Hardin-Simmons University will honor three young alums tonight. The 2013 Outstanding Young Alumni Awards Banquet is Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Building’s multipurpose room on the HSU campus.
The awards banquet is hosted by the Board of Young Associates to celebrate the accomplishments of three outstanding graduates.
Michael Daggs is a leadership trainer from Abilene, Texas, graduating with a bachelor and a master’s degree from HSU in 1996 and 2000 respectively. Dr. Dan Munton is an Abilene physician, graduated with a BS in biology in 1991, and Dr. Emily Prevost, a leadership trainer at East Texas Baptist University, graduated in 2000 with a BA in Bible and in 2002 with a master’s degree in religion.
While on campus, members of the Young Associates network with current student leaders and honorees speak to students in their regularly scheduled classes.
Michael W. Daggs, Jr.
BBS Sports/Rec Mgmt ’96/ME SRM ’00
Leadership Trainer
Michael Daggs, a native of Buda, Texas, graduated from Hays High School in 1992. Enrolling at Hardin-Simmons University, he received the Bachelor of Behavioral Science degree in exercise science in 1996.
While a student at HSU, Mike played football from 1992 to 1995, was a two-time All-Conference player, and as a senior, was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American. He also served as a team captain his senior year. Coach Jimmie Keeling says of Michael, “He was very coachable and maximized his ability with hard work—a team man for sure who was a leader by his actions. He made the best of every situation. I was proud to have him on my team.”
Daggs was selected as a student athlete mentor, served on the intramural leadership team, and was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and in leading Baptist Student Ministries youth disciple training.
He and his wife, Caroline (Thompson, BSN 1997), met on the HSU campus, becoming great study partners and close friends. They aced every class they took together, and Caroline says, “Even back then, Michael was one of the most determined and persistent people I had ever met.” She accepted his marriage proposal at their normal meeting place, the crooked bench on the lawn between Sandefer and Abilene Hall.
Upon graduation, Michael was accepted as an intern at the Hendrick Health Club, being hired by his future business partner and loyal friend, Kevin Tutt. Mike continued his studies at HSU, completing a Master of Education degree in sports and recreation management in 2000.
Michael is currently co-owner of the professional consulting firm, Tutt and Daggs, which was created in 2006 with the vision of preparing and equipping individuals to lead where they are. Today, Tutt and Daggs has expanded to four partners and reaches over 200 organizations a year with a message and training that emphasizes individual and leadership excellence as well as creating cultures focused on excellence.
Over the past seven years, Michael has made over 1,000 presentations to hundreds of organizations and thousands of people. Kevin Tutt says of him, “Michael has a passion for being the best and possesses an insane attention to detail that has made him the perfect business partner.”
Recently, Michael was recognized as a top business person under 40 in Abilene. He also has been selected to serve as keynote speaker for hundreds of conferences across the country and has facilitated numerous webinars.
As an HSU alumnus, Mike serves on HSU’s Board of Development, has led training for New Student Orientation and for student workers, has been a guest speaker in several academic departments, and has served on the Hall of Fame Committee.
He also teaches the Solomon Sunday school class at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, where he is known for pouring his life into others. A member of his class says of him, “When we walk into the room, it is a comfort and a sense of home because Mike makes it a great place to be. He is dedicated to teaching the word, and we knew we were in the right place when we joined this class 10 years ago.” Another member says, “Mike truly cares about his flock. He cares about what is going on with your family and in your lives.”
Mike and Caroline live in Tuscola with their two children, Lucas (10) and Lauren (3).
Daniel L. Munton
BS Biology ’91
Sport & Spine Rehab physician
Daniel Munton graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. While a student at HSU, he played baseball and was the full-time university intramural director. He held a 4.0 GPA his senior year as a pre-med student and was the last HSU NCAA Division 1 athlete to be named an Academic All-American.
He and his wife Tracy (Turner, MA 1991) served as residence hall directors during their first two years of marriage. Dan was also a student worker for the HSU maintenance department. Tracy says, “He loved the guys in the maintenance department, and when he was leaving HSU to go to medical school, they told him after he became a doctor he would have to come back and take them all out for a steak dinner—and he did!”
Dr. Munton received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, graduating in the top quarter of his class. He then completed an internship in internal medicine at Baylor University Medical Center. Dan returned to UT Southwestern to complete a four-year residency program in physical medicine and rehabilitation, serving as chief resident his final year.
He then completed a one-year fellowship in sports medicine and interventional spine care at the renowned Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia, under the guidance of Dr. Jack Hughston.
In private practice since 2000, Dr. Munton is a board-certified physician in the fields of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and sports medicine. In 2005, he joined the medical staff at St. Louis University, where he co-founded Illini Sports Medicine, the training clinic for the SLU Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship.
