Dr. David Davis Named 2021-2022 Opal Goolsby Outstanding Professor

Houston Baptist University (HBU) has named Dr. David Davis as the 2021-2022 Opal Goolsby Outstanding Professor. Davis serves as HBU Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Director of Graduate Programs for the College of Arts & Humanities and Honors College professor at HBU.

Rita Tauer presented the award at the University’s 2021-2022 Faculty and Staff End of the Year Celebration and described Davis as “a man who shapes minds and betters lives [of students] well past their graduation day.” He was also noted for his kindness, humor generosity and intellectual fervor.

Dr. Davis earned a PhD in History from the University of Exeter, a Master of Arts in History from Cardiff University and a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Texas at Tyler. His teaching specialties include Western Civilization and upper-division European-history courses, medieval and early-modern European history with interests in cultural and religious history, the history of Britain, and the history of science.

Named in honor of Opal Goolsby, a legendary faculty member who taught English and French at Houston Baptist College, the prestigious award was created to recognize the very best teaching on the HBU campus. Goolsby was a member of the College’s original faculty in 1963.  A selection committee, made up of members of the Student Government Association, the Faculty Professional Development Committee and the Provost’s Office, examines the record of accomplishment for each nominee and carefully chooses the faculty member who best represents the ideals of outstanding teaching.

Other finalists for the award included Dr. Yuri Yatsenko, Dunham College of Business; Dr. Mary White, College of Education  Behavioral Science; Dr. Saul Trevino, College of Science & Engineering; Dr. Adam Harger, School of Christian Thought; Dr. Daniel Kramlich, School of Fine Arts and Dr. Quanza Mooring, School of Nursing & Allied Health.

Dr. Davis received the Opal Goolsby Outstanding Teaching Award in 2013. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society for his contributions to historical scholarship and was awarded the Hardenberg Fellowship at the Johannes a Lasco Bibliothek in Emden, Germany in 2017.

HBU administrators congratulate Dr. Davis on being named the Opal Goolsby Outstanding Professor Award for the 2021-2022 school year.