I always tell people my mom brainwashed me into going to Baylor. The home screens on our computers were always Baylor athletics, even before RG3, which I believe proves we’re real Baylor fans. She only gave me green and gold bath towels growing up, and every time I got college recruitment letters, she always put the Baylor letters on top. My Baylor legacy roots run deep — my Granddad, my dad’s sister, his brother-in-law and other family members all attended Baylor. My grandmother attended Baylor and my great grandmother was even a dorm mom for Memorial. My dad opted to go the musician route and attend guitar school in California, so naturally, he had to to marry a Baylor student (my mom, Marnie ’88) so he could still be a part of the family.
Baylor has been a blessing in my life. I have grown and matured in ways I never would’ve imagined. I remember being so nervous just to ask the Penland food server if I could have a second helping of mashed potatoes my freshman year. This fall, my junior year, a guy stopped me on the way to class the first week of school and said, “Excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me where Draper is?” To which I responded, “it’s right there, hon” and pointed. I look back to the timid me I was before college and smaile because I know that Baylor has been essential to both my educational and personal growth — how I view life and people and have joy and passion.
From religion class, I have learned the background to my faith and been able to firmly ground my faith in Jesus Christ. From singing in Baylor’s Heavenly Voices, I have worshipped with the students around me and hopefully blessed others in the process. I have stepped out of my comfort zone when my nutritional education class required I go meet with a senior citizen one-on-one to address his nutritional needs. I have de-stressed by going to the SLC and shooting baskets and playing in pickup games when the boys are so kind as to let me. I have played and laughed and been a part of the community of Waco in attending Jubilee theater productions and the local farmer’s market. I feel like Waco is where I belong when I walk into U-Swirl to get froyo and see a group of women from Church UnderTheBridge happy to interrupt their Bible study for a moment to say “hi” and ask me how I’ve been since they saw me last Sunday. I feel excited when I walk into an athletic event and feel the energy of the fans and students rallying around our team. I have loved the volunteer opportunities Baylor has provided, from packing lunches to Steppin’ Out to getting to provide a potluck meal for the Christian Women’s Job Corps to leading devotionals at the My Brother’s Keeper homeless shelter.
Baylor means so much to me. It means friends who surprise me with sticky notes on the front door of my apartment. It means working in the Baylor Business School as a receptionist and getting to decorate the birthday bulletin board for the faculty each month. It means riding the cute trolley to the Baylor Social Work and taking their escalator up to my Human Behavior and Social Environment class every Tuesday and Thursday because those are some fun rides, people. Baylor means I make way too many bear-related puns like “I’m bear-y happy to see you” and “Isn’t the new stadium “Oso” nice?”
But most important, Baylor means family. A family that includes my Baylor legacy and that includes my Granddad who took many a class in Hankamer. Family includes my freshman roommate and a hall mate who are now my very best friends who have filled my life with so many giggles and baking projects. Family includes my Spanish study group, sweet Dr. Weems, a caring Dr. Myers, and the Pi Phis next door. Family not only includes my parents, who are so supportive of me going to Baylor and are paying my way, but my sister who I get to brainwash when she comes to sibling weekend. Even my dog from home loves to come to Waco and sniff every sidewalk on campus. And that, to me, is priceless. Thank you, alumni, thank you for doing all you do, and giving all you give, and being positive influences that are allowing students like me to make Baylor my family. I am bear-y grateful.
Sincerely,
Amy Stone ’16
The Baylor Alumni Association has distributed more than $212,000 to 55 deserving Baylor legacy students since the Fall Semester of 2011, including $27,000+ to 42 students this year. In this segment in a continuing series, we bring you Amy Stone’s story — in part to remind you how terrific — and appreciative — our current crops of Bears are, in part to rekindle some memories and bring a smile to your face, and in part to encourage you to contribute to this important program. Your donation will help us continue to offer this program — hopefully with larger amounts. If you’d like to donate, please click here.
