Profiles
The Untold Story of Baylor’s Ultimate Cheerleader
By the time she first set foot on the Baylor campus in 1963, Pam Dial Taylor had been a cheerleader since junior high school. In fact, she’d already spent summers leading camps around the country for the National Cheerleaders Association. We’re talking about one serious cheerleader. When she arrived in Waco, however, Pam learned something
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The Colorful Past and Vibrant Future of Art Center Waco
“I can remember the first time I went to an art museum. I was probably six or seven,” said Meghan Bias. “The colors and textures of the paintings, the sculptures. It was like I was home. A place where I just felt like I belong.”
Baylor’s Forgotten Hero: Aenard “Ann” Compton
Aenard “Ann” Compton left a remarkably small footprint during her life, much less during her time in Waco. Even so
Preparing Baylor Students for a Multiracial, Multiethnic World
For the last 20 years, Dr. Felipe Hinojosa has dedicated his life to the study of history. But earlier this year, he actually helped make it. In July 2023, the South Texas native was appointed the first John and Nancy Jackson Endowed Chair for Baylor in Latin America, a milestone that made him the university’s first historian of Latino history. It’s an especially remarkable accomplishment when you consider that Hinojosa nearly talked himself out of the job… twice. After delivering a keynote address at a conference for the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education in February 2023, Hinojosa was approached by Baylor University administrators who wanted to encourage him to apply to the newly opened endowed chair position. At the time, he had been a professor of history at Texas A&M for 14 years and had published two books on the intersection of faith and Latino activism.
Bright Lights, Big City
Baylor grad Kat Largent took a circuitous route to land her dream job, living the dream of every “theater nerd” on the Great White Way.
Reynold Arnould: The Curious Case of the Purloined Painting and Baylor’s Most Famous Painter
During their brief tenure in Waco, artist Reynold Arnould and his wife, novelist and art critic Martha, were the most
From Shakespeare to Shoot-em-Ups: The Remarkable 70-Year Career of Clu Gulager
The story of William Martin “Clu” Gulager’s journey, from tiny Holdenville, Okla., to becoming a star of beloved television series
The Final Days of Baylor’s Oldest Freshman
He first pulled up to Brooks Hall on move-in day in 1956, behind the wheel of a brand-new, red and
Col. John Paul Stapp: There Was Much More Than Speed to the Fastest Man on Earth
For a time in the 1950s, Baylor graduate John Paul Stapp was the holder of the land speed record and
The Picture on Ted Uhlaender’s Baseball Card
In fall 1957, just 5’9” weighing only 129 pounds Theodore Otto “Ted” Uhlaender journeyed from McAllen to Waco and asked to try-out for the baseball team. As a non-scholarship walk-on, he led the freshman team in hitting. By his junior year, Uhlaender was one of the Southwest Conference’s leading hitters, batting a sizzling .365. Ted was all-Southwest Conference in baseball three times. After graduating, it wasn’t long before he began an eight-year major league career with the Twins, Cleveland Indians, and ending with the Cincinnati Reds.
Shaping Minds to Sharing Stories: A Professor’s New Journey
In May 2023, the most awarded professor in Baylor’s history retired. A year later, he’s working more than ever. Reflecting on his time at Baylor, Robert Darden (’76), master teacher and emeritus professor of journalism, public relations, and new media, has not only left an impact on the university at large but also on the thousands of students who walked into his classrooms for over 30 years. Having had such gifted professors when he attended Baylor in the 1970s, Darden said it was these passionate and informed mentors who he tried to emulate in his classroom, as he desired to carry on their legacy.
Her Name Was Cindy Campbell Brown. She Died In 1995. And It’s Time You Knew Her Story.
Her name was Cindy Campbell Brown. Her age was 26. She was a Secret Service agent whose office was on the top floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On April 19, 1995 at 9:02 a.m., Timothy McVeigh, 26, a U.S. Army veteran poisoned with anti-government hate, set off a truck bomb in front of the building where Cindy worked. McVeigh had designed and built the bomb by hand along with his co-conspirator Terry Nichols. The blast sheared off the front of the 9-story, glass front federal building, reducing it to rubble. The ensuing devastation killed 168 people, including Cindy.
