The Baylor Brief

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

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,

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

WBB On The Rise No. 16 Baylor women’s basketball is rising in the ranks after a 72-70 win over No. 11 Iowa State Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum. The Bears trailed 21-17 after the first quarter, but rallied to take a 41-39 lead by halftime. With the score tied at 70 and two seconds left

30 Years of Engineering and Computer Science In 1980, engineering and computer science were merged, leading them to open up the School of Engineering and Computer Science in 1995.  Since then, ECS has expanded its academic offerings to include disciplines such as aerospace engineering and cybersecurity informatics. Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer

A New AD Earlier this week, Baylor officially named Doug McNamee (‘03, MSEd ‘05) as its new Athletic Director.  McNamee returns to Baylor after previously serving as Baylor Athletics’ Senior Associate AD before departing in 2018. Since then, he has served as president of Magnolia and, most recently, Field & Stream. As a student, McNamee

Put the Phones Down  Have you ever wondered why you feel alone, even when surrounded by many people? You’re not alone. Paul Carron, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, is exploring why it’s so common for people to feel “profound loneliness.”  Carron gained interest in this month during the early months

Mack Rhoades steps down  Mack Rhoades has stepped away from his position at Baylor, effective immediately. In a letter released Thursday, Rhoades expressed that, after nine years of serving as Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, he wants to prioritize his faith and family with an “intentional focus.”  Last week, Rhoades stepped down from his position

Mack Rhoades is taking a leave of absence Athletics Director Mack Rhoades, who has led Baylor athletics since 2016, has taken a leave of absence from his posts as athletic director and College Football Playoff chairman. His absence, reportedly for “personal reasons,” comes just days after reports of multiple University investigations into Rhoades.  According to

Oui Did It The No. 16 women’s basketball team had its season opener at Adidas Arena in Paris, where it held a 58-52 win over No.7 Duke. This is the Bears’ first neutral-site season opener since 2005 and their 17th game outside of the United States and first outside of North America, now holding a

Homecoming This is our favorite time of year, too. 116 years (and counting) of welcoming home Baylor Alumni is finally upon us, and don’t worry, because we have a guide for the perfect homecoming week. Baylor enters the matchup after a 41-20 loss at No. 21 Cincinnati and a 42-36 loss at TCU. The homecoming

New Pediatric Residency Hannah Wheatley, PT, DPT (’24), is Baylor’s first pediatric physical therapy resident. Her background in dance, child ministry, and teaching inspired her to pursue a career serving children through movement. The new residency – a partnership between Baylor and Hope and Believe Pediatric Therapy – integrates faith, service, and hands-on clinical experience.

Beat the Frogs And they said rivalry was dead. This weekend, Baylor will face their biggest opponent, TCU, at 11 a.m., a rivalry that stretches back to 1899. The Bears are on the long haul to reach their road win streak to six. During their last meet-up, Baylor won its third game as part of

Little Change in the program Auburn University is moving its 2026 home game with Baylor from Jordan-Hare to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This will help supercharge the opportunities and image of NIL for the Tigers as part of an arrangement with the Aflac Kickoff Game. In short, athletic director John Cohen stated that they will

More than a Language Many people form misconceptions about American Sign Language being directly formulated from the English language, but it’s actually its own language – and other countries have their own dialects. In recent years, as ASL has become a minor at Baylor and is now approved for a language credit, it’s seen a boost

School of Social Work Dean Steps Down Jon Singletary is stepping down from his position as dean of the Baylor University Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, effective October 15. Singletary served nine years as dean, leading the social work program into the top 25% of social work programs nationally. Provost Nancy Brickhouse stated

Football, Triumphs, Accolades & More Things are not looking too shabby after the Bears had a 42-7 win over Samford, holding a 2-1 record before the conference games start. Baylor is going up against Arizona State University tomorrow at 6:30 pm – their previous match up was in 1990 in Tempe, where the Sun Devils

AI is the powerhouse of the cell Imagine a world where artificial intelligence is used not only to help students with studying or to plan out vacations but also to advance the field of nutrition. In a recent review in the journal Cell Host & Microbe by Baylor researchers Dr. Leigh Greathouse, associate professor of

