News

Earlier this week U.S. News & World Report released its annual rankings of “Best Colleges,” and Baylor maintained our status as a Top-100 university overall and as one of the Top 50 private universities nationally. 

It’s been almost two years since Baylor reached elite R1 recognition. But that milestone wasn’t a finish line; instead, it’s been a springboard toward accomplishing even more.

Here’s just a sampling of the major research projects and honors at Baylor from recent months, showing the wide array of disciplines and approaches found across the university:

WACO, Texas (Sept. 20, 2023) – Richard Rankin Russell, Ph.D., professor of English and graduate program director of English at Baylor University, has been selected as a member of the inaugural cohort of Inklings Project Fellows for the academic year 2023-2024. Based out of the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, the Inklings Project is an intercollegiate initiative that invites scholars to explore the worlds of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the other members of the famed Inklings author group.

Sept. 25 is National Daughters Day, celebrating adult daughters often overlooked for their role in relationship with parents

WACO, Texas (Sept. 19, 2023) –  Simulated fires in residence halls, learning to tie tourniquets, visiting with a therapy dog, as well as other activities like axe throwing and a simulated residence hall room fire demonstration, are among the highlights of Sic ’em for Safety Day, an annual event for students hosted by the Baylor University Department of Public Safety (BUDPS).

WACO, Texas (Sept. 18, 2023) –  Baylor University’s transformational undergraduate academic programs and experiences were Top 10 national highlights in the 2024 Best Colleges rankings, released today by U.S. News & World Report.

After summer’s record-breaking heat, this week has been a different story. Finally, a break in the temperatures – the coolest since May – and some blessed rainfall! We have a big weekend of outdoor events with Family Weekend and the Baylor-Long Island football game at 11 a.m. Saturday, but always be prepared for the Texas weather, which can change its mind quickly.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 12, 2023) – Baylor University moved up to No. 75 among the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2022, a list published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This new list was created to highlight and celebrate American innovation and to showcase the universities that play a large role in advancing the innovation ecosystem within the U.S. and beyond.

Experience campus life with your student this weekend—learn more about Family Weekend.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 11, 2023) – For the 12th time in 13 years, Baylor University has attained elite Honor Roll status as a 2023 Great College to Work For, according to a new survey by The Great Colleges to Work For® program.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 8, 2023) – Under bright blue Texas skies, hundreds of special guests and members of the Baylor Family gathered for a significant moment in Baylor University’s history – the official dedication of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, the University’s spectacular new “front door” to campus at the corner of Interstate 35 and University Parks Drive.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 7, 2023) – John L. Wood, Ph.D., The Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and co-director of the Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Lab, has received the Ernest Guenther Award in the Chemistry of Natural Products from the American Chemical Society.

Tomorrow is a big day on the Baylor campus as we dedicate and officially cut the ribbon for the new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, which serves as a beacon of light at the intersection of I-35 and University Parks Drive.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 6, 2023) – This year marks Baylor University’s ninth annual Boundary Breaking Women’s Panel, hosted by the Women’s and Gender Studies program, which will take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday,  Sept. 11,  on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center.

We did get a little break in the temperature this week – and blessedly, some rain on Sunday after a record 56 consecutive days without a drop! But the heat is on again as Baylor Football kicks off the season vs. Texas State Saturday at 6 p.m. at McLane Stadium.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 30, 2023) – Ten Baylor University faculty members across the disciplines have been selected by Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., to serve as 2023-2024 Baylor Fellows for their excellence in teaching and commitment to pedagogical innovation, inspirational teaching and the cultivation of these areas among Baylor faculty.

The fall semester is off to an outstanding start, and the First Gent and I have enjoyed seeing so many new and familiar faces. If my calculations are correct, we are up to 53 days without rain in Waco, which has taken a toll on our beautiful campus landscape.

Now that Move2BU is complete, you can feel the excitement and enthusiasm building on campus as #BU27 begins their Baylor journey and our continuing students return for the fall semester. It truly is the best time of the year!

WACO, Texas (Aug. 16, 2023) –The first sample dataset from the Global Flourishing Study (GFS) is now available through the Center for Open Science (COS). The project, a groundbreaking five-year, $43.4 million longitudinal study of approximately 200,000 individuals in 22 countries, represents the largest funded research project in Baylor history.  

Making the transition from a relaxed summer schedule to the routine of school can be jarring, but a veteran teacher and faculty member at Baylor University’s School of Education offers some ideas to help make the start of the new school year less stressful, especially for younger students.

If you are new to the Baylor Family, I send an email each Thursday providing an update on newsworthy happenings and significant accomplishments across the University.

Since 2001, Baylor Line Camp has helped incoming new students make the transition to college life at BU. New Bears learn Baylor traditions and history, get to know their way around campus, and — most importantly — make new friends. (It’s one of the big reasons why U.S. News ranked Baylor’s first-year student experience among the top 10 in the country.)

Line Camp 2023 was one of the biggest in history — so before the new school year starts, we’re looking back at the top 7 moments from this summer:

WACO, Texas (Aug. 9, 2023) – Baylor University’s McNair Scholars Program, along with the Baylor Graduate School, hosted the fifth annual national McNair Research Conference on Aug. 3-4 on the Baylor campus. More than 200 undergraduate McNair Scholars and non-McNair students presented their faculty-mentored research, participated in professional development and engaged with some of the nation’s top graduate schools.

I’m looking forward to jumping on a Facebook Live this evening to visit with incoming freshmen and their families as we prepare for the start of the fall semester Aug. 21. 

WACO, Texas (Aug. 3, 2023) – During its regular July retreat meeting last week, the Baylor University Board of Regents approved an agreement with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) to convey a parcel of land adjacent to campus to the Texas Baptists for construction of a Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) center.

