Skinner, Priest to address Huntington class of 2007
Huntington, Ind.-Huntington University will hold its 109th commencement exercises on May 19. Dr. Wayne Priest, Huntington University associate professor of psychology, will deliver the baccalaureate address to graduates and their parents at 10:30 a.m. in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. The annual commencement address, held on the campus front lawn at 3 p.m., will be given by the Rev. Roger L. Skinner, USA executive director of OMS International. The public is invited to attend the commencement service.
Click here to download Rev. Skinner's address.
In his role for OMS International, located in Greenwood, Ind., Skinner serves an organization that ministers in more than 40 countries throughout Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa.
Skinner holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Huntington University.
He and his wife, Mary Lou, served in Ecuador from 1973 to 1995 as missionaries with OMS International. First assigned to evangelism and church planting, the Skinners were involved in many aspects of the OMS work in Ecuador. During their 22 years in Guayaquil, the Rev. Skinner directed and taught at the Evangelical Bible Seminary and served as pastor of the Christian Bible Church.
The Skinners returned to the U.S. in 1995 and began work at the OMS International World Headquarters in Greenwood. The Rev. Skinner served as the director of recruitment for four years, and on September 1, 1999, accepted the assignment of USA Executive Director.
His honors and awards include being named Huntington University Alumnus of the Year as well as being inducted into the Huntington University Athletic Hall of Fame and receiving a Huntington University centennial medallion.
Priest completed his Ph.D. in counseling psychology and gerontological assessment at Ball State University in 1993. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in psychology and religion in 1980 and his Master of Arts in religion in 1983 from Anderson University. He has been an adjunct professor in general psychology and other psychology courses for Anderson, Purdue and Indiana universities. In addition, Priest has several years of counseling experience at various clinics. He has participated in workshops on a range of topics, including aging, Alzheimer's treatment, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory interpretation and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. He has made presentations on similar topics at various conferences and has published in Clinical Gerontologist.
Priest teaches more than 100 students each semester and enables several students each year to conduct, write and present original research. In April 2006, he led a group of students to the Michigan Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference at Sienna Heights University where six separate groups presented their independent research. He has served on several university committees and is involved in the community serving as a board member for Pathfinder Services, Inc.
