One of Waco’s most beautiful homes, tucked away on Austin Avenue under a canopy of trees, is called the Cottonland Castle. While most Wacoans would likely recognize the beautiful structure that looks like it belongs in medieval times, they might not know just how amazing the story of the women who once owned the home
Pauline Pipkin Garrett and the Cottonland Castle Read More »
It was 1910, and Josiah Blake Tidwell had just taken over as head of Baylor’s Religion Department. Up to that point, the primary purpose of the religious studies programs at Baylor was to prepare students to become ministers, and the entire Baylor Bible Department had just moved to Fort Worth to become an official independent
When university life feels bust, sometimes all a student needs is to break outside of the Baylor bubble and be in nature. That’s exactly what Cameron Park has been offering students since its dedication in 1910, just 2 miles down the road from campus. Today, the park doesn’t just offer students an escape. The University
While Baylor’s 50th anniversary passed without much fanfare, its 75th could not have been more different. The Diamond Jubilee was an all-out celebration of all that Baylor had accomplished throughout its lifespan — and there truly was so much to celebrate. While the school started as essentially a small liberal arts college, by 1920 it
Who knew the first bridge permanent across the Brazos River in Waco would become home to an iconic Baylor tradition: tortilla tossing! Today, the bridge is only for pedestrian crossings, though its history as an integral thoroughfare begins long before Baylor moved to Waco. Baylor students have adopted it for the tradition of tortilla tossing.
Entering Baylor University to study film, Will Loewen had heard all the horror stories — stories of film students who refused to work on one another’s projects because of the nature of the industry, stories of students who would do anything it took to get to the top, and stories of struggling to find genuine
If there is one thing former President Pat Neff knew about Baylor’s centennial celebration in 1945, it’s that he wanted it to be BIG! So big, in fact, that he began the planning process seven years before the big day. Neff decided to celebrate Baylor’s centennial with a new Student Union Building, creating the Centennial
Truett Seminary to Launch Dallas Campus Truett Seminary announced a plan to open a New location in Dallas, Texas, in the fall of 2027. The new campus will be housed in Park Cities Baptist Church and will join Truett’s other locations — Lanier Theological Library and Learning Center in Houston and Trinity Baptist Church in
Home to All-University Sing and Student Chapel, Waco Hall is an iconic center for music and performance at Baylor University. The building was dedicated amid commencement festivities in 1930, but the journey to get there required the support of the Waco community, and the venue has come to represent the unbreakable bond between Baylor and
Outgoing Provost Appointed to TSUS Baylor University’s outgoing provost, Dr. Nancy Brickhouse, was named vice chancellor for academic and health affairs at Texas State University System. Brickhouse announced her departure from her role as provost in April. Previously, Brickhouse said she would take a year-long sabbatical before returning to the Baylor faculty to focus on teaching,
Our little Baptist school in the middle of Texas has surprisingly seen its fair share of U.S. presidents throughout the years. In 1947, Harry Truman visited Baylor — the first president ever to do so. During his visit, he was awarded an honorary law degree and spoke to students and faculty about peace and economics
For 40 years, Waco Tribune-Herald reporter Carl Hoover has been the man Wacoans dial when they need arts and entertainment coverage. A veteran of the legacy media market, Hoover has seen the rise of the internet and social media, the downfall of print journalism, and now the proliferation of AI use, and notices invitations for
Silobration with Mt.Joy The popular indie rock and folk band Mt. Joy is coming to Waco! This October, the band will perform at Silobration, hosted by Chip and Joanna Gaines at the Magnolia Silos. Mt. Joy will kick off the weekend at Foster Pavilion, with special guest Ax and the Hatchetmen. More live music will
Baylor has graduated some pretty remarkable, boundary-breaking women throughout its history. One of them was none other than the extraordinary Margaret Amsler. Margaret Amsler was the daughter of longtime Baylor Law professor and former assistant county attorney under Pat Neff, Judge Nat Harris. She graduated from Baylor in 1929 with dual degrees in French and
Environmental Sustainability Certificate A new certificate at Baylor is helping students prepare for careers in environmental sustainability. Offered by the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, this new Certificate in Environmental Science Sustainability will focus on what can be done to care for the Earth and its limited resources. To complete the certificate, students must
Finding a campus job to help pay for your education is pretty common among Baylor students, but Neill Coker Morris had perhaps the most uncommon campus job of all — milking the cows on the university dairy farm! Morris’ story starts with Professor T.H. Claypool. Imagine running an entire university department on your own. Well,
There are over 300 churches in Waco, and according to University Baptist Church Waco Lead Pastor Andie Pellicer, women lead fewer than five of them. A recent vote passed at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting sets out to further restrict the roles women in Waco and beyond are allowed to hold in their churches.
