News

Nathaniel Ezekiel, who etched his name in gold as one of the most dominant athletes in Baylor track and field history, capped off his collegiate career with a historic run of success.

Long before she earned national recognition for her work in Baylor’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Liela Romero, B.S. ’11, Ph.D., was a Baylor student.

A team of Baylor archaeologists has uncovered a rare, intact Etruscan chamber tomb in central Italy — a discovery hailed as one of the most significant finds in recent decades for understanding the ancient pre-Roman civilization.

At the beginning of 2025, Baylor’s physics department changed its name to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, a title emblematic of the growing space research portfolio within the department and growing interest in space among students.

Although Matthew T. Lee, Ph.D., did not initially intend to pursue high-level human flourishing research, he’s built a national reputation as a top voice in the field.

Baylor faculty serve as leaders in their field in many ways.

Jonathan M. Larson, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, combines his passion, expertise and experience to forge new techniques in the science world.

When the Baylor Family gathers bright and early on Saturday, November 1, for this year’s Homecoming parade, they will be continuing a fun tradition that goes all the way back to 1909.

I love this time of year. It brings opportunities to reconnect with familiar faces on campus and around Waco and to welcome new friends into the Baylor Family.

Baylor University and Baptist World Alliance Launches New Partnership

At Baylor, first-year students begin their journey with Baylor Line Camp in the summer.

Baylor Parents play an important role in the success of students. 

Baylor leaders, professors and staff have meaningful stories to tell about the work they do in support of the Baylor mission.

The past year saw the second-highest fundraising year in Baylor’s history, with more than $192 million given during the 2025 fiscal year (FY25).

Since 1982, the Beall-Russell Lecture in the Humanities series in the College of Arts & Sciences, founded by the late Virginia Beall Ball, B.A. ’40, has welcomed some of the leading intellectuals of varied professions from around the world to Baylor’s campus.

In October 2025, Baylor University welcomes its inaugural cohort of Master of Physician Assistant Studies students.

This November, Baylor University will host its inaugural TEDx event, presenting “Innovation in Deeds.”

What began at Baylor in 1980 as the merger of two departments — computer science and engineering science — became an established School of Engineering and Computer Science in 1995.

The inaugural Baylor New Play Initiative (BNPI) is one of the first initiatives of its kind, focused not only on identifying promising playwrights but also on cultivating their work in partnership with professional theatres and academic institutions.

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business will launch a groundbreaking student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by artificial intelligence.

The new Baylor Libraries Book Arts & Letterpress Lab, housed in two rooms on the first floor of Baylor’s Jesse H. Jones Library, introduces Baylor students, faculty and staff to historical printing practices, allowing them to create their own books by hand using paper and ink.

This fall, one of Baylor's own steps into a new role: Charles Ramsey, Ph.D., B.A. ’97, M.A. ’00, was selected to serve as university chaplain and dean of spiritual life.

While scrolling through social media, mothers may find more than memes — they might also find connection, particularly as they navigate the challenges of raising children.

At Baylor, career development is a personalized journey that begins the moment students arrive on campus.

This summer, Baylor students Emily Zimmer and Ishaan Patel were busy with elite internships in the field of engineering.

Baylor University boasts the “just-right” fit that attracts some of the most academically prepared applicants.

Faculty apply elite research focus to ensure clean water for communities in the future — close to home and around the world.

Chaplains have served the spiritual needs of American military members since the Continental Congress established them in 1775. For 250 years, these ministers have attended to the spiritual, moral, counseling, and guidance to servicepersons worldwide.

Recognizing Baylor’s legacy of Chaplain ministry service, the 21st U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Major General) Trent Davis, visited Baylor earlier this week to speak during Truett Seminary’s Chapel Service. 

Baylor is consistently ranked among TIME magazine's "100 Best Colleges for Leaders." Learn how leadership is a calling and commitment at Baylor, embedded in the student experience in practical ways.