Sermon in Flight  Chaplains have served to meet the spiritual needs of the American military members since the Continental Congress established them in 1775. Chaplain Davis, Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Air Force, visited Baylor to speak during Turett Seminary’s Chapel Service. His message traced back to the legacy of Baylor’s Chaplain services, drawing

Baylor vs. BU  If you’ve ever wondered what Baylor’s logo might look like in red, here is your chance to find out. Boston University recently released a line of merchandise with a red interlocking “BU” in the middle. Baylor filed a lawsuit in Texas federal court on August 8 against Boston University for federal trademark

In Memoriam The Baylor community mourns the loss of two members: Provost Emeritus Donald D. Schmeltekop and alumnus, physician and former regent, Ronald L. Wilson, M.D. Ronald L. Wilson, M.D. (‘71), lived a life of caring for others in the Baylor and Waco community. He attended Southern Arkansas University on a basketball scholarship, before transferring

In Her Element  Baylor’s journey to becoming an R1 Institution spans decades. In fact, we recently published an article about Dr. Barry Hankins’ research on Baylor’s path to our current status and those who helped get us there. Speaking of people who helped get us there, Leila Romero, Ph.D. (B.S. ‘11),  an assistant professor of

Team USA Baylor basketball is already getting its reps in. With a whole new team under head coach Scott Drew, the Bears are in Germany to represent Team USA in the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. USA is one of 16 countries being represented in the men’s basketball competition. The Bears have remained undefeated

When in Rome  We have no words or “Non ho parole,” for one of the coolest discoveries Baylor has been a part of. Led by Davide Zori, Ph.D., Baylor’s principal investigator for San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project, a team of archaeologists found a rare, intact Etruscan chamber tomb outside of Rome. It is thought to

One Step Forward, Three Steps Back This week Baylor rescinded its acceptance of a $643,000 grant that would fund research on the inclusion of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals within the church. The University announced its acceptance of the grant in late June. NBC’s article on the return of the grant includes a statement from the

Off Broadway The Baylor New Play Initiative – a program that presents young playwrights with the opportunity to showcase their work and be awarded the $15,000 Kirk New Play Prize – makes its debut  on September 26. In addition to the readings, the festival will include a panel that creates the opportunity for playwrights to

Edgecombe on the Rise VJ Edgecombe has made Baylor men’s basketball history during the NBA Draft. Standing tall at just 6-foot-4, Edgecombe was No. 3 overall in the draft for the Philadelphia 76ers, which makes him the highest pick for the Baylor Bears. We will be the only program in the past five years to

Pro Mundo, New Meaning Baylor and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship this week announced a partnership responding to the decline in Baptist-identifying students over the years. The University over the years has become a ‘melting pot’ for Christian denominations and recently expanded its motto, “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana,” to include Pro Mundo, which means for the

Baylor tennis makes quite the racket Baylor women’s tennis received regional rewards from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Junior Na Dong earned Rookie of the Year – the first bear to do so since 2008! The newcomer made waves all season, finishing strong with a 15-match winning streak and proving she’s a force to watch.  Baylor

Tapestry of care Baylor, alongside The Congregational Collective of San Antonio and Harvard Medical school, received a $1.76 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation for a public-private partnership aimed to provide a “Tapestry of Care” for church congregations that find themselves on the front lines of the nation’s growing mental health crisis. Over the

University Business During the Baylor board of regents’ regular May meeting it voted on board and committee leadership, $14.9 million in renovations to the Ferrell Center, a $995.8 million operating budget for the 2025-2026 school year, and two new master’s degree programs.  Epps’ Emmy Deonte Epps (’13), a content associate working his dream job at

Refurbished Ferrell The board of regents will vote today on a potential remodel of the Ferrell Center, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. Though Baylor officials declined to comment prior to Friday’s vote, a newsletter from the Waco office of Associated General Contractors of America reported the work could include interior demolition, new interior walls, ceilings,

Ventriloquist visits Ventriloquist, stand-up comedian, and 1986 Baylor grad Jeff Dunham is bringing his Artificial Intelligence North American Tour to Foster Pavilion at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3. Dunham’s performance marks the next in a string of performances at the arena-turned-entertainment venue, following Forrest Frank, Lauren Daigle, and others. Tickets are on sale to