Brockmole Starts Tenure Dr. James R. Brockmole began his tenure as Dean of Baylor Univeristy’s College of Arts & Sciences on July 1st. He is the college’s 13th president since its creation in 1919 and succeeds Dr. Lee. C. Nordt, who will be taking over as the university’s interim provost on August 1st. “I am
Samuel Palmer Brooks had a long and winding road to getting the education that would equip him to become Baylor’s seventh president — and because of that, he never took for granted the power of learning. Brooks was the oldest of eight children, and he first laid eyes on Baylor when his family attempted to
Almost three years ago, the Rev. Tish Harrison Warren walked away from the biggest platform a theological writer could have and left her role as an opinion columnist at The New York Times. Her advice to young Christian writers today is this: Focus less on building a platform and more on honing your craft, finding
Process Over Platform: Tish Harrison Warren Comes to Baylor Read More »
John S. Tanner is a name that has been somewhat lost in Baylor’s long-reaching history. However, this man not only left a lasting legacy at the University but was also almost its president. From his first year at Baylor, Tanner marked himself as a studious man. He was always reading and studying and was even
Certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing For Baylor students who are interested in pursuing a career in publishing, the Department of English is introducing an exciting new certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing. The 12 hours of required coursework will include two of three upper-level English courses: Literary Editing and Publishing, Editing and Publishing, and
On April 22, 2026, members of the Baylor community gathered across campus — some in Waco Hall, attending a Turning Point USA event; others on the Quadrangle in protest of Turning Point’s presence on campus; and even more in Hankamer-Cashion Academic Center at the opposing All are Neighbors progressive event option. When the conservative political
Faithful Dissent: A Century of Protest at Baylor Read More »
Returning Home There have been some pretty remarkable people who have earned their degree at Truett Theological Seminary – and Mulenga Chela certainly falls into the category of remarkable. Chela, who is from Zambia, was wrongfully imprisoned in an African country in 2006. During his time in prison, Chela committed himself to sharing the gospel
Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) is a multi-million dollar genre that millions of Americans listen to every day. However, few people may know that a record label founded in Waco, Texas, by a Baylor University graduate helped spark the genre’s success. Jarrell McCracken, a sportscaster and ministry student at Baylor in the ‘50s, was working in
A day in the life of a local pastor might include one-on-one counseling with congregants, preparing a sermon, leading staff meetings, and now… consulting on AI? In Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas — his first encyclical, which was published for the public on May 25 — he focuses on the dangers of artificial intelligence and
African Studies Certificate Program Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences is offering an exciting new program – a certificate in African Studies open to students from across the University. The program is available starting in Fall 2026 and requires 12 hours of coursework, including a required three-hour language course in Swahili. Gorrety Wawire, Ph.D., lecturer
Dr. Elizabeth Palacios spent 40 years of her career at Baylor. During that time, she learned what it takes to succeed as a Hispanic woman within the predominantly white Baylor faculty. “For a long time, I was the only minority faculty in the School of Education,” Palacios explained. “They would hire [minority faculty], but they
Texas Banned DEI at Public Universities. Here’s What Baylor is Doing Instead. Read More »
Cross-Faith AI Consortium Baylor is a part of a newly formed multi-university academic consortium – The Consortium for Evaluation of Faith and Ethics in AI (CEFE-AI). In collaboration with Brigham Young University, the University of Notre Dame, and Yeshiva University, researchers have discovered a pattern of religious perspectives being excluded from AI responses. “More than
“My infidel fellow citizens, my Catholic neighbor, or Jewish friend, must have the same right to read or refrain from reading the Bible, to believe or reject the Bible as he chooses. These are fundamentally American principles.” In 1923 President Samuel Palmer Brooks spoke before the Texas Senate in response to a bill concerning compulsory
Baptists Championed Church-State Separation. Then Came Christian Nationalism. Read More »
Regents Meeting The Baylor Board of Regents held its regular May meeting on the 20th- 21st. Here are the highlights. The regents approved a $982.2 million operating budget for 2026-27 – an increase of 2.4 percent compared to last year. They also elected a new Chair of the Board, Todd Patterson, B.S. ’90, J.D., of
National Cancer Research Month Approximately 18.6 million people in the United States are living beyond cancer thanks to continuous advancements being made by cancer researchers. Baylor plays a small role in the important work being done, and this May, during National Cancer Research Month, the University is celebrating the work of its researchers, who have
Dr. Robert Baird dedicated 47 years of his life to Baylor — and he’s worried that the University’s history is repeating itself. Baird, professor emeritus of philosophy, earned his degree from Baylor before the University was even desegregated, and by the time he graduated, Baylor was still not admitting Black students. Although Baylor eventually integrated
New Baylor Center for Ethics A new Ethics Center is debuting at Baylor University this June – bringing together students, faculty, and resources in one place to engage ethical issues. Paul Martens, Ph.D., associate dean for undergraduate studies, strategic initiatives, and special programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, and associate professor of religion.
