ORLANDO, Fla. — June 12, 2026 — Union University presented Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin with its M.E. Dodd Denominational Service Award June 10 during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.
The Dodd Award is the highest denominational service award Union gives. It is named for the man who was a 1904 Union graduate, served as president of the SBC and who was the father of today’s Cooperative Program, the method by which Southern Baptists pool their resources to fund their mission efforts.
The award, voted on by Union trustees, is given to a leader within the SBC who displays excellence and leadership in Southern Baptist life, as well as friendship and commitment to Union University. Past recipients include such leaders as Jimmy Draper, Adrian Rogers, R. Albert Mohler Jr., Steve Gaines, Paul Chitwood, Ben Mandrell, David S. Dockery and others.
“Dr. Akin has given Southern Baptists decades of dedicated, faithful service through academic service, extensive preaching and writing and by his steady example as a husband and father,” said Ray Van Neste, Union’s vice president for university ministries. “He has been a great friend to Union speaking here on numerous occasions, giving advice and sending two of his sons, Paul and Tim, to study here. I personally am grateful for his service and am delighted for Union to honor him in this way.”
Akin has served as the sixth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, since 2004. He is retiring at the end of July.
Prior to Southeastern, he served at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as senior vice president for academic administration and dean of the School of Theology. He also served at Criswell College as professor of New Testament, theology and church history, and as dean of students.
He is the author and co-author of multiple books reflecting his interests in international missions, expository preaching and family life.
Akin and his wife Charlotte have four sons, four daughters-in-law and 15 grandchildren.