News

Despite frigid weather in Waco again this week, it’s been a great start to the spring semester. Seeing students on campus reconnecting with friends and faculty is always joyful, and I am so thankful for their safe return – never taking it for granted. 

The Buffalo Bills are playing this weekend for a spot in the Super Bowl — their first since 1994 — thanks in large part to a Baylor Bear.

Barely three years removed from winning Sugar Bowl MVP after Baylor beat Ole Miss, two-time Baylor graduate Terrel Bernard (BSED ’20, MSED ’21) is now the Bills’ starting middle linebacker. Before this season began, Bernard’s teammates voted him one of two team captains (alongside All-Pro quarterback Josh Allen) — a huge sign of respect for a young player.

Baylor’s Moody and Jones libraries are among the university’s busiest buildings, with more than 3,500 students, faculty, staff and other visitors inside on any given day. That’s a lot of traffic, so Baylor Libraries sought out CPR training for staff in case there might one day be a need for such immediate life-saving measures.

Dozens of staff members took a basic CPR course, while 25 more — including John Lowe, associate director of learning systems — got fully certified through the American Heart Association’s Basic Life Support CPR class, hosted by American Medical Response (AMR).

What John didn’t know was that he would employ those newly learned skills only a few months later — to help save his wife, Angie (BSED ’00).

As we return for the start of another semester, I would like to share with you the news that Kevin Jackson, Ph.D., our Vice President for Student Life, has informed me of his decision to retire from Baylor University, effective June 30. 

National Weather Service forecasts that Waco, McLennan County and Central Texas will experience freezing temperatures Monday night, Jan. 20 through Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Long-running jokes about college life center around living off ramen noodles and cheap food, and never passing up a free meal. Unfortunately, such jokes mask a hard truth — that college students are two to four times as likely as the average American to experience food insecurity. Students at universities nationwide — yes, even at Baylor — are experiencing these issues.

In response, Baylor Student Success Initiatives has taken steps to alleviate this stress for BU students. Here are 5 ways Baylor works to help students access nourishing food:

For Black gospel artists recording after 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech was more than a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement. It became fertile ground for their creative expression.

It’s become so commonplace that it must be a Baylor tradition – very cold weather to welcome students back to Waco for the spring semester! I’m a frequent checker of several apps on my iPhone, and the forecast for next Monday and Tuesday calls for freezing temperatures and another possible wintry mix of precipitation.

Baylor's AFROTC, Detachment 810 has been ranked as the No. 1 Medium Detachment in the country, outperforming 49 other detachments nationwide to claim the top honor. 

Each year on Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service, the Baylor University and Waco communities join others across the nation to participate in multiple events honoring Dr. King's life and legacy.

Baylor students living on campus have a wide variety of options. Some choose to live with other students their age; others, with students who have similar academic or extracurricular interests; still others, in faculty-led residential colleges.

Baylor takes these opportunities seriously, and it shows. Baylor’s learning communities once again rank among U.S. News‘ top 10 nationally — just behind schools like Yale and Vanderbilt, and ahead of, well, just about everyone else. (The honor ranked Baylor No. 1 in the Big 12, No. 1 in Texas, and No. 1 among large private universities.)

Baylor University has engaged Nashville-based entertainment and digital marketing agency Noise New Media LLC to elevate the University’s concert programming and live event experiences at the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion and other campus venues. 

If last year made clear that this is a golden era for NBA Bears, this season just runs up the score — with Baylor moving into the top 10 among universities with players currently in the NBA, right there with schools like Kansas and Texas.

No fewer than 11 Bears are currently on league rosters; a school-record 10 Baylor alumni have played this year, and one more just signed a contract that should allow him to soon make his debut. (Consider that from 1949 to 2010, a total of 10 Baylor alumni played in the NBA. In 2024-25, we’ve seen that many in just three months!)

Happy New Year, Baylor Family! I hope you had a wonderful (and restful) Christmas break and are ready for all 2025 has in store for Baylor University. 

Veterans of Baylor (VoB) has been honored among the 1,600 Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapters as the 2024 SVA Chapter of the Year for its “remarkable contributions in enhancing their campus community.” 

Many student-athletes spend four (or more) years at Baylor; others are here for a shorter time — just a year, or occasionally even less.

Baylor Athletics wants to make sure that, while each student-athlete is at BU, they hear the Gospel and have the opportunity to grow in their faith. It’s a central part of Athletics’ goal and motto of “preparing champions for life.”

