SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – Evangel University honored two professors for excellence in service to students and the university on Thursday, May 1 during the 67th annual commencement ceremony. Mark Jenkins was honored with the annual Clark Award and Stephen Houseknecht was honored with the Mills Young Faculty Award. Jenkins is a professor of Old Testament, Biblical Hebrew, and Archaeology, and Houseknecht is a professor of History and is the Director of the Center for Student Success.
Professor Mark Jenkins was awarded Evangel’s highest honor for academic excellence — the E.M. & Estella Clark Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service.
The award was established in 1991 by Dan and Elaine Johnson in recognition of Elaine’s parents’ work on behalf of higher education in the Assemblies of God, as well as the Johnson’s special affection for EU. Students, faculty, and staff submit nominations, and a committee makes the final decision.
In 1985, Jenkins earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies at Evangel. After Evangel he went on to earn a Master of Divinity and PhD in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Prior to teaching full-time, he served in various ministry positions in Texas, California, and Louisiana. Dr. Jenkins began his teaching career at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.
He joined the faculty of Central Bible College in 2003, and the faculty of Evangel University in the consolidation of both schools in 2013. He has published in Archaeological Journals and has presented several scholarly papers at local, regional, and national conferences such as the American Schools of Oriental Research, and the Society for Biblical Literature. In addition to publishing and presenting at conferences, he has extensive experience in archaeological excavation.
In addition to publishing and presenting at conferences, he has extensive experience in archaeological excavation. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Jenkins has served as a field archaeologist and staff square director at Tell es-Safi (biblical Gath), El-Araj (biblical Bethsaida), and Tell Shiloh, and participated in excavations at Tell Malhata as well. Since 2010, Dr. Jenkins has also been taking students from Central Bible College and Evangel University to experience archaeology in the land of Israel. He currently partners with the Center of Holy Lands Studies of the Assemblies of God as a guide to the countries of Israel, Egypt, and Turkey.
Stephen Houseknecht was awarded the Orville & Jewel Mills Young Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service.
The award was established in 2006 by Orville and Jewel Mills to recognize the academic work of outstanding young professors. Orville Mills is a retired comptroller of Exxon-Mobil and serves EU as a trustee emeritus. The couple’s three daughters are graduates of Evangel.
Houseknecht graduated from Evangel University in 2012 with a degree in History and Government. He began working at Evangel in the Academic Support Center soon after graduation and earned his Master of Arts in History from Missouri State University in 2015. In 2016, he was invited by Dr. Jon Spence to join the team in the new Center for Student Success (CSS). He has been involved in developing the academic support programs of the CSS and has served as the Director of the CSS since 2022.
In addition, Houseknecht teaches history courses where he enjoys helping students make connections between past and present to see that history is not only fascinating, but that it can also be fun. In 2023, he had the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream when he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy Reserve and is grateful for the opportunity to serve our country in that capacity.
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Evangel University, with its embedded Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), is a comprehensive Spirit-led Christian university located in Springfield, Missouri. It is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Under the leadership of Dr. Mike Rakes, EU is committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to serve the Church and society globally and becoming compassionate innovators in their chosen vocations. EU offers more than 70 degree programs, including cutting-edge majors, pre-professional programs, and affordable and flexible online degree options.
EU is highly regarded and has been ranked:
- #1 Best College in Springfield & #2 Best Christian College in Missouri by Niche
- US News & World Report Best Colleges Top Performer in Social Mobility
- Colleges of Distinction Best Christian University
- Top 10 Best Universities by AcademicInfluence.com
- Third Most Beautiful Campus in the Midwest by Christian Colleges & Universities
- Top 10 Best Colleges in Missouri by BestColleges.com
With additional accreditations in business, counseling, music, social work, and theology and certification as an Excellence in Giving university, EU is focused on providing students with hands-on experience and real-world training for today’s professional careers. Learn more about the university at evangel.edu.