SPRING 2023 15 From Baylor, Dr. Cook headed to complete his Master of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. It was there that he met the love of his life, Sheila, through a singles Sunday School class. Their combined spirit of service and love for the Lord provided a tremendous bond which has allowed them to serve as amazing partners in ministry for nearly 50 years. After completing his master’s degree, Dr. Cook moved to Fort Worth where he received a doctorate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Arts in Aging Studies from the University of North Texas. Following graduation, Dr. Cook became pastor of First Baptist Church of McGregor, where he served for two years. From there, the Cooks moved to Waco as Dr. Cook taught for ten years at Baylor and served on the administration, leading in campus activities, including the chaplain program and denominational relations. He also served on the Waco City Council and as Mayor Pro Tem. In 1988, life changed for Dr. Cook as then-struggling Dallas Baptist University called him to become its fifth president on April 6. The following day, the young 37-year-old President began his first day at the helm of a University with rich potential but a long history of crippling financial struggles. During his first chapel service, Dr. Cook laid out his vision for what he hoped DBU would become—an oasis for training up the next generation of servant leaders who would love God and love others. This enormous vision could not happen under his own power, and within a few weeks, Dr. Cook established the DBU Intercessory Prayer Ministry as he sought to turn the life of the University over to the Lord in prayer. Recruiting more than a thousand prayer partners, Dr. Cook built a team who would serve the struggling school. Over the course of his 28 years as president, Dallas Baptist University went from a financially struggling institution to the thriving university it is today, as enrollment grew, the endowment grew, the University assets grew, program offerings grew, and the University finished each fiscal year in the black ever since. In the spring of 2004, the DBU Board of Trustees voted to name a new academic division of the University, the Gary Cook School of Leadership. A Ph.D. in Leadership Studies program began in the summer of 2005, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership began in the fall of 2005. In the spring of 2015, Dr. Cook sensed a calling from the Lord to announce his decision to step down as President of DBU. At that time, the Board of Trustees asked Dr. Cook to remain President until a successor could be selected, and they appointed him to become DBU’s first Chancellor, a role which would allow him to continue to provide support to the school through fundraising, community engagement, and denominational relations. He continued as both President and Chancellor until the election of Dr. Adam C. Wright as President. Today, Dr. Cook continues to serve as Chancellor, playing a vital role on University Hill, mentoring young staff members, cultivating community and donor relations, and raising funds for DBU’s endowment. In addition to his work with DBU, Dr. Cook has served in a variety of ways with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and with the Baptist World Alliance. Also, he has served as Chairman of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities as well as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Baylor University Medical Center and a member of the International Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity. He and Sheila are long-time members of Park Cities Baptist Church, where Dr. Cook serves as a deacon. They have two sons, David and Mark, both of whom serve the Lord through higher education at DBU. Dr. Gary Cook, and his wife, Sheila, along with their sons, Dr. Mark Cook (left) and Dr. David Cook (right)
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