News

Baylor once again stands among the nation’s top 50 private universities and top 100 national universities, according to new U.S. News rankings for 2026-27.

Baylor ranks No. 48 among private colleges and universities, and No. 90 among national universities (both public and private). For context, that puts BU at the top of the Big 12 for the third straight year, tied with TCU and ahead of Colorado (No. 109), BYU and Iowa State (tied at 116), and the rest of the conference. Baylor is again a top-five university in Texas, along with Rice, Texas, Texas A&M, SMU and TCU.

Can you believe it? Baylor Homecoming is already just a month away — Nov. 2-7 — so it’s time to make your plans to join the nation’s oldest collegiate homecoming (if you haven’t already)!

Here’s a round-up of what you’ll want to work into your schedule:

October is Christian Higher Education Month, and as a Research 1 university with nearly 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Baylor is distinct among our faith-based peers. However, like so many other institutions, our mission is built on preparing men and women to lead and serve.

Since 1962, Howdy has served as Baylor’s official Texas welcome to new students. With the opening of the Hurd Welcome Center in 2023, the event — presented by Pi Beta Phi and Baylor University — has evolved into a Friday night block party outside the Hurd, anchored each year by a concert from an up-and-coming country artist.

This year’s event featured line dancing, food trucks, a Ferris wheel, cornhole and more on Friday night, topped off with a concert by CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Carter Faith. (Faith followed in the footsteps of such other recent Howdy performers as Bailey Zimmerman and Ty Myers.)

Earlier this month, Baylor University asked on Facebook and LinkedIn: “Which Baylor professor changed the way you thought about your future?”

Nearly 2,000 (!!) comments later, the impact Baylor faculty have on students is evident in both the quantity and quality of the responses.

This weekend is one of the reasons Baylor continues to be recognized as having one of the best first-year student experiences in the country. U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 rankings on Tuesday, and Baylor remains firmly in the Top 10 in this category. U.S. News voters are university presidents, provosts and admissions deans, and it is so gratifying to see that those leaders understand there is something special at Baylor when it comes to delivering on the promise of the quintessential student experience. You can read more about our rankings below, but in the meantime, here are a few reminders for this weekend.

Baylor’s rise as a nationally recognized Christian research university continues to attract exceptional scholars, teachers and innovators from across the country and around the world. This fall, a new cohort of faculty — think of them as the Class of ’26 — joined the Baylor Family, bringing expertise that ranges from quantum materials and artificial intelligence to bioethics and sports nutrition.

It’s impossible to spotlight everyone, but meet four of these new faculty members who offer a glimpse into the people choosing Baylor to begin, continue or grow their careers:

Baylor has always been about family — so it was a joy to welcome thousands of BU parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and more to campus this past weekend for Family Weekend 2026.

From the new “Wake Up!” coffee crawl, “Meet the Faculty” Welcome Hour, Taste of Waco, After Dark, and Old Dominion concert on Friday, and on through the Family Tailgate and Baylor Football’s win Saturday, the weekend was a joyful celebration of our Bears and their biggest fans.

While cheering on the sidelines at Baylor’s first home football game this fall, Baylor Spirit Squad member Brooke Walker couldn’t help but feel a cascading swirl of emotions. A little over three years ago, the Baylor junior and competitive cheerleader didn’t know if she would ever be able to cheer or tumble again.

During her junior year at Rockwall-Heath High School near Dallas, Walker experienced a persistent pain in her left leg, which turned out to be an arterial blood clot above her ankle. Surgeons tried to save her foot, but complications arose, and doctors had to amputate her left leg below the knee.

A tradition at Baylor since 1960, Family Weekend strives to help families of Baylor students become better acquainted with the University and its beloved traditions. Baylor students, faculty and staff have been preparing for months for After Dark – our premier display of student talent – Meet the Faculty, Taste of Waco and the Family Weekend Tailgate.

