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Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo. The addition of those last two words to Baylor’s longstanding motto mirrors the university’s mission statement (“for worldwide leadership and service”), and highlights Baylor’s global impact as a Christian research university.

Baylor faculty have long conducted groundbreaking research with a worldwide bent, and that continues today. For a few examples, let’s take a trip across campus and around the globe:

Baylor University education expert Bill Sterrett, Ph.D., looks at how the four-day week could potentially affect student learning, attendance, teacher retention and cost savings. 

Baylor University today announced a $1.5 million gift from B. Todd and Amy Patterson of Richmond, Texas, establishing The Todd and Amy Patterson Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity to advance the School of Engineering and Computer Science’s research within the field of cybersecurity. 

Julia Y. Chan, Ph.D., B.S. ’93, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and The Tim and Sharalynn Fenn Family Endowed Chair in Materials Science at Baylor University, is among 37 members of the American Chemical Society named as ACS Fellows for 2024.

At Baylor, our Christian faith is not something we hold lightly — it’s at the core of everything we do. From providing resident chaplains in each residence hall, to keeping Chapel a core part of student’s experiences, to providing intentional spaces for spiritual nurturing, our Christian faith remains a vital part of everyday life at Baylor.

That faith is also quite literally built into our campus. From stained glass windows to Scriptures on buildings and walkways, here are six examples of how our physical campus reflects Baylor’s Christian faith:

Dr. Lourenco Paz’s expertise in international trade has already been displayed in leading scholarly journals and international seminars. Now, he’s getting to go even deeper in his work in Hungary through a prestigious Fulbright award.

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards are the most sought-after fellowships for scholars from the U.S. Department of State, and Paz’s receipt of the award will open doors for research and scholarly collaboration around the world.

Baylor University has received a $30,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation in collaboration with the Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity (CELO) to support youth-led, youth-driven community service among students.

Baylor School of Education expert offers ideas to help make the start of the new school year less stressful for everyone.

In the last year, multiple Baylor professors have earned NASA grants and/or partnered with the space agency on projects to help us better understand our universe.

Such efforts continue Baylor’s long history of NASA partnerships — a natural fit, considering Johnson Space Center is just a little over three hours away in southeast Houston.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will take place July 26 through Aug. 11 in Paris, so what can we expect to see from the world’s best athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage? Baylor experts weigh on Olympic topics from faith to fashion statements, brand moments to American unity, athletes' mental health to self-worth.

Baylor University has announced the appointment of Karen J. Foli, Ph.D., RN, ANEF, FAAN, as the inaugural Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing, the first endowed chair position in the history of Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON). 

For many athletes, sports provide a place to develop their values, express their identities and share their faith with others. The Olympics have long been an important platform for Christians to do this work, said sports historian and author Paul Putz, Ph.D., director of the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor University and author of the forthcoming book, The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports.

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

At least one Baylor Bear has brought home the gold in seven of the last eight Summer Olympics. Seven different Bears will look to extend that run this summer in Paris.

Those Bears will be representing four different nations: Brittney Griner (BSED ’19, basketball) and Avery Skinner (volleyball) for Team USA; current Baylor student-athletes Nathaniel Ezekiel (400m hurdles) and Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi (javelin) in track & field for Nigeria; John Peers (men’s tennis – doubles) and Kristy Wallace (BSED ’18, basketball) for Australia; and Nuni Omot (BSED ’18, basketball) for South Sudan. Baylor track and field head coach Michael Ford (BBA ’97) will also be in Paris as men’s sprints/hurdles coach for Team USA.

As the world eagerly anticipates the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the fashion scene is buzzing with excitement over the latest team fashion trends set to make a statement to the world.

As students head back to class, they may feel challenged by the adjustment of waking up early to make it to class on time. This is especially true of adolescents, whose natural sleep pattern tends to be late to bed and late to wake, said Michael K. Scullin, Ph.D., director of Baylor University’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory and associate professor of psychology and neuroscience. 

The pressures faced by Olympic athletes can take a significant toll on their psychological well-being. Can strategies involving Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) help elite athletes develop skills to reduce symptoms mental health struggles while also enhancing performance?

Elite athletes, including Olympic athletes at the top of their sport, often drop to their knees in prayer before competition and after, whether following the thrill of victory… or the agony of defeat. A Baylor study has found that an athlete’s relationship with God affect their mental well-being, as well as their self-worth based on others’ approval.

Americans are divided on a multitude of different issues, but could the Olympic Games unite the country – at least for the duration of an Olympiad? A Baylor University sports marketing and branding expert says yes, it can, in his latest Forbes SportsMoney column.

Researchers document groundbreaking insights into the reproductive behaviors of a mysterious apex predator.

