JERRY G. BAWCOM
Jerry G. Bawcom was the President of Texas Wesleyan University from 1984 to 1990, and the President of
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) from 1991 to 2009. Dr. Bawcom was the eighteenth President
of UMHB. He stepped down as President in 2009. He served as Chancellor for three years before being
named President Emeritus; now he assists in fund-raising activities, teaches in the university’s doctoral
program in educational leadership and supports the president in special activities and programs.
Dr. Bawcom was the fifteenth President of Texas Wesleyan University, 1984-1990, before coming to
UMHB. Dr. Bawcom previously served as Interim President of Texas Wesleyan and as Vice President for
Administration, Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Students and Professor of Education and Health,
Physical Education and Recreation. Dr. Bawcom is a former public school teacher and coach.
Dr. Bawcom earned his Ph.D. at the University of North Texas in Higher Education Administration. In 1984,
he was named that institution’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Division of Higher Education, College of
Education. His undergraduate and master’s degrees are from Texas Tech University in the field of
Secondary Education, Mathematics and Physical Education. In 2008, he was named a Distinguished
Alumnus of the Texas Tech College of Education. Dr. Bawcom has also engaged in postdoctoral study in
Christian Higher Education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
Dr. Bawcom is a past Chairman of the Texas Independent College Fund (TICF) and a former member of the
Executive Committee of Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT). Dr. Bawcom has served as
the Board Chair and Academic Chair of the Texas Independent College Fund. He has served on the board
of the Temple Education Foundation. He also has served on the Belton ISD District Area Wide Educational
Improvement Committee
Dr. Bawcom has served on numerous civic and service organizations in Tarrant County and Bell County.
He is past president and past campaign Chairman for the United Way in both counties. He served on the
Board of Directors of King’s Daughters Hospital in Temple. He has served in leadership on a number of
Fort Worth, Temple and Belton Chamber of Commerce and United Way boards and committees. He has
chaired the United Way Campaigns in Tarrant and Bell Counties. He has served as District Chair of the
Chisholm Trail District Committee of the Longhorn Council, Boy Scouts of America, from whom he has
received the Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award. In 2008 Dr. Bawcom was recognized by the
Belton Area Chamber of Commerce with the Beltonian Award, recognizing distinguished service to the
city of Belton for twenty years.
Dr. Bawcom is married, and he and his wife Vicky have one daughter Amy who is a graduate of the
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Baylor University. Amy completing her dissertation for a doctorate
in Educational Leadership at UMHB. Amy was Director of Institution Research at UMHB and now serves
as the Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Central Texas College in Killeen. The Bawcoms are
members of the First Baptist Church in Belton where Dr. Bawcom has served as chair of the board of
deacons and a member of the finance, stewardship and properties committees; he currently serves as an
Elder.