When thinking about space exploration in the years ahead, it doesn’t get much bigger than a groundbreaking new telescope or a future mission to the moon. NASA is preparing for both — and calling on Baylor professors to help them.

By now, you probably recognize the photo above. It was a powerful moment from last year’s Texas Bowl that resonated across social media — Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson stopping to pray for an injured opponent.

The person who captured that meaningful moment was not a professional sports photographer (at the time), but a Baylor student. Joaquin Torre (BA ’25) was on the sideline, advancing toward his dream of becoming a full-time sports photographer. He was moved by the response to his photo, which represented a meaningful moment for him as well.

When 20th-ranked Baylor volleyball begins the 2025 season Friday afternoon in Baton Rouge, a new-look team will pursue the same high standards that have become the norm under head coach Ryan McGuyre. Over the last decade, McGuyre has led the program into a golden age. The Bears have earned nine straight NCAA tournament berths, including four Sweet 16s and a Final Four, and look to extend that success in 2025.

One of the world’s premier surfing destinations is located about 15 minutes from the Baylor campus.

Yes, you read that right.

In recent years, Waco Surf has gained international intention from surfers seeking the perfect wave year-round. Such prominent surfers as Kelly Slater (11-time World Surf League champion) and Carissa Moore (2020 Olympic gold medalist) have come to Central Texas from California, Hawaii and beyond to run the perfect waves at the touch of a button.

As Baylor football prepares to kick off the 2025 season Friday night at McLane Stadium, the buzz surrounding the team feels elevated — and it’s easy to see why. The Bears finished 2024 as one of the nation’s hottest teams, winning their last six regular season games and delivering a top-20 national offense. This year’s squad returns key performers on both sides of the ball, led by breakout quarterback Sawyer Robertson; his performance is just one of many reasons Baylor fans are so excited:

Baylor University’s award-winning Dr Pepper Hour Tour kicks off its fifth year staying close to home, visiting the Waco community throughout the first week of the fall tour. 

Over the course of four days last week, Baylor welcomed to Waco 3,500+ new freshmen (and their families), another 15,000+ returning students — and almost 40,000 concertgoers who came for The Boys From Oklahoma Texas Encore, a country music festival held at McLane Stadium Saturday night.

Less than an hour after the bands left the stage, crews began the process of readying McLane for another big event this coming Friday — Baylor football’s sold-out season opener against Auburn. Slated for a national FOX broadcast, the game is one of the biggest of college football’s opening weekend.

What a week! From Move2BU to Welcome Week and then the first day of classes — not to mention Saturday night’s big concert — Baylor and Waco are once again buzzing with activity!

Baylor’s Class of 2029 arrives on campus this fall united by a common anthem: “CROSS//ROADs,” a class blessing for #BU29 written and recorded by two current Baylor students with the help of Baylor’s School of Music and Office of Spiritual Life.

The song captures the heart tug felt by new college students as they leave the past behind to step out into the future, following God’s calling to what’s next in life. Having been in that same place not long ago, Baylor students Luke Fisher and Hannah Barine (pictured above) collaborated to write and record the song, now available on Spotify and Apple Music.

This weekend, Baylor will welcome nearly 40,000 country music fans to our home city of Waco for The Boys from Oklahoma Texas Encore.

This special McLane Stadium concert will feature country music stars Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours, as well as special guests Shane Smith and the Saints, Waco’s own Wade Bowen, and American Aquarium.

A team of astrophysicists led by Baylor's Benjamin Rose, Ph.D., has released a powerful new simulation previewing the extraordinary discoveries expected from the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope.

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business has announced the launch of a groundbreaking student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by artificial intelligence.

Baylor’s vice president for student life is new to the role, but a familiar face to many around campus. Dr. Sharra Hynes succeeded Dr. Kevin Jackson on July 1, following Jackson’s retirement after 16 years at Baylor.

The new position was a natural step for Hynes, who has worked with Baylor students since 2020 (most recently as senior associate vice president and dean of students). In her new role, she now leads Baylor’s Division of Student Life, overseeing areas ranging from Student Activities, Campus Living & Learning, and New Student Programs to Spiritual Life, Multicultural Affairs, Campus Recreation and the Counseling Center — a wide variety of resources that enrich each student’s Baylor experience.

How do you determine whether or not a person acted “reasonably”? If you accept that many people will have different definitions of what constitutes reasonableness, you can recognize the sorts of challenges that lawyers face when addressing a jury.

Baylor Law professor Christopher Jaeger conducts his work at the intersection of psychology and the law, applying his research to uncover new insights surrounding such questions. Dr. Jaeger is the rare law professor who pairs his J.D. with both undergraduate and doctoral degrees in psychology — and his interdisciplinary research is drawing notice.

Each of the last two years, Baylor has been named among TIME magazine’s top 40 colleges for future leaders. In their research, the publication’s editors studied the resumes of thousands of U.S. leaders to see where they got their start — with Baylor standing out among the nation’s best.

That’s certainly true in the field of education, where countless Baylor alumni are serving as principals, deans, superintendents, etc. In the world of higher ed, 40 Baylor Bears are now the top executives at colleges and universities around the world — the most since BaylorProud began tracking this list in 2011. Here’s a quick rundown of those currently serving as presidents and chancellors:

Long before she was recognized for her work in Baylor’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Dr. Liela Romero (BS ’11) was a Baylor student, much like the ones she now teaches. As she worked in Dr. Kevin Pinney’s lab, she gained the experience she needed to launch her career — from Baylor, to UT Southwestern Medical Center and MIT, and now back at her alma mater.

It’s the same sort of experience she now seeks to impart in her own students, as they combine molecule mixtures that could someday produce cancer drug leads.

On Aug. 29, Baylor football kicks off the new season with a home matchup against Auburn — the first SEC opponent to visit Waco since 1995. The Bears’ home schedule also includes games against reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State, perennial contender Kansas State, and old SWC foe Houston, plus Utah, Samford for Family Weekend, and UCF for Homecoming.

Miss a game, and you might miss highlights like these:

After Dr. Burt Burleson (BA ’80) retired in May following 17 years of service, Dr. Charley Ramsey (BA ’97, MA ’00) was named the university’s new Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life.

Ramsey isn’t new to Baylor, higher ed, or spiritual guidance. A two-time Baylor graduate (and Phi Beta Kappa scholar), Ramsey was director of Baptist Student Ministries at Baylor from 2017-21, then served the last four years as BU’s associate chaplain and director of campus ministries & church connections. Overall, Ramsey’s ministry and academic career has spanned more than two decades, including global mission leadership, interfaith scholarship and faculty appointments in the U.S. and South Asia.

Baylor University is mourning the death of Provost Emeritus Donald D. Schmeltekopf, Ph.D., who passed away July 30 in Waco.

Baylor University is mourning the death of Ronald L. Wilson, M.D., B.A. ’71, a beloved Waco physician, avid Baylor supporter and former member of the Baylor Board of Regents.

Planetary geophysicist Peter B. James, Ph.D., has been selected to serve on a prestigious NASA Science Definition Team charged with shaping the goals and design of a future robotic mission to the far side of the Moon.

Chemist and cancer researcher Liela Romero, Ph.D., has earned an Early Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation to further the development of new tools for chemical synthesis and drug discovery. 

As Baylor’s Board of Regents holds its regular summer meeting this week, five new Regents are taking their seats at the table to start new terms: two serving at-large, plus one new Alumni-Elected Regent, one new BGCT Regent, and one new Student Regent:

The impact of a Baylor education often reaches beyond the walls of the classroom. For Cade Kegerreis (B.F.A. ’17), it remains visible on the walls of the University and Waco itself.

Residence halls at Baylor provide a foundation for student success in and out of the classroom through a caring community.

