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Developing Whole Leaders for the whole World

ORU Honors Alumnus with Inaugural Award for Distinguished Service In Every Person’s World

Amick ByramThe Oral Roberts University Alumni Association presented the inaugural Alumnus of the Year award for Distinguished Service In Every Person’s World to acclaimed singer Amick Byram. Byram accepted the award during ORU’s Homecoming celebration.

“We are excited to present this inaugural award for Distinguished Service In Every Person’s World to Amick,” said ORU President William M. Wilson. “His pursuit of excellence and great success in the entertainment industry has allowed him to carry out ORU’s founding vision as a representative of Christ to the world. We are proud to call him an alumnus of ORU.”

Byram graduated in 1977 with a degree in business administration. Since graduating, he has become a successful solo recording artist, actor and one of the top session singers in Los Angeles. He is a two-time Grammy nominee and has had a solo performance nominated for an Emmy.

Byram sang the role of Moses in the animated feature film, “The Prince of Egypt.” He has been featured in hundreds of other films, including “Shrek,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “Hercules,” “Mulan,” “El Dorado,” “The Greatest Game Ever Played” and many others. His voice has been featured on over 100 episodes of “The Simpsons,” in commercials, and on several Broadway cast albums, including “Civil War,” “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Sunset Boulevard.”

Byram has written and recorded many singles, including “You’ll Never Be the Same,” written for the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He recently released a new Christmas single, “Make My Heart a Manger,” written by David Friedman and ORU alumna Kathie Lee Gifford. He also created a duet project with his wife Cassie, “Hymns Renewed,” which is a compilation of classic hymns that have been musically refreshed.

Byram has recorded two original, full CD musical recording projects. His album “Encounter” is a concept CD where each song represents a man from the Bible who sings a song at a critical encounter with God. The dramatic songs represent Abraham, David, Moses, Jesus, John the Baptist and many others from the Bible. Byram is also a member of the musical group SEVEN.

As an actor, Byram has starred in many professional stage productions, including “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables,” “Sunset Boulevard,” as Jesus in “Jesus Christ Superstar” and many other musicals and plays ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Simon. He also starred as Ian Troi, Counselor Troi’s father, in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Additionally, Byram is a theatre director and producer. He was a producer of the musical “Radio Gals” in New York City at the John Houseman Theater on 42nd Street. He has directed five world premieres of new musicals including “Ben Hur,” “One to One,” “David,” “Pinocchio and Mounette” and “Aesop” (based on the life of the ancient Greek writer).  

Byram is an alumnus of the prestigious Lincoln Center Theater Director’s Lab West and also the president of Oodles Entertainment, a company producing family entertainment products of value.

The Alumnus of the Year award for Distinguished Service In Every Person’s World was created to honor alumni who exhibit excellence in carrying out ORU's founding vision through service and achievements in non-ministry/non-missions fields, and by representing Christ in their particular corner of "every person's world."

ORU presented three other Alumnus of the Year awards in February. The recipients were Scott Howard (79), for Distinguished Service to the Alma Mater, Mark Tennant (84), for Distinguished Service to the Community and Marty Nystrom (80), for Distinguished Service to God.

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