Taylor University is pleased to announce four outstanding individuals will be recognized this spring with honorary doctorate degrees.
“Extending honorary doctorate degrees allows the Taylor community to recognize exceptional leaders who actively demonstrate the ideals Taylor University strives to embody,” said President Dr. D. Michael Lindsay. “We are thrilled to honor Dr. Billy Kim, Jamie Haenggi, Tom Lin, and Russ Pulliam in this way.”
On Heritage/Grandparents Day, April 28, Dr. Billy Kim will receive the Doctor of Divinity degree, honoris causa, in the 10 am chapel service where he will also preach. Dr. Kim is the former president of the Baptist World Alliance, and he has chaired the Far East Broadcasting Company for more than 50 years. A native of South Korea, Dr. Kim is the current senior pastor of the Suwon Central Baptist Church, which he built from 12 members to over 15,000. He shares a lifelong friendship with Taylor President Emeritus Jay Kesler through their shared work with Youth for Christ, which Dr. Kim pioneered in South Korea. He and his ministry have generously provided scholarships for Korean students to study at Taylor.
At Commencement on May 20, Taylor will recognize three outstanding servant-leaders.
Jamie Haenggi is the president of ADT Solar, a division of ADT Security Services, a smart-home security provider. Prior to this, Ms. Haenggi was the executive vice president and chief customer officer at ADT Security Services. She has more than 25 years of leadership in marketing, sales, customer experience, and operations in the private sector. She is a member of Taylor’s Board of Visitors and the parent of a recent Taylor graduate. Ms. Haenggi will receive the Doctor of Business degree, honoris causa.
Tom Lin is the president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a role he has held since 2016. In recognition of his lifetime commitment to campus ministry, Mr. Lin will receive the Doctor of Public Service degree, honoris causa. His ministerial service in higher education has included campus ministry roles at Harvard University and Boston University, and he helped establish an International Fellowship of Evangelical Students movement in Mongolia. In addition to close relationships with several Taylor graduates involved in various campus ministries, Mr. Lin delivered the keynote address at Taylor’s Commencement in 2020.
Finally, the University will award the Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, to longtime friend of the University Russ Pulliam. A veteran journalist, Mr. Pulliam has served as a writer, columnist, and editor for both the Indianapolis News and the Indianapolis Star. He began his career with the Associated Press in New York but has continued his family’s deep commitment to Indiana through several initiatives. At Taylor, he and his family have generously funded scholarships for students interested in journalism and provided ongoing support through the Pulliam Journalism Center.
About Taylor University
For 177 years, Taylor University has combined rigorous academics with the Christian faith and remains the oldest nondenominational school in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). For nearly three decades, Taylor has been ranked a top Midwest College by U.S. News & World Report. The University’s graduation rate is the fourth highest nationally among peer institutions, and ninety-eight percent of Taylor’s graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. With a strong legacy of service and global opportunities, Taylor also ranks sixth nationally for study abroad experiences and travel opportunities.