Dr. Michael Korpi was working for Liberty University, capturing visual content on university-organized mission trips, when he witnessed a young girl die before his very eyes from sickness and starvation in a small home in Haiti. Feeling disturbed and heartbroken at the sight, Korpi moved to turn off his camera – but as he did,
Provost Search Committee This week, President Linda Livingstone, Ph.D., announced the Baylor Provost Search Advisory Committee. With outgoing provost Nancy Brickhouse’s impending departure, the committee will be responsible for finding and identifying candidates to serve as the next chief academic officer. The committee’s co-chairs are Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D., Dean of the Moody School of Education,
With a last name like Sargent, a military career almost seemed inevitable for this Baylor alumnus. Since his freshman year, Philip Sargent has been preparing through Baylor’s ROTC program and an internship at the Pentagon for the moment he would begin active duty as a member of the U.S. Air Force. But years of preparation
Research Award from ASMA Professor of sports management and director of the MSEd program in sport management at the Baylor Moody School of Education, Jeffery Petersen, Ph.D., received the Research Fellow Award from the Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA). Petersen is a longtime supporter of ASMA. “I’m fully committed to what they believe,” he told
Turning Point USA at Baylor Baylor hosted Turning Point USA on Wednesday, April 22, for the This is the Turning Point Tour. The event shifted from a public community event to a private one with attendance limited to Baylor students only. Additionally, Turning Point denied all press passes to the event. In an email released
Provost Nancy Brickhouse Announces Step Down Baylor University Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., announced that she plans to step down as chief academic officer on July 31, 2026. Brickhouse will take a year-long sabbatical before returning to Baylor to focus on teaching. Outgoing Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Lee Nordt, Ph.D., will serve
Ollie Mintz sought to charter a Turning Point USA chapter at Baylor because he felt there was something different about the late founder Charlie Kirk — something that set him apart from other conservative activists. But now, Mintz says he has questions as the organization continues to diverge from what he remembers. “I think Charlie
When LGBTQ+ students organized a support group called Baylor Freedom in 2002, Baylor University responded by reaffirming its student sexual conduct policy. Later the same year, the university released its first official public statement on human sexuality – a statement that continues to affect the culture and administration today. “The question is what’s right, not
Baylor’s Human Sexuality Statement: A Timeline of Controversy and Revision Read More »
Willie Nelson Returns to Baylor On May 14th at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark, country singer and songwriter Willie Nelson is returning to Baylor for the first time since he attended the university in 1954. “Seventy-two years after Willie Nelson walked our campus as a Baylor student, I am thrilled this Texas legend will finally
Fan Fest As a part of its new Fan First initiative, Baylor Athletics recently announced the details for Fan Fest – a festival-style celebration of Baylor football for the Waco community. Fan fest will take place Saturday, April 25, at McLane Stadium and is presented by McLane Children’s. The event will include live music, on-stage
Under one of the bridges on Baylor’s campus (a bridge that for the sake of secrecy must remain unnamed) a group of students gathers long after dark to read aloud poetry. Since the group, Baylor’s very own secret poets society, meets sporadically and follows no set schedule, it is impossible to find them — unless
Dean of the School of Music – Vote of No Confidence Dean of the Baylor School of Music, Kevin Sanders, will step down following a faculty vote of no confidence, Vice President and Provost Nancy Brickhouse determined on March 6th. Of the school’s full-time faculty, 33 voted no confidence, one voted in confidence, four abstained,
