As the Spring 2026 semester comes to a close at Hardin-Simmons University (HSU), finals week is rapidly approaching. HSU’s finals will be held Monday, May 4 through Thursday, May 7. Following finals week, a commencement ceremony will be held on May 8 for all graduating HSU seniors. A finals schedule has been posted with each class block having a designated exam time. Students are expected to show up prepared for each designated time. Final exams may be cumulative or non-

DirectFest was an event held on April 24 and April 25 starting at 7:30 P.M. and lasted about two hours. It’s a one act play festival with multiple miniature plays all directed by the students as part of Directing One Class at Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) as the last shows of the 2025-2026 school year. In this play the students were allowed to direct their own 10 minute play. In total there were eight plays; four plays back to back, each with one director, a 15 minute break

On Friday, April 24, I got to be part of something that did not feel like just another concert, but like stepping into a piece of country music history. George Strait took the stage with his Ace in the Hole Band, and for a few hours, nothing else really mattered. The night started with Zach Top and Dylan Gossett and right off the bat it was clear this wasn’t gonna be some throwaway opener set. Dylan Gossett came out first and got things started in the best way. His set felt

“People often think that donors who create scholarships do it out of an abundance, but you would be amazed at those who scrimp and save to give back in this way. They do it because they want to honor someone by naming it after them or because they love HSU.” The Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) Annual Scholarship Luncheon is scheduled for today. “The last Friday of every April, HSU holds our Donor and Recipient Scholarship Luncheon,” Vivian Bland, office manager & campaign

On April 11 and 12, Hardin-Simmons University's (HSU) Cheerleading Team competed in Orlando, Fla. at the The College Classic 2026 National Championship. HSU Cheerleading brought home the national championship title in the College Classic Spirit Showdown All Girl Game Day Division. HSU Cheerleading has not competed in over 25 years, making the 2026 squad the first team to place nationally. This accomplishment sets a strong foundation for the cheerleading program moving fo

We are in an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our everyday lives; ChatGPT, Claude AI, Google Gemini and more are being used more and more every day. AI can be used for many purposes, and one of these is writing books. Books written by AI are often criticized for their lack of creativity, repetitive or bland prose and ethical problems such as plagiarism of other books and author styles. Simply typing in a prompt into any AI program, one c

Today from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Hardin-Simmons University's (HSU) Student Activities Board (SABERS) will be hosting Gilbert’s annual birthday party. The party will be held on Anderson Lawn. Gilbert the Goose was originally brought to the HSU campus in 2013 by a group of freshman boys residing in Ferguson Hall. What began as a lighthearted joke grew into a lasting campus tradition. The original Gilbert’s home was the Abilene Zoo, but he now resides permanently on the HSU cam

On April 9, Hardin-Simmons University’s (HSU) student activities board (SABERS) hosted a pizza picnic and hangout on Anderson Lawn beginning at noon. The picnic lasted around an hour, featuring fun, games, upbeat music and an opportunity to connect with one another. The pizza party was a fun and delicious way to bring together current HSU students and faculty for an afternoon of spring weather. With warm sunshine and clear skies, everyone was reminded that spring had ful

The Jazz Spring Concert, led by the Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) Jazz Ensemble, is right around the corner. The event will be held in Van-Ellis Theatre on April 20 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and will showcase the hard work and prowess of the students who are part of the Jazz Ensemble. Dr. Jeffery Cottrell is currently serving as an adjunct professor for the department of music, directing the Jazz Ensemble at HSU, as well as teaching low brass lessons for music students

Songs for a New World opened up with a bang on April 9 at 7:30 P.M. The musical featured nine talented actors who captivated the audience through the entire performance with their great character acting, captivating story telling and of course amazing vocals. There were over 100 people in attendance to this musical, with a bulk of the audience being fellow students and faculty of Hardin-Simmons University (HSU). Songs For a New World itself is a 30-year-old musical writ

Western Heritage Day is coming up soon at Hardin-Simmons University (HSU). This event focuses on highlighting the heritage of the school and surrounding area serving as a great way to educate young and old alike of our larger history. Cassie Mattern, director of Events at HSU is in charge of spearheading Western Heritage Day. Mattern spoke on how she loves the creative aspect of her role. “My favorite part of my role is the variety and creativity it requires,” Mattern said.

Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) will be hosting the traditional graduate ring ceremony on April 10 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with each time slot representing a different group of graduates. At 3 p.m., rings will be presented to graduates from the Holland School of Science and Mathematics and the College of Health Professions. At 6 p.m., rings will be presented to graduates from the Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies, College of Arts and Media, Cynthia Ann Parker

The Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) Department of Theatre has announced its next presentation will be a musical called Songs for a New World . This show is scheduled to be presented on April 9 and 10 beginning at 7:30 p.m., and April 11 and 12 at 2 p.m.. Allie Byork is a junior musical theatre major from Bowie and is the stage manager for the musical. Her favorite part of her role has been the process and preparation that goes into making Songs for a New World possible. “M

Hardin-Simmons University's (HSU) Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) will host their annual 24-hour prayer event, Revive 26, on Anderson lawn beginning April 7. All current HSU students, faculty, families and alumni are encouraged to participate in this campus-wide time of prayer. Revive 26 will count towards current HSU students' chapel credits. Revive 26 is a growing tradition that spreads the word of God across the HSU campus. All participants have the opportunity to en

As the spring semester of 2026 draws to a close, it is certain some students will receive a project that they either must present individually, or part of a group. Though this is definitely easier said than done, as more than half of the total population struggles with public speaking. Be that as it may, there are ways to make the experience easier on the presenter. The first step to overcoming anxiety is preparation. Being prepared for something rather than doing it at t

Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) is hosting its campus-wide service project, Serve Like Simmons, on April 9 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The event is open to all current students, faculty and alumni. Sign-up for Serve Like Simmons has already begun. All HSU students and faculty received an email to their HSU email containing a registration link. This link contains a form which must be completed to participate in Serve Like Simmons. Everyone is encouraged to participate a

It is now the time of year when the Easter holiday is right around the corner. For Christians, we hold this weekend in high esteem as the most important week for our faith apart from the birth of Christ. We celebrate Good Friday, remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of the world. We sit and rest in the silence of Holy Saturday, wrestling with the same thoughts and fears of the disciples, sympathizing with their grief. And then we rejoice on Res

Hardin-Simmons University's (HSU) Student Activities Board (SABERS) hosted their annual campuswide Easter duck hunt on Tuesday, March 31. All students were encouraged to bring a friend and participate in the Easter egg hunt- modeled activity. Colorful ducks were hidden across the HSU campus for students to find. The hunt began at 8:00 a.m. and was set to conclude once the final duck was found. A total of 25 colorful, themed ducks were spread out throughout campus. Eac

Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) is developing a new strategic plan that could affect academics, campus resources and student life over the next three to five years. Although the plan has not yet been released publicly, Heather Hadlock, associate vice president for strategic initiatives, said it is meant to guide the university’s priorities and future direction. The plan could influence academic programs, student support services, campus engagement and career preparation.

Are you interested in writing your own story, or maybe you just want to make a character for fun and are confused on where to start? Well, there is so much advice out there on how to write, and do it well. However, writing a character is harder than it looks. Once a writer has an idea for a book, they’ll need a solid character to go along with it. First, define what the character wants. A character’s motivation is central to the story- it's what commands them and gives them a