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 […]
Anna Dunbar (B.S. ‘78) spent more than four decades helping people care for the environment. Whether through recycling initiatives, stormwater education, or community outreach, she believed environmental stewardship wasn’t about asking people to do more but rather about making it easier to do the right thing. Her philosophy came into focus during a conversation with
Dr. Sarah Walden never planned on being a professor. In fact, she considered a career in the medical field, marketing, or law, before she ultimately landed on academia. “My parents were both professors and I was just kind of rebellious in the way that I just was not going to do what my parents did,”
Throughout her undergraduate years at Morehead State University, Dr. Lenore Wright repeatedly found herself asking one question: “Where are the women?” She was the only female philosophy major, had no female philosophy professors, and read works almost exclusively by male philosophers. “It was just me and the guys, all the time, in every class, and
The landmark 1927 musical Show Boat, which was based on the novel by Edna Ferber, was groundbreaking for its time, tackling controversial social issues like racial prejudice, miscegenation (interracial marriage), the struggles of marginalized workers, and the societal limitations experienced by women. For nearly a century, large flat-bottomed showboats traveled the inland waterways of the
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 »
Dr. Craig Gundersen is one of the country’s leading food security researchers. He is the Snee Family Endowed Chair and a professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University. Before coming to Baylor, he was ACES Distinguished Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois, held positions Iowa
In Conversation with Food Insecurity Expert Dr. Craig Gundersen Read More »
It was the events of December 24, 1944, that Rufus Buin Spain, a then-21-year-old Army soldier from Pickens County, Alabama, recalled as most impressive from his time in World War II. That Christmas Eve, the Belgian vessel SS Leopoldville, hastily loaded with materials and reinforcements for the Battle of the Bulge, had been torpedoed by
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
Hall of Fame coach Clyde Hart’s accomplishments are well-documented. Coach to Olympic 400-meter champions Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner, and Sanya Richards-Ross, he also produced 34 NCAA champions and 566 NCAA All-Americans over the course of his 56-year career. A career highlight was being selected as men’s assistant coach for the 2000 Olympic Track & Field
If you’ve ever wondered why social media feels so crazy — with all the new ways we use language, storytelling, images, and tone to shape the way others think and feel — imagine how scholars studying online rhetoric must feel. “It is crazy,” said Dr. Sarah Walden, associate professor of rhetoric in the Baylor Interdisciplinary
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 »
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
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 »
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
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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
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 »
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
If you live in Texas, you’re probably familiar with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, located in Fort Davis. It’s one of the largest optical telescopes in the world. However, being based on Earth means the views are limited by the atmosphere, which not only blocks specific wavelengths of light but is also composed of shifting pockets of
To say that Nellie and Miriam Buck were Baylor and Waco’s answer to Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan is to over-state the fact – but just barely. Few people of any era have overcome more and achieved more than the indomitable Buck sisters. Civil War veteran and lawyer Giddings Judson Buck and his with Mary
In his lifetime, Pompeo Coppini was recognized as a talented artist, both popular and successful,” according to Dr. Rick McCaslin, director of publications at the Texas State Historical Association, and former professor of history at the University of North Texas. “But I’ve seen several newspaper headlines that referred to him as a Confederate sculptor,” he
Pompeo Luigi Coppini: The Most Famous Texas Sculptor You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Read More »
Greg Davis (‘92) thinks there’s a meaningful moment of time between when you wake up and when you’re actually awake. “[It’s] right before you open your eyes. . . You wake up and then you open your eyes. But it’s brief. It’s little. It’s a sliver,” he explained. This sliver of space between waking up
Baylor University’s legacy of filmmakers, screenwriters, playwrights, and actors is uncommonly rich and varied – John Lee Hancock, Kevin Reynolds, Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, Robert Askins, Mark Olsen, Carole “Cookie” Cook, Geoff Moore, Jordan Hearne, Maree Cheatham, Angela Kinsley, Clu Gulager, and so many others – but few have had a more intriguing path than
On visits to Chicago when she was growing up, Dr. Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley watched Jeopardy! with her grandmother. Even then, she was pretty good at answering questions. “My forte was literature, pop culture, TV, and anything food-related,” she said. Sports, not so much, but as the daughter of a former minister, she knows her Bible. “There
Senior lecturer of piano Dr. Bradley Bolen admits he was hesitant when Dr. John Ferguson, founder and executive director of American Voices, called him in 2009 to do some teaching in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. “I didn’t think anyone in Iraq would care about the arts because they’d been through so much tragedy,” he said,
If you live in Waco, you’ve likely seen Rod Aydelotte (’77) and his camera: maybe at the dedication of tiny homes for the homeless; or the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the courthouse; or any protest, parade, art festival, high school clothing drive, or amid the frenzy of a breaking news story or
As any good clinical psychologist knows, the seeds of who a person will become are planted early on in life. Dr. Francesca Penner, an assistant professor in Baylor’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, is well known for her work with parents and children — mostly researching the connection between parental mental health and children’s socio-emotional development.