There’s no shortage of challenges that can impact a child’s mental health — but unfortunately, school districts often face a shortage of qualified mental health professionals to help meet those needs.

Baylor researchers in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work are working to bridge this gap in Central Texas.

As we turn the calendar to August and our attention to the start of another school year, we want to pause and share an update with you from last week’s annual July retreat of the Baylor Board of Regents.

This week Baylor’s Board of Regents is on campus for its quarterly meeting, which also serves as an annual retreat for strategic discussions about the University’s future. 

WACO, Texas (July 27, 2023) – Daniel Romo, Ph.D., The Schotts Professor of Chemistry at Baylor University and co-director of the Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Lab, is providing synthetic chemistry leadership on an international team of researchers in pursuit of a groundbreaking drug to treat hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) in newborns.

WACO, Texas (July 26, 2023) - Baylor University announced today the appointment of Garritt J. Tucker, Ph.D., as the inaugural Eula Mae and John Baugh Chair in Physics with a focus on innovative research and teaching in the area of materials science.

WACO, Texas (July 20, 2023) – Baylor University today announced the second-highest fundraising year in Baylor’s history, with more than $179 million given by alumni, parents and friends during the 2023 fiscal year (FY23). This achievement came during the penultimate year of fundraising for Give Light, Baylor’s comprehensive philanthropic campaign that has seen more than $1.37 billion given to support the University’s endowment, capital priorities and current funds.

WACO, Texas (July 20, 2023) – Baylor University announced today the appointment of Stephen Newby, D.M.A., as the inaugural holder of The Lev H. Prichard III Chair in the Study of Black Worship. Newby brings a background in music, scholarship and ministry to the new position, which provides interdisciplinary leadership, research and scholarship efforts associated with the growth of Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Preservation Program.

As our Give Light philanthropic campaign moves into its final year, we have closed the books on FY23 with the second-highest fundraising year in Baylor’s history at more than $179 million. 

WACO, Texas (July 13, 2023) – Baylor University researchers in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work have earned a significant federal grant to bolster mental health services to school children by preparing licensed mental health providers for work in schools.

WACO, Texas (July 12, 2023) – One of the most striking features of Baylor University’s new Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center is the four massive columns that start on the interior floor of Carlton Hall and extend 96 feet high, stretching through the building’s roof and into the sky. The columns are more than a striking architectural feature, though; they represent a deep symbolic connection to Baylor’s history while providing a unique technology-rich and interactive experience for the entire Baylor Family.

It is July and it is hot in Texas! With temperatures regularly above 100 degrees Brad and I are looking for ways to beat the heat. 

WACO, Texas (July 12, 2023) – Baylor University announced today the appointment of Felipe Hinojosa, Ph.D., as the inaugural Jackson Family Chair for Baylor in Latin America, expanding Baylor’s international footprint and providing additional leadership to advance the priorities of the Baylor in Latin America initiative. 

The conversation around autism has become more positive in recent years, thanks in part to efforts like Autism Acceptance Month. Sadly, churches have often struggled with how to welcome autistic individuals (and their families).

A new Baylor effort aims to help change that.

Now that the calendar has flipped over to July, planning and preparations for the upcoming fall semester have ramped up considerably. 

Baylor University’s Mathematics for Early Learners Academy (MELA), sponsored by the Baylor School of Education (SOE), will be held at the Mayborn Museum on the Baylor campus July 5-28 for students ages 4 to 6.

I am back on campus following double-knee replacement surgery earlier this month - without a scooter, walker, crutches or a cane, thanks to an incredible medical team and your ongoing prayers. 

Women represent the fastest-growing population in U.S. institutional corrections facilities. In the past four decades, the number of women incarcerated has increased by more than 475%, rising from 26,326 in 1980 to 152,854 in 2020. Because the majority of imprisoned women are mothers, a conservative estimate indicates that at least one million American children have experienced maternal incarceration, and a substantial portion of them are adolescents. 

Thank you for all of the prayers and notes of support as I recover from last week's double-knee replacement surgery.

Stanford University recently compiled a database of the most cited researchers in higher ed history — specifically, those who ranked among the top 2% all-time. It’s an incredible undertaking — and one that found 34 Baylor professors among the honorees.

Baylor has accomplished a lot in President Linda Livingstone‘s six years at the helm: R1 recognition, a successful $1.1 billion fundraising campaign, faculty growth, campus updates, athletic success, and more.

Her leadership here at Baylor has attracted attention across higher education, leading to national leadership opportunities for President Livingstone — and incredible opportunities for Baylor University to have a seat at the table in helping shape the future of higher ed.

WACO, Texas (June 6, 2023) – Caleb Martin, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Baylor, and a team of international researchers set out in 2022 to determine first-ever challenge of elemental analysis validity, which has sparked conversations among journal editors and chemists about reevaluating this current threshold.

WACO, Texas (June 2, 2023) -- Heidi Pullmann-Lindsley, a doctoral candidate in biology, has been selected to make a presentation about her mosquito research at the Rising Stars in Entomology Symposium at the Entomological Society of America annual meeting.

I have enjoyed reading about the summer plans of many of you, whether it’s studying abroad, serving on a mission trip, getting ahead academically through our Summer of Discovery program or an internship or simply catching up with friends and family. 

Dr. Pack joins Baylor after seven and a half years as Dean of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Previously, he was Mary Clarke department Chair and Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). He became a full professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds electrical engineering and engineering science degrees from Purdue, Harvard, and Arizona State.

How did a Baylor professor play a role in adjusting what scientists thought they knew about Africa’s historic timeline — by 10 million years?!?

It all comes down to a lot of digging, a decade’s worth of research, and the definitive presence of warm-weather grasses.