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 to those on the registration list, Turning Point said they “strongly believed this is the wrong decision by school administrators.”
Andrew Kolvet, Turning Point spokesperson, tweeted, “Rather than supporting the Waco community and Baylor alumni, the university restricted entry for all non-students at our event tonight forcing us to tell 4,500 ticket holders not to come. Oh and the Southern Baptist school approved an LGBTQ counter-programming event after a bunch of progressive students complained. What gives, @Baylor?”
Baylor Vice President for Student Life, Dr. Sharra Hynes, released a statement saying, “The University was very clear with event organizers from the beginning that the event would be for students, faculty, and staff only, with the addition of 125 invited guests from the organizing group(s).”
According to the University, there were 438 people in attendance at the event.
Students Organize Alternative Event
In response to the Turning Point USA event hosted at Baylor on April 22, progressive student groups at Baylor came together to host an event titled All Are Neighbors.
The event featured Kelly Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President & CEO of Interfaith Alliance.
“With this gathering at the largest Baptist university in the world, we’re going to make clear that faith can and should be a force of love, tolerance, moral courage, and solidarity against discrimination and fear,” said Interfaith Alliance president and CEO Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, according to an article from Interfaith Alliance. “Virtually every faith tradition calls on its adherents to love their neighbors, and that message is resonating powerfully with young people at Baylor and beyond.”
There were 270 people in attendance at the event.
BGCT To Review Relationship with Baylor
The Baptist General Convention of Texas released a statement on April 10th in response to the “All Are Neighbors” event hosted at Baylor University. In the statement, they said they were aware of the event and were hearing “strong concerns from members of the Texas Baptist family” that the event was out of line with a biblical understanding of human sexuality.
“As executive director, I agree that hosting speakers who are Christian, identify as gay, and practice LGBTQ+ advocacy at a university-approved event is inconsistent with the convention’s long-standing views on biblical sexuality,” BGCT Executive Director Julio Guarneri said in a letter to BGCT churches on Friday, according to reporting from Religious News Service. “It is likely that the viewpoints to be shared at this event and others may not represent either BGCT’s or Baylor’s official positions, and convention messengers have made it clear that the traditional view of biblical sexuality is a matter of fellowship and harmonious cooperation.”
Shortly after the statement was released, the BGCT announced it would launch a study investigating its relationship with Baylor. Baptist News Global reports that the BGCT contributes only 0.001% of Baylor’s budget and controls 25% of the board.
New Endowed Chair at Truett
Paul E. Putz, PhD, director of the Faith & Sports Institute and program director of the Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies, was named assistant professor of Christianity and Sports at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He will also take up the Harold and Dottie Riley Chair and serve as the director of the Sports Chaplaincy and Ministry Program.
“I know from firsthand experience that Truett is a special place. It is truly an honor to join the faculty and to serve our students in this new way alongside a world-class group of scholars who care deeply about the Church,” said Putz, according to an article from Baylor. “I believe sports occupy a unique place in our society, presenting both challenges and opportunities for Christians to love God, serve our neighbors, and develop to our fullest potential. I am grateful for the opportunity to take this next step in my academic career and to more fully connect the study of sports and Christianity with all that Truett and Baylor has to offer.”
FitCheck
Baylor University’s Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation hosted its annual FitCheck – a health assessment staffed by undergraduate Exercise Physiology students. The assessment includes bloodwork, a DXA scan, pulmonary function tests, an exercise test, and a flexibility evaluation. All participants are mailed their results along with a personalized exercise plan. These tests are offered to the Waco community at a significantly reduced cost.
“If you were to do all these different tests at the hospital today, it could cost anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000. We’re doing it for $50,” said Brent Dragoo, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, according to an article from Baylor.
Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame
Dr. Karen J. Foli, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, Louise Herrington Endowed Chair for Mental Health Nursing and Tenured Professor at the LHSON, was recently selected as one of 26 nurse researchers to be invited into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society (SIGMA) International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
The award honors Foli for her impact on advancing nursing science globally. She is recognized for her work in parent mental health, psychological trauma, and the lived experiences of vulnerable populations.
2026 Browning Day Celebration
The 2026 Browning Day Celebration hosted at the Armstrong Browning Library & Museum will include a performance from Associate Professor of Voice, Charles W. Evans Chair in Voice, and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Dr. Jamie Van Eyck, and her students from the Baylor School of Music. The event is free and open to the public.
“I’m excited for our Browning Day audience to experience the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning as it resonates far beyond the printed page,” said Eyck, according to an article from Baylor. “Guests will hear how the Brownings’ vivid imagery and expressive language inspired song composers across generations.”