A Look Inside Dr. Francesca Penner’s Lab at Baylor Read More »
As final exams and the rush to start packing to go home approach, Baylor students often forget how chaotic move-out week is. You know the scene – dumpsters fill throughout the Baylor student housing bubble as students toss out perfectly usable clothes, appliances, and furniture in lieu of packing them up to take home. Two business
Skye Perryman was a sophomore at Baylor University, working toward a bachelor’s degree in economics and philosophy, when, early on the morning of September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Seventeen minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. Her experiences on that
How Skye Perryman Rose from Baylor to Become a Defender of Democracy Read More »
For David Corkill, Waco was a metropolis. He grew up in La Grange, Texas, a town of 4,000 people roughly halfway between San Antonio and Houston. When it was time to go to college, many of his classmates went to the big cities. He chose Baylor and fell in love right away. “I like to
David Corkill: The Impresario Behind Waco’s New Performing Arts Center Read More »
Some may look at the Baylor Sciences Building and just see classrooms. Some may look at a professor and only think of them as a teacher. But when you look closer, you’ll see the heart of Baylor’s mission. Inside the BSB, professors and students are engaged in groundbreaking research with the power to change lives.
Beyond the BSB: A Look at Baylor’s Groundbreaking Cancer Research Read More »
Amjad Dabi was studying civil engineering in Damascus, Syria, when he met Dr. Bradley Bolen, who teaches piano at Baylor University, in the summer of 2010. As part of American Voices, a nonprofit cultural and diplomacy organization founded in 1993, Dr. Bolen spent six weeks in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon teaching piano to people who
In early 2024, Baylor Provost Dr. Nancy Brickhouse invited Dr. Barry Hankins to document the history of Baylor’s 30-year transformation into a R1 research university. “She wanted me to write a book about how Baylor grew into one of the best research universities in the country, while it became even more intentional about its Christian
It was his grandmother–his protector and inspiration–who inspired Dr. Dennis Myers to pursue a calling to work in the field of social work and gerontology. Now, after 43 years of service to Baylor University, Dr. Myers is retiring, starting a new chapter in his life and leaving behind a legacy that future generations of students
Dr. Dennis Myers: Gerontology’s Greatest on a Career that Aged Well Read More »
Baylor University has had a live bear mascot since 1917 when a Camp McArthur soldier allowed students to parade Ted, often called Bruin, across the football field during games. Then in 1981, the first costumed bear mascot, sponsored by Wendy’s, made his debut at a Baylor basketball game. Andy Spencer (’87) was the last Wendy’s
This story was originally published by The Baylor Line in 2020 as an e-book. My wife Mary and I encountered Dr. Robert C. Cloud right before a conference at Baylor. We’re both big fans of “RCC”; Mary considers him to be her mentor. As modest as ever, the whippet-thin man who was once the youngest
A legend at Baylor, Missy Yeary Wells (‘88) served as director of Student Foundation from 1989 to 1997. Beloved by everyone who knew her, Missy’s death at 59 on February 4, 2025, was sudden and unexpected. Her husband Steve (’90, M.Div. ’97, D.Min. ‘03), a regent at Baylor and pastor at South Main Baptist Church
A Foundation for Success: Remembering Missy Wells Read More »
You don’t let life happen; you make it happen. These simple words seem to have reverberated in Melissa Lasater’s head for the past several decades. When she was just a little girl growing up in New Braunfels, her grandmother was everything to her: A role model, a friend, and in this case, a sage bearer
In its long history, who was Baylor’s first senior professor? Dorothy Scarborough? A. J. Armstrong? Paul Baker? Daniel Sternberg? Glenn Capp? Cornelia Marschall Smith? It was Dr. Luther Weeks Courtney, who taught in the English department for nearly 40 years. In 1954, President W.R. White conferred the newly created title of “Distinguished Professor” on Courtney
For many people, it takes years, decades even, to figure out what they want to do with their life. For most people. Baylor acrobatics and tumbling legend Kiara Nowlin does not fit this mold.
