Yellow Rose Luncheon
Mrs. Lesley Wyse ’72
Featured Speaker
This year’s featured speaker at the Yellow Rose Luncheon will be Lesley Wyse ’72.
Wyse received a bachelor’s degree from HPU and was a student in the Academy of Freedom honors program. Since her time as a student, Wyse has remained a dedicated alumna, returning to campus for events, maintaining connections with fellow classmates and serving as a member of HPU’s Board of Trustees from 2014-2023. She received a master’s degree from University of Houston Clear Lake City and is currently working toward a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wyse is a member at First Baptist Church Boerne, where she has served on the Church Council for the past three years and is an adult growth group teacher, a ladies’ Bible study teacher and facilitator, and a member of the prayer team. She retired from Fort Bend Christian Academy as superintendent in 2009 and served as interim executive director of FBC Boerne from 2019-2020. Wyse is married to Jodi ’71 and they have two grown children, Tami Wells and Jed Wyse, and four grandchildren.
A Brownwood native, Dr. Mitzi Lehrer has been connected with Howard Payne for the majority of her life. Her uncle, Dr. Guy D. Newman, served as HPU president from 1955-1972. During those days, she remembers many visits to HPU and connecting with students, faculty, staff and “Uncle Guy.” Dr. Lehrer earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University, a Master of Science degree from Abilene Christian University and a Doctor of Education degree from Baylor University. She enjoyed a lifelong career in education, teaching in elementary schools in Brownwood, Abilene, Sweetwater, Rule and Fort Stockton. In 1996, she became a faculty member in HPU’s School of Education and taught elementary education courses for the next 20 years. She hosted students in her home, helped place student teachers across the region and loved taking students on study-abroad trips to London, England.
Following her retirement, Dr. Lehrer served at HPU as alumni relations assistant until 2022. In addition to her time as faculty and staff member, she has been an avid supporter of the HPU Women’s Club and HPU athletics, particularly women’s basketball. One of her favorite memories is watching the Lady Jackets win the NCAA Division III National Championship in Michigan in 2008. Dr. Lehrer is an active member of Coggin Avenue Baptist Church. She was married to the late Wayne Lehrer and has two children, Robert and Mary, and two grandchildren, Jake and Josh.
2024 Yellow Rose Scholarship Luncheon
11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 25, Mabee University Center
At the luncheon, three women will be recognized: the Yellow Rose Award Winner and the Yellow Rose Scholarship Recipients. All are women who embody the Christian values and beliefs foundational to HPU and are servant leaders to those around them. The event gives women from the community and friends of HPU the chance to acknowledge these women and to contribute to the Yellow Rose Scholarship Endowment.
Table Sponsorships | Available January 29, 2024
All table sponsorships directly fund the Yellow Rose Scholarship Endowment, which will benefit female students for years to come. Those wishing to sponsor a table at this year’s luncheon can call the Office of University Advancement at 325-649-8007. The deadline for table sponsorship is March 28. However, the popular event will have limited seating and those interested in attending are encouraged to reserve a table as early as possible.