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, according to a Baylor Press Release. However, she will now depart from Baylor on July 31 and begin her new position at TSUS on September 15.
“Dr. Brickhouse joins the Texas State University System at a pivotal time of growth and transformation,” said Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall, according to a news release from TSUS. “Her exceptional experience as an academic leader, commitment to student success, and proven ability to advance academic excellence will be invaluable as TSUS continues to strengthen its institutions and serve more students across Texas.”
Groundbreaking Discoveries (literally — groundbreaking!)
A Baylor University-led archaeological team is making groundbreaking discoveries in central Italy. Less than a year after researchers with the San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project (SGARP) discovered an intact Etruscan chamber tomb, they uncovered a second one dating back to the late seventh century B.C. Having two intact tombs allows scholars to compare the artifacts and research burial traditions and belief systems in the Etruscan culture.
“These are the first intact tombs from this period in inland Etruria to be excavated using modern archaeological methods,” said Dr. Davide Zori, project director and principal investigator, professor of history and archaeology in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC)/Honors College. “Together, they give us a unique opportunity to study ritual practices, belief systems and the relationships the Etruscans at the inland site of San Giuliano had with neighboring communities in the interior of Etruria as well as along the Tyrrhenian coast during a period of tremendous cultural change at the end of the seventh century B.C.”
SGARP is an international collaboration between a Baylor University-led consortium of universities and Virgil Academy in Rome. The project began in 2016 and, over the course of the decade, the team has made significant advances in the field of archaeological study.
AI and K-12 — How can Baylor Research Help?
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing how students learn at critical stages of development. Researchers at Baylor have dedicated themselves to exploring how successful school leaders think about and implement AI in their classrooms.
Dr. William L. Sterrett, professor and chair of educational leadership in Baylor’s Moody School of Education, led a study on AI and student learning that was recently published in Frontiers in Education. Sterrett worked alongside Meredith A. Frey, a Ph.D. student in P-12 educational leadership at Baylor, and Jayson W. Richardson, Ph.D., professor of education at the William & Mary School of Education.
Baylor researchers interviewed nine recipients of the National Association of Secondary School Principals Digital Principal of the Year Award. These interviews helped the researchers understand how AI can be an asset in the classroom and how it may be detrimental to student success.
“The biggest mistake that we can make is to think that AI is just another technology fad or another technology initiative,” Sterrett said, according to a Baylor Press Release. “It is a leadership issue.” He adds, “Even as AI grows more advanced, the uniquely human work of schools makes thoughtful leadership, human judgment, and meaningful relationships even more important.”
New Dean for Research in Arts & Sciences
Dr. James Stamey has been announced as associate dean for research and strategic initiatives in the College of Arts & Sciences. His three-year term will begin August 15, 2026.
Stamey joined the Baylor faculty in 2005 and is currently a professor of statistical science. Since 2018, he has served as chair of the Department of Statistical Science.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to support the College’s research mission and to help sustain and strengthen Baylor’s growing research profile,” Stamey said, according to an article from the College of Arts & Sciences. “Our faculty have worked incredibly hard to build up Baylor’s research enterprise, and I hope to build on that momentum by being a resource for faculty across all of our disciplines. I’m especially excited to help faculty pursue the research they are passionate about while contributing to Baylor’s Christian mission.”
Welcoming Darren Yau to Great Texts
Dr. Darren Yau will be joining Baylor Honors College this fall as an assistant professor of Great Texts. Yau recently completed his doctorate at Princeton University, where his research focused on Christian theology, ethics, and political thought. His dissertation covered the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and offered a new interpretation of King’s ideas on nonviolence.
“I think Great Texts is a really exciting place to be right now in the modern university,” Yau said, according to an article from Baylor Honors College. “There’s such an evident enthusiasm for keeping this humanistic tradition alive by reading deeply, debating texts, and thinking about that as a good in itself. What excited me about Baylor was its generous vision of what counts as a great text and the opportunity to bring a diversity of perspectives into those conversations.”
Third Day to Visit Baylor
Third Day is joining the ever-growing list of A-list entertainment playing at Foster Pavilion. This April 2027, the GRAMMY Award-winning band will stop at Baylor on the final leg of its 30th Anniversary Tour.
