Certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing
For Baylor students who are interested in pursuing a career in publishing, the Department of English is introducing an exciting new certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing.
The 12 hours of required coursework will include two of three upper-level English courses: Literary Editing and Publishing, Editing and Publishing, and Publishing the Literary Magazine. Three additional hours will come from completing a creative writing course, and the final three require completing a practical training.
“It would be a great thing for creative writers who are wondering if they can make it in that field. Taking our creative writing and publishing classes will help them not only encounter more beautiful pieces of art, but make decisions about why it is art and why it is good,” said Ginger Hanchey, Ph.D., senior lecturer in English and director of literature and creative writing in the Department of English, according to an article from the College of Arts & Sciences. “The certificate pairs well with students who want to go into a creative writing field later and possibly earn a Master of Fine Arts or do a thesis. It should also fit with students who aren’t English majors, but who want to be involved in some way with literature and exercise that part of their creative minds.”
Alongside the new certification, the department is launching a new international literary magazine – the Independence Literary Review.
The Baylor New Play Initiative
Baylor University Theater announced that the Baylor New Play Initiative call for submissions for the 2027 Playwrights Festival in April garnered 865 entries.
The program was formed in collaboration with 13 theaters across Texas. Four finalists will have the opportunity to stage professional readings of their plays, and one will be awarded the $15,000 Kirk New Play Prize.
“We are discovering a wealth of bold new works, creative energy, fresh voices and innovative storytelling,” said Carla Neuss, Ph.D., BNPI Co-chair and assistant professor of theatre, according to a Baylor Press Release.
Endowed Chair in American Literature
A generous donation from John T. Williams, B.B.A. ’67, of Baltimore, Maryland, will establish The Virginia and Tom Williams Endowed Chair in American Literature within the Department of English in the College of Arts & Sciences.
“Baylor University is truly grateful for John Williams’ generous gift, which honors his family’s Baylor history while helping to support generations of future Baylor alumni and the faculty who will mentor, instruct and inspire them,” said President Linda Livingstone, Ph.D according to a Baylor press release. “Baylor University has a commitment to teaching a liberal arts education that prepares students for a lifetime of continuing to learn, grow and develop, so that they may be not just exceptional students, but well-rounded human beings. We are grateful for alumni like John who value this commitment, and who give to support these efforts in transformational ways.”
Williams gift was made in honor of his parents, Virginia B.A. ’31, and Tom Williams, B.A. ’31.
Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition
In May, Baylor Law School hosted the Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition. This invite-only competition brings together students from the top law schools across the country. The Top Gun competition was founded in 2010 and remains one of the most prestigious mock trial competitions in the nation.
This year, Rebecca Goren of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, took first place. The case was centered on responsibility for catastrophic injustices from a natural gas explosion on a hospital construction site.
“What it means to be a lawyer is not just to be good and talented and win,” Baylor Law Director of Advocacy Robert Little said while presenting the award, according to an article from Baylor Law. “It also means doing it the right way, in a way that is respectful of your opponent, respectful of the place you are, and respectful of the people around you.”
Project BEES
This June, the Baylor Moody School of Education led a week-long summer camp at the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center, funded through Project BEES (Engineering for Students with Extensive Support Needs).
The camp invited both teachers and students for a week of practical hands-on learning.
“We want to be hands-on, meaningful, and genuinely exciting, not your typical sit-and-get professional development,” said Bree Jimenez, Ph.D., chair of the Moody SOE Department of Educational Psychology and the grant’s principal investigator, according to Baylor Instant Impact. “We brought in elementary special educators who work with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the morning, they dug into engineering design alongside our research team. By the afternoon, they put it into practice, right there with the children.”
As special education continues to be identified as a high-need area in Texas, Jimenez hopes that teachers will walk away from the week-long experience feeling supported and prepared.
Expanding Learning in Occupational Therapy
The Department of Occupational Therapy at Baylor University announced the expansion of its teaching certificate into the Certificate in Hybrid and Online Teaching for Health Sciences. The fully-online program takes 9 months to complete and was designed for practicing healthcare professionals.
“The Certificate in Hybrid and Online Teaching for the Health Sciences was created to help healthcare professionals develop the specialized educational strategies needed to teach effectively in online and hybrid programs,” said Barbara M. Doucet, PhD, OTR, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the certificate and Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs, according to an article from the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. “We are seeing more practitioners move into academic roles and more programs adopt flexible learning formats. This certificate helps prepare faculty to meet those evolving instructional demands with confidence and intention.”
