New Baylor Bears on the Block
As we enter the school year and the weather hits its peak heat – we welcome in BU’29. This summer at Line Camp, the newest bears on the block learned a song that represents blessing for their future at Baylor – declaring it as their class anthem.
Current students Luke Fisher and Hannah Barine, the writers of “Cross//Roads,” worked with visiting scholars in the Baylor School of Music’s Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies, Geraldine Latty-Luce and Carey Luce, to transform the song into a more acoustic tone.
In a Baylor Proud blog post, Dr. Charley Ramsey, Baylor’s new University Chaplain, said, “It has been a blessing to many, and it will continue to encourage and inspire as we sing it at Candlelight Service, Homecoming, and wherever else you carry your smart device.”
Byte-Sized Business
Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business is taking the initiative to advance their platform involving AI. They are said to launch a student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by artificial intelligence. It’s known as the AI Venture Challenge – it invites undergraduate students enrolled at Baylor “to team up and pitch bold, tech-driven solutions to real consumer problems.” The AI Venture Challenge is an extension of the Baylor in Deeds plan to answer the question, “What does the world need Baylor for?”
In an article from Baylor, The William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean of the Hankamer School of Business, David M. Szymanski, Ph.D., said, “This competition is not just about the tech; it’s about using it purposefully. We want students to think critically and creatively about how AI can drive real-world value in a competitive setting not seen in any other institution in the United States.”
Rumor Has It
Cat got your tongue, I see. Baylor shut down rumors circulating around social media from an animal shelter stating that Baylor would be removing the campus cats. The lovely Draper cats will be left alone and live peacefully – they are currently under the protection of a group that takes care of them. There are rules that Baylor emphasizes students to be cautious of feral cats and to not home them within the dorms.
Boys from OK
This weekend, Baylor is hosting its first concert at McLane featuring the Boys from Oklahoma Texas Encore, with nearly 36,000 tickets already sold. This is anticipated to be the biggest non-football event gathering at McLane Stadium. The concert is set out to be a community focused event rather than a Baylor event. The concert will headline country music stars Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours, with special guests Shane Smith and the saints, Waco’s Wade Bowen, and the American Aquarium.
‘Forever a Bear’
Former Baylor Track and Field All-American Jayson Baldridge passed away on August 18 at the age of 26. A native of Richmond, Texas, Baldridge was a standout athlete at George Ranch High School, where he was a two-time UIL state champion and ran the nation’s fastest 300-meter hurdles time as a junior. He also won the 400m hurdles and 4×400 relay at the NSAF Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Cuba.
Baldridge continued his successful track career at Baylor, where he earned multiple All-American and All-Big 12 honors. He was a key member of the 4x400m relay teams that won Big 12 titles in 2019 (indoor) and 2022 (outdoor). Baldridge also earned multiple All-Big 12 honors in events like the 400-meter hurdles, 4x100m relay, and distance medley relay. In 2022, he briefly had a race that led the nation in the 400 hurdles and qualified for the Outdoor Nationals in the 4x400m relay. The Baylor track team shared a message on Instagram, stating, “Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of former Baylor All-American Jayson Baldridge, gone far too soon at the age of 26 years old. Forever a Bear!”
