Cactus Jacks Capture HPU Blue vs. Gold Title with 2–0 Sweep
By: Guest Writer Dalen Jensen, junior strategic communication major/ The Cactus Jacks closed out Howard Payne University baseball’s fall schedule with a statement, sweeping the Thunderbuddies 2–0 to capture this year’s Blue vs. Gold World Series at Don Shepard Park. The Blue vs. Gold series is an annual intersquad event during the fall semester. Moving […]
Zeta Chi Reinstated as an HPU Greek Life Organization
By: Riley Harker/ Zeta Chi began its pledging process along with the other Greek Life organizations at Howard Payne University on Sept. 19. Greek organizations at HPU provide students with opportunities to come together as a team, share experiences, and grow as students and believers in Christ. Zeta Chi, a previous Greek organization at HPU, […]
Baptist Student Ministry Encourages Faith and Fellowship at HPU
By: Emmy White/ The Baptist Student Ministry’s mission statement is “to encourage college students to follow Christ and transform the world”. Howard Payne University’s BSM is a group of invested students who strive to share Christ and love others. With several ministries dedicated to serving the Lord, the Baptist Student Ministry seeks to walk alongside […]
Life Reimagined in Christ: Encounter Week Reflection
By: Katelyn Sims, senior global studies and Academy major from Cleburne/ For the Christian, new life in Christ renders a reformed way of thinking and understanding. It not only transforms the way that we live in and interact with the world, but also how we comprehend the Lord’s instruction through scripture. Being wholly revitalized by […]
Backpacks Down, Boots On: HPU students invited to Feels Like Home Festival
By: Kassidy Johnson/ The Feels Like Home Festival is an opportunity for Howard Payne University students and staff to enjoy participating in community events. In its second year, the Feels Like Home Fest is a Texas country music and BBQ event, held in the heart of Brownwood at the Brownwood Event Center. “It was surreal […]
Community Outside the Classroom
By: Riley Harker/ The 2025 intramural season at Howard Payne University began in early September, with sand volleyball games starting Sept. 9. Intramurals give students a break from stressful academic workloads while offering opportunities for competition and connection. “It’s a place where we’re trying to promote sportsmanship and healthy competition,” said Jake Lehrer, resident director […]
The Center for Student Success: A Home for Academic Growth
By: Kassidy Johnson/ At Howard Payne University, academic support plays a key role in student success. “The Center for Student Success is a place that houses most of the academic support practices,” said Dr. Wendy McNeeley, assistant vice president for student success. McNeeley said many students are hesitant to use the center due to a […]
Brightspace Replaces Blackboard as HPU’s New Learning Platform
By: Rylee McAlexander/ Brightspace is the new platform students are required to use for their classes across campus, replacing Blackboard, which had previously been used. The university’s contract with Blackboard was expiring, prompting administrators to search for a platform that best fit HPU. That search led to Brightspace. “The platform needed to address the requirements […]
Howard Payne Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
By Emmy White/ Hispanic Heritage Month takes place Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. During this time, Howard Payne University hosts events to celebrate culture and community. “Every student is welcome at all events during this month,” said Dr. Danny Brunette-Lopez, professor of Spanish, and chair of the department of Spanish.“These events don’t alienate people, they […]
Jacket Journey: Building Community
By: Emmy White/ Jacket Journey, Howard Payne University’s freshman orientation, takes place the weekend before classes begin each fall. With more than 300 new freshmen this year, Jacket Journey welcomed the largest incoming class in more than a decade. Featuring campus tours, get-to-know-you games, dinner at the president’s house and more, Jacket Journey provides freshmen […]
An HPU Tradition Lives On
By: Maddie King/ Beanies. The Gauntlet. Boot Camp. Roundup. Fry Like Bacon. Tug of War. For any student who has ever participated in freshmen orientation at Howard Payne University, these words bring back memories of what students now know as Daze of Payne. Daze of Payne is a week full of fun events aimed to […]
HPU to host Click it or Ticket event
By Ryleigh Watson/ Howard Payne University will host a “Click it or Ticket” event in the Taylor Hall parking lot on Thursday. Click it or Ticket is a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) tour that is statewide that travels and gives teenagers and college students an interactive experience to reinforce what wearing a seatbelt can […]
Where champions play and memories are made – Welcome to the CAP!
