Honorary Degrees to Christian Higher Education Leaders

Houghton University will award honorary degrees to Dr. Andrew Westmoreland and Dr. Paul Mills ’61, esteemed leaders in Christian higher education, during its commencement activities over the weekend of May 9-10, 2025, on its campus in Allegany County, Houghton, New York.

Dr. Westmoreland’s career in Christian higher education has spanned more than 40 years, including two college presidencies and leadership in numerous organizations and associations which support Christian higher education institutions and their leaders. For 23 years, Dr. Westmoreland served as a college president, first at Ouachita Baptist University (1998-2006) and then at Samford University (2006-2021). He chaired the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, overseeing accreditation for hundreds of institutions in the Southern United States. He also served as president of the Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Since his appointment in 2023, he continues to serve as president of the Christian College Consortium. Dr. Westmoreland also serves as Senior Vice President of Higher Education with Faith Search Partners Higher Education, an at-large member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, president emeritus of Samford University, and Senior Vice President of the Frances Marlin Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership at Samford University.

Reflecting on Dr. Westmoreland’s influence, Houghton University President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. states, “Andy was a visionary and an extraordinarily impactful university president, both at Ouachita Baptist and at Samford. Currently, through his leadership of the Christian College Consortium, he is an invaluable resource to Houghton. I am thankful for the many ways he continues to contribute to Christian higher education and his continued support of Houghton University. Personally, I am privileged to have him as a mentor and a friend.”

Dr. Westmoreland has dedicated his career to supporting and exploring the integration of faith and scholarship, hallmarked by a clear commitment to promoting academic excellence and rigorous scholarship. Dr. Westmoreland exemplifies the attributes of a servant-leader. He is described as the quintessential college president—humble, innovative and dedicated—and his life is a celebration of Christian higher education. Dr. Westmoreland holds a B.A. in Political Science from Ouachita Baptist University, an M.A. in Political Science from University of Arkansas and an Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Dr. Westmoreland will give the commencement address at Houghton University’s 2025 Commencement ceremony.

Dr. Paul Mills has devoted more than six decades to making extraordinary contributions to Wesleyan higher education. A 1961 graduate of Houghton College (now University), Dr. Mills began his distinguished career in higher education at Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) as an instructor in both physical education and sociology. During his 22 years at Marion College, he held key leadership positions in alumni relations, career education, and athletics, leaving a lasting impact across the institution. In 1983, Dr. Mills accepted the presidency of Bartlesville Wesleyan College (now Oklahoma Wesleyan University). Over 19 years of transformative leadership, he guided the institution through remarkable progress, including the launch of adult degree completion programs, the establishment of a nursing program, numerous campus capital projects, the establishment of sister institution Ogaki Women’s College in Japan, and the institution’s transition from Bartlesville Wesleyan College to Oklahoma Wesleyan University. During his tenure, he also served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Private Colleges and Universities.

Since retirement in 2002, Dr. Mills has continued to serve Wesleyan Higher Education and The Wesleyan Church in a range of roles at both Southern Wesleyan University and Houghton College, as well as the CEO of the Wesleyan Center in Maryland’s Chesapeake District.

“There are few people in the history of The Wesleyan Church who have invested so much, for so long, across so many Wesleyan institutions,” states President Lewis. “Paul has positively impacted the spiritual, athletic and academic development of untold numbers of students at Wesleyan institutions, and his longstanding exemplary executive leadership at IWU and OKWU was instrumental in shaping the institutions they are today.”

Dr. Mills holds a B.A. in Sociology from Houghton, an M.A. in Physical Education from Ball State University and a Ph.D. in Sports History from the University of Maryland. His distinguished contributions have been recognized through his induction into the Houghton University Athletics Hall of Honor in 2020 and the Indiana Wesleyan University Athletics Hall of Honor in 2022.

Dr. Mills has dedicated his professional journey to faithfully serving the people of The Wesleyan Church. His tireless and selfless work has fostered Christ-centered, student-focused academic communities where students are challenged to realize their God-given potential—in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in every sphere of life. Beyond his institutional leadership, Dr. Mills has provided invaluable service to the General Conference of The Wesleyan Church, the Wesleyan Educational Council (WEC) and the General Board of Administration of The Wesleyan Church.

Both Dr. Mills and Dr. Westmoreland exemplify the traits of scholar-servants who have promoted the cause of Christian higher education for the advancement of the Kingdom. They have dedicated their lives to promoting academic excellence in Christ-centered institutions and played leading roles in shaping the future of Wesleyan higher education and Christian higher education as a whole.