Keeping The Brightest In Texas

Seeking to further strengthen ties between Texas Baptist universities and the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), Baylor University's Graduate School has partnered with the BGCT and affiliated Texas Baptist institutions to establish the Texas Baptist Universities (TBU) Scholars program at Baylor.

Through the TBU Scholars program, Texas Baptist universities will identify promising undergraduate or graduate scholars for doctoral studies in multiple disciplines offered through the Graduate School at Baylor.

"This is a tangible and important way that Texas Baptist universities will work together for the benefit of all," said Dr. Larry Lyon, vice provost for institutional effectiveness and dean of the Baylor Graduate School. "Baylor benefits by increasing the number of applicants to our doctoral program who value the distinctive, faith-centered approach to higher education offered by Baptist universities. All Texas Baptist universities benefit by increasing the number of new Ph.D. students who are more likely to want to teach at our universities, who understand and embrace the role of Christian faith and Baptist traditions, and who can help ensure that our Baptist universities continue to play an important and distinctive role for higher education in Texas."

The TBU Scholars program was created to increase the number of Baptist-educated doctoral students staying in Texas Baptist universities. The goal, say BGCT-related university presidents, is to retain bright doctoral students in Texas Baptist universities as students and, subsequently, as faculty.

At Baylor, TBU Scholars will be able to seek doctoral degrees not offered at other Texas Baptist institutions in various disciplines--areas such as biology, church-state studies, English and religion.

The cost of the program will be shared among the partners. The BGCT will provide $1,000 per scholar, the sponsoring college or seminary will contribute $1,000, and Baylor's Graduate School will provide the balance of tuition and a stipend for each student.

Currently, Baylor has 24 doctoral students from BGCT partner schools and hopes to have five to 10 new TBU Scholars per year through the proposed program.

Baylor is one of nine participating Texas Baptist universities, along with Baptist University of the Americas, Dallas Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University, Hardin Simmons University, Houston Baptist University, Howard Payne University, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Wayland Baptist University.