Ideas Worth Spreading Baylor will host its inaugural TEDxBaylor University event “Innovation in Deeds,” independently organized under a TED license, on Saturday, November 8. Speakers for the event will include Baylor faculty, staff, and students, as well as local community members, and will be selected by a curation committee. “Bringing TEDx to Waco and Baylor

Decade of Dominance Baylor acrobatics & tumbling this weekend won its 10th-straight NCATA National Championship, defeating No. 2 seeded Oregon in the final round. “This was not an easy championship to win, and I don’t want anyone to think that,” said coach Felecia Mulkey in a Baylor release. Mulkey won her first four national championships

Better News for Baylor Basketball The Baylor men’s basketball team is steadily rebuilding after losing every player from its roster following its March Madness run. The team’s newest addition is Andre Iguodala II, the son of four-time NBA champion of the same name. One of those lost from the roster was VJ Edgecombe, who this

Visas Revoked At least three Baylor students have had their student immigration status terminated in the government database known as SEVIS, according to a University press release and reported by Baptist News Global. Baylor is among a few faith-based private universities affected by the unannounced revocations, but the Associated Press reports “At least 901 students

Diadeloso This year Baylor students celebrated a tradition as old as time with a state fair-themed Diadeloso. Of course, there was goat yoga, lots of food trucks, something called Dia Del Catholic, and live music. This year also featured a concert from Joshua Bassett, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (yes, our social media

Baylor Spring Sports Sync Baseball – Baylor baseball currently holds a 20-8 overall record, 4-5 in Big 12 Conference play, heading into the weekend’s home series against Houston. The pro ball season is in full swing at my house (go Cardinals!), so I don’t always have time to watch college ball. However, writer Jerry Hill

Wrapping Up Baylor Basketball WOMEN’S – The Bears won their first match against Grand Canyon University on Friday at Foster Pavilion, ending the Lopes’ nation-leading 30-game winning streak. Unfortunately, their luck ran out on Saturday, falling 69-63 to Ole Miss in the second round and ending the Baylor women’s March Madness run.  Plus, hear about

We want to keep you up to date on the latest news around the Baylor bubble. This week, men’s and women’s basketball heads into March Madness, alumni musicians take center stage, and more.

Keeping Up with Baylor Basketball WOMEN’S – The No. 14 women’s team beat Iowa State in last Friday’s Big 12 championship quarterfinal. On Saturday, the Bears played Oklahoma State in the semifinal and avenged their loss earlier in the season, playing into overtime and beating the Cowgirls 84-74. Baylor suffered another loss to TCU in

We want to keep you up to date on the latest news around the Baylor bubble. This week, women’s basketball takes second seed in the Big 12 Championship, daylight saving time steals an hour, and more.

We want to keep you up to date on the latest news around the Baylor bubble. This week, Livingstone talks about DEI’s future, an expert covers the spread of measles in West Texas, and more.

Sing Season is Upon Us The smell of hairspray and stage makeup lingers in the air. The Stacy Riddle Forum becomes a battleground and costume party. Moody Library feels a little emptier than usual. Ah, Sing season. Shows started with club night on Thursday and will continue on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights through March

Alumni-Elected Baylor Regent Election Open Degree-holding alumni can cast their vote for an alumni member of the Baylor Board of Regents now until 5 p.m. on Feb. 18. If you are eligible to vote, you should have received credentials and a link to the ballot system via email. This year’s nominees include: Barbara Calhoun Cargill

Bears at the Grammys Baylor grad Forrest Frank (’17) was nominated for his first Grammy for his most recent album, “CHILD OF GOD,” in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album category. The album, released in July, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart, where it stayed for 13 weeks. Football fans may

Men’s Basketball The men’s team bolsters a winning record at the midpoint of the season. Most recently, it beat Utah for the second time time this season last Saturday, 71-61, but was defeated by BYU 89-93 in overtime this week. Superstar freshman VJ Edgecombe has proven his place among the greats this season, leading with 28