For 75 years, Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library (ABL) has been a leading destination for Browning scholars from all over the world as a research library devoted to the study of the lives and works of Victorian poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

The library is noted for both its breathtaking beauty and for holding the world’s largest collection of books, letters, manuscripts, and memorabilia pertaining to the Brownings, as well as a substantial collection of primary and secondary materials related to 19th-century literature and culture.

Earlier this year, a group of Baylor football student-athletes visited some of the pediatric patients at McLane Children’s Medical Center in nearby Temple, Texas. During the visit, the players and kids colored their own versions of the Baylor bear head logo — and this Saturday, one of those designs will adorn the Bears’ helmets when they take the field.

The artwork was created by 6-year-old ILaria Ramirez of Cameron, Texas (about an hour south of Waco). Ramirez, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, titled her design “Helmet of Hope.” Her art also features the words “faith,” “victory,” and “strength.”

Twenty-five years after watching the Twin Towers fall, Dr. Marilyn Rhames, a Hankamer School of Business professor, traces how God’s calling led her out of a New York City reporting career and into teaching in Chicago public schools, a faith-based teaching movement, two White House visits — and now to a Baylor podium teaching storytelling.

The first home game of the 2026 Baylor football season is upon us, and I know the Baylor Family will fill the stands at McLane Stadium on Saturday night against defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M. It’s 254 Night, and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing you cheer on our team. Besides the game, I can’t wait to watch our freshmen run the Baylor Line for the first time, showcasing the “Best Walk-Out Tradition in College Sports.”

College is about education, of course — but it’s just as much about the experience.

Thankfully, Baylor excels in both areas — and that’s the message behind the University’s new 30-second television spot, which debuted last weekend on social media and national television:

At least one Baylor Bear has played in the NFL every year for the last 90 years. You have to go all the way back to 1936 to find the last time an entire NFL season was played without a Baylor Bear.

This year, there are 15 Bears in the league to start the season: nine on active rosters, one on the injured list, and five more on practice squads. Here are the Bears we’ll be cheering on Sundays:

One of the hallmarks of Baylor University as a Research 1 institution is the ability to contribute to transformative research that addresses some of the world’s most significant challenges. That hallmark is amplified by a guiding conviction that “the world needs a Baylor” – a Christian research university dedicated to pursuing knowledge in service of humanity.

For almost a decade now, single-digit numbers have told a story for Baylor Football, and it’s one Baylor fans easily recognize: Single-digit guys are leaders, voted on each year by their teammates. It’s a badge of honor, like a helmet sticker, embodied by past stars such as Jalen Pitre and Terrel Bernard.

As the 2026 season kicks off, a new group of Baylor players have earned the nod from their teammates — six of whom made their presence known quickly, receiving the honor in their first year with the program. On the field and off, get to know the players who will be counted on to lead this year’s team:

We all knew it. Now the nation knows it, too. In a national vote conducted by USA Today, the Baylor Line run was named the No. 1 pregame walk-out tradition in all of college football, beating such other traditions as Auburn’s War Eagle flight, Colorado’s running Ralphie and Virginia Tech’s “Enter Sandman.”

Baylor ranks among the top 20% of universities in the world, according to two recent rankings.

Yes, you read that right. In the first ranking, U.S. News — perhaps best known for its annual evaluation of America’s top colleges and universities — looked around the globe at more than 2,000 universities, and placed Baylor among the top 20% on the planet.

DJ Lagway is finally home.

The former five-star prospect grew up around Baylor, thanks to his dad, Derek Lagway (BSED ’01), who played running back for the Bears between 1997-2001. A generation later, the bright lights of the SEC initially drew DJ to the University of Florida. But after two years as the starter there, Lagway traded the orange and blue for the green and gold in January, and he will be Baylor’s starting quarterback this fall.