A Class Apart
Of its many achievements, Baylor particularly enjoys two distinctions: that of being the oldest university in Texas (established by the Republic of Texas in 1845, before statehood) and the first university west of the Mississippi to go coed, 75 years before American women were guaranteed the right to vote. Though BU’s gender history may be complicated—the university segregated for about 35 years in 1851—there is no surer sign of its inclusivity than the legions of female Baylor graduates who continue to honor the university through their accomplishments.
“In times of uncertainty, innovation happens”: The Bears Who Cared For Us During COVID-19
Baylor professors, students, and healthcare professionals who have served on the front lines of the pandemic since spring 2020. These Bears have spent untold hours both saving lives and grieving for the ones they’ve lost, and now, looking back on over three years of work, they’re reflecting on what they’ve learned—and the challenges that lie ahead.
Chalk of the Town
A Baylor alumna’s creative outlet of crafting neighborhood art is also a form of advocacy. Rebecca LaFlure, of the popular Instagram profile @ChalkOfTheTown312, is drawing more than murals. Chalk, it turns out, can be a powerful tool.
Blessings Beyond Baseball
The Miami Marlins’ Daniel Castano reflects as he recovers from a concussion. Thankfully, the former Baylor left-hander has virtually no recall of the horrifying image that flashed around the world in an instant: a baseball struck at 104-mph slamming off the bill of his cap and into his forehead.
Cultivating Community By The Cupful
Andrew Crawford, a Baylor grad and the owner of Rhino Coffee, is building a coffee empire to bring people together in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana.
Making Strides and Scoring Goals: Kylie Finney
Kylie Finney is a marketing major at the Hankamner School of Business and a Baylor Legacy scholarship recipient. She grew up in Northern Virginia, right outside DC, attending Chantilly High School where she played varsity soccer for four years and participated in class leadership for two years. On top of varsity soccer and leadership, Kylie also played travel soccer.
The Lord’s provision in the midst of difficulty: Jacob Duffer
Jacob Duffer is a junior at Baylor University, studying Finance, Human Resource Management, and Religion. In hardships that life brings, Jacob credits the unwavering presence and provision of God as the common thread that helped him weather these storms. Read our latest profile piece to learn more about Jacob and his time at Baylor.
The Baylor Experience: Anna Bryant
Anna Bryant, a senior at Baylor University and Hallsville native, is making the most of her time in Waco. After growing up with parents and family who attended Baylor as well, Anna’s dream was to experience it for herself – something she has certainly done since arriving on campus. From immersing herself heavily in both business studies within the university alongside her sorority sisterhood outside of class to cherishing special moments like Sing or football games during childhood visits – there’s no doubt that Anna’a time here will have been more than what she could’ve ever imagined before college began.
Faith, Friendship, and Service: Fisher Hargrove
Fisher Hargrove is a proud Houston native, born and raised in the suburbs of Klein, Texas. He will soon graduate from Baylor University with his degree in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Digital Media Management. During his time at Baylor, he has been actively involved with the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity (ATO), where he held the position of Sing Chair.
‘What I Am Supposed To Do’: Emily Blackwell
With a passion for learning and a yearning for teaching, Emily Blackwell (’22), won the 2022 National Student Teacher of
Recognized 20 Years Apart, These Two Bears Are On A Mission
Highly competitive. Highly acclaimed. Highly unique. The Truman Scholarship is no small fête and these two Bears, Skye Perryman (‘03) and senior Veronica Bonifacio Penales, were awarded it just 20 years apart for their dedicated work on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Pursuing Speech Pathology – Allie Gamble
Allie Gamble has a long-standing connection to Baylor University. As a sixth-generation Baylor Bear, Allie has grown up attending home football games and participating in Homecoming celebrations for years
Life Lessons from Professors: Grace Craighead
Originally from Missouri, she has two siblings: a brother and an identical twin sister. In high school, Grace was very
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