Byword

You probably didn't like it. 

When you first saw the cover of this issue of Baylor Magazine, you may have thought it was ugly and messy and certainly not something you would set out on a coffee table (which, I'm sure, is where you usually display your copy of the Baylor Magazine).

The topic of poverty and related issues is often messy and ugly and not something we like to have put in front of us every day. Yet, a growing number of Baylor students are choosing to do just that--to engage poverty head on, exploring its root causes and finding ways to solve them. 

When we set out to cover how Baylor and its students are serving the poor in Waco and around the world, we had no idea what a broad and complex task we would be facing. We initially had planned to run the story in our February issue before realizing just how big a topic it was on campus. 

We knew going in that service has long been a key element of Baylor life, but in the course of our interviews, we heard again and again from faculty and staff that this generation of students seemed more aware of social issues and more motivated to get involved, build relationships and make a difference than ever before. 

Part of the goal of the University's 10-year vision, Baylor 2012, was to attract a student body with both high academic merit and a commitment to Christian service, and then to help those students discern and understand their life work as a calling (Imperatives IV and VI). Beginning on page 30, ("Engaging poverty") you will find an overview of how student involvement in various poverty-related programs is reflecting those goals. Some of the programs are familiar and have been around for decades, but others are recent, student-initiated endeavors supported by the University, faculty and staff. We hope that you will not only be encouraged by their efforts, but that you, too, might be challenged to get engaged.

Among the many faculty members leading the charge is engineering professor Dr. Walter Bradley. We previously have mentioned some of the recognition that he and fellow engineers and entrepreneurs have received from their work developing new uses for coconuts, but in this issue we wanted to tell a bit more of the story, especially Bradley's motivation for pursuing a more profitable future for the husky tropical treat. His story rounds out the poverty package on page 36.

In addition to the hands-on approach to poverty that we discuss in this issue, we also take a look at Baylor's Hankamer School of Business and their efforts to provide practical experience to undergraduate and graduate students ("Education in action," page 24). From managing millions of real dollars in the stock market to developing legitimate business models for multinational corporations, Baylor business students graduate with proven skills ready to make a difference as they launch their careers.

People making a difference is also the theme of our third Master Teacher column, this time from classics professor and Honors College associate dean Tommye Lou Davis ("People make the difference," page 38). She shares what has made Baylor special to her during her 40-plus years here as both a student and as a professor and offers encouragement to all who love Baylor.

Finally, one of our writers set out to find creative ways for younger alumni who love Baylor, like himself, to give back to the University. Read "Inspired support" beginning on page 40 to discover how you can join others in flinging your green and gold afar.
 

Randy Morrison
Director, Baylor Magazine
randy_morrison@baylor.edu