Lagway’s bloodline and high school rankings have been the headlines. But before the Bears kick off this fall, get to know the junior quarterback who seemed destined to play at Baylor:

The beginning of the academic year is always rejuvenating. There are students everywhere, and each one is brimming with promise. Faculty and staff have a renewed energy and commitment to helping each student reach his or her full potential. As we all get settled into the semester, I am already looking forward to what September has in store for us.

For Baylor Volleyball, the 2026 season is the next step in the best era in program history. For 10 straight years, the program has reached the NCAA Tournament — a decade filled with postseason runs, program firsts, all-conference performers, and consistent national recognition under head coach Ryan McGuyre.

The last 10 years includes a Final Four finish in 2019 and four Sweet 16 appearances. This year’s squad begins the year in position to continue those superlatives, beginning the season ranked No. 21 nationally and picked to finish in the upper echelon (No. 4) of the competitive Big 12 Conference.

When he was an English major at Baylor, classmates knew the man who would go on to become one of radio’s most prolific interviewers and storytellers as Bob Lewis (BA ’57) — but to generations of Texans, he’s known only by his radio stage name: Tumbleweed Smith.

For 57 years (!!) — until his retirement earlier this year — Bob/Tumbleweed was the host of The Sound of Texas, a program airing on stations across the state. It featured interviews with everyone from movie stars to everyday Texans, and chronicled the depth and breadth of life in Texas. The Baylor alum (and native Wacoan) served as a conduit for unique Texas stories through interviews, as well as his own unique storytelling ability.

What a week! From Move2BU to Welcome Week and then the first day of classes, Baylor and Waco are once again buzzing with activity!

We’re less than a month from Baylor Football’s 2026 home opener (Sept. 12 vs. Prairie View A&M, 7 p.m.) — and fans at McLane will find a host of improvements to the gameday experience this fall.

It’s hard to believe, but this was move-in No. 10 for the First Gent and me. Even in the Texas heat, I never tire of this beautiful expression of who we are as a Baylor Family. We care deeply for each other, we bear one another’s burdens (in this case, boxes and belongings!) and we share in the joy of new beginnings.

Allow me to be among the first to congratulate the members of Baylor’s summer graduating class, which includes more than 700 students. This Saturday morning, 600 undergraduates, master’s and professional doctorate candidates will receive their diplomas, and in the afternoon, we will confer more than 100 research doctorates. Times and additional information for both ceremonies at the Ferrell Center can be found on the Commencement website.

Dr. Jon Eckert believes that he and his team in the Baylor Center for School Leadership have the best jobs in education. The Center, whose goal is to be “the most effective Christian leadership catalyst for educators worldwide,” steers Eckert and his colleagues toward the positive in an ever-changing field that presents its share of challenges for those who teach.

Today is the first Thursday in August, which means I’m back to my regular weekly emails to you, and the countdown to the start of the new academic year is underway.

Baylor is known for its incredible student experience, especially for first-year students. A look at what students can expect during their first 100 days on campus illustrates that beautifully:

What happens when a Baylor geologist makes a career pivot to build an apparel and lifestyle brand? You end up with Sendero Provisions Co. — an outdoor lifestyle and apparel brand offering a modern take on Western wear that’s popular with millennial and Gen Z shoppers.

The geologist-turned-entrepreneur? That’s Hunter Harlow (BS ’10), who thought his love for the outdoors would lead him into the oil and gas industry (hence the geology). Instead, he found his calling with a western wear store in downtown Waco that has since exploded into popular culture, partnering with brands like Whataburger.

On some level, all research promotes human flourishing. Whether it be scientific research leading to new cancer drugs or cleaner water, engineering research developing new technologies or exploring the final frontier, or ethicists applying insights to address key ethical questions, all research aims to make life better in some fashion — and, clearly, Baylor advances these causes a great deal.

