News

Amid rising antibiotic resistance, the MIGHTY initiative unites top academic and industry partners to develop a rapid, AI-powered platform for precision phage therapies – starting with oral health and expanding to chronic diseases

It all started in 1942, when Mary Allen English (BA ’42), a young Baylor graduate, stepped into the halls of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. At the time, pediatric cardiology wasn’t a specialty; in fact, it barely existed. But under the mentorship of groundbreaking physician Helen Taussig, English finished first in her class and helped define an entirely new field. (She also married a classmate on her graduation day, becoming Dr. Mary Allen Engle.)

By the 1950s, Engle was leading the charge to treat congenital heart defects in infants — without invasive surgery. After completing fellowships at both Johns Hopkins and Cornell, she joined the faculty at New York Hospital–Cornell University Medical Center, where she founded and led the Division of Pediatric Cardiology. The innovations coming out of her lab would save countless children’s lives.

Finalists for Baylor’s 2026 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching - the only national teaching award presented by a college or university to an individual for exceptional teaching - will present their on-campus lectures during October.

Baylor is filled with great stories to tell, and for the last eight years, Baylor Connections has been a key place where Bears share their stories in their own voices. After nearly 400 audio episodes, Baylor Connections has expanded — now offering both audio and video formats!

For many Baylor students, summer is a chance for special experiences — whether through internships, study abroad or or mission trips, or research opportunities.

Baylor senior Greatness Adewumi is an example of that last group — a psychology/neuroscience major on the pre-med track whose experience this past summer in Houston has only fueled her desire to delve into medical research.

Baylor volunteers with the BearAid disaster relief organization served with Texans on Mission to rebuild homes damaged during the catastrophic July 4 flooding in the Texas Hill Country.

Tomorrow is Baylor’s Fall Break, and it is always a much-needed pause in the semester for students as the focus turns to midterms, which are right around the corner. Students, I pray you get the rest you need for your mind, body and spirit over the next few days. 

The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society welcomes International Human Rights Lawyer and author H. Knox Thames on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. to discuss topics from his recent publication, "Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom" (Notre Dame, 2024), in conversation with Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Retired State Department Officer, Joanne Cummings. The event will be held in the Schumacher Flex Commons of Moody Memorial Library and is available online via Zoom Webinar. The event includes audience Q&A, lunch snacks, and a book signing.

Mary Lauren Benton, Ph.D., is one of only three faculty nationwide honored by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network for inspiring innovation and real-world problem solving in engineering education

About a decade ago, Baylor set out to complete major renovations of each of its legacy residence halls. Each would go offline for a year, during which time it would receive a head-to-toe update.

Penland went first, followed by North Russell, South Russell, Martin, Collins, Memorial and Alexander — and now, newly completed in time for the 2025-26 school year, Allen and Dawson. (Work is already underway on Kokernot, which should reopen in 2026 to welcome the next class of Bears.)

Research led by Baylor biology assistant professor Jake Minich, Ph.D., followed over 1000 children in the African nation of Malawi to reveal how gut bacteria play a critical role in childhood undernutrition.

When Tiffany Jones‑Smith (BA ’95) graduated from Baylor, she couldn’t have known that her future would involve leading a statewide health initiative. Still, her heart for service and community was already clear. Today, as president and CEO of the Texas Kidney Foundation and chair of the Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force, she’s become a fierce advocate for health equity, early screening, and life-saving policy. Her work reaches thousands of Texans each year, especially in communities where access to care has been historically limited.

For well over a decade, Baylor has been a staple among the universities recognized as a “Great College to Work For” — appearing on the elite annual list’s honor roll for 14 of the last 16 years. And while that alone makes for a good headline (and is emblematic of a BaylorProud faculty and staff), it’s far from the only honor that Baylor has earned this year for being an elite workplace.

The second session of the 2025-2026 Readers Meet the Author series will take place Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., and feature Dr. Luke Winslow, Associate Professor of Communication and Director of Communication & International Politics Study Abroad Program. Winslow will speak about his new book, “Oligarchy in America: Power, Justice, and the Rule of the Few” (The University of Alabama Press, 2024), in conversation with Former Editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald, Bill Whitaker. The session will be held in the Schumacher Flex Commons of Moody Memorial Library and available online via Zoom Webinar. A time for Q&A, reception with light refreshments, and a book signing will follow the conversation. The Readers Meet the Author series is presented by the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost and hosted by the Baylor Libraries.