Here are just a few of the ways Baylor Athletics works to ensure every student-athlete’s time on campus is a time of spiritual growth:

Another year has flown by… As the calendar turns, let’s take one last look back at 2024, through the lens of our favorite photos from Baylor’s official Instagram account.

Here are our top 10 Baylor Instagram photos of 2024:

Baylor University experts to share ideas for resolutions that are easier to maintain while making a positive impact on our lives.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV) 

Baylor’s campus is always beautiful — but it shines brightest at Christmas.

From Christmas on 5th’s classic archway, to the KOT Christmas tree, to the trees and garland that decorate practically every building this time of year — Baylor’s campus in December is a true winter wonderland of Christmas beauty.

This past weekend, Baylor welcomed more than 450 student competitors to the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center for the fall Texas Esports League Finals, an interscholastic video gaming competition.

The event featured competition between almost 100 teams, battling it out in such games as Fortnite, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, chess and more. Top middle and high school student teams from across Texas had been battling for 10 weeks to reach the finals, with a select few coming away as Texas State Champions.

Baylor University offices and most facilities will be closed during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays from Monday, Dec. 23, to Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.

When Baylor and LSU meet on New Year’s Day in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl, the accomplishments of both schools’ football and athletics programs will be on display for a national audience.

But before kickoff gets here… Let’s learn a little about the university behind the football team the Bears will be facing: LSU.

Each year, the NFL recognizes one player with its Walter Payton Man of the Year award — honoring those who excel not only on the field, but also in the community by demonstrating “a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.” It’s a big enough deal that winners get to wear a special patch on their uniforms for the rest of their careers.

This year, the league’s 32 nominees for the award (one per team) include not one, but two Baylor Bears: Andrew Billings (Chicago Bears) and Jalen Pitre (Houston Texans).

From tips on fostering stress-free gatherings and embracing sustainability to preserving family history and discovering timeless holiday entertainment, experts at Baylor University provide insights to make the season meaningful and magical. 

It’s hard to believe the fall semester is coming to an end, and this will be our last Presidential Perspective of 2024! What an exciting, memorable semester it has been, and I cannot wait to see what the New Year has in store for Baylor in 2025.

In 1995, John Morris (BA ’80) succeeded the legendary Frank Fallon (’53) handling radio play-by-play duties for BU football and other sports. Fallon had been the “Voice of the Bears” for more than 40 years, from 1953-95; Morris has now filled that same role for almost 30 years, calling everything from RG3’s Heisman run to the 2021 Baylor men’s basketball national title.

The two broadcasters now have something else in common. This month, Morris joined Fallon as a recipient of the NFF Chris Schenkel Award, awarded by the National Football Foundation to individuals for long, distinguished careers broadcasting college football with direct ties to a specific university or platform.

Baylor University has been named to TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders 2025, a ranking measuring universities that excel in nurturing some of the nation’s most highly influential leaders.

It’s that time of the year — students are flocking to all corners of campus (and beyond) to prepare for finals. While coffee shops may be full until the semester’s end, these hot spots on campus will also be filled with Bears:

For the 12th time in 15 years, Baylor football is going bowling! The Bears will face LSU in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl on Dec. 31 (2:30 p.m., ESPN) at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans.

Baylor enters the bowl with an 8-4 record and riding a six-game winning streak — the fifth-longest active streak in the country. The Bears’ offense ranks 21st nationally in points per game, led by junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson (third in the Big 12 in passing TDs and TD/INT ratio) and freshman running back Bryson Washington (sixth in the Big 12 in rushing TDs and rushing yards/game).

Baylor University will welcome the top middle- and high-school esports teams in Texas for the fall Texas Esports League Finals, an interscholastic video gaming competition presented in partnership with Baylor University, on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15, at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

The most wonderful time of the year is officially here!

Thursday night, Baylor kicked off the Christmas season with the beloved tradition Christmas on 5th Street. From pictures with Santa to musical performances to photo opps and, of course, the live nativity, the heart of campus was filled with Baylor students, faculty/staff, their families — and plenty of Christmas spirit.

Christmas is really the most wonderful time of the year at Baylor University. The unity and warmth of the holiday begins for me with the Baylor Family collectively reflecting on the coming of Christ in our traditional Preparing Our Hearts Advent series. 

Holiday gatherings often bring a mix of joy and challenges, especially when navigating complex family dynamics. Baylor University communication expert Allison M. Alford, Ph.D., says anticipating potential hurdles, such as sensitive topics or interpersonal tensions, can help family members approach these events with confidence and clarity.

From Line Camp to Welcome Week to the Baylor Line and the on-campus living experience, Baylor goes above and beyond to help new students feel like they are truly a part of the Baylor Family.

Eyes across the nation are taking notice — the most notable being U.S. News, which once again this year ranked Baylor in the top 10 nationally for “first-year experience.”

Baylor University senior Isabella Zárate, an international studies and environmental studies double major from Katy, Texas, has been awarded the highly competitive Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University.

Gray Media Group and KWTX Television will present the nationwide debut of “A Baylor Christmas,” recorded in December 2023 from the performances of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra and combined choirs of the Baylor University School of Music. 

Art history course brings students outside of the classroom to discover art on the Baylor campus

Thanks to another stellar season for Baylor Volleyball, there are more matches yet to be played at the Ferrell Center this season (and hopefully more to come beyond that).

Head coach Ryan McGuyre’s Bears earned their ninth straight NCAA Tournament berth Sunday night, and will begin their postseason journey at home. As the No. 15 overall seed, Baylor will host the first and second rounds starting Thursday at the Ferrell Center. The Bears will play Wofford in the first round Thursday evening at 7 p.m.; the winner of that match will play the winner of South Carolina vs. No. 23 Dayton on Friday (7 p.m.).

One thing we’re thankful for this week? Baylor football’s resurgence this year under head coach Dave Aranda. The Bears head into the final week of the season riding a five-game winning streak — the program’s longest since 2019, when BU finished 13th nationally after a Sugar Bowl appearance — and headed toward their third bowl game in Aranda’s five seasons.

Baylor closes out the 2024 regular season at home Saturday against a surging Kansas team (11 a.m., ESPN2). Here are 10 reasons you should be at McLane to see it:

It’s that time of year again, when the entire Baylor campus slows down to give students, faculty and staff some much-needed time with family — and much-needed time to thank God for all the ways He has blessed us this year.

From academics to alumni to athletics, we’ve got so much to be thankful for at Baylor over the past year:

Greetings from Baylor University! With students pulling on warmer clothes and the leaves on trees changing color (as best they can in Central Texas), we find ourselves rapidly approaching the Thanksgiving holiday. 

As we prepare for Thanksgiving Break, the Baylor and Waco Police Departments remind our community of several safety tips for your personal safety and your property.

This holiday season, Baylor School of Music Christmas concerts are open to the Baylor and Waco communities to enjoy a range of offerings. 

Anyone who uses a cell phone relies on the spectrum for communication. Dr. Charles Baylis, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Baylor, calls the spectrum the “real estate” of wireless transmission.

Overcrowding is one of the many challenges that present opportunities for experts like Baylis, who has established himself as a nationally sought-after researcher in the field. Leading organizations like the National Science Foundation have supported his work, and more recently, it’s been the United States government coming to him and his team.

Baylor University’s student chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) has been honored by the national organization with an Outstanding Chapter award in the category of Celebrating Culture. Students and faculty representing SACNAS at Baylor received the award Oct. 31 while attending the National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) conference in Phoenix.

Lots of things can derail a student away at college for the first time: family problems, loneliness, academic struggles, financial issues, etc. Nationwide, only about 75% of students who start college as freshmen each fall even make it back for their sophomore year.

At Baylor, however, more than 90% of freshmen return each fall to continue towards their degrees — and that percentage is trending up. Such a high retention rate is thanks in part to the tremendous effort Baylor puts into welcoming and supporting students as they make the transition to college life.

For the third time in six years, a Baylor Bear is the national student-teacher of the year.

That same Bear is also the Texas student-teacher of the year — the sixth time in nine years a Baylor grad has been so honored.

This year’s double honoree is Ashlyn Bergethon (BSED ’24), now an Algebra I and Honors Algebra II teacher at Robinson High School just outside Waco — the same school where she did her student teaching.

Baylor’s Baptist roots go all the way back to the University’s founding in 1845 when we were chartered by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers. For nearly two centuries Baylor and Texas Baptists have labored together for God’s glory. Our relationship was on full display earlier this week as the Baptist General Convention of Texas held its annual meeting right here in Waco.