Smiley faces, hearts, thumbs up and folded hands – those are just a few of the thousands of emojis that are available for internet users to communicate with. World Emoji Day is a day to consider how these symbols can perfectly emphasize ideas and convey emotions quickly and creatively when words alone often cannot.

As the world’s largest Baptist university, it only makes sense that Baylor would be a part of the Baptist World Alliance.

The group, founded in 1905 and numbering more than 250 Baptist organizations across 134 countries and territories, officially welcomed Baylor as a full Member Partner at its annual gathering earlier this month. Among the Alliance’s members are the Baptist General Convention of Texas (with which Baylor will continue its longstanding relationship), two other Texas Baptist universities (Dallas Baptist and Howard Payne), and Baylor’s Truett Seminary (which was also approved as a full member this month).

In just a few weeks, Baylor’s Class of 2028 will arrive on campus for Move2BU, Welcome Week and the start of classes. But we can’t wait; here’s your first look at some of the members of #BU28:

Advertising expert Tyrha Lindsey-Warren gives a “sneak peek” into the commercial lineup for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Yes, it’s true — no victories, let alone titles, are earned in college basketball in the month of July. That may be what teams are building toward as they go about their offseason workouts and recruiting, but it’s way too early to think about rankings. Right? Okay, maybe not.

With the caveat in the very title, ESPN’s annual “Way-Too-Early” rankings are out — and both Baylor’s men and women are ranked in the Top 10. Head coach Scott Drew’s team came in at No. 6, while Nicki Collen’s squad is ranked No. 9 nationally.

Nathan Shelburne, Ph.D., and student leader like Kaleigh Wiffler join the Baylor Connections podcast to discuss Baylor’s New Student Programs, which are essential to helping new students feel at home and ready to embark on their Baylor journey.

MLB’s All-Star game is considered one of best all-star contests among professional sports, but Baylor sports marketing expert Kirk Wakefield says the game faces continued headwinds.

Since 1851, Baylor’s motto has begun with “Pro Ecclesia” — for the Church. A host of Baylor academic programs are designed specifically to build up and support pastors, congregations, theologians, and other parts of the body of Christ — but one effort is far more direct.

For years, Truett Seminary has worked to connect churches with current seminary students and alumni, benefitting both congregations and individuals. At its core, the goal is to make sure the matches made serve both the church and the pastor.

In the world of sports cards, a “Future Star” or “Rated Rookie” means you’ve got a card of someone who merits paying attention to — someone whose career looks like it’s about to take off.

In the world of higher education, early career awards function in a very similar fashion — recognizing up-and-coming faculty who have already shown indications of excellent research and scholarship, with the potential to be future leaders in their fields.

After two successful decades in the corporate world, Gabe Madison, B.B.A. '00, answered a call two years ago to serve as president of Bonton Farms, an urban farm in south Dallas that not only addresses food insecurity but also focuses on meeting myriad community needs, including health, wellness, housing and so much more.

At its Annual Gathering this week in Lagos, Nigeria, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Council unanimously approved 13 new members, including Baylor University as a full Member Partner. Baylor will join the BWA’s membership of 266 Baptist organizations across 134 countries and territories that represent more than 51 million Baptists worldwide.

Among research universities, Baylor is distinct — a Christian R1 university. Faculty are engaged in high-level research that addresses challenges in health, engineering, and other fields. Solving these problems is the ultimate goal, but along the way, Baylor researchers are competing for — and winning — competitive grants that other top institutions strive to attain.

Here are just a few recent examples of significant projects where you’ll find Baylor faculty and students hard at work:

Many people receive massage therapy and for many reasons. But according to a new study by Baylor researchers, the prevalence of visits to massage therapists is higher than one might have imagined and the reasons may be surprising.

After 40 years as one of the faces of San Antonio’s KSAT, Jessie Degollado (BA ’72) is stepping out of the spotlight.

Degollado was one of a host of KSAT veterans to retire July 1, ending an era in San Antonio. Whether reporting on issues affecting San Antonio, South Texas or both sides of the Rio Grande, Degollado used her journalistic nose, her knowledge of Hispanic culture and language, and just plain hard work to keep the people of San Antonio informed for four decades.

Baylor is regularly named among the most beautiful college campuses in the United States — but sometimes, you just want to get off campus and into more natural settings.

Thankfully, Waco has plenty to offer those looking for a serene getaway. From hiking trails near the Brazos River to sunsets in Woodway Park, here are six of our favorite places to escape the daily grind and enjoy the beauty of Central Texas!

Baylor University's groundbreaking research in fuel-flexible combustion technology has garnered national attention, as Lulin Jiang, Ph.D., and her team have been accepted into the National Science Foundation's prestigious National I-Corps™ program. 