Charles Ramsey reflects on coming home, carrying forward a mission of faith, character and community.

The Baylor Department of Theatre Arts doesn’t just nurture young talent; its members are also producing projects that are making waves — including an Oscar-qualifying short film!

ADO (as in “Much Ado About Nothing”) is the brainchild of Sam Henderson (BFA ’05), an assistant professor in both Baylor’s film & digital media and theatre departments. The film (which Henderson co-wrote and directed) follows a middle school theatre teacher caught in an unimaginable situation when her class’s rehearsal is interrupted by a school shooting.

Over the years, Baylor leaders have often noted that research growth would allow BU to bring its Christian voice to bear on meaningful issues through a “seat at the table” where decisions are made.

That’s now happening — and the ranks of Baylor leaders speaking into key national and international issues only continues to grow. Here are just a few recent examples:

Baylor alumna Ashley Killough followed stories during her time at Baylor, during her Fulbright year in Armenia, and during the 2016 presidential campaign for CNN. Now, she's finding new stories at CNN Dallas.

The Hill Country is a special place to Texans, including many in the Baylor Family. As news spread of the catastrophic July 4 weekend floods in and around Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country, the impact was felt far and wide. The flash floods claimed the lives of over 100 people, and many remain missing.

Throughout the Baylor Family, the desire to respond in a meaningful way was evident. In addition to the many Baylor alumni who reside in the Hill Country or have vacationed in the area, the region’s many camps have welcomed generations of Bears who retain those memories of friendship, recreation and spiritual development nurtured there. Quickly, the Baylor Family’s prayers were joined by action to support our neighbors to the south:

For students, finding your place at Baylor means plugging into the resources and relationships within the Baylor Family that surround you with the support you need to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and physically.]

Dr. Karen Foli understands well the lives of the people her research impacts. As a longtime nurse and adoptive parent, Foli’s work sits at the intersection of mental health, nursing, and adoptive/kinship parents.

Foli came to Baylor last year from Purdue University to serve as the inaugural Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing, a new position created to advance mental and behavioral health research in Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing. In Foli, the school found one of those subjects’ top researchers.

Back when he was a student sportswriter for The Baylor Lariat, many of Shehan Jeyarajah’s professors and colleagues recognized his talent, and may have even used the words “rising star” to describe him.

But now, it’s official: The Football Writers Association of America named Jeyarajah (BA ’16) as its 2025 Edward Aschoff Rising Star award recipient, a highly coveted title presented annually to an elite young sportswriter.

Two Baylor Bears were drafted in the first six rounds of the 2025 MLB draft — BU’s 32nd and 33rd picks in the last 35 drafts, dating back to 1991.

Sixth-year senior Gabe Craig, the Bears’ closer, was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round, while senior shortstop Tyriq Kemp was selected one round later by the Kansas City Royals.

A team of archaeologists, led by Baylor University’s Davide Zori, Ph.D., and the San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project, has uncovered a rare, intact Etruscan chamber tomb in central Italy.

Baylor University announced a $2.5 million gift from alumni Susan and Lee Bush of Athens, Texas, establishing, in part, the Lampsato Endowed Chair of Baptist World Missional Engagement and the Lampsato Endowed Fund at Truett Seminary.

The Baylor community, including incoming freshmen at Line Camp, joined Baylor Missions and BearAid to pack flood relief buckets for families in Kerr County, Texas.

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.  

From Denney Willie to Davis Wendzel, no fewer than 48 Baylor Bears have reached baseball’s highest level over the last century-plus. Willie debuted in 1911, Wendzel in 2024, and there’s been a host of Baylor greats to reach Major League Baseball in between, including All-Stars, a Rookie of the Year, and a Hall of Famer.

So, who are the best Baylor alumni to reach the big leagues? That’s a question we first aimed to answer six years ago. Since then, five more Bears have reached the big leagues, and we’ve seen players stake their claim for a new spot (or a higher spot) on the list. So, we humbly present our new-for-2025 list of the nine best Bears in Major League history:

Baylor students can explore a diverse array of unique chapel offerings designed to nurture faith, foster community and create space for pondering a deeper understanding of Christianity.