But there’s also research that is specifically about human flourishing — for humanity as a whole, groups of people, specific professions, and more. It’s research that gets to the root of how to help people thrive in multiple dimensions: physical and mental health, spiritual wellbeing, relationships, finances and more. And in higher education, no one else is doing what Baylor is doing in this area:

Texas country music legend Pat Green will kick off Baylor University’s Big 12 opener vs. Colorado as the headliner of the Baylor Backyard Live game day concert series on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Presale opens at 11 a.m. CT Aug. 13, with general public tickets on sale Aug. 14 for Third Day's 30th Anniversary Tour stopping in April 2027 at Baylor’s Foster Pavilion.

Many Baylor students use summer as a time to broaden their horizons, to grow both personally and professionally. Right now, thousands of Baylor students are taking part in internships, fellowships, research opportunities and more at elite companies and academic institutions. These positions are highly coveted and very competitive, and Baylor students shine as they enjoy experiences that further shape them in their academic and career journeys.

Here are just four examples of that — Bears representing Baylor in our nation’s capital and at Harvard, MD Anderson, and a construction-and-design firm for Fortune 500 companies:

Why do sports matter so much? Why do fans invest so much of themselves in their favorite teams? And why do faith and sports so often intersect?

Those are the kinds of questions Dr. Paul Putz loves to explore as a historian of religion, sports and American culture. It’s also why national media outlets have Putz on speed dial for his expertise on the intersection of sports and Christianity, including how sports provide unique opportunities to explore timeless questions about faith, purpose and community.

The start of another academic year is just around the corner, and we want to share an update with you from last week’s annual July retreat of the Baylor Board of Regents held on campus in Waco.

Over the last 75 years, a partnership between Baylor and the U.S. Army has educated thousands of Army officers and federal health officials — and some of these joint programs are ranked among the very best in the nation.

Since 1951, the U.S. Army and Baylor University have shared a proud heritage in health-related graduate education. Today, the partnership includes multiple graduate programs, in areas ranging from nursing to physical therapy to business.

In just a few weeks, Baylor’s Class of 2030 (!!) will arrive on campus for Move2BU, Welcome Week and the start of classes. But we can’t wait; here’s your first look at some of the members of #BU30:

Baylor University has announced the exciting lineup of artists set to perform at Baylor Backyard Live, a new game day concert series at all six home football games this fall outside McLane Stadium on Touchdown Alley. 

As Baylor’s Board of Regents holds its regular summer meeting this week, six new Regents are taking their seats at the table to start new terms. They’ll be led by a new Board Chair, Todd Patterson (BS ’90), and a new Vice Chair, Jack F. Harper II (BBA ’93).

Critically acclaimed indie rock/folk band Mt. Joy is headed to Waco, Texas, for Silobration, presented by Magnolia with Baylor University, Thursday, Oct. 22, at Foster Pavilion.

For those of us who have lived in Waco awhile, we know it’s a special place. When our city is featured in national publications like Southern Living Magazine and receives statewide recognition by Austin Travels, it’s clear others understand what makes the city unique, too. Waco has been Baylor’s hometown since 1886, and I believe we are in the middle of another exciting chapter in our story.

It’s no surprise that Baylor faculty are leaders in their fields. From prestigious national fellowships to coveted grants, Baylor professors are highly decorated for their research and scholarship. One thing that makes Baylor different: Those same researchers can also regularly be found in the classroom, teaching undergraduate students.

At Baylor, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. (That’s why Baylor regularly appears on the short lists of universities with the best undergraduate research and teaching.) That combination provides Baylor undergraduate students with the chance to study under and know professors who are actively impacting their disciplines.

Baylor has a long history of sending alums to the big leagues, but in recent years, its record of producing Major League Baseball all-stars has grown dramatically — thanks to the two Bears chosen for this Tuesday’s 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

Max Muncy and Shea Langeliers were both elected as starters in this year’s game. Not surprisingly, Baylor is the only college or university with two starters in this year’s All-Star Game.

