John N. Tyson, Jr.
Vice President for Development
tysonj@acu.edu
ACU Box 29130
Abilene, TX 79699-9130
(325) 674-2659
Dr. Tyson serves as the Vice President for Development. In this capacity, he oversees the Development Office and Development Operations. He also serves on several university committees, including the President's Council and the Development Leadership Team.
In 1981, John graduated summa cum laude from ACU with a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies. He received a Master's of Religious Communication from ACU in 1982 and completed his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990. He was awarded research grants from the Shell Oil Company Foundation and the Graduate School of the University of Texas at Austin for excellence in his doctoral dissertation. John is a Certified Financial Planner, a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and has a professional certificate in Educational Management from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2002, John received the Outstanding Fund-raising Professional Award from the Abilene chapter of the Association of Fund-raising Professionals.
John first worked at ACU as an admissions counselor and as summer school coordinator. He was the founding director of the Kadesh leadership camp. He has also served as the assistant to the president, assistant professor of communications, and director of development.
John has served several churches in different capacities: minister of Northside Church of Christ in New Braunfels; associate minister of Belton Church of Christ; campus minister of Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock; and associate university minister of Hillcrest Church of Christ. Before coming to ACU, he served a year as an adjunct professor and chair of Texas Tech University's Department of Biblical Literature.
John and his wife, Valinda (Avey) Tyson '82, have three children. John enjoys being an active volunteer with several civic and community groups. He and his family worship with the Hillcrest Church of Christ.
