News

It has certainly been a busy, productive summer as the University community has continued building out our Illuminate Academic Strategic Plan, while also preparing for the upcoming fall semester. Baylor is definitely moving forward in a big way.

We are fortunate to have such a remarkable natural science and cultural history museum that engages our community and inspires learning through rich collections, vibrant programs and hands-on experiences.

We are experiencing nearly record-breaking temperatures in Waco, so I hope you are staying cool wherever you may be this summer!

Pastors from several denominations, religions and races throughout Waco and Central Texas joined me yesterday in the Powell Chapel at our Truett Seminary to gather in prayer for area students, families, teachers and faculty in preparation for the rapidly approaching fall semester.

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July holiday yesterday! As many of you know, the First Gent is a history buff, and we’ve learned that two Baylor faculty members have done quite a bit of research on Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers. Did you know that Franklin was a businessman, entrepreneur, inventor, journalist, author, printer, editor, politician, postmaster, statesman and ambassador, in addition to being a signer of the Declaration of Independence?

The Livingstone Family is already looking forward to the July 4 holiday next Wednesday and celebrating the freedoms we enjoy here in our great country. We should never take these for granted. I hope you will join us at Touchdown Alley on the banks of the Brazos River for the City of Waco’s annual Fourth on the Brazos Celebration. We thoroughly enjoyed last year’s event with all the music, food and fireworks, as well as the opportunity to engage with the Baylor Family and other community members.

As we near the midpoint of the summer break, I am longing for many things … the hustle and bustle of our students on campus, the engagement and interactions with faculty, the start of football season and a Dr Pepper Float!

It’s exciting to see members of #BU22, our incoming class of freshmen, visiting the Baylor campus along with their families and friends throughout the summer. More than 1,200 students have already taken their first steps in joining the Baylor Family, including registering for classes, learning about and celebrating Baylor’s rich legacy and traditions, and even Running the Line at McLane Stadium.

I continue to be blessed each day to serve as Baylor’s President. Among the many highlights is being able to travel across the country to visit with alumni, current and prospective students, parents and friends of the University.

Greetings from New York City, where our School of Music student performers take center stage tonight at historic Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. I am excited to be in the audience as they share their musical talents on such a grand stage and spotlight our great University.

Well, it’s officially summertime on the Baylor campus! The hustle and bustle marking the end of the spring semester has transitioned into sparse pedestrian and vehicle traffic and, of course, near 100-degree temperatures.

Congratulations to the Baylor Class of 2018! The end of the spring semester is always an exciting time, especially for the nearly 3,000 graduates who will participate in our three Commencement ceremonies at the Ferrell Center on Friday and Saturday.

Greetings from 30,000 feet in the air somewhere between Denver and Atlanta! We have taken our Baylor Conversation Series across the country this week, as we’re visiting with alumni, parents, friends and prospective students about the great things happening at Baylor and sharing an overview of Illuminate, our academic strategic plan.

"But if we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another." – 1 John 1:7

I must admit that I was a little sore yesterday after participating in the Baylor Fun Run to kickoff Diadeloso on Tuesday. Yes, the First Gent and I finished the race(!) and then enjoyed a “day off” with all of you as we prepare for the end of the spring semester.

As I mentioned in last Thursday’s email, we had a team of administrators from institutions across the country on campus this week as part of our SACSCOC Decennial Reaffirmation, which is a key component of our accreditation renewal process. This week’s visit was very successful.

Approximately 9,000 prospective students and parents have registered to experience Baylor Premiere on Saturday. This year’s version of our spring “open house” is shaping up to be the largest in University history, as high school juniors and seniors will have an opportunity to explore campus, experience college life and interact with many of our incredible faculty and staff. Let’s remind our Premiere attendees that Baylor is a place “Where Lights Shine Bright!”

"He is not here: He is risen, just as He said." (Matthew 28:6A) This is a powerful verse of meditation for this Easter season, as it boldly proclaims the victory that we have as Christians in our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

My heart continues to be touched by the many stories of how your “Lights Shine Bright” not only across our campus, but throughout our community and beyond.

As the grass and trees turn green and the temperatures begin to warm, I am always reminded that spring is a time for renewal.

The Baylor campus sure is still and quiet with all of our students on Spring Break this week! But I know our faculty and staff who remained in Waco to prepare for the remainder of the semester are enjoying the wonderful spring weather.

I look forward to heading to Fort Worth for tonight's installment of the Baylor Conversation Series - our first outside of Waco. Board Chairman Joel T. Allison and I will provide an update on the state of the university, while also answering questions from the Baylor Family in the Metroplex.

While we were deeply grieved to learn that the Rev. Billy Graham had passed away yesterday, we rejoice that he has been called home as a good and faithful servant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Earlier today, I shared the initial framework of Baylor's Academic Strategic Plan - Illuminate - with the Board of Regents, along with members of the President's Council and our Deans. This is an important initiative as we accelerate our quest toward preeminence as a Christian research university and strategically chart our path over the next five years and beyond.

February is Black History Month and our students and leadership across campus have a terrific line-up of events planned throughout the month.

I am sending today's email from Grapevine, Texas, as I attend the 2018 International Forum of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), which includes more than 180 Christian institutions around the world. Although Baylor may be one of the largest CCCU universities, we all share in the mission of advancing Christ-centered higher education and transforming lives by integrating scholarship, service and Biblical truth.

