Hawkins named director of C-N’s Blevins Institute

Carson-Newman University has named Dr. Merrill Hawkins to serve as the director of the William Blevins Institute for Spirituality and Mental Health. Hawkins continues his role as professor of Christian Studies within C-N’s School of Biblical and Theological Studies.

The new role is one that Hawkins says he relishes. “I am most excited about becoming director of an institute that honors Bill’s legacy both because I admire what he accomplished and because I am personally committed myself to the role of the Christian faith in all aspects of human flourishing, but especially in the area of mental flourishing and mental health.”

The opportunity to oversee the institute honoring long-time professor and former colleague, Dr. William Blevins, is a sweet return for Hawkins. He credits Blevins, who retired from C-N in 2011, and Dr. David Crutchley, dean of the School of Biblical and Theological Studies (SBTS), for arranging a joint appointment within SBTS and graduate counseling in 2008. According to Hawkins, it was a period of implementing a strong spiritual care component into the curriculum, community partnerships and positive developments in graduate counseling. He shifted back to a sole appointment within SBTS in 2013.

He notes that being director of the Blevins Institute, which was dedicated in 2012, dovetails two personal interests: Christian studies and mental health.

“Assuming the role of director while I continue to teach feels like a natural summit to my vocation here,” said Hawkins, who just completed his 30^th year at the University. “The Institute will create enrichment events for total human flourishing growing out of the spirituality and health nexus. Through bringing in major authors and speakers, as well as creating expert panels of our faculty and staff, I feel like I’ll be able to take some of what I do in these courses created by Bill Blevins decades ago and reach an even wider audience.”

Hawkins joined C-N’s faculty in 1995. He received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Baylor University, while earning his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Following that, he earned a Master of Education degree from Carson-Newman.