an outstanding man and woman in the spring graduating class. These individuals have demonstrated by their scholarship and character that they are living a “life beautiful.” The faculty selects the recipients, whose identities remain confidential until commencement.
The female recipient of the Life Beautiful Award for 2006 is Landee Ann Nevills. Nevills is an intercultural studies and sociology major and an honors student. She is the daughter of Monte and Sandy Nevills of Round Rock, Texas. During her time at SBU, Nevills has participated in mission trips to South Africa and Thailand. This past fall semester, she spent a semester abroad studying and doing mission work in Taiwan.
Nevills has been serving at First Baptist Church, Bolivar, as the College Ministry Assistant and leading in the Wednesday night high school youth program. She also has mentored high school girls and led them in Bible study. Nevills has worked as a Disciple Now leader and has led Women of God Purity conference sessions.
“Landee’s compassion for mentoring the hearts of young Christian women in our community is unquenchable,” Taylor said. “She goes where they go, supporting, teaching, interceding and encouraging. She lives her life to serve God and enable others to see Him through her. She is a reflection of God’s love wherever she goes.”
The male recipient of the Life Beautiful Award for 2006 is Danny Miller. Miller is a computer science and mathematics major with a 4.0 grade average, who graduated summa cum laude. He is the son of Gary and Carolyn Miller, who are missionaries in Hungary.
Miller is also the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Computer Science Graduate award. He is a member of Who’s Who Among America’s College Students and is a co-recipient of the James Frederick Hurst Memorial Mathematics Award.
Miller is a member of the Association of Computing Machinery and of Phi Beta Lambda. He has worked at the computer lab Help Desk and served as a lab instructor for “Introduction to Computing.” In addition, he has worked as the user support technician for the SBU computer services department.
Miller attends Dadeville Baptist Church, where he works with the youth group. Following Hurricane Katrina, he volunteered for Convoy of Hope, helping to pack food to ship to New Orleans. He serves as an encourager and tutor to many of his fellow students.
“Danny’s parents are missionaries, so he is well-acquainted with mission work,” Taylor said. “He is a positive individual who clearly draws his strength from his relationship with Christ. He encourages those around him and is a conscientious student who exhibits the highest qualities of a Christ-like character.”
Besides recognizing the graduates, the 2006 Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher Award was presented to education professor John Wheeler. The Distinguished Teacher Award is chosen by the current and three previous graduating classes and is presented annually to a faculty member for “outstanding teaching ability and personal guidance.” Wheeler first received this award in 1987 for his accomplishments as a faculty member.
Wheeler is a founding and current elder at Wellspring Baptist Fellowship in Bolivar.