When your father spends his life on the road with B.B. Crimm — the cowboy preacher who wore a 10-gallon hat and carried a six-shooter into the pulpit — ministry feels like an adventure. Now a third-generation evangelist following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Rob Randall has carried that legacy and adventurous spirit into a
Collins Outstanding Professor Each year, Baylor’s senior class recognizes a professor for outstanding teaching with the Collins Outstanding Professor Award. This year, the 2026 senior class voted on Walter M. “Sparky” Matthews, M.D., B.A. ’92. Matthews is a clinical professor and pre-medical mentor who has continuously been recognized for his humility and exceptional care for
Annabeth Dusek was furloughed on October 1, 2025 — the day the government shut down. After about a month on the job she’d prayed for since high school, Dusek, a Baylor junior, thought she had finally mastered the rhythm of her office and adjusted to the fast-paced culture of life on Capitol Hill. It was
New Venture Competition Collegiate entrepreneurs from across the world will soon have the opportunity to compete for up to $50,000 to launch their business. The Hankamer School of Buisness is hosting the New Venture Competition from March 27-28. More than $200,000 in cash prizes and resources are on the line for these college innovators who
Sam Henderson is 45 years old, and he just decided what he wants to be when he grows up. It only took creating an Oscar-shortlisted short film to figure it out. “I want to be a writer and director when I grow up. It’s taken a long time for that to be realized. But as
They Would Do it Again: Sam Henderson, Maverick Moore, and the Making of ‘ADO’ Read More »
Sing Results Baylor closed out their final weekend of Sing 2026 and, for the first time in the chapter’s history, Beta Upsilon Chi was awarded first place for their act “Grill of Rights.” Second place was awarded to Phi Kappa Chi for their act “Cold as Ice,” and third place was awarded to Tri Delta
From an early age, Daniel Vestal was already responding to a clear call to ministry. At just 16 years old, he was licensed and ordained to preach, stepping into pulpits and leading revival meetings while still in high school. What began as a sense of calling quickly became a way of life. During those formative
Baylor Law School alumnus and Dykema associate Matthew Maupin is an accomplished litigator. But, more than that, he is a hometown hero whose commitment to service extends far beyond the walls of the courtroom. Born and raised in Kerrville, Texas, Maupin spent his childhood outdoors along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Those days instilled
Emily and Brett Mills are just as comfortable leading a worship service for thousands on a Sunday morning as they are doing ministry in a strip club on a Saturday night. That is because they live their lives by the words “Jesus Said Love.” For the couple, this phrase reminds them of the importance of
Emily (’99) and Brett (’98) Mills: Building a village Read More »
Tiffany Jones-Smith embodies the adage “triumph over tragedy.” She is no stranger to grief, having lost 15 members of her family to kidney disease and later discovering that she herself carried the same high-risk genetic marker. It would have been easy to surrender to this grief and let it consume her. Instead, Jones-Smith was motivated
During his 41 years at Baylor University, Maxey Parrish truly saw it all: sidelines, courtsides, Olympic games, board rooms, and classrooms. He taught across the world, earned countless awards, and even founded Baylor’s athletics website, embracing every opportunity that came his way. Yet beyond these achievements, Parrish’s greatest impact was made outside the classroom, where
Maxey Parrish (’78): On the field, in the classroom Read More »
When Dr. T. Michael Parrish’s father was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the pivotal attack on Pearl Harbor, he had no idea he was sailing less than a mile from Doris Miller, the very man his son would later dedicate much of his professional life to bringing into history’s light.