At first glance, it’s not a pleasant image to consider: Billions of bacteria, fungi and viruses live in the gut of every human. While that may sound bad, these collections — unique to every human — play an oversized role in human health. Their sheer scope makes them challenging to study, but the benefits of understanding them can help individuals with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, cancer and more.

Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., released a statement today regarding the death of former Baylor President and current HCU President Robert B. Sloan Jr.

Baylor University is celebrating its most successful fundraising year ever, with the Baylor Family giving a record-breaking $244.5 million to the University during the 2026 fiscal year.

In the midst of challenging economic times and ongoing pressures on higher education, the Baylor Family continues to support the University in historic ways, particularly in contributions toward endowed funds. Today we are announcing the highest fundraising year in Baylor's history, with a significant amount of these gifts and pledges dedicated to support student scholarships, academic programs, research and other important initiatives for generations to come.

Baylor University students and recent graduates continue to be awarded the most prestigious scholarships and fellowships at the national and international levels – winning Fulbright U.S. Student Grants and Rotary Global Grants.

Family reunions can often include tales about an older relative’s fascinating life story or as an eyewitness to history. So how do you capture and preserve those precious family memories?

All year long, Cameron Carr was Baylor Men’s Basketball’s most electric and reliable scorer, and last night he was rewarded for that productivity — with a first-round selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Carr was selected by the New York Knicks with the 24th overall pick, but he’ll play for the Los Angeles Lakers; reports have him going to Los Angeles via a trade which would become official when the new league year officially begins July 1.

When it comes to preparing compassionate leaders in maternal and newborn care, Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing continues to set the standard — and that’s being noticed on the national level.

This spring, LHSON’s online Doctor of Nursing Practice nurse-midwifery program jumped six spots in U.S. News’ latest rankings, all the way to No. 16 in the nation.

For more than two decades, Don Carpenter (BBA ’81) has made it his mission to invest in Baylor students’ lives.

The lessons he teaches in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business certainly matter. But ask former students what they remember most, and many will point not to a lecture or exam, but to a conversation or a word of encouragement from a mentor who believed in them when they needed it most.

A tradition at Baylor since 1960, Family Weekend strives to help families of Baylor students become better acquainted with the University and its beloved traditions, and I hope you are planning to return to Waco for this special time of connection Sept. 18-19. Preparations are well underway for After Dark, Taste of Waco and the Family Weekend Tailgate, and you can purchase a ticket package to these events plus the Bears’ football game against Louisiana Tech until July 31 – before individual tickets go on sale.

To allow fans to enjoy the World Cup final, the concert by La Fiera de Ojinaga & Los Pescadores del Río Conchos has been rescheduled from July 19 to April 11, 2027, at Foster Pavilion.

Baylor is annually recognized among the nation’s best universities for undergraduate teaching and learning communities — ranking No. 27 and No. 9, respectively, in U.S. News‘ latest survey of higher ed.

One key component of Baylor’s success is the well-rounded education students receive — which, once again, has been recognized among the best offerings in the country. This spring, Baylor was one of just 19 universities in the United States to get an “A” for its core curriculum from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), putting Baylor among the top 2% nationally.

Since 1970, Baylor’s Institute for Oral History has been preserving (and sharing) the memories of history’s eyewitnesses. Today, more than 4,500 interviews are available online, many with the original audio files as well as a complete transcript for easy searching.

Among the collection are interviews with Texans from various eras who share their memories of Juneteenth — from June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black Americans in Texas first received news of their emancipation, to celebrations of that anniversary over the years.

There’s a Baylor experience that bridges high school debaters and aspiring basketball players, and connects future engineers with burgeoning musicians. That experience? Summer camps, on campus at Baylor.

For generations now, the Baylor campus has remained lively over the summer as camps like the Summer Debate Workshop or the Moody School of Education’s Talent Identification Program camps (just to name a couple) welcome future college students. Here, they get a taste of college life, from classrooms to dining halls to residence halls.