Fans can expect a 2-hour career-spanning set list filled with songs that helped define Christian rock and worship music. Tickets are available to the general public on August 14, 2026, at 11 AM. Third Day will be joined by special guests Zach Williams, with Scout and the Saints opening each evening.
SHRM Honors Outstanding Baylor Chapter
The Baylor student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) was recently honored with the 2025-2026 Superior Merit Award. The award recognizes the chapter for its exceptional programming, professional development among students, and SHRM engagement.
“The members of our SHRM student chapters represent the next generation of HR leaders, and their passion, talent, and commitment are vital to the future of our profession,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President & CEO, SHRM according to an article from Hankamer School of Business. “The accomplishments of Baylor SHRM reflect the innovation, leadership, and dedication that will shape tomorrow’s workplaces. I applaud their success and ability to drive innovative programming, professional development, and a deeper interest in HR.”
Baylor Lawyer of the Year
Each year, Baylor Law School honors an alumnus who exemplifies exceptional achievement and leadership and whose dedication to Baylor has been unwavering. Stephen (Steve) C. Dillard, BA ’68, JD ’71, was honored as the 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year. Following his graduation, Dillard joined Fulbright & Jaworski, now Norton Rose Fulbright, and built a successful practice in complex commercial litigation.
“I’m deeply honored to be recognized as the 2026 Baylor Lawyer of the Year,” Dillard said, according to an article from Baylor Law. “My sincerest thanks go to the Law School and the Law Alumni Association for this honor. Baylor Law School changed my life and provided me with the best possible foundation for the practice of law. I am forever indebted to the Law School and am committed to repaying that debt for the benefit of future generations of Baylor Law students.”
Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year
Alongside the Baylor Lawyer of the Year award, the University also honors an alum under the age of 45 with the Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year Award. This award recognizes someone whose early career has been defined by significant professional excellence and a visible dedication to Baylor’s ideals. This year, Anna Greenberg, JD ‘14, was honored. Greenberg has built a practice dedicated to representing plaintiffs in complex personal injury, mass tort litigation, sexual assault, invasive recording, and corporate negligence cases.
“Baylor Law has been an important part of my family’s story, so receiving this recognition is especially meaningful. I am grateful for the foundation it gave me and for the values of integrity, service, and excellence that continue to guide me every day,” said Greenberg, according to an article from Baylor Law. “I hope my career reflects those values and the responsibility we have as lawyers to be a voice for others.”
Food as Medicine
This Baylor Alumna is doing important and lifesaving work at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Claire Gundlach, a nutrition sciences alumna, is a clinical dietitian who helps cancer patients understand how eating well can help the recovery process.
For Gundlach, this work is deeply personal. Her own father was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma when she was in high school. Through research, she was able to guide him towards healthy foods that helped him heal and recover in the remission process. This experience sparked an interest in nutrition, which she later pursued at Baylor.
“When patients come back to me in three to six months and explain how much better they feel and the miracles they experienced during their cancer journey thanks to their diet, health, and lifestyle changes, it gives me great purpose,” she said, according to an article from the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.
Dr. Foli to enter the Researcher Hall of Fame
Dr. Karen J. Foli, Louise Herrington Endowed Chair for Mental Health Nursing and tenured Professor at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON), was selected as one of 26 nurse researchers to be inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. Foli is recognized for her significant contributions in mental health and psychological trauma.
“I’m thrilled to receive this recognition! Being inducted into the Sigma International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame reflects many years of hard work and passion,” said Dr. Foli, according to an article from LHSON. “I practice nursing through mentorship, scholarship, and dissemination of novel findings that improve the lives of people and society. Being honored for practicing nursing as a researcher is humbling and incredibly meaningful. I’m especially grateful to the Louise Herrington School of Nursing and Baylor University.”
Baylor Libraries Hosts Texas Digital Humanities Symposium
The Baylor Libraries will host the Texas Digital Humanities Symposium this September from the 24th-25th. For the third year in a row, Baylor will be the meeting place for scholars, librarians, and humanities faculty to join together and explore the future of technology and humanities. This year will focus primarily on developing plans and paths forward amid a rapidly changing AI landscape.
Allyssa Guzman of the UT-Austin Libraries, the Assistant Director of Research & Scholarship, will be the keynote speaker — the first time a librarian has been selected for the keynote since the symposium’s establishment in 2024.