I have enjoyed seeing the bright lights shining at Baylor these past few days. And I mean more than the lighted benches, the fun photo-ops and events, including the special Dr Pepper Hour on Tuesday. You - our students, faculty and staff - continue to be shining examples of who we are as a Christian university as you lead and serve each other and our community in so many ways.

It’s been quite a few years since I’ve experienced a Waco winter, but I certainly don’t remember it being this cold. I hope everyone enjoyed the “Snow Day” on Tuesday and you have been able to stay warm.

I hope you have enjoyed the green glow of campus this week as we launched Baylor's new brand reintroduction campaign, "Where Lights Shine Bright."

Happy New Year! And welcome to the first Presidential Perspective of 2018. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break, and you are as excited for the beginning of the spring semester as I am.

We are blessed to study, teach, research and serve at a university where we can say “Merry Christmas” and celebrate the true meaning of the season. Let us proclaim and share the birth and ultimate gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Our campus is little quieter now that finals are over and the fall semester has come to a close. Baylor provides a transformational Christian higher education experience for our students – that is, and always has been, our mission – and we look forward to seeing our newest alumni lead in their professional fields and personal lives after graduation.

Today we are releasing the results of Baylor University’s 2017 Academic and Work Environment Survey.

Although I missed the opportunity to communicate with all of you last Thursday, I hope that you had a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Here at Baylor, we are supremely blessed to be at such an outstanding academic institution with a steadfast commitment to our Christian mission. We have much to be thankful for, and we offer up our praise and thanksgiving!

It is hard to believe we have turned the calendar to November and that Thanksgiving and the end of the semester are only weeks away.

There is simply no way for me to sufficiently express my appreciation for last week’s Inauguration festivities. Beginning the week with 4,000 students eating dinner on our front lawn, leading to the impressive symposia by some of Baylor’s extraordinary faculty and then ending with the actual installation ceremony itself, Brad, Shelby and I were truly humbled to officially become part of the Baylor Family and the storied history of this great institution.

It's Homecoming Week … My first as President of Baylor University! What an exciting time to be on campus, especially now that a little fall is in the air.

I have been in Washington, D.C., this week participating in Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women Summit, which gathers some of the world’s top women leaders not only from business, but also from government, philanthropy, education and the arts.

Every day, I continue to be amazed at the commitment of our staff and faculty in fulfilling our mission of educating men and women for worldwide leadership and service. Baylor and our students are truly blessed!

Fall is upon us - at least that’s what the calendar says, not necessarily the thermometer - and October is shaping up to be quite busy.

I truly enjoyed my first-ever Family Weekend as President and the opportunity to interact with so many members of our extended Baylor Family – parents, brothers and sisters, guardians, friends and others who support our students.

Earlier this week I traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit with several members of the Texas Congressional delegation. They were interested in and supportive of our ambitions to become a tier one research university that is unapologetically Christian, and certainly appreciative of the significant measures Baylor has implemented on the Title IX front in the prevention of and response to sexual violence. I also had the opportunity to discuss the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and potential implications for many of our students.

Tomorrow marks day No. 100 as Baylor’s President! Each day continues to be a blessing as we work to develop the next generation of faith-based leaders and create a strategic pathway for Baylor to achieve our ambitions as a tier one Christian research university.

Words cannot express the sorrow that fills my heart every time I see a photo or receive an update regarding the devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. As the storm continues to ravage parts of Texas and now Louisiana, I am reminded of the goodness of people who will step out and serve.

What a fantastic start to the semester! The campus feels alive again as our students make their way across campus to class, to the SLC, to the library – yes, even the library this early in the semester. There is nothing quite like the picture of Baylor’s campus, vibrant and full of life with activity, new experiences and friends of old and new greeting one another when they meet.

Welcome BU21! We cannot be more excited to add 3,300 incoming freshmen, as well as our transfer, graduate and professional students, to the Baylor Family. The start of a new academic year is always a time of excitement and renewal. I wish you all the best this fall and hope to see you around campus – please stop me and say hello.

Eleven days left of summer! I cannot wait for our campus to come back to life for the first day of the fall semester on August 21. While it has been an incredibly busy summer, we have missed the excitement, energy and enthusiasm that our nearly 17,000 students bring to campus each and every day.

I am truly looking forward to welcoming our new students to campus and to all of the new beginnings the start of the academic year brings. Here are a few items of interest for this week:

I am sending today’s Perspective while in the midst of our July Board of Regents meeting. Here are a few additional items of interest for this week:

What a memorable, moving experience ... Last night, Brad and I had the opportunity to make the trek to Independence to participate in Line Camp. If the spirit, passion and commitment of the Class of 2021 is any indication, the future of our great University is in good hands. Be on the lookout for "Prez" and "First Gent" in our #15 Line jerseys.

I trust everyone had a safe and enjoyable July 4th holiday, celebrating the many freedoms that we enjoy individually, as well as being part of an institution of higher education and a faith-based organization.

These have been busy and fulfilling weeks at Baylor University. It’s hard to believe that my first month as your President is coming to a close.

President Livingstone highlights recent news and events, and upcoming activities within the Baylor community.

Summer is in full swing, and I hope that whether you are on campus, working, doing research or mission work, or simply recharging for the fall semester, you will find time to stay connected to the University and all that is happening here.