Preparing Leaders for Texas Businesses

Students in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business benefit from programs designed to enhance leadership skills.

Baylor’s participation in National Engineers Week spotlights the year-round work of the University to inspire next generation of engineers.

There’s a lot to like about Baylor’s home here in Waco, the heart of Central Texas. A city recently recognized by Southern Living as undergoing a “creative renaissance,” Waco anchors a growing metro with over 300,000 people who enjoy the area’s outdoor activities, history and culture, job market and more.

While such factors alone have long drawn people to the area, there’s a growing focus on the burgeoning megaregion Waco calls home: the Texas Triangle.

If you want to reach students, you can’t be afraid to try new things. Baylor has struck an incredible balance of holding on to what’s most important (our faith, incredible student experience, etc.) while growing and improving across the board (Exhibit A: R1 status).

Higher ed leaders across the country are noticing Baylor’s efforts — and that shows up in lists like U.S. News‘ “Most Innovative Schools,” where Baylor ranks among the nation’s top 40 national universities. That puts Baylor well inside the top 10% nationally when it comes to innovation.

Baylor’s mission has long been to “educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service” — and for the third straight year, a survey by TIME magazine confirms Baylor’s doing exactly that.

Baylor once again ranks among TIME‘s list of the 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders, coming in at No. 70 nationally for 2026 (No. 4 in Texas, No. 5 in the Big 12). This year, the publication studied the resumes of almost 5,000 U.S. leaders — pulling from business, government, academia and more — to find where today’s leaders got their start, with Baylor continuing to stand out among the nation’s best.

Among the many ways to measure the impact of a college education is a practical accounting: Are students finding opportunities to work or further their education after graduation? At Baylor, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

With the most recent numbers just released (covering Summer 2024 through Spring 2025), Baylor’s placement rate is 92%, and its success rate is 94% — numbers well above the national average, and emblematic of steady growth in this area at BU.

The Career Center plays a vital role in helping students discover and fulfill their calling, boasting a 91% placement rate for graduates in either the workforce or graduate school. This innovative approach is built on the core belief that every student’s path is unique, and the support they receive should be too.  

In recognition of National STEM Day, Baylor researchers and their students shared the benefits of innovation and discovery with elementary, middle and high school students in the Waco area through hands-on STEM projects.