Page 8 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2023 - Online Magazine
P. 8
HONORING SENIORS
about the difference I could make
serving on the other side of the
lever.”
Over the years, McDowell had more
than one opportunity to step into
a presidential role, but he turned
them down because they never felt
like the right fit for his family or his
vocational mission. Although he
continued to wait for God to reveal
the right opportunity, McDowell
explained that there were several
situations he thought might be a fit
where the universities turned him
down. “I honestly wondered if the
opportunity to lead an institution
might have passed me by,” he said,
“and I knew I needed to make peace
with that.”
he worked in various
leadership roles over In 2018, after 25 years at Lipscomb
the next two decades. University, McDowell accepted
During that time, he also an offer at Abilene Christian
completed his doctorate University as the Vice President for
through Azusa Pacific Student Life. Moving to the rugged
University in its cohort landscape of West Texas from lush
doctorate program focused Nashville, Tennessee was a shock.
on training leaders of McDowell recalled the first time he
universities. The longer saw the stark landscape: “I thought
he worked in higher to myself, ‘What have I done? This
education, the more his is a desert!’ But then I was reminded
passion grew for fostering of all the stories in the Bible where
spiritual development in God did good work in the desert,
students’ lives. and I trusted that God had a plan.
It was actually our move to Abilene
McDowell recalled the that opened the door and made our
moment which sparked move to Lubbock possible.”
his desire to become a
university president. “I McDowell first became engaged
had the opportunity to with Lubbock Christian University
dream of specifically influencing the meet Dallas Willard (author of The as a parent when his 6’11” son
lives of young people. I knew from Divine Conspiracy) at a few different Cade became a Chap and signed to
my own college experience that it is conferences I attended. In one of our play for the LCU men’s basketball
such a transformational time of life, conversations about how university team. “Cade loves to remind us
and I wanted to make a difference leadership cultivates spiritual that he was here first, and he
in the lives of students. It was at development for students, Dallas kids us about the fact that he is
that time that I realized the best commented, ‘Leadership is leverage, ultimately responsible for us being
use of my strengths was in higher but it matters who is at the end of in Lubbock,” McDowell said.
education as a ministry.”
the lever.’ His words resonated with “The truth is that our experience as
McDowell accepted the job at me, and it awakened in me a desire LCU parents gave us a front row
Lipscomb University where to lead. I began seriously thinking seat to the high academic quality of
8 Lubbock Senior Link