In 2006, he returned to Abilene as a partner physician at Abilene Sports Medicine and Orthopedics.
A staff member at his clinic says, “I learned early on that once Dr. Munton sets his mind to something, it is going to happen. And because of his energy, great leadership qualities, and forward-thinking ability, I learned to get on board or move aside.”
As his practice grew, Munton became the founder and president of Texas Sport & Spine in 2008. He moved his operation in 2012 into the Munton Sports Complex, a facility that is home to 13 sports-related entities, including D1 Sports Training. This facility provides sports training from knowledgeable and experienced coaches who teach core values and accountability to athletes of all ages.
Dan hosts Dox and Jox, a sports medicine radio talk show broadcast live from D1 Abilene every Friday afternoon which has been heard on Fox News, ESPN, and CBS Sports.
Now in his 13th year as medical director and team physician for HSU Athletics, he also worked with the 2006 USA Olympic Winter Trials, the Dallas Whiterock Marathon, the Gateway Grizzlies and Abilene Prairie Dogs professional baseball teams, the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team, St. Louis University, Wylie High School, and McMurry University.
He has owned and helped operate Baseball Academy at Munton Field since 2009.
Dan has also owned and operated he first vineyard in Abilene, Trails End Vineyard, since 2008.
Dan has written peer-reviewed journal articles and authored and edited sports medicine textbook chapters He lectures and holds symposiums on the topics of sports-related injuries, rehabilitation, and spine care. He holds memberships in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation; the American College of Sports Medicine; and the Hughston Society.
With HSU, Dan has served as an adjunct instructor of sports medicine since 2000, and currently chairs the Board of Development’s Athletics Committee.
Dan and Tracy live in Abilene with their three children, Kinsey (17, who will attend HSU in the fall of 2013), Kassidy (14), and Caleb (12). They are active members of Beltway Baptist Church.
Emily Row Prevost
BA Bible ’00 / MA Religion ’02
Leadership Trainer
Dr. Emily Row Prevost graduated summa cum laude from Hardin-Simmons University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and a double minor in psychology and biblical languages.
While a student at HSU, Emily was a Resident Assistant in Hunter Hall, and worked as a youth and college intern/associate with First Baptist Church of Abilene.
Her roommate, Meredith (Hare ’01/’06) Stone, remembers, “Emily started out as a chemistry major. She felt called to ministry when in high school but did not have a lot of examples of what that could look like for women. So she felt she could best fulfill her calling by becoming a high school science teacher and ministering to students through that type of role. But after she saw the contrast in her feelings about her Bible classes and one tough semester of physics, she changed her major.”
Emily completed a Master of Arts degree in religion at HSU in 2002. Dr. Omer Hancock, professor of church ministry at Logsdon, says of her thesis titled Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Response to the God Who Creates, Redeems and Sustains, “The thesis demonstrates excellent research in biblical and historical theology with appropriate insights and application on this subject.” He says of her, “Emily has a wonderful combination of intellectual ability and pleasant personality. She accomplishes much without necessarily calling attention to herself.”
Dr. Bill Tillman says, one of Prevost’s professors at Logsdon, says “Emily is one of the best students I’ve ever had over the 30 years I’ve spent in theological education.” He continues, “Through the years I’ve known Emily, I have been struck by her emotional maturity—always beyond her chronological years. My sense is that she truly loves the Church, and pours herself into her vocational endeavors so that the Church and individuals can be renewed and revitalized.”
Emily completed her Ph.D. in leadership studies at Dallas Baptist University in 2009. Her dissertation titled Quality of Life for Texas Baptist Pastors, along with the research for her thesis, have shaped her life and ministry.
In 2001, Emily became a student consultant for Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, serving until 2004 when she became program coordinator for Texas Baptists Committed. Emily served with Texas Baptists/Baptist General Convention of Texas from 2006 to 2010 as associate director of the Center for Effective Leadership, in Leadership Development as the young leaders and spiritual formation specialist, and on the Congregational Leadership team.
In 2010, she moved to Marshall, Texas, to work with Buckner International as the director of community ministries, First Baptist Church Collaboration. In 2012, Emily became the interim director for the Great Commission Center at East Texas Baptist University. She is now director of leadership development at ETBU.
Prevost has been a contributing columnist for the Baptist Standard’s “Right or Wrong” ethics column since 2007, and has served as lecturer and presenter in numerous retreats and workshops.
She is described as a woman of great conviction who has relentlessly and passionately pursued avenues for women to be recognized in roles of ministry—always doing so with great kindness and gentleness. A woman of hard work, she loves the Lord and believes her calling, so she never rests if there is work to do.
Emily and her husband, Blair, live in Marshall. They are active with First Baptist Church and the community.
Prevost, Munton, and Daggs will be honored at 7 p.m. tonight in a ceremony in the HSU Johnson Building.