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

This year, Baylor University and the Baylor Office of Sustainability are “Inspiring Hope” to shine a light on the sustainability efforts around campus for Campus Sustainability Month.  

October is designated as Christian Higher Education Month. For more than 180 years, Baylor has been pursuing excellence in academics and fostering a vibrant campus community grounded in Christian faith.

Baylor’s annual BearAware cybersecurity campaign reminds students, faculty, and staff to make smart and safe choices online.

It all started in 1951, when Jarrell McCracken (BA ’50, MA ’53), then a Baylor student, reimagined the Gospel with a twist: as a play‑by‑play radio game featuring two teams, Jesus vs. Satan, refereed by God. He dubbed it “The Game of Life,” pressed a mere 100 vinyl records — and changed the course of contemporary Christian music forever.

Baylor University has been named by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as one of the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces of 2025 and No. 1 in the education industry for offering the best overall adoption benefits.

Paul Emory Putz, PhD, director of the Faith & Sports Institute and program director for the Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, has been awarded the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize from the American Society of Church History (ASCH) for his book, The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports. 

Jack Angelo Cummings, a New Jersey/New York City-based playwright, won the $15,000 Kirk New Play Prize for his play “& Sons” at the inaugural Baylor New Play Initiative Festival.

Baylor is once again among the nation's top 50 private universities and top 100 national universities, according to new U.S. News rankings for 2025-26.

Baylor moved up one place to No. 46 among private colleges and universities, and up three spots to No. 88 among the national universities (both public and private), ranking among the top 20% of all major universities nationwide.

Q&A with Baylor historian David A. Smith explores the groundbreaking musical and its impact beyond Broadway

Baylor University will join City of Waco and McLennan County partners to conduct a regular test of its Outdoor Warning System (tornado sirens) at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

Fall marks the second peak season for severe weather in Texas. Staying aware of these potential threats is crucial for safety, especially as weather patterns shift unpredictably during this transitional time.

Baylor Homecoming is just a month away — time to make your plans (if you haven’t already)! Here’s a round-up of what you’ll want to work into your schedule:

The fall semester is certainly off to a fast start, and the positive news for Baylor University has been wonderful to read. Within the last week we officially announced that Baylor was named to the Great Colleges to Work For Honor Roll in all 10 categories.

In recognition of  National Preparedness Month and National Campus Safety Awareness Month,  Baylor reminds us that campus safety starts with situational awareness

Stephanie Boddie, Ph.D., has been appointed as The Fuller Family Endowed Chair for Social Justice in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. 

Baylor University is celebrating National Research Administrator Day today, Sept. 25, to highlight top-tier research throughout the University. 

More Baylor University students are graduating within four years than ever before according to annual enrollment data released by Baylor’s Office of Institutional Research.

At Baylor, the student experience — creating a place where students can thrive academically, spiritually and socially — is at the heart of what we do. From our small student-to-faculty ratio and Christian environment to the 400+ student organizations on campus, Baylor offers countless ways for students to get involved and feel at home.

With so many opportunities, there’s something for everyone — literally from A to Z:

Baylor University’s first-year experiences for students jumped to No. 4 nationally while its learning communities landed in the Top 10 in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings.

Dave Morehead, C.F.A., chief investment officer at Baylor, has been named Endowment/Foundation Chief Investment Officer of the Year by Institutional Investor.

Robert Elder, Ph.D., professor of history at Baylor, has received the prestigious $60,000 Public Scholars grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). 

Music has long added elements of pageantry and aura for the U.S. Armed Forces. For the U.S. Navy, the Navy Band Sea Chanters is the musical voice of the aquatic branch. And now, a Baylor alumna stands among their ranks.

Alissa Ruth Suver (MM ’25), a conductor and soprano vocalist who graduated from Baylor in May, earned a highly coveted and highly competitive spot among the Sea Chanters — and then further demonstrated her commitment to the role and the cause it supports by completing Navy boot camp.

With an official enrollment census now complete, Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is both pleased and grateful to announce that it has set an all-time enrollment record for the fall of 2025 with 476 students enrolled in for-credit, graduate level classes at the school. This record-breaking enrollment number represents an increase of more than 18% over last year, which underscores a sustained four-year trend of fall-to-fall enrollment growth.

Baylor has once again attained elite Honor Roll status as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program - this year in all 10 categories.

In honor of the 2025 Benefactors Day, on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 3:30 p.m, the Armstrong Browning Library & Museum will welcome this year’s presenters Dr. Heidi Hornik, Baylor Department Chair and Professor of Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art History, as well as Art History students Haydin Davis and Ellery Copple. Davis will be presenting her final project on the painting “Madonna and Child,” while Copple will present on the painting “Christ, the Man of Sorrows.” The event will be held in the Hankamer Treasure Room and available online via Zoom Webinar. CAE credit is available to Baylor students, and a time for Q&A and a reception with light refreshments in Cox Reception Hall will follow the event. The Benefactors Day program is made possible through donations to the Guardian Angel Fund. 

Communications expert highlights the unseen labor of “daughtering” and encourages families to honor and support their daughters on Sept. 25

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and at Baylor we use this opportunity each year to celebrate the rich culture, history and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans across our campus. 

Several parking lots and roads on and around the Baylor University campus in Waco will be closed Thursday and Friday because of Howdy at the Hurd-related activities outside of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

Baylor esports revealed its schedule of matchups for the nine-week fall season, announced Wednesday by Baylor esports director and coach Adam Stanley.

Last week, Baylor and Texas Baptists representatives came together for a ceremonial groundbreaking on a new Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) building that will be built at the corner of South Fourth Street and Daughtrey Avenue — near East Village and the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

Ten Baylor faculty members have been selected as 2025-2026 Baylor Fellows for their excellence in teaching and desire to advance the University’s commitment to transformational education.

From an early age, Thasunda Brown Duckett’s father taught her an old proverb: Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

That advice has served Duckett (MBA ’01) well. Over the last decade, she’s served as CEO of Chase Consumer Banking (2016-21) and, since 2021, as CEO of TIAA — a leading financial services provider that ranks among the 100 largest corporations in America. Her success earned her recognition as Baylor’s Alumna of the Year for 2022.

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 2025.

From the “Meet the Faculty” Welcome Hour on Friday afternoon, through the Lauren Daigle concert that night, and on to Baylor Football’s victory Saturday, the weekend was a joyful celebration of our extended Baylor Family.

The Big 12 Fall Tour stops at Saturday's Baylor-Arizona State game at McLane Stadium, featuring a free tailgate concert with the Graham St. Clair Band at 4:30 p.m. at Touchdown Alley.

On this National Day of Remembrance, we once again find ourselves grieving a senseless loss of life motivated by hate. I am sure that by now you are aware of the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University. Regardless of your stance on Mr. Kirk’s beliefs and politics, there should be no place for such violence in our country, particularly on a college campus.

Francis Joseph Beckwith, Ph.D., has been appointed by the White House to serve on the Advisory Board of Legal Experts for the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission.

This Family Weekend, students’ loved ones aren’t the only ones coming to Waco. Also returning: Baylor’s iconic Growling Bear, which is coming out of the vault for a limited time.

First introduced in 1969 after a design contest organized by head football coach Bill Beall, the Growling Bear logo was selected from more than 75 entries. The winning design was created by Elmer Fisher (BA ’51), a longtime classics professor and diehard Baylor football fan, in collaboration with law student Joey Taylor (BA ’68, JD ’71).

Baylor Connections, the University’s signature podcast, debuted a new video streaming option with today’s ninth season premiere episode.

The opening session of the 2025-2026 Readers Meet the Author series will take place Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 12:15 p.m., and feature Dr. Elisabeth Rain Kincaid, Director of the Institute for Faith and Learning, and Associate Professor of Ethics, Faith, and Culture at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Kincaid will speak about her new book, “Law from Below: How the Thought of Francisco Suárez, SJ, Can Renew Contemporary Legal Engagement” (Georgetown University Press, 2024), in conversation with J. Newton Rayzor Sr. Professor of Philosophy and Dean Emeritus, Dr. Thomas Hibbs. The session will be held in the Schumacher Flex Commons of Moody Memorial Library and available online via Zoom Webinar. A time for Q&A, reception with light refreshments, and a book signing will follow the conversation. The Readers Meet the Author series is presented by the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost and hosted by the Baylor Libraries.

Baylor researchers Leigh Greathouse, Ph.D., and Anakan Choudhury, Ph.D., highlight the game‑changing potential of AI to personalize nutrition aimed at cancer prevention and therapy.

Clean water is something many of us take for granted; when we turn on a faucet, clean water just pours out. Not everyone is so lucky.

At Baylor, many researchers are individually and collectively focused on maintaining and improving water quality — building an internationally recognized name for excellence in water quality research that is relied on by communities, state governments, reservoir management agencies, and more.

Cheering on our Bears in the NFL is second nature to Baylor fans — from legends like Mike Singletary (BBA ’83) to current stars such as Jalen Pitre (BBA ’20, MSED ’21), there’s no shortage of Baylor alums who have made us proud at the next level.

But it’s not just on the field; all across the NFL, Baylor Bears can be found in front offices and training rooms, discovering talent on the scouting trail and generating revenue in tickets and sales. 

The fall semester is certainly off and running at a brisk pace! I hope everyone is settling into new routines and becoming acclimated academically, physically and spiritually. 

Baylor University has adopted ForagerOne, a leading software platform that facilitates undergraduate student engagement in research and interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty.

Chaplains have served the spiritual needs of American military members since the Continental Congress established them in 1775. For 250 years, these ministers have attended to the spiritual, moral, counseling, and guidance to servicepersons worldwide.

Recognizing Baylor’s legacy of Chaplain ministry service, the 21st U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Major General) Trent Davis, visited Baylor earlier this week to speak during Truett Seminary’s Chapel Service. 

Baylor University will conduct a regular test of Outdoor Warning Systems (tornado sirens) at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 5, along with a required test of the Baylor Alert emergency notification system.

When thinking about space exploration in the years ahead, it doesn’t get much bigger than a groundbreaking new telescope or a future mission to the moon. NASA is preparing for both — and calling on Baylor professors to help them.

Lauren Daigle’s Sept. 12 concert at Baylor University’s Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion is officially sold out, creating a wave of momentum for A-list entertainment set for this fall.

The kickoff to the 2025 Baylor football season is upon us, and this is a big home opener in prime time for our Bears against an SEC opponent that travels well. Although the Auburn game isn’t until 7 p.m., it will still be warm, and we will be wearing black, so start hydrating today!

By now, you probably recognize the photo above. It was a powerful moment from last year’s Texas Bowl that resonated across social media — Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson stopping to pray for an injured opponent.

The person who captured that meaningful moment was not a professional sports photographer (at the time), but a Baylor student. Joaquin Torre (BA ’25) was on the sideline, advancing toward his dream of becoming a full-time sports photographer. He was moved by the response to his photo, which represented a meaningful moment for him as well.

When 20th-ranked Baylor volleyball begins the 2025 season Friday afternoon in Baton Rouge, a new-look team will pursue the same high standards that have become the norm under head coach Ryan McGuyre. Over the last decade, McGuyre has led the program into a golden age. The Bears have earned nine straight NCAA tournament berths, including four Sweet 16s and a Final Four, and look to extend that success in 2025.

On September 16, 2025, at Noon, the Dean of Libraries, Museums, and the Press welcomes Erin Moniz, Associate Chaplain and Director of Chapel at Baylor University, for an engaging conversation with Malcolm Foley, Special Advisor to the President for Equity and Campus Engagement, about Moniz’ recent publication, “Knowing and Being Known: Hope for All Our Intimate Relationships” (InterVarsity Press, 2025), in the Schumacher Flex Commons on the first floor of Moody Memorial Library on the campus of Baylor University and online via Zoom Webinar. A Q&A, book signing, and reception with light refreshments will follow the conversation. The event is free and open to the public.

One of the world’s premier surfing destinations is located about 15 minutes from the Baylor campus.

Yes, you read that right.

In recent years, Waco Surf has gained international intention from surfers seeking the perfect wave year-round. Such prominent surfers as Kelly Slater (11-time World Surf League champion) and Carissa Moore (2020 Olympic gold medalist) have come to Central Texas from California, Hawaii and beyond to run the perfect waves at the touch of a button.

