$2M Gift Establishes Chair for Global Mission Leadership

A $2 million gift made by Baylor parents from California will establish an endowed Chair in Global Leadership within Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. In addition, the gift will support programmatic funding for the Global Mission Leadership (GML) program whose purpose is to contribute to Christ-centered international development through culturally informed education.

GML contributes to international development through its scholarship program that identifies, recruits and sponsors leaders from communities around the world to study at Baylor. While studying at the University, these international leaders enhance Baylor’s global classroom by providing international perspectives to students and faculty. Graduates of the program return to their home countries for transformational service. The program has produced graduates who are working in government, medical settings and nonprofit organizations in Uganda, Cambodia, Myanmar and many other nations, providing advocacy, social services and education to their communities.

“What we did not expect was that Baylor’s initiatives would so closely align with our family’s heart and our ministry,” the family said. “That was an unexpected ‘Aha!’ moment. What we found unique about GML is that it is mission minded. The students are coming in with a calling that is faith rooted in their spiritual journey as Christians to say that ‘I believe God is calling me to the mission field to work with child protection issues or economic development, and (GML) will help launch my career and help me be better equipped to do more in the country that I’m from.’ So that just blew us away.”