March 17, 2015
MARSHALL, Texas (3/17/15) - East Texas Baptist University Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Gerald Nissley, Jr. is the recipient of the 2015 Ward Walker Award. The award is given annually to a faculty member who does an excellent job of pursuing faith and integration within their teaching and academic discipline.
University Chaplain and Vice President for Spiritual Development Dr. Scott Bryant said before Dr. Nissley spoke in Chapel on Monday, "The integration of faith and learning is the recognition that all truth is God's truth and that faithful discipleship includes following the instruction of Jesus to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."
Dr. Nissley has been at ETBU since 2011 and is a licensed clinical psychologist. He helped establish the ETBU Counseling Care Center. The center provides low-cost services in a competent and caring manner. He earned his Psy.D in Clinical Psychology in 2009 from Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"The award is named in honor of Dr. Walker because of his steadfast commitment to encourage and challenge students and faculty alike to realize that academic study and one's educational journey is an act of discipleship," shared Dr. Bryant to the chapel audience.
Dr. Ward Walker was the University Chaplain and Vice President for Spiritual Development at ETBU when he died of a heart attack 20 years ago. His friends and family started the award in his honor. In attendance were Dr. Walker's, wife Dianne, and their daughter Cari Johnson, and sons Tim, Josh, and James.
Ward Walker Award nominations are put forward by faculty and the recipient is selected by a committee of faculty members from across the university.