Latest

Over the Judge’s Shoulder . . .

In observance of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we remember his life, legacy, and impact with a classic article from our May-June 1968 issue.

Baylor Line Newsletters

Stay up-to-date on all things related to the Baylor Family (on your terms). 

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.

Cotton Bowl Blues

Editor’s Note: For now over 75 years, Baylor Line has been publishing vivid storytelling from across the Baylor Family. I don’t

The Baylor Line Magazine Is Back: An Editor’s Note for our Winter 2024 issue

For the first time in two years, “The Baylor Line” is back with a brand new magazine. This issue, called The Big Picture, features some of our favorite stories of 2024. Much like our own lives, this magazine is riddled with new beginnings, a few endings, and all the little things that make up the middle — The Big Picture. We hope you’ll join us as we embark on a new journey, telling stories for every Baylor grad with coverage beyond campus.

Baylor Buildings

New buildings like the Baylor Science Building and Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation show the growth of

Whisky in Waco: Balcones Distillery

Texas whisky was not a thing before Balcones, as improbable as that may sound. It certainly still feels odd to Jared Himstedt. “It’s kind of a funny deal when you think of the stereotypes of the South and the Old West and cattle driving,” Himstedt said. “You just think there was a lot of whisky, right? So the fact that there wasn’t anybody doing whisky in Texas when we got started… How the heck? That’s crazy.” 

A Marriage of True Minds

Theirs was a love story for the ages with all the passion and intrigue of a Victorian-era romance — a courtship that included 573 love letters and a secret marriage at St. Marylebone Church in London on September 12, 1846, over her tyrannical father’s objections. He later disinherited her, and she never saw him again after she and her husband started a new life in Italy, where their son was born three years later. His given name was Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning, but they called him Pen. Though inseparable during their lifetimes, the lovers are buried nearly a thousand miles apart: Elizabeth in the Protestant Cemetery in Florence and Robert in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, London. Six years his senior, Elizabeth was just 55 when she died in her husband’s arms at their home in Florence of chronic lung disease. Father and son moved back to London where Browning established himself as a leading literary figure. He never married again, nor did he visit Florence after his wife’s death. Then in 1889 while visiting Pen at his home in Venice, Browning died of natural causes. He was 77 years old.

It Begins with a Ring

Walter Davis Gernand was born February 15, 1917, in Beaumont, Texas, the youngest of the three sons of Clarence A.

Coming Home to Waco

There’s no doubt Baylor alumni and families heading to Waco for the 2024 homecoming celebration are practicing their sic ‘ems and bear claws this week. They may even be looking to bump the fun up a notch by exploring Waco and its many offerings, both new and familiar. …

Baylor Homecoming Guide: Football, Traditions, & Parade

Though many institutions make claims and battle for the title of “First Ever Homecoming,” our very own Baylor University celebrated the official first collegiate homecoming with the Thanksgiving football game and parade in 1909. The event has morphed since its inception 115 years ago, but one thing remains true – homecoming serves to reunite the community and welcome Baylor alumni home. Whether you’re a seasoned Baylor Homecoming veteran (you know the best place to see the parade, you’ve packed your lawn chair, and you know the nearest place to find a Dr Pepper Float) or you’re a first-timer, our guide has you covered for an exciting homecoming weekend Oct. 24-26. 

How Do You Measure A Year (In Student Housing)? | The Cost of College: Rent Edition

For almost 30 percent of the student population of Baylor University, the campus is not only where they learn but also where they live. First-year students are required to live on-campus for their first two semesters. “It’s a big part of our campus culture and student life experience,” said Jeremy Vickers, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Economic Development at Baylor. “Living on campus helps them to get grounded in the academic environment, to build relationships with peers, and we can provide a significant amount of support systems for students.” Baylor has 16 residence halls on campus. The rates are per semester and range from $3,850 for a shared double room to $6,100 for the best single rooms. The buildings on campus are built in a Georgian style, and almost a decade ago a renovation plan began. South Russell Hall was completed in 2014, North Russell Hall in 2015, Penland Hall in 2016, and Martin Hall in 2017.

The Purpose Driven Life

Why am I here? What was I made to do? Existential questions to be sure and ones that many students grapple with during their college years. In his experience as Assistant Director for Pastoral Care, Tyler Conway has found that students at Baylor have “a desire to connect with God or a community of people to find a sense of meaning and belonging,” and as an unapologetically Christian university, Baylor strives to help them make those connections. “There is a beautiful tapestry of ministers, staff and students whose dedication enhances the spiritual environment at Baylor and that ultimately has resulted in increasing numbers of church attendance,” said Charles Ramsey, Ph.D., Associate Chaplain, Director of Campus Ministries & Church Connections. “Can we track the numbers of students in church? Not yet. But from what we see and hear, there is a vibrancy of faith in our Baylor community, and this is translating into increased Christian commitment and church participation.”

Remembering Carroll Dawson

Carroll “CD” Dawson, former Baylor men’s basketball player and coach and Houston Rockets general manager, died on September 9 at

State Rep. Jeff Leach (’05) Talks Criminal Justice Reform At Texas Tribune Festival

Leach spoke on a panel Friday morning at Texas Tribune Festival titled “Criminal Justice and the 89th Legislature” with his colleague State Representative Joe Moody, a Democrat from Texas’ West-most district in El Paso. The pair discussed their efforts to initiate further criminal justice reform in the State of Texas. Though Leach and Moody caucus in opposite parties, Leach said, “In the Texas House, we don’t have to hate each other. . . . There are a lot of things we can work together on.”

Baylor Line MAgazine

With 75 years of storytelling under its belt, the award winning Baylor Line Magazine is now available digitally. Choose your subscription to Baylor Line today to get unlimited digital access to new and archived issues or traditional annual print access.