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Celebrate A Bison Hill Homecoming Nov. 12-13

October 15, 2004

Homecoming 2004, Nov. 12-13, will give alums the chance to celebrate those memories as they come home to the OBU campus. The weekend will offer nearly 60 events, along with special recognition of alumni award recipients, and celebration of a golden anniversary for the Bisonette Glee Club.

Two distinguished graduates will receive the Alumni Achievement Award during the Harvest Dinner at 6pm Friday, Nov. 12, in the Geiger Center. Bob Burroughs, '59, a noted church musician who has served in a variety of leadership and educational posts, and Jerry Bradley, '69, president and CEO of Texas Baptist Children's Home and Family Services, will receive the OBU Alumni Association's highest honor.

Bob, a composer, resides in Birmingham, Alabama. He was director of the church music department of the Florida Baptist Convention from 1994-2001. He previously was composer-in-resident at Palm Beach Atlantic College from 1990-94, and Samford University from 1971-80. He served as a minister of music at churches in Texas and Oklahoma before his career in Baptist higher education. Bob has more than 2,000 published works. He has written three books. He and his wife, Esther Milligan, '59, have two children and five grandchildren.

Jerry has served as chief executive officer of Texas Baptist Children's Home and Family Services since 1990. He previously worked with Oklahoma Baptist children's services for 13 years, serving as director of child care for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma from 1988-90. He entered social service ministry in 1970, while studying for a master's degree in religious education at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also completed a master's degree in social work at Florida State University in 1975. He is a licensed child care administrator, and has served on several professional association boards. Jerry and his wife, Linda Martin, '69, have two children and one grandson.

The Bisonette Glee Club, founded in 1954 by Warren M. Angell, will celebrate 50 years of music with activities during Homecoming. The celebration will include a reunion dinner at 5:30pm Saturday, Nov. 13, in the Geiger Center. Dr. Bonnie Sneed, conductor of the Bisonettes, is planning a collection of reunion activities along with alumni and current Bisonettes.

Twelve Profile In Excellence honorees will be recognized at 10am Saturday during the annual Homecoming Chapel service in Raley Chapel's Potter Auditorium. The award recipients, who are featured in OBU Magazine throughout 2004, will receive their awards from OBU President Mark Brister.

Other significant Homecoming events include the second annual Children's Festival. Activities for children age 4 through 6th grade will begin at 10:30am Saturday in Clark Craig Fieldhouse. The festival includes games, a praise and worship time, and opportunities for grade school children to attend special academic sessions. A sandwich lunch is included in the program, which concludes at 2pm.

OBU nursing graduates will continue celebrating OBU's golden anniversary of nursing excellence as they gather for a reunion dinner on Nov. 13. This is the third in a series of Homecoming dinners as the School of Nursing celebrates the start of Oklahoma's first baccalaureate nursing program. The Homecoming dinner will feature reflections from former students and faculty, as well as a visual review of the nursing school's history.

During Homecoming, OBU Theatre will present The Orestia: The Legacy of Agamemnon, a classic Greek play by Aeschylus, edited by Joyce Aldridge, assistant professor of theatre. The production will be in OBU's recently renovated Craig-Dorland Theatre, in Shawnee Hall. Show times are 7:30pm Thursday, Nov. 11; and 2:30pm Saturday, Nov. 13, and Sunday, Nov. 14.

Other fine arts events during the weekend include the Homecoming Musical Gala at 8:30pm Friday, featuring talent from the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts. The weekend's major activities will conclude with the Alumni Showcase at 8pm Saturday, as talented alumni from reunioning years perform.