For the first time this summer, the Baylor University Talent Identification Program (TIP) in the School of Education hosted residential camps for high-ability gifted students in grades 8 through 12 in June on the Baylor campus. 

It’s become commonplace to hear Baylor names called in the first round of the NBA Draft. But to hear two of them called in a three-pick span? That’s raising the bar even further.

Ja’Kobe Walter and Yves Missi became Baylor men’s basketball’s first pair of teammates ever drafted in the first round of the same draft. Walter was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors, while Missi went two picks later, at No. 21, to the New Orleans Pelicans.

This week’s Baylor Connections guest – in honor of Independence Day – is Julie Anne Sweet, Ph.D., professor of history, director of military studies and an expert on colonial and revolutionary America and military history. 

As Independence Day approaches, a Baylor management professor - and longtime Ben Franklin scholar - shares his thoughts on a four aspects of the Founding Father's legacy.

Baylor University physical therapy researchers Shane Koppenhaver, PT, Ph.D., and Laurel E. Proulx, PT, DPT, Ph.D., have received a four-year $2.5 million grant award from the Department of Defense to test a novel intervention for women service members suffering from debilitating chronic pelvic pain that could provide better access to care and rapid, effective treatment.

In 22 seasons as head coach of the Baylor women’s tennis program, Joey Scrivano has built a record of success as the winningest coach in program history. This spring, he added a new title to his resume: Baylor graduate.

Scrivano walked the stage at Commencement in May after earning his master’s degree in sport pedagogy. For a coach who consistently encourages his players to be lifelong learners, it was a chance to live out what he preaches — and it provided a deeper appreciation for the experience his student-athletes receive at Baylor.

A multidisciplinary team of Baylor researchers is working to advance technology that could drastically reduce the time and logistical footprints needed for the sustainable development and repair of products for the U.S. military, thank to a $15 million congressional appropriation.

Endowed faculty positions, especially endowed chairs, are a big deal in the academic world. They come with a certain level of prestige, and help universities attract professors at the top of their game.

That’s why it’s so important that, during the Give Light philanthropic campaign, the Baylor Family’s generosity enabled the university to create an eye-popping 48 new endowed faculty positions, including 23 new endowed chairs. (For context: When Give Light began, Baylor had just five endowed chair positions; generous giving has quintupled that.)

Baylor University’s Office of Investments, which is responsible for managing Baylor’s $2 billion endowment and other long-term investments of the University, has been named a finalist for Team of the Year by The Allocator Prizes, celebrating the best and brightest in institutional investing. 

Once again this summer, Baylor students can be found around the globe, ministering and serving in 10 countries across four continents on Baylor Missions trips.

What makes Baylor’s mission trips distinct is the blending of service and calling. These trips are discipline-specific: students with similar career goals or interests come together for trips that allow them to further develop in areas like healthcare, business or music as they meet significant needs wherever they travel.

Earlier this month, the Baylor Facebook page asked its nearly 250,000 followers a simple question: “What’s the most random place you’ve met another Bear?”

More than 500 answers later, a couple of things became clear:

Something special happened in April when the Texas Rangers hosted the Oakland Athletics. Former Baylor standout Davis Wendzel had just been called up, joining a Baylor teammate, Cody Bradford, on the Rangers. In the opposite dugout, another of their former teammates, Shea Langeliers, was preparing to play for the Athletics. This is believed to be the first time three Baylor alums were all on active rosters in the same game.

That series highlighted just how special of a time this is for Baylor baseball fans, as five Bears have played in the big leagues this year, tying the single year high-water mark for Baylor alums.

Almost six years ago — Nov. 2, 2018 — we wrote about the public launch of “Give Light,” Baylor’s new fundraising plan aimed at helping the university reach some of its strategic, long-term goals.

The goal: $1.1 billion to support increased student scholarship support, more endowed faculty positions, area-specific funds for research and other projects, and capital projects such as renovating Tidwell Bible Building, expanding Memorial and Allen halls to grow the Honors Residential College, a new welcome center, a new basketball arena, and a new football operations center.

Earlier this month, the university announced the successful conclusion of Give Light. So, how did the campaign do?

Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) is getting a new space on Baylor’s campus!

This spring, Baylor deeded over land for a new BSM center to the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which is working to complete fundraising for the new facility. The new center (see the rendering above) will be built at the corner of South Fourth Street and Daughtrey Avenue — near East Village and the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

Baylor University will join with the Greater Waco community in celebration of Juneteenth, a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Sungseek Moon, Ph.D., The Carl and Martha Lindner Endowed Chair for Global Studies and professor at Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, has been selected as a 2024-2025 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Kenya, joining an elite group of scholars who have received the prestigious and competitive fellowship from the U.S. government’s premier international educational exchange program.