By: Chandler Brittain/ Howard Payne University has always dreamed of having its own intramural field, a place where students could play and create lasting memories. After a few months of planning and fundraising, that dream finally came true. The Carter Athletic Park, known as the CAP, is HPU’s new intramural field. A modern and versatile […]
It’s Homecoming Time at HPU!
By: Maddie King/ Howard Payne University is hosting Homecoming on Friday and Saturday, October 18-19. The event will also include Yellow Jacket Preview and Family Weekend for an exciting weekend on campus. “We look forward to a wonderful HPU Homecoming weekend with events for all ages,” said Dr. Kalie Lowrie, associate vice president […]
Women’s Soccer Adds Two New Coaches
By: Kate Nordhaus/ The Howard Payne University women’s soccer team 2024 season is well under way, and Head Coach Brandon Badgeley is looking to improve after leading his team last year to a 10-7-2 record. With two new assistant coaches added to the mix, Badgeley wants to continue to build on last year to try […]
HPU Women’s Soccer Makes History
By: Kate Nordhaus/ The Howard Payne women’s soccer team made their way to Edinburg, Texas for a historic match against a Division I program, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on September 5. The Lady Jackets set a record by being the first team at HPU to play on ESPN+. In the first half, the […]
HPU’s New Chapel Theme
By: Kate Nordhaus/ On Wednesday, August 21, Howard Payne University kicked off its first week of school with its ceremonial Convocation chapel. Each semester, Wednesdays at 10 a.m. are set aside for HPU students, faculty, and staff to gather together in Mims Auditorium to worship and listen to a speaker. The theme for this school […]
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Wade Ashby
By: Ryleigh Watson/ This year Howard Payne University has five new faculty members. Dr.Wade Ashby is the new dean of Online Education, associate professor and chair of the Department of Computer Information Sciences. Ashby came to HPU from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. “I felt God saying ‘Hey I have more for you’ and then […]
Faithful, He Is: Chapel to be Led by Female Speaker
By: Katelyn Sims/ Dr. Irene Gallegos, director of Hunger and Care Ministries for Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission, will speak at Howard Payne University’s (HPU) chapel session on Feb. 21. This is the first time in almost three years that HPU has had a female speaker, and Gallegos has quite a remarkable reputation that places […]
SASW Strives to Create Leaders and Help Others
By: Chandler Britton/ Despite her many titles, “God led her to teach social work.” That’s what Shantel R. Oplotnik, advisor of the Student Association of Social Work, assistant professor of social work, and director of field education said defines her job. Oplotnik graduated from HPU in 2019 and went on to receive her master’s degree […]
HPU Alumni Launches Junior Jackets Program
Junior Jackets is a new club for children and grandchildren of alumni and friends of Howard Payne University. It is open to all ages from infants to 18-year-olds. This is the first year this has been offered, with the goal being to help teach children about HPU and get excited about coming to college here […]
HPU BSM to Attend Abide Conference
By: Natalia Rich/ This weekend, January 26-27, Howard Payne University’s Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) will be traveling to Highland Lakes Camp & Conference Center in Spicewood, Texas for a prayer conference, Abide, hosted by Texas BSM. According to the TXBSM website, the conference, “Abide” is an unscheduled prayer experience for college students, high school seniors, […]
Greek Life Pledges in Fall 2023, Not Spring 2024
By Ryleigh Watson// At Howard Payne University, school wide Greek organizations pledge in the spring of every year. This year, however, pledging was planned for the fall semester. HPU has three local sororities: Chi Alpha Omega, Delta Chi Rho and Pi Theta Chi, and one local fraternity, Delta Epsilon Omega. The university also has three […]
Free Stuff? Count me in! On Campus Resources for All HPU Students
By Ryleigh Watson/ Being in college, times can get tough, and money can get tight. So, when college provides the opportunity to get needs for free, most people won’t pass that up. Howard Payne has two different Jacket resources: The Jacket Closet and Jacket Food and Essentials. The Office of Student Experience oversees the Jacket […]
Fall Break Provides Hiatus from Class
By: Riley Harker/ As the semester reaches the halfway mark for the 2023 fall semester and midterms start to come to an end, many students and faculty members are mentally exhausted and just need time to relax and reset before preparations for final exams start. That is why, unlike some colleges, Howard Payne University had […]