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
The Untold Story of Baylor’s Ultimate Cheerleader Read More »
“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.”
The Colorful Past and Vibrant Future of Art Center Waco Read More »
Aenard “Ann” Compton left a remarkably small footprint during her life, much less during her time in Waco. Even so meticulous a researcher as Frank Jasek, who spent more than 11 years assembling his book, Soldiers of the Wooden Cross: Military Memorials, could only find a few facts about Compton. Jasek’s ambitious, beautiful book is
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.
Preparing Baylor Students for a Multiracial, Multiethnic World Read More »
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.
During their brief tenure in Waco, artist Reynold Arnould and his wife, novelist and art critic Martha, were the most famous faculty members at Baylor University – and almost certainly the most glamorous. The Arnoulds brought international attention to the campus before the siren call of Paris eventually, perhaps inevitably, lured them back home. But
The story of William Martin “Clu” Gulager’s journey, from tiny Holdenville, Okla., to becoming a star of beloved television series like The Virginian and films like The Killers and The Last Picture Show, would make a rip-snorting good movie itself. The son of vaudevillian/Broadway actor John Delancy Gulager, who left the stage to become a
From Shakespeare to Shoot-em-Ups: The Remarkable 70-Year Career of Clu Gulager Read More »
He first pulled up to Brooks Hall on move-in day in 1956, behind the wheel of a brand-new, red and white Chevrolet station wagon. His name was Kenneth Reuben Durham, he’d driven five hours from his Panhandle hometown of Tahoka, and he was beaming. There was nowhere he’d have rather been at that moment. From
For a time in the 1950s, Baylor graduate John Paul Stapp was the holder of the land speed record and was as famous as Col. Chuck Yeager. Once featured on the cover of Time magazine, Stapp is considered the “Father of the Seat Belt” in the United States and is even credited with coining one
Col. John Paul Stapp: There Was Much More Than Speed to the Fastest Man on Earth Read More »
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.
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.
Shaping Minds to Sharing Stories: A Professor’s New Journey Read More »
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.
Her Name Was Cindy Campbell Brown. She Died In 1995. And It’s Time You Knew Her Story. Read More »
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Lord’s provision in the midst of difficulty: Jacob Duffer Read More »
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.
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.
With a passion for learning and a yearning for teaching, Emily Blackwell (’22), won the 2022 National Student Teacher of the Year award for her work within the classroom as a senior intern. She now works as a first-grade teacher at Brentfield Elementary in Richardson ISD. “In about March, I got an email from
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.
Recognized 20 Years Apart, These Two Bears Are On A Mission Read More »
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
Originally from Missouri, she has two siblings: a brother and an identical twin sister. In high school, Grace was very involved in organizations (student council, FCA, prom committee, VP) and sports (golf, basketball, soccer). She had success in writing throughout high school by winning essay contests; this made her want to major in Journalism. Grace,
Meet Grafton Craighead. Growing up, she was no stranger to Baylor University. Baylor is a family tradition for Grafton; both of her parents attended Baylor, and her older brother graduated from Baylor this past year. Both Grafton and her identical twin sister are undergraduate students at Baylor, planning to graduate in 2025. Originally from Jefferson
A Student’s Journey from Injury to Passion: Grafton Craighead Read More »
Dylan grew up in Parker, Texas. With many family members attending Baylor, Dylan knew it was pretty clear that he would at least be considering Baylor. What motivated his final decision, though, was his acceptance into the Baylor Business Fellows program. Dylan has been a Baylor sports superfan since he was young, but he
Alexandra Laurence fell in love with college football at an early age. She grew up going to games and cheering on the Bears. As a fourth generation Baylor Bear with multiple relatives playing on the Baylor football team, it was easy for Alexandra to want to be a part of it all. Over the
A senior interior design major from White Oak, Anna Dusek, chose Baylor before she chose her major. As a fourth generation bear, Anna says that she never felt pressure from her family to attend Baylor; they just simply showed her the kind of experience she could have that they had experienced themselves. Anna first
Corbevax, a low-cost coronavirus vaccine created in Houston by two Baylor scientists, could be a better weapon against Covid-19 by reaching the unvaccinated in poorer countries.