With electronics, online convenience and competitive pricing at the forefront, the landscape of Black Friday is evolving to match the shifting shopping habits of today’s consumers, said Baylor University consumer behavior expert James A. Roberts, Ph.D. 

What kind of impact are Baylor researchers making on the world? The burgeoning number of honors and grants awarded to BU faculty and students indicates that Baylor’s impact as a Christian research university is growing.

Here are just a few recent examples:

Four Baylor University students have been named University Innovation Fellows, a nationally competitive global program run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design that empowers student leaders to increase campus engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking and creativity.

Baylor’s push to elevate research and teaching, coupled with an ever-expanding offering of classes, programs and majors, has drawn dozens of elite faculty members to become a part of a distinct Christian research university.

This fall, more than 100 new faculty members joined the university (!!). It’s impossible to give them all their due, but here are four members of BU’s “Class of 2024” who highlight the excellence of the faculty who are choosing Baylor:

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at Noon in the Schumacher Flex Commons of Moody Library and via Zoom Webinar, the Baylor Libraries host the next session of the Readers Meet the Author series presented by the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost. The conversation will highlight Dr. Kimberly R. Kellison’s latest book, “Forging a Christian Order: South Carolina Baptists, Race, and Slavery, 1696-1860.” A reception with light refreshments and book signing will follow the conversation.

Baylor researchers from multiple disciplines have explored the role and effects of gratitude and how it can amplify human flourishing in a variety of areas.

Earlier this week the University launched A Season of Thanksgiving, a month-long initiative that invites the Baylor Family into an intentional time to give thanks for the blessings God has given us. As a people of faith, our words and acts of thanksgiving reflect God’s love for us and his grace freely given to us. I am excited that we are putting our faith into action in this way.

 A new study from Baylor University shows that 46 extra minutes of sleep per night are linked to improvements in gratitude, flourishing, resilience and prosocial behaviors. 

Both Baylor’s men’s and women’s basketball players open the 2024-25 season with national rankings, top players, and lofty expectations — a situation familiar to Baylor student-athletes and fans, but one that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Once again this year, both Baylor teams are nationally ranked, and in the top 12 at that. The men start the year ranked No. 8 nationally in both the AP and Coaches polls, while the women earned the No. 12 spot in both rankings. Baylor is one of 12 schools nationally with both their men’s and women’s teams ranked in the top 25, a distinction the institution has earned for much of the last decade-plus. From November’s openers at Foster into March (and hopefully April), Baylor fans will cheer on two great teams against top-tier opponents in the nation’s toughest basketball conference.

We have been preparing for our nation’s general election for quite some time, allowing our to remind us of our mission and values as a Christian research university. 

Max Muncy already held the career records for most MLB home runs, runs scored and RBI by a former Baylor player. Now, he holds the BU record for most World Series rings, too.

Muncy’s Dodgers won their second World Series in his seven seasons in L.A. on Wednesday night, adding the 2024 title to the team’s 2020 championship. Muncy started all five games at third base, batting fifth in all but one game, as Los Angeles won the series over the New York Yankees, four games to one.

With six southeastern states still reeling from successive hurricanes Helene and Milton, Baylor University students joined together with the BearAid Disaster Relief Team to pack 100 “flood buckets” for communities impacted by widespread destruction.

The list of schools to make U.S. News’ top 30 for both undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research is a short (and impressive one), filled with schools like Duke, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Yale — and Baylor.

For the third year in a row, U.S. News‘ rankings placed Baylor among this prestigious short list, as BU was ranked No. 26 nationally for undergraduate teaching and No. 23 for undergraduate research/creative projects. No other Texas school made the top 30 in both categories; Baylor is also the only school with an explicit, primary identity as a Christian university to make both lists.

Every Saturday at McLane is like a Baylor Family reunion — but Homecoming weekend is THE annual family reunion, the one you don’t want to miss.

Thousands of Bears made their way home to Waco this past weekend for a practically perfect Baylor Homecoming 2024. For those who couldn’t make it — or for those who want to relive it — we bring you a look back at the weekend:

Baylor University today dedicated the newly renovated Honors Residential College during a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the official opening of the Honors College’s new home and the grand opening of the Carona Family Commons.

What an awesome time the First Gent and I had welcoming our students to “Dinner with the Livingstones” on Tuesday evening at Allbritton House! It was certainly a fantastic kickoff to Homecoming Week 2024.

