Dr. Gail Linam Awarded Honorary Doctorate at December Commencement

On December 17, DBU held two Commencement services in Pilgrim Chapel to celebrate the winter graduates of 2021 with a total of 427 graduates, awarding 269 undergraduate, 147 graduate, and 11 doctoral degrees. Addresses were given by Dr. Mary Nelson, Director of the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies program (10:00 a.m.), and by MBA graduate Zac Funderburk (3:00 p.m.). 

At the morning service, the Honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree was awarded to Dr. Gail Linam, who has served in various academic administrative capacities at the University for over thirty years, most notably leading DBU through three of its last ten-year accreditation reviews (1998, 2008, and 2018) by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSOC). Linam currently serves as the Academic Dean and Institutional Accreditation Liaison, directing numerous initiatives for continuous improvement of teaching and learning at the University. 

A graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Linam began her career as a public school educator in Austin, followed by service as Minister of Childhood Education at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, before beginning her tenure at DBU  in 1989. Since then she has served in many roles, which have included University Provost, Vice President for Undergraduate Affairs, Dean of the College of Education, and Executive Director of the Women’s Auxiliary Board. Linam also helped advance the University to a Level V institution, resulting in approval for DBU to begin offering doctoral programs.  She was also the primary advocate of DBU’s service-learning initiatives and helped to establish the new Center for Mentoring. Linam is the recipient of the DBU Women’s Auxiliary Board Ruth Award and was twice honored by the Student Affairs division as Outstanding Organization Advisor of the Year.  

Dr. Linam is married to Dennis, who previously served as DBU’s Vice President for External Affairs, and they have three children, Angela, Diane, and Brooks, and one grandson, Spencer. They are active members of First Baptist Church in Arlington. 

“It was our great pleasure to grant this honorary doctorate to our dear friend and colleague Dr. Gail Linam,” said Dr. Adam C. Wright, DBU President. “She has been such an outstanding and dedicated servant leader at this University for so many years and has made such an important contribution to DBU’s becoming a leading institution of Christ-centered higher education.”