Baylor is welcoming not one, but two new deans this summer, following the retirement of longtime Graduate School Dean Larry Lyon (BA ’71) and the hiring of Hankamer School of Business Dean Sandeep Mazumder as president of Berry College.

For world-class concerts and entertainment, Baylor University and the City of Waco are establishing the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion and Waco, Texas, as the premiere mid-market experience.

From Baylor's Truett Seminary to ministry in various locations around the globe and now serving as a civilian director of religious education for the Army, Aluma Syeeda Echols follows her calling with faith at the center of her work.

Ahead of the 23rd Baptist World Congress in Brisbane, Australia, July 7-12, the Baptist World Alliance and Baylor University announced the establishment of a Baptist World Alliance Program to be housed at Baylor’s Truett Seminary.

One frequent criticism of higher education is that its findings often remain locked in the “ivory tower,” rather than being shared with the “real world.”

Dr. Thomas Hibbs is the counterpoint to that — a longtime dean (and even university president) who has consistently applied his knowledge to current events and popular culture and used mass media to share those insights.

For the fifth straight year, a Baylor Bear was taken in the first round of the NBA draft — and this one went higher than any Bear before him.

With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe — making the Big 12 Freshman of the Year the highest draft pick in Baylor basketball history. The previous mark was held by Ekpe Udoh, who was selected at No. 6 by the Warriors in 2010.

Among the many draws to Baylor University is the chance to learn from elite faculty members at a Christian Research 1 university.

Dr. Leigh Greathouse is one of Baylor’s many cancer researchers, specifically focused on the relationship between diet, microorganisms and cancer. Her efforts are driven in part by her own experience fighting cancer while still in her 20s.

Her work is also driven by her faith. Earlier this year, she posted on social media about what it’s like to be a Christian working in science today:

Alumna Dr. Jade Connor Eruchalu, B.S. ’17, is making an impact on the world through geriatric memory care.

A Baylor-led study analyzed the whiskers of leopard seals to challenge assumptions about the feeding behavior of these apex predators.

You may have heard friends or family members lament the ubiquity of technology, or bemoan that the ways it changes our interactions with the world could lead to “brain rot” or something similar. (Maybe you’ve even said that yourself).

Dr. Michael Scullin, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor, set out to see if such fears are warranted — and his findings have earned international attention.

From one generation of students to the next, Baylor University has played a powerful role in shaping the lives of thousands of young men and women.

Baylor students just keep upping the school record for Fulbright scholarship recipients. In 2019, BU set a new high with 7 Fulbrights; in 2022, that jumped to 14; and last year, 18 Bears were so honored.

Given that trend (and Baylor’s continued national recognition as a top Fulbright producer), it should come as no surprise that that record has fallen again. This spring, 23 Baylor students and recent alumni won the prestigious Fulbright awards — and that’s just the beginning when it comes to the list of BU students winning top national and international scholarships and fellowships.

Among the many draws to Baylor University is the chance to learn from elite faculty members at a Christian research university.

There are plenty of ways to measure this, from having dozens of faculty recognized among the nation’s most cited researchers to the University’s attainment of a top-30 national ranking for both undergraduate teaching and research. Another sign of Baylor’s elite faculty: the many researchers recognized as fellows in their fields.

Baylor Track & Field’s legacy of Olympians, national champions and record-setters sets a high standard — a standard that this year’s athletes upheld and extended.

Two Bears claimed national titles in individual events this spring, Baylor won three of four Big 12 Performer of the Year honors, and a host of Bears brought home all-America honors as head coach Michael Ford’s teams closed out another successful season last week.

Baylor students receive prestigious scholarships and fellowships, demonstrating excellence in undergraduate education and research.

Standout performances by current and former Bears this spring.