The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society presents its fall lecture, a panel conversation, “Baylor in Deeds—Interfaith and Intra-Faith Harmony: Strengthening Leadership for Women Globally through Sports,” on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. A reception catered by Saffron will begin at 2:30 p.m. and the conversation will begin at 3:30 p.m. The event will take place in the Armstrong Browning Library & Museum and online via Zoom Webinar.

Several parking lots and roads on and around the Baylor University campus in Waco will be closed Tuesday and Friday-Saturday because of Baylor Homecoming-related activities. Baylor University Shuttle (BUS) services also will be modified.

Centered by a call to be salt of the earth and light of the world at the center, Baylor University launched a year-long series of campus-wide conversations, trainings and presentations in January focused on civil discourse, an important topic as Baylor strives to be a marketplace of ideas and extend the love of Christ toward others.

Baptist historian and Truett Seminary  professor Alan Lefever, Ph.D., joins this week’s Baylor Connections podcast to talk about the roots of Baylor Homecoming, the traditions that have become Baylor icons and even the occasional shenanigans that accompany college students through the years.

Usually a “Where are they now?” feature is prompted only after decades have passed — enough time for life events to accumulate that warrant such an update.

Brooklyn McKnight (BBA ’21) simply has too much going on to wait that long.

McKnight is half of the media wonder duo, Brooklyn & Bailey. The pair took the social media world by storm as teens, amassing a following of over 87 million worldwide. Brooklyn earned her entrepreneurship degree from Baylor a mere three years ago — cum laude, we might add — and already had a litany of accomplishments and life events under her belt before she could hang her diploma.

Homecoming is next week, and I could not be more excited to celebrate with our students and, most importantly, welcome our Baylor alumni back home. 

The Readers Meet the Author series kicks off Oct. 22, with Baylor history professor Elesha Coffman, Ph.D., in conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Flowers about Coffman's new book, "Turning Points in American Church History: How Pivotal Events Shaped a Nation and a Faith."

Thousands of Baylor alumni descend upon Waco each fall for Homecoming. Some have returned every year since graduation; others are setting foot on the Baylor campus for the first time in five, 10, even 20 years or longer. Regardless of how long it’s been since you’ve visited Baylor, there’s likely something new you haven’t seen or done before — and at the same time, plenty of old favorites to revisit and traditions to enjoy.

Presenting: 99 things to see and do during #BaylorHomecoming:

I woke up again this morning to see the tragic devastation of another hurricane making landfall in the southeast. Like with Hurricane Helene, our Care Team Services is reaching out to Baylor students from Florida, checking in to see how they are doing, letting them know we are praying for them, their families and hometowns and that we are here to walk alongside them in any way we can. 

It’s been quite a year for Forrest Frank (BBA ’17):

• Hit No. 1 on iTunes worldwide chart (for all genres)
• Five of iTunes’ top 100 Christian songs for 2024
• Chosen as the soundtrack for Baylor’s 2024-25 commercial (our favorite honor, obviously)

Now, the Baylor grad has been recognized yet again, having won the 2024 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year!

Baylor University’s Corey P. Carbonara, Ph.D., professor of film and digital media, Master Teacher and an innovator in advancing new frontiers in media production technology, has been selected to receive the 2024 Presidential Proclamation from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).

An internship in Washington, D.C., offers incredible experience for students seeking careers in a wide variety of fields — but exponentially so during an election year.

The Baylor in Washington program has students in just such a position — earning college credits while interning with U.S. senators and representatives, government offices, think tanks, law firms, lobbyists, and other power players in our nation’s capital.

One of the priority capital projects during the Give Light campaign was a major update to Memorial and Alexander residence halls, home to Baylor’s Honors Residential College. The goal: A complete renovation of both dorms, plus an new addition in between that would connect the two buildings and offer additional academic and community space for the Honors College and its students.

After closing throughout 2023-24 for a year of renovation and construction, the completed project was unveiled at the start of the semester, with Memorial and Alexander reopening to welcome a new class of Bears.

Between tests, Homecoming preparations and the overall busyness of the semester, it sounds like many students are looking forward to a short week and a much-needed fall break next week. 

This year’s pop princess-driven BearAware cybersecurity campaign marks October’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and reminds students, faculty, and staff to make smart and safe choices online. 

Looking for a great undergraduate experience? You can’t do much better than Baylor.

Once again, BU is among the nation’s top-10 undergraduate experiences, according to U.S. News’ 2025 “Best Colleges” rankings.

Baylor film historian lists the perfect films for thrill seekers and scaredy cats 

The fall semester is off to a great start, and our official fall enrollment certainly bears that out. As we welcomed an overall student body of 20,626 students, including a high-achieving and diverse freshman class, we also celebrated this number – 90.9% – Baylor’s highest-ever one-year retention rate for first-time freshmen. 

Student Opportunity and Achievement Resources addresses the unique challenges of college food insecurity

Did you know that one of the oldest continuously published collegiate literary magazines in the country is run by Baylor undergraduate students? The Phoenix is annually edited, published, and produced by Baylor undergrads from its home in Carroll Science, and has been running since the 1950s.

The Phoenix “represents a unique opportunity for Baylor students both to have their creative work published and to gain experience producing, all on their own, a significant literary review,” says Baylor English professor Arna Hemenway, one of the magazine’s faculty advisors.

Baylor University today is celebrating National Research Administrator Day to highlight top-tier research throughout the University. 

Baylor's Missions, Service & Public Life will host its annual Missions Week from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, featuring a variety of tabling events, socials and dinner. 

Throughout October, Baylor will host a series of events celebrating the sustainability efforts around campus in honor of Campus Sustainability Month.

Baylor University’s transformational undergraduate academic programs and experiences were Top 10 national highlights in the 2025 Best Colleges rankings, released today by U.S. News & World Report.

Baylor is known (ranked top-5 nationally last year!) for creating an atmosphere in which our students grow and flourish. The atmosphere at BU includes a small student-to-faculty ratio, a strong faith-based environment — and plenty of opportunities for students to find their place among the 400+ student organizations offered on campus.

Baylor Student Activities provides practically limitless opportunities for students to get involved. More than 10,000 events are held on campus each year, hosted by the hundreds of student orgs. These groups offer students a stronger sense of belonging and connection, leadership and service opportunities, academic support, friendship, and spiritual growth.

One of the great joys of this exciting time at Baylor is to see the incredible ways our faculty and students demonstrate God-given gifts and passions through research. Their work and its impact exemplify the Baylor mission in action, and they truly are “Baylor in Deeds” to a world in need of solutions to so many great challenges.

A year ago this time, Baylor was celebrating the opening of the brand-new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. Since then, the Hurd has become exactly what university leaders hoped it would become: the new “front door to campus,” and an important part of campus life for both current and prospective students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

A quick look back at the Hurd’s first 12 months:

From the “Meet the Faculty” Welcome Hour on Friday through the last note of “That Good Old Baylor Line” after football’s victory Saturday night, Family Weekend 2024 was a whirlwind of green and gold.

For those who couldn’t make it (or those who just want to relive it), here’s a look back at some of the highlights:

The Baylor Symphonic Band and Baylor Wind Ensemble are proud to welcome prolific guest composer and conductor Frank Ticheli, D.M.A., as a special guest, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in Jones Concert Hall.

Baylor University will host a variety of vibrant events in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

During September’s National Preparedness Month, the Baylor University Department of Public Safety (BUDPS) encourages the Baylor Family to enhance their readiness for emergencies by understanding the University’s multi-tiered approach to safety and security. 

Earlier this week we kicked off the fall Baylor Conversation Series on civil discourse with a day-long slate of activities with David Brooks – a New York Times best-selling author, columnist and commentator. 

Baylor’s unofficial Scriptural foundation in recent years has been Matthew 5:14-16, especially: “You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Both the terminology and meaning have shaped recent major endeavors, from the “Where Lights Shine Bright” and “Give Light” campaigns through the Illuminate strategic plan. Baylor’s next major efforts will continue the focus on those verses, this time on the reason we let our light shine — “so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Baylor's 10th annual Boundary Breaking Women’s Panel to take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center. The event features 10 Baylor faculty and staff members in campus leadership roles of leadership to highlighting showcase 10 women boundary-breakers.

Lots of events bring people to Waco in the fall: Move2BU, football games, Family Weekend, Premiere, Homecoming, Commencement… You get the idea. And the one thing all those visitors have in common? They’ll all need to eat while here.

For years, we’ve been writing up various guides for visitors to Waco. At last, here they all are, in one place — just for you.