If you’re looking for law school education that truly prepares you for the courtroom, you can’t do much better than Baylor Law School. Earlier this year, U.S. News ranked Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program No. 3 in the nation — the program’s 17th straight year among the top five in the country.

The first session of New Student Orientation and Baylor Line Camp starts Monday, and over the next two months, Baylor will welcome thousands of students and their families to campus to prepare for the fall semester. Attendees get to meet other new Bears, learn about their major, meet with academic departments and take their first steps as part of the Baylor Line. All experiences are available to new first-year and transfer students. Parents or guests are encouraged to attend as well, with special programming for them woven throughout the day.

In the science community, being named as a fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is one of the more prestigious professional nods a researcher can achieve — not unlike election to a hall of fame in the world of sports.

Past AAAS Fellows include names like Thomas Edison and W.E.B. DuBois, along with a roster of scientists who have made significant contributions to their field. That list includes four current Baylor faculty, two of whom — Dr. Dwayne Simmons (biology) and Dr. Samuel Urlacher (anthropology) — were named among the 2025 class of AAAS Fellows.

Baylor already ranked No. 1 in Texas for most Fulbright scholars — and this year, 12 more BU students get to add their names to that list.

Each of those Bears is headed overseas as part of the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, studying and teaching in countries ranging from Germany and France to South Korea and Taiwan. Two more BU students earned similarly prestigious Rotary Global Grant Scholarships, which will fund their graduate studies in the U.K.

And that’s not all… Three Baylor professors have also earned Fulbright recognition, with awards providing them unique research experiences in South Africa, Antarctica, Slovakia and Brazil.

To understand why scientists are interested in white dwarf stars, it helps to think of fossils, or rings on a tree.

Dr. Barbara Castanheira, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Baylor, has long studied white dwarf stars — the dense, collapsed core of a dying star. White dwarf stars are of interest to scientists, perhaps somewhat counterintuitively, because they can tell us about early star formation despite being in the final stages of their life cycle — a cycle which lasts billions of years, beyond the scope of human study from start to finish. As opposed to the bright stars visible in the sky, white dwarf stars have shrunk in size and no longer actively produce energy. As their remaining energy burns out, they have a story of great interest to science.

Every spring, the Baylor Family bids happy retirement to professors and staff who have dedicated their professional lives to the university and its students. It’s always a bittersweet mix — sadness in seeing them go, happiness for a well-deserved next step — but we wish them all well in the next phase of their lives.

Here, we honor some of the longest-serving and most recognizable professors who are retiring this year — men and women whose faces will be missed, but whose impact will not be forgotten:

The Baylor Board of Regents celebrated the University’s second-best fundraising year ever, a growing endowment and continued success of the Extend the Line scholarship initiative.

The academic year is complete: finals graded, books returned, students graduated — and Baylor faculty honored! Congratulations to this year’s Baylor professors of the year:

A lot of great players have come through the Baylor Baseball program since Charley Carter (BBA ’98) set the program’s single-season home run record of 21 back in 1998 — David Murphy, Max Muncy and Shea Langeliers, just to name a few. But great as they are, none of them accomplished what Tyce Armstrong has done in 2026.

Entering the Big 12 tournament, Baylor’s first baseman has already mashed 24 home runs this season, breaking a record that stood for nearly three decades. A season that began with a bang in the season opener, when Armstrong became just the second player in NCAA history to hit three grand slams in one game, has somehow managed to grow even more historic from there.

Last Thursday night was a memory decades in the making, as Willie Nelson returned to his alma mater and took the stage at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Almost 75 years after he attended Baylor, the legendary country artist — at age 93 — performed for nearly an hour and a half on a picture-perfect evening. The sold-out crowd of more than 6,000 spanned virtually every age, from kids and college students on up — all brought together by a historic night.