Since moving to Corpus Christi in 2020, Robert Morales and his wife have discovered that they love being on the water. The couple own a small pontoon, and when the weather is right, they’ll set sail in the bay near their home. “The cool thing is that when you’re out there, you get to see
Robert Morales is Looking for Small Miracles in Life Read More »
During Welcome Week at the start of her freshman year, Karen Jones remembers hearing a speaker talk to the eager new Baylor Bears about striving for balance. “They spoke about finding balance in your physical, spiritual, and mental self,” she says. “I have thought back on that many times over the years.” When she’s felt
J. Andrew Rice – the full moniker of the Baylor alum and Baylor Line supporter who goes by “J” – is a guy who appreciates the gifts of life. “Life is mysterious,” Rice says. “But you begin to know that there’s some order to the universe. It’s an adventure to find that out as you
Judge McCall was president when I arrived at Baylor in 1972. I never spoke to him, though the door to his office in Pat Neff Hall was always open. I never attended one of his weekly “open” lunches at the old snack bar in the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. But like every
Students from around the world will attend an international environmental science meeting over spring break, run “by students, for students” to present their research and collaborate. The 9th Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Young Environmental Scientists (YES) Meeting is being organized by three Baylor environmental science students: Oviedo, Florida Ph.D. student Bekah Burket,
Miriam Laeky, an Allen senior, used to not have an interest in politics, but after the presidential election in 2016, she knew she had to step up. So she decided to run for county commissioner. Her parents are both immigrants who came to America to escape their government and civil war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Miriam Laeky is focused on more than just midterms Read More »
“Jakey? Jackie? What does this say?” Rosie asked. “Jakey? No, it’s Jackie,” Belinda said with a laugh. “Jackie!” Rosie called to the waiting customers between chuckles. Rosie Garcia and Belinda Olivares are two supervisors at the Starbucks in Moody Memorial Library. But they are known all around campus. Rosie and Belinda’s gentle smiles, familiar laughs,
Coffee, customers, and family: Baylor’s best baristas Read More »
Guys talk about sports and girls talk about boys. Some things about college culture are the same wherever you go – even 7,000 miles away. “College students make some incredible cross-cultural missionaries. You could take a college student and drop them on a campus almost anywhere and the country’s culture might be different but it’s
Why in the World: CRU flies students to Asia in 2020 Read More »
You never know who your boss might be. Often times students think their future boss is off in another city — a distant stranger. But what if you have already met them? What if you see them every day? During a panel discussion, Baylor alumni discussed the full-time jobs they received based on connections made
They met freshman year, at the beginning of 2010, in Kevin Dougherty’s sociology class. Dougherty referred to his classroom as “the neighborhood” and would have the students switch seats for the first few weeks so that they could get to know each other, Lauren Lara (’13) explained. “And so then I met Carlos. And the
As a full-time student, balancing schoolwork, social life and extracurriculars is hard enough. But creating, owning and growing a company adds another level of complexity and adventure to a student’s life. Baylor’s 1846 Business Incubator has “the goal of helping student entrepreneurs develop feasible, sustainable and profitable businesses,” its website says. The Incubator accepts a
Businesses in the Making: Baylor’s 1846 Incubator Program Read More »
Families burdened with bags full of home décor rush past Bobby. Less than a hundred feet away from the Magnolia Silos, Bobby receives little more than a passing glance as tourists move past, many avoiding eye contact completely. It appears as if some sort of barrier separates Bobby from the crowds surrounding him. Commonly referred
Maybe one conversation can burst the Baylor bubble Read More »
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjGnvjqpQvo[/embedyt] Video by Olivia Bragg It’s not every day that two American black bears have a university-wide birthday party. Lady and Joy turned 18 and 19 this week, the same weekend as the university they mascot for turned 175. And to celebrate, Baylor threw a party with ice cream, photo ops and free shirts.
