PLAINVIEW, TX — A granddaughter’s dream of a quiet place for students to pray became a lasting addition to Wayland Baptist University on Wednesday as the university celebrated the grand opening of the Wayland Way Prayer Garden during Homecoming week.
“Wayland was built on prayer. It is the core of our mission,” said Dr. Donna Hedgepath, president of Wayland. “Today, we have a tranquil space for reflection and prayer for all who spend time here.”
The university marked the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., Oct. 21, at the garden just east of the Brown Family Conference Center on the Plainview campus.
The project began with a vision from Betty Boone, a granddaughter of university founders Dr. James and Sarah Wayland. Boone and her late husband, Ralph, provided the original gift toward the garden, and Wayland’s Sally Society women’s giving group provided additional funding.
Although Boone could not attend, her cousin, Linda Adkins, represented the founders’ family. A Plainview resident and charter member of the Sally Society, Adkins is the other of the two living grandchildren.
“Betty had a vision for this place decades ago, and this garden exists because of her dream,” Hedgepath said. “What you imagined years ago is now real — benches to sit on, vines growing, and paths to walk.”
In an interview following the ceremony, Adkins said her cousin envisioned a place where students could pause, pray, and enjoy their surroundings. For Adkins, the finished garden also reflects the faith that shaped the university’s beginnings.
“My grandmother and granddaddy I know prayed for everything they did,” Adkins said. “This building and this campus are here because they prayed together and made this possible.”
Teresa Young, associate vice president of Institutional Advancement, welcomed guests and recognized the donors whose generosity brought the project to life. She noted that the Sally Society, named for Sarah Wayland, embraced the garden for the same reasons Boone first proposed it.
“Many great projects on this campus exist because of the generosity of those who love Wayland students and the mission of this institution and give from the heart,” Young said.
The High Plains Water Conservation District provided a $20,000 grant supporting features that conserve the region’s limited rainfall and native plants suited to its semi-arid climate. Jennifer McClendon represented the district on the program Wednesday.
“This gift provides an educational element to this prayer garden and an opportunity to best steward the limited natural resources God has given to this area,” Young said.
Hedgepath also recognized the architecture, construction, and landscape teams, including Able Hernandez from JDMA Architects, Brad Evans and Eric Bernard from KDC Associates, and Tanner Hensel from Tom’s Tree Place, for bringing the garden to completion.
Adkins joined Hedgepath and other guests for the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Shawn Thomas, vice president of Athletics and 麻豆APP, offered the dedication prayer. A reception followed.
Hedgepath said the garden extends an invitation to “slow down, listen, and be still.”
“We trust that this garden will be a place where students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Wayland can find hope in quiet moments, speak with God, and listen closely for His voice,” she said.
