Donald Owens - Awards and Honors

Awards and Honors

Owens' alma mater Bethany-Peniel College (now Southern Nazarene University) twice awarded it's “B” award to him in 1949 and 1950. Additionally, in 1965 Bethany Nazarene College named Owens the Outstanding Alumnus for that year. SNU now awards the Dr. Don Owens Scholarship, which was established and funded by former students Owens, and is given to those in the SNU Ministerial Internship program. Both Owens and his wife Adeline are listed on SNU's Wall of Missions.

In 1981 Owens was honored with the Nazarene Theological Seminary’s service award. In 1985 Owens was the recipient of the Citation of Merit award as an outstanding educator in the Church of the Nazarene. In 1997 Owens received honorary doctor of divinity degrees from both MidAmerica Nazarene University (MANU) and Mount Vernon Nazarene College (MVNU). MANU offers the Don and Adeline Owens Missionary Scholarship to deserving students.

In recognition of Owen's role in founding Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, in 1991 the administration building on the campus of APNTS was christened Owens Hall, and dedicated by Owens' youngest brother, Rev. Denny G. Owens. In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of APNTS, Owens spoke at the commencement servive on April 3, 2004, and APNTS Board of Trustees chair Rev. Steve Walsh announced in April 2004 that the BOT had awarded Owens the title President emeritus of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary; and had voted to establish the Donald Owens School of World Mission, with the vision of APNTS becoming the premier missionary training centre of the Church of the Nazarene. In September 2004 Owens wrote of the decision to name the School of World Mission after him:

"I am honored that my name is being associated with it. People continue to think more of me than I deserve. I am deeply grateful for the pilgrimage that Mrs. Owens and I have shared together."

The APNTS BOT also voted to inaugurate the Donald Owens Lectures in Missiology. Owens gave the inaugural Owens lectures September 21–23, 2004, on the campus of APNTS.

During the dedication of the Church of the Nazarene's new Global Ministry Center (GMC) on Sunday, February 22, 2009 in Lenexa, Kansas, Centennial Heritage Awards were presented to Don and Adeline Owens, along with other General Superintendents emereti and their spouses.

To honor Owens as its founding president, in March 2009 Korea Nazarene University inaugurated Owens International College, an all-English program in international business, that has the aim of "cultivating Christians to be ready for the challenges of globalization." In connection with its 55th anniversary, on September 9, 2009, KNU held a groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Owens International College (OIC) building on the campus of KNU. On November 1, 2010 KNU dedicated and named its newly completed international hall in honor of Don and Adeline Owens, who are considered the founders of KNU. The Owens International Hall, which consists of two structures joined by a bridge with a patio section, has seven levels, houses KNU's program for international relations and business, and the university's admissions office. Owens, who spoke during the ceremony in response to the honor, said: "You can imagine how overwhelmed we are at being honored in such a way."