Dr. D.M. Edwards has been consecutively donating to Baylor longer than some current students’ parents were alive. Since 1974, Edwards’ scholarships have totaled over $1 million to help students in various fields — athletes, legacies, library interns, the school of music, nursing and students from Smith County. Fittingly, he was named Philanthropist of the Year.
Million-Dollar Alumni: Dr. D.M. Edwards wins Philanthropist of the Year Read More »
The abandoned building that housed Waco Community Baptist Church was a glorified antique decoration, infested with rats. But that didn’t stop Danielle and Travis Young from transforming it into a hip new eatery. Snugly situated on Elm Avenue in East Waco and surrounded by buildings that seem untouched in many years, lies Revival Eastside Eatery.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxLF2XAAeWQ[/embedyt] Video and photo by Olivia Bragg. I don’t like Christmas music. My friends tease me about it, but I only like three songs: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” by Penny and Sparrow, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Michael Bublé and Idina
Full Circle: Christmas at the Silos freshman to senior year Read More »
When Jim Bryson got fired from his marketing research job two years after he graduated Baylor (’83), he didn’t know what he’d do. But he couldn’t have guessed that 33 years later, he would be married with four kids – three adopted from Russia and one that doctors told him would be impossible. Or that
Parenting and Poverty: Highs and lows with Jim Bryson Read More »
Everyone has a box of keepsakes. Sweet notes. Old pictures. Sentimental cards. Baylor graduates Jon Mark and Michelle Buckner aim to take the sentiment one step further withopening their stationary store and custom letterpress studio. Upon returning to Waco in 2018, the couple opened shop on a quaint little corner off Franklin Avenue. The bright
Creativity & Hospitality: Waco welcomes January Letterpress Read More »
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mnrHozz2g[/embedyt] Sometimes God helps the stupid. Denitia Blount’s business is more than a local Waco juice store. It’s a ministry. Oh My Juice (OMJ) was birthed out of a car crash, pain and sickness. Following a back-fusion surgery, a minor accident threw Blount into pain every day for five years. “I never experienced
From Pain to Pineapples: How Denitia Blount pioneered Oh My Juice Read More »
Yes, Quidditch, the sport from the book and movie series Harry Potter. Club sports provide a route for athletic students to engage in the Baylor community in competition with each other and schools from around the country. The clubs range from familiar to foreign sports. But one club team on Baylor’s campus shines in its
House Games: An inside look at Baylor’s Quidditch team Read More »
Strolling down Austin Avenue, you can’t help but notice the neon sign that reads “cookies” and the sweet smell that quickly follows. Hanna Austin, a second semester junior at Baylor University, opened shop last summer when her original cookie recipe took Waco by storm. Bittersweet was founded from the quest to create the perfect chocolate
Waco, Texas is known for a few things: A massive cult siege in the 1990’s, a wildly popular home improvement show on HGTV, and Baylor University. Driving around Waco, you see little to do with the first, and a lot to do with the second two. “Fixer Upper” is a show in which the undeniably
The Real Fixer Upper: How Matt Rhule Resurrected Baylor Football Read More »
In 2017, Julie Copenhaver quit her stable job working at Baylor and decided to travel the world. She purchased a storage shed and packed up her life in Waco, the place she had called home since college, and traded in her life for a dream many would find daunting. The seed was planted at a
Trust The Net: How Julie Copenhaver quit her job to photograph the world Read More »
At the whiteboard, Jon is demanding answers. Six months ago, he came up with an idea: to tell the untold stories of Baylor, using a podcast. In the time that followed, Jonathon Platt, currently a journalism graduate student at Baylor, developed a team for this pursuit. I joined Behind The Bear in February 2017 as
New Podcast Introduces Grads To A Baylor They Never Knew Read More »
BAYLOR JUSTIFIABLY TAKES PRIDE IN THE QUALITY OF ITS TEACHERS. So we built a list of 26 Baylor professors who have been granted Master Teacher status by the university, 23 professors who were chosen to win the Collins Award by the senior class, and nine winners of the Cornelia Marschall Smith Award. Individual departments and
