Students bid fairwell to beloved chaplain at year’s end

By Kevin Green, February 22, 2012

By Olivia French

Dr. Hal Warlick has announced that he will be retiring from HPU, effective June 1.

Warlick arrived at the university in 1987, and taught part-time as an adjunct professor for two years before becoming a part of the full-time staff in 1989. In his first year here, Warlick established the Wednesday night chapel services that are still in place today. He also started the student-run Board of Stewards, which allows students to be active in the campus services.

Warlick is currently a professor of religion and the dean of the chapel, but he has also served as the chair of the religion and philosophy department and as the minister to the university. He has also been involved in Greek life, serving as the advisor for eighteen years for the now disbanded Theta Chi fraternity and three years for Kappa Delta sorority.

Students have been highly impacted by Dr. Warlick’s leadership over the years.

“Dr. Warlick is the glue for The Board of Stewards. He makes us feel more like a family than a team or organization. I am happy for him. He wants to continue ministry and it is important to keep following your passion and dream.  He will leave big shoes and a lot of bookshelves to fill,” said junior Johnathan Jones, who is a member of the Board of Stewards.

Senior Julia Fannin said, “During my last four years at HPU, I not only had the honor of serving on the Board of Stewards, but I was also able to work in the chapel office for my work study assignment. Dr. Warlick is an extremely knowledgeable and gifted minister who was able to affect the lives of many students on our campus and will be greatly missed when he leaves HPU at the end of the school year.”

Warlick announced his decision to retire, stating that he wanted to leave while the Chapel was “hitting on all cylinders.” According to Warlick, the Chapel is at its highest point in the university’s history thanks to student attendance and involvement. The average attendance at the weekly services this year has been 313, and $10,428 was collected during the fall semester to shop for 150 children in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.

“I am confident that the Chapel will continue to do well under the guidance of Shannon Lefever, Marc Foster, and whoever is hired as the next chaplain,” said Warlick.

Warlick will keep his home in High Point, and will remain the Resident Minister of Blowing Rock Methodist Church in the summers. He will also continue to participate in speaking engagements, and will perform weddings.

Warlick has decided to leave High Point not only because he believes that the Chapel is in a good place, but also because he feels it is necessary for his own well being.

“I want to leave while I am still in good health and redirect my life.”

He is looking forward to having more control over his time and life, doing things at his own pace and in his own time frame.

He said he would like to always be working with college students, either here at HPU or elsewhere, but he feels that at 66 years old, he is at a good age to retire.

“No individual goes on forever, one can only hope that his or her influences do,” he said. “The longest term of a chaplain before me was seven years. I’ve been here for 23. It’s time I graduated.”

There is no doubt Chapel worship will not be the same without Dr. Warlick at the pulpit each Wednesday night.

“We have the deepest respect for the tenure of Dr. Warlick and will miss him,” said Gail Tuttle, vice president of Student Life. “We have designated a search committee that includes a senior student from the religion department. We are in the process of reviewing applicants right now and we have had a lot of interest from in-state and out-of-state applicants. Campus Ministry is a pivotal role for our community and we want to continue our interfaith focus and development of the spirituality needs of our community.”