I have been genuinely overwhelmed by your kind and thoughtful messages as I prepare to return to the faculty at the end of this summer. Thank you for your wonderful partnership these past seven years and for your continued commitment to Baylor’s mission.

Congratulations, Class of 2026 — you did it!

This weekend, more than 3,100 Bears celebrated earning their degrees, the culmination of the Baylor experience. Thousands of their friends and family filled the Ferrell Center for each of the four ceremonies, and countless more watched online and joined in the celebration via social media to honor BU’s newest graduates.

A University lecturer in the German Department, Jamie Rankin has devoted his career at Princeton to the study of how languages are learned and taught. Since joining the faculty in 1991, he has focused his research on second language acquisition, teacher training and curriculum development, and he serves as the inaugural director of the Princeton Center for Language Study.

It's National Cancer Research Month, and Baylor researchers are leading the way on trailblazing approaches to effective therapies for some of the most aggressive cancers.

Communication Sciences and Disorders alumna Katherine A. Hutcheson, PhD, BCS-S, SLP-CCC, is a nationally known expert in head and neck cancer dysphagia. Through her current research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, she focuses on two core survivorship areas: communication abilities and eating abilities. 

Country music's next big star Braxton Keith will bring his throwback 90’s twang to the stage on Friday, Oct. 2, at Baylor’s Foster Pavilion.

Dr. Grant Morgan ranks among the most influential researchers nationally and internationally, with work that advances both cutting-edge quantitative methods and real-world societal outcomes through extensive interdisciplinary collaboration. A professor of educational psychology and associate dean for research in the Moody School of Education, Dr. Morgan received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Research. Dr. Morgan ranks in the top 2 percent of scholars worldwide for citations by other researchers, a key measure of scholarly influence. 

It seems like just yesterday we began the spring semester, yet here we are – at Commencement! Tomorrow and Saturday, we will celebrate more than 3,100 Baylor University graduates who will walk across the Ferrell Center stage during four ceremonies, including the first-ever graduates from the newly renamed Moody School of Education. While at Baylor you have worked hard, persevered through challenges, and although the end of this chapter in your story is near, there is an exciting next chapter to come.

In honor of National Nurses Week, LHSON is proud to recognize Dr. Sheron Wagner, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, for being selected by the Texas Nurses Association as one of 25 Outstanding Texas Nurses for 2026. The annual award recognizes the contributions of 25 outstanding Texas registered nurses. Honorees are nurses who create a culture of care, nurses who play a vital role in supporting health and wellness, nurse innovators, community contributors and frontline heroes. 

Baylor University’s core curriculum again has earned an “A” for the excellence of its core requirements from ACTA's "What Will They Learn?" project.

When Margo Paluch (BSED ’26) walks across the stage this weekend during Baylor Commencement, the senior elementary education major from Lake Geneva, Wisc., will experience a historic first as a member of the inaugural graduating class of Baylor’s newly named Moody School of Education. But she will also carry another first very close to her heart.

As a third-grade student teacher at Hewitt Elementary School just outside Waco, Paluch spent a day substituting in a self-contained special education classroom. That experience sparked an idea — a deeply personal one — about creating opportunities for her third graders to include others, be kind, and form friendships.

Baylor University will celebrate more than 3,100 graduates over four Spring Commencement ceremonies May 15-16 in the Ferrell Center, including the first graduating class of Baylor’s newly renamed Moody School of Education. 

Students in Baylor's innovative Philanthropy & the Public Good course awarded $100,000 in grants to seven local nonprofits.

Jay Pulliam, Ph.D., will explore Antarctic ice shelf dynamics and the ancient geological connection between Antarctica and Africa.

Alan Lenz had heard all the stories about Baylor from his wife, Allison (BA ’94). Then the couple sent two of their kids to BU, and he heard even more incredible stories — enough that Alan felt he was missing out as the only non-Baylor member of his family.

