United Methodist Church honors the Rev. Howard Mueller ’58 with Francis Asbury Award

The Rev. Howard Mueller ’58, Dr. C. Toenniges Professor of Religious Studies Emeritus, is recipient of the 2015 Francis Asbury Award, presented by the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.

The award acknowledges “individuals who have made a significant contribution to fostering the church’s ministries in higher education.”

The Francis Asbury Award has only been awarded once before in the Northern Illinois Conference, to North Central’s former college chaplain, The Rev. Lynn Pries ’67.

Mueller was honored as Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2004 by the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. He taught in the religious studies department at North Central College from 1976 to 2005. Upon his retirement, the College recognized Mueller’s contribution as a teacher by naming the Dr. Howard Mueller Classroom, a new space in the then-newly renovated Kiekhofer Hall.

The annual award recognizes and encourages support of higher education and campus ministries at the local, district or annual conference level within The United Methodist Church. The award is named for Bishop Francis Asbury and is based on his admonition to the people called Methodist to erect a school in the vicinity of every church.