JAM Newsletter: Austin Griffin

My time at HPU has been invaluable! For me, Howard Payne hasn’t just been a place of learning, but rather a place of mentorship. The faculty, staff, and community here have been encouraging and supportive to me as I enter the ministry for the first time. I have found that the faculty and staff of HPU truly embody Edgar A. Guest’s poem “I’d Rather See a Sermon” because they are willing to teach and give advice both inside and outside of the classroom. It is that combination of faith put into action that has been so inspiring.  

 

Some HPU alumni were influential in my decision to come to Howard Payne. My youth pastor, Ken Herring, is a proud HPU graduate, and three of his four children attended or are currently attending HPU. My pastor, Bill Cleveland also attended HPU for a time, but graduated elsewhere. It was these two men who first introduced me to Howard Payne and ultimately inspired me to apply. Since They both knew my call to ministry, these men encouraged me to come here because they believed that HPU would be a good place for me to grow and learn.