This weekend, Alan and his youngest son, Robbie, will both walk the Ferrell Center stage at Commencement. Robbie (BA ’26) will receive his degree in communication, while Alan (EdD ’26) will receive his doctorate in education (learning and organizational change).

All year long, the Baylor Softball team challenged themselves by playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules, and they were rewarded for that effort by once again earning a selection into the NCAA Tournament — the program’s 17th in 23 seasons!

This summer marks a remarkable milestone for Baylor University’s Alleluia Conference—25 years of serving the Church through worship, excellence, and community. What began as a hopeful response to a moment of concern has become one of Baylor’s most enduring gifts to church musicians across the country.

Faculty and Teachers of Record, as you prepare for Thursday’s exams, please consider using these resources.

In the spirit of National Nurses Week and Mother’s Day, Baylor Nursing highlights mother-daughter alumni DNPs bringing recognition to the value of midwives.

As Baylor University students prepare to move out of residence halls at the end of the spring semester, a campus-wide, student-led initiative is ensuring that usable items are not thrown away.

Baylor will restore access to the Canvas system at 1:00 p.m. CT today (Friday, May 8). Instructure restored the Canvas system for Baylor and other colleges and universities nationwide to operating condition overnight. Final exams currently scheduled for today will be conducted on Thursday, May 14, and all will be administered online. (Clarification: Final exams originally scheduled for today will be conducted online on Thursday, May 14. All remaining exams will continue as scheduled.) Please pay close attention to the information and instructions below. 

The new Center for Ethics at Baylor University in the College of Arts & Sciences will bring together people and resources to coordinate and expand the initiatives on campus that explicitly engage ethical issues.

After careful consideration of the circumstances, we have decided to delay final exams tomorrow, Friday, May 8th. 

Canvas is currently unavailable university-wide. This is a nationwide issue. Users should not attempt to engage with or respond within the Canvas system until further notice. Our teams are actively monitoring the situation and working with the vendor toward resolution. Additional updates and communications will be shared as more information becomes available. Visit systemstatus.baylor.edu for updates.

Today is the National Day of Prayer, an annual day of observance designated by the U.S. Congress in 1952 in which people are asked to “turn to God in prayer and meditation.” Here are a few things I am praying for throughout the day, and I hope you will join me and millions of others across our country.

Dr. Nicholas Benson, associate professor of educational psychology in Baylor University’s Moody School of Education and an expert in psychological and educational assessment tools, received the Outstanding Article of the Year Award from the journal School Psychology Review. Benson and two colleagues challenged the efficacy of Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW), a widely used diagnostic method in schools, and determined it is no more likely to accurately identify specific learning disabilities (SLD) than chance.

For a generation now, Baylor men’s tennis has set the standard for excellence in the Big 12 Conference. This year's Bears not only made the NCAA tournament, but have once again reached the Round of 16. Hosting NCAA early rounds for the 16th time in program history, No. 11-ranked Baylor swept Tulsa in the first round, then beat No. 22 Auburn 4-1 in the second round last week to advance.

In the Sweet 16, head coach Michael Woodson’s squad will host No. 27 Pepperdine on Friday (6 p.m.) at the Hurd Tennis Center. The winner will advance to the NCAA quarterfinals, hosted again this year by the University of Georgia.

I am pleased to announce the members of the Baylor Provost Search Advisory Committee, which is charged with identifying candidates to serve as the University’s next chief academic officer.

On a campus of nearly 20,000 students — and with 160,000+ living alumni — there’s no shortage of great stories to tell from within the Baylor Family.

Baylor Magazine and BaylorProud share many of them in a written format, and Baylor Connections does the same in audio/video form. Now 19 episodes into its latest season, Connections this year has featured guests ranging from President Linda Livingstone and new Director of Athletics Doug McNamee to top Baylor researchers, student life leaders, and more.

Baylor expert offers guidance on navigating shifting roles, expectations and traditions in multi-generational motherhood.