As Baylor football prepares to kick off the 2025 season Friday night at McLane Stadium, the buzz surrounding the team feels elevated — and it’s easy to see why. The Bears finished 2024 as one of the nation’s hottest teams, winning their last six regular season games and delivering a top-20 national offense. This year’s squad returns key performers on both sides of the ball, led by breakout quarterback Sawyer Robertson; his performance is just one of many reasons Baylor fans are so excited:

Baylor University’s award-winning Dr Pepper Hour Tour kicks off its fifth year staying close to home, visiting the Waco community throughout the first week of the fall tour. 

Over the course of four days last week, Baylor welcomed to Waco 3,500+ new freshmen (and their families), another 15,000+ returning students — and almost 40,000 concertgoers who came for The Boys From Oklahoma Texas Encore, a country music festival held at McLane Stadium Saturday night.

Less than an hour after the bands left the stage, crews began the process of readying McLane for another big event this coming Friday — Baylor football’s sold-out season opener against Auburn. Slated for a national FOX broadcast, the game is one of the biggest of college football’s opening weekend.

What a week! From Move2BU to Welcome Week and then the first day of classes — not to mention Saturday night’s big concert — Baylor and Waco are once again buzzing with activity!

Detailed information you need to know to plan ahead for Friday, Aug. 29, including parking lot and garage closures, campus operations and more.

t’s hard to believe, but this was move-in No. 9 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. There aren’t enough words to thank the more than 3,100 student, faculty, staff, church and community volunteers who offered an enthusiastic Baylor and Waco welcome to #BU29.

Baylor University today announced the second-highest fundraising year in Baylor’s history, with more than $192 million given by alumni, parents and friends during the 2025 fiscal year.

As we begin the fall semester, J. Wesley (Wes) Null, Ph.D., who has served more than 14 years as our Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs, asked that I share his plans to return to his tenured faculty appointment as Professor of Curriculum & Foundations of Education at the conclusion of the Spring 2026 semester.  At that time, he will conclude 15 years of service as a Vice Provost.

Baylor’s Class of 2029 arrives on campus this fall united by a common anthem: “CROSS//ROADs,” a class blessing for #BU29 written and recorded by two current Baylor students with the help of Baylor’s School of Music and Office of Spiritual Life.

The song captures the heart tug felt by new college students as they leave the past behind to step out into the future, following God’s calling to what’s next in life. Having been in that same place not long ago, Baylor students Luke Fisher and Hannah Barine (pictured above) collaborated to write and record the song, now available on Spotify and Apple Music.

This weekend, Baylor will welcome nearly 40,000 country music fans to our home city of Waco for The Boys from Oklahoma Texas Encore.

This special McLane Stadium concert will feature country music stars Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours, as well as special guests Shane Smith and the Saints, Waco’s own Wade Bowen, and American Aquarium.

In preparation for Move-In, Baylor University will CLOSE some campus parking lots and interior streets beginning at 6p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19. ALL OF CAMPUS will be impacted.

A team of astrophysicists led by Baylor's Benjamin Rose, Ph.D., has released a powerful new simulation previewing the extraordinary discoveries expected from the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope.

The Spouse and Children Tuition Remission program provides tuition assistance to a spouse and child of eligible faculty and staff who are pursuing a degree at Baylor University.

The Employee Tuition Remission program provides tuition assistance eligible faculty and staff who are pursuing a degree at Baylor University.

Allow me to be among the first to congratulate the members of Baylor’s summer graduating class, which includes more than 650 students. This Saturday morning, 562 undergraduates, masters and professional doctorate candidates will receive their diplomas, and in the afternoon, we will confer 102 research doctorates.

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business has announced the launch of a groundbreaking student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by artificial intelligence.

Baylor’s vice president for student life is new to the role, but a familiar face to many around campus. Dr. Sharra Hynes succeeded Dr. Kevin Jackson on July 1, following Jackson’s retirement after 16 years at Baylor.

The new position was a natural step for Hynes, who has worked with Baylor students since 2020 (most recently as senior associate vice president and dean of students). In her new role, she now leads Baylor’s Division of Student Life, overseeing areas ranging from Student Activities, Campus Living & Learning, and New Student Programs to Spiritual Life, Multicultural Affairs, Campus Recreation and the Counseling Center — a wide variety of resources that enrich each student’s Baylor experience.

How do you determine whether or not a person acted “reasonably”? If you accept that many people will have different definitions of what constitutes reasonableness, you can recognize the sorts of challenges that lawyers face when addressing a jury.

Baylor Law professor Christopher Jaeger conducts his work at the intersection of psychology and the law, applying his research to uncover new insights surrounding such questions. Dr. Jaeger is the rare law professor who pairs his J.D. with both undergraduate and doctoral degrees in psychology — and his interdisciplinary research is drawing notice.

In an effort to better equip faculty with the skills necessary to foster mentor-mentee relationships, Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences has partnered with the Baylor Graduate School to design and facilitate a pilot mentor training workshop. 

Each of the last two years, Baylor has been named among TIME magazine’s top 40 colleges for future leaders. In their research, the publication’s editors studied the resumes of thousands of U.S. leaders to see where they got their start — with Baylor standing out among the nation’s best.

That’s certainly true in the field of education, where countless Baylor alumni are serving as principals, deans, superintendents, etc. In the world of higher ed, 40 Baylor Bears are now the top executives at colleges and universities around the world — the most since BaylorProud began tracking this list in 2011. Here’s a quick rundown of those currently serving as presidents and chancellors:

Long before she was recognized for her work in Baylor’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Dr. Liela Romero (BS ’11) was a Baylor student, much like the ones she now teaches. As she worked in Dr. Kevin Pinney’s lab, she gained the experience she needed to launch her career — from Baylor, to UT Southwestern Medical Center and MIT, and now back at her alma mater.

It’s the same sort of experience she now seeks to impart in her own students, as they combine molecule mixtures that could someday produce cancer drug leads.

We are only 18 days away from the start of a new academic year, and I am looking forward to welcoming the next class of students and their parents into the Baylor Family – starting with this email. 

On August 7, 2025, Provost Brickhouse announced her selections for the annual Readers Meet the Author series that recognizes recent single-author faculty book publications and invites shared reflection and collegial conversation about big ideas.

On Aug. 29, Baylor football kicks off the new season with a home matchup against Auburn — the first SEC opponent to visit Waco since 1995. The Bears’ home schedule also includes games against reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State, perennial contender Kansas State, and old SWC foe Houston, plus Utah, Samford for Family Weekend, and UCF for Homecoming.

Miss a game, and you might miss highlights like these:

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. 

Are you a Baylor faculty or staff member with a new vehicle or new license plate number? Or are you new to Baylor and will be parking on campus? As we near the fall semester, Parking Services says now is a good time for faculty and staff to update their vehicle information.

I wanted to share with you the news that Lee C. Nordt, Ph.D., the longest-serving Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences –our largest academic unit – has announced his plan to step down from his role as Dean and return to the Department of Geosciences at the conclusion of the Spring 2026 semester.

The heart of the Baylor experience is developed on-campus in the union of shared experiences and relationships. In keeping with the university's strategic plan, Baylor University continues to increase the percentage of undergraduates living on campus and improve the quality of Baylor’s residential communities. Central to this effort is Campus Living & Learning (CL&L)’s goal to further enhance engagement between students and faculty within the residential communities. 

After Dr. Burt Burleson (BA ’80) retired in May following 17 years of service, Dr. Charley Ramsey (BA ’97, MA ’00) was named the university’s new Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life.

Ramsey isn’t new to Baylor, higher ed, or spiritual guidance. A two-time Baylor graduate (and Phi Beta Kappa scholar), Ramsey was director of Baptist Student Ministries at Baylor from 2017-21, then served the last four years as BU’s associate chaplain and director of campus ministries & church connections. Overall, Ramsey’s ministry and academic career has spanned more than two decades, including global mission leadership, interfaith scholarship and faculty appointments in the U.S. and South Asia.

Ty Myers will headline Howdy at the Hurd, hosted by Pi Beta Phi and Baylor University, a free students-only event on Friday, Sept. 19, outside the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

Baylor University is mourning the death of Provost Emeritus Donald D. Schmeltekopf, Ph.D., who passed away July 30 in Waco.