Dr. T. Michael Parrish (’74, MA ’76): Hometown historian Read More »
Hon. Anh “Joseph” Cao is a boundary breaker whose life has been marked by defying expectations time and time again. He was the first Vietnamese American elected to the U.S. Congress, the only nonwhite House Republican of the 111th Congress, and the only House Republican to vote for an early House version of the health
Hon. Anh “Joseph” Cao (’90): From adversity to advocacy Read More »
Dr. Elizabeth Palacios is no stranger to being first, and she has never hesitated to lead the way. A first-generation college student, one of the few Latina professors in Baylor’s School of Education during her 10-year tenure, and the first faculty member appointed special assistant to the president on diversity, Palacios has consistently broken barriers
Dr. Elizabeth Palacios (’80, MSE ’91): Developer of diversity Read More »
Skye Perryman is urgently working for justice and fighting for the future. The current president and CEO of Democracy Forward, Perryman’s work centers on confronting extremism, challenging anti-democratic movements, and building a vibrant democracy for all people. For her, the work isn’t political — it’s about serving people. Perryman grew up in Waco and studied
When Pastor Chris Seay was 16 years old, he destroyed two of his grandfather’s most prized possessions: his car and his house. After driving his grandfather’s brand-new Oldsmobile 98 straight through a wall, a shaken teenage Chris braced himself for the anger and disappointment he assumed would follow. Instead, his grandfather, a Baptist preacher, responded
Chris Seay (’95): For the love of spiritual leadership Read More »
Updates from the Regents The Baylor Regents held their regular February meeting on the 19-20th. At the meeting, the board approved a new degree: A Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering. The program will be housed in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science and will help meet a growing need for biomedical engineers in
“I’m telling you, that is one smart, hard-working, gracious, wonderful lady.” — John F. Baugh In times of darkness, Emily Tinsley’s commitment to bettering the Baylor Family shone through. “I think [she] wanted to see Baylor be … more transparent, more honorable, the ways that they believed it had been and could be,” said Robyn
Findings from the Field Exciting new field evidence from the University of South Bohemia and Baylor University demonstrates that neuroactive pharmaceuticals are accumulating in developing freshwater fish beyond internationally recognized safety thresholds. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization has noted increased global consumption of neuroactive pharmaceuticals. These findings prompted Baylor researchers to examine
Baylor Grad Conducts 2026 Super Bowl When Giancarlo Guerrero stepped off a Greyhound bus in Waco after traveling from Costa Rica, he did not know what to expect. When the bus arrived at the terminal at 2 a.m., the only person waiting was Dr. Larry VanLandingham, who had advocated for bringing promising young musicians from
During Jeffrey Epstein’s tour of Baylor’s campus he couldn’t be bothered. All he seemed concerned with was making it to his meeting with Ken Starr in Pat Neff Hall. Former Baylor President Judge Kenneth W. Starr’s long relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is well documented, but recent files released by the U.S.
“Hugs, Ken:” Epstein visited Baylor for meeting with Starr in 2012 Read More »
Post Malone and Jelly Roll to Visit Waco Award-winning artists Jelly Roll and Post Malone are hitting the road once again for their highly anticipated “Big Stadium Tour Part 2,” with a stop scheduled at McLane Stadium in Waco on May 19. The duo previously toured together in 2025, delivering high-energy performances and genre-blending sound,
In 2016, Baylor University and the Baylor Alumni Association reached an agreement of co-existence after years of arbitration. One of the agreement’s most consequential provisions expanded alumni influence in university governance by adding three alumni-elected members to the Board of Regents. “If it were not for that term, this lawsuit would not have been settled.
New Name for The School of Education Baylor’s school of education received an exciting $30 million gift from the Moody Foundation of Galveston, Texas. The funds will help support faculty research, scholarships, and academic programs. In recognition of the generous donation, the School of Education will be renamed the Moody School of Education. The donation
Chart Toppers at Foster Pavilion Foster Pavilion has a reputation for bringing A-list entertainment to Waco, hosting past musical guests such as Forrest Frank and Lauren Daigle. This summer, the venue continues its streak with performances by chart-topping artists La Fiera de Ojinaga and Los Pescadores del Río Conchos. The group’s one-night-only concert is this
Same Field, New Name If it wasn’t clear from the baseball field found amid the shops of the Magnolia Silos, Katy Ballpark, Chip (’98), and Joanna Gaines (’01) carry a deep love for baseball. On January 12th, Baylor University announced the largest gift in the history of the Baylor Baseball Program. A press release from
