HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY
News release

Howard Payne University invites the public to the groundbreaking for the Newbury Family Welcome Center at 1:30 p.m. June 25. The event will take place at Old Main Park, located near the intersection of Austin Avenue and Center Avenue on the HPU campus in Brownwood. The welcome center is named for the family of Dr. Don Newbury, a 1961 graduate of HPU, president of the university from 1985 to 1997, and current chancellor. Newbury is author of Idle American, a column that appears in numerous newspapers and in Spirit of Abilene.

The event had originally been scheduled for March 31 but was postponed as part of the university’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new facility will serve as an entry point to campus for visitors, housing the Office of Admission, the Office of Alumni Relations, meeting spaces and more. A circle drive will provide convenient access. As the location where the university’s original building, Old Main, stood until it was destroyed by fire in 1984, the future home of HPU’s new welcome center holds a special significance in the history of the institution.

“Through decades of use, Old Main became a symbol of the life-changing experiences and education offered at our university for generations of alumni,” said Dr. Cory Hines, HPU president. “With the building of the Newbury Family Welcome Center on Old Main Park, we will honor the legacies of Old Main and the Newburys while ushering in new generations of students seeking Christ-centered education.”

Dr. Newbury is fondly remembered among the HPU family for his friendly personality and leadership displayed throughout his time leading the university. He and his wife, Brenda, were known to frequently open their home to students and university personnel. During his tenure as HPU president, the university added numerous new facilities, including the Mabee University Center, the Mamie D. McCullough Athletic Center and the Thompson Academic Complex, and experienced a major resurgence in student enrollment.

Prior to becoming president of HPU, Dr. Newbury worked in sports media, hosting radio programs and working as a correspondent for several major Texas newspapers, and served in several higher education leadership roles. He has published several books.