For two decades now, Baylor’s Mayborn Museum has been a beacon of curiosity and discovery, illuminating the path to knowledge for Bears and Wacoans alike with its unique blend of history, science and education.

It was 20 years ago this summer — May 14, 2004 — that the Mayborn was officially dedicated in its new home along University Parks Drive. But the museum’s history dates much further back — almost to the university’s very beginning.

Baylor University’s Give Light comprehensive philanthropic campaign has raised a historic $1.5 billion, an achievement that shattered its initial $1.1 billion goal and concluded Give Light as the most successful comprehensive fundraising campaign in Baylor’s 179-year history, the University announced today. 

I know Baylor has a beautiful campus. You know Baylor has an incredible campus. But it’s always fun when others recognize the allure of Baylor’s campus, as well.

This spring, two notable sources — Architectural Digest and U.S. News — each included Baylor on their lists of the nation’s most beautiful college campuses.

In 2019, Baylor set a school-record with seven Fulbright scholarship recipients — part of the nation’s flagship program for international graduate study and education. In 2022, Baylor doubled that record with 14 Fulbrights.

Now, just two years later, a new school record has been set — again — as 18 (!!!) Baylor students and recent alumni have won prestigious Fulbright awards for 2024. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Baylor University is ranked No. 80 on the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2023, a list published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Published annually, this ranking serves to highlight and celebrate U.S. universities that play a large role in advancing innovation and invention in the United States.

Though summer’s only just begun, it won’t be long before students are streaming to Waco for the start of a new school year.

Baylor is known for its incredible student experience — and a look at what students can expect during their first 100 days on campus illustrates that beautifully:

Baylor University planetary geophysicist Peter B. James, Ph.D., assistant professor and founder of the Planetary Research Group at Baylor, has been recognized by NASA with the 2023 Planetary Science Early Career Award (ECA). 

For almost 20 years, legendary music executive Mike Curb has supported what was previously known as the Sports Strategy and Sales (S3) program in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. In honor of his longtime support, the S3 program has been renamed the Curb Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program.

Last week, business leaders and business researchers came together at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business to dive into an important topic. They weren’t there to discuss revenue or industry disruptions; instead, they came to talk about faith — specifically, what it means to be a Christian leader in the workplace.

Over parts of two days, businesspeople of all levels took part in the first-ever Armes Family Christian Leadership in Business Summit, which featured presentations from a series of keynote speakers along with interactive panel discussions on the integration of faith and topics like innovation, inclusion, and ethics. Held May 16-17 inside Baylor’s Foster Campus for Business and Innovation, the event brought together CEOs, founders, leading researchers and others to talk about living out one’s faith in the workplace.

For individuals and families with developmental disabilities, the need is clear. Estimates show that one out of every seven students lives with a disability that affects his or her relationship to learning.

With the record-breaking support of our alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends, Baylor University exceeded our Give Light campaign goal. Because of you, Baylor’s future is bright! 

A new era of Baylor basketball on the Brazos began in 2024 with the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion opening as the state-of-the-art home of the championship-winning men’s and women’s basketball programs.

The roar of the Baylor faithful echoed through the rafters of the freshly minted Foster Pavilion during the Feb. 18 women’s basketball showdown with Texas Tech, not just for another dominating victory, but for a legendary homecoming.

The Air Force ranks include more than 61,000 officers; only 108 of those have reached the rank of brigadier general. In December, Baylor graduate Randall Cason Jr. (BS ’95) joined that esteemed group — and he chose to return to his alma mater to mark the occasion.

As the spring 2024 semester concludes, Baylor University is celebrating a phenomenal year for Baylor students and recent alumni earning prestigious and highly competitive fellowships and awards, including a record-extending 18th Fulbright Scholarship.

Carroll Dawson, B.S. ’60, is often on the sidelines at the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion cheering on Baylor’s basketball teams that he has supported as a player, coach and fan.

The proverbial chip on the shoulders of the 1974 Baylor football team loomed large, as the Bears were preseason favorites to finish at the bottom of the Southwest Conference.

After living through a rare, non-genetic ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2016, Jess Wedel, B.S.W. ’11, was encouraged by her mother, Valari, to continue their shared passion for mountain climbing. 

Sixty families in rural northern Sierra Leone’s Tonko Limbo Chiefdom have seen their lives and livelihoods transformed, due in large part to Paul Conteh, M.S.W. ’15

After Jimmy Garza, Jr., B.B.A. ’97, ran into someone wearing a Baylor T-shirt in Washington, D.C., he saw it as a sign to reconnect with his alma mater. 

Not one, not two, but three recent Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences graduates are making an impact in pro sports just a few years after earning their Baylor diplomas.

Updates from the Baylor Family

Garