Five years ago, I was given the great privilege and honor of becoming the 15th President of Baylor University.

Baylor students continue a long tradition of serving and leading as counselors at camps throughout the United States

Jason R. Carter, Ph.D., vice president for research, economic development and graduate education at Montana State University, was named Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences Dean

When Baylor announced that the University achieved the prestigious designation of Research 1 (R1) status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in December 2021, the designation placed the University among the nation’s top-tier research institutions as a doctoral university with “very high research activity.” 

At its regular May meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents approved a four-phased framework to address several of the priorities identified by the Commission on Historic Campus Representations.

With 19 residence halls at Baylor offering on-campus living for undergraduate students, maintenance, updates and renovations are an ongoing pursuit. Four residence halls, in particular, are in line for renovations with Collins Hall undergoing work as the first this year. 

Baylor students continue to shine as 14 were named Fulbright scholarship recipients for the 2021-22 academic year, the most in University history. This number is likely to place Baylor among the top producers of Fulbright scholars nationwide.

At their regular May meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents voted to extend the contract of President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., to 2032 in recognition of her exemplary University and national leadership that has elevated Baylor as a preeminent Christian research university with strengths across the board in academics, research and athletics.

Steppin’ Out is a twice-a-year service opportunity through which thousands of Baylor students directly serve the Waco community. The event returned in person for the 2021-22 academic year after previously navigating the challenges of providing virtual service opportunities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chapel is one of the oldest traditions in American higher education and one of the longest standing and most important traditions of the Baylor experience. It remains an integral part of life for the University’s students.

Baylor faculty members Leslie Palich, Ph.D., and Candi Cann, Ph.D., were both named Fulbright U.S. Scholars. 

Baylor senior lecturer in piano Bradley Bolen, D.M.A., has done his best to help ease the stress of war, offering online piano lessons to Myron Maletskyi, an 11-year-old Ukranian boy, during Russia’s invasion. Bolen met Maletskyi and his mother Irina in the fall of 2019 while doing master classes in Vienna.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary as one of Baylor’s oldest traditions, Diadeloso — or “The Day of the Bear” — returned to the Baylor campus in April, the first on-campus celebration of the annual spring holiday since 2019 after adjustments to the celebration in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

One of Baylor’s most beloved traditions — Dr Pepper Hour — hit the road this spring for an eight-week journey covering nearly 7,000 miles. The Dr Pepper Hour Tour delivered the sweet experience of ice cream floats alongside the excitement of being a part of the Baylor Family.

For almost two decades, Baylor Line Camp has been a quintessential component of the new-student experience. Newly minted Bears connect more deeply with the University and each other as they begin their Baylor stories. 

For the fifth straight year, Baylor Law’s Legal Clinics honored the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of McLennan County’s law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical services

A total solar eclipse will take place April 8, 2024, and Central Texas will be an ideal location for viewing the rare celestial display. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, is teaming with Baylor, the City of Waco and Discovery on a public event: Eclipse Over Texas 2024. 

Baylor’s iEngage Summer Civics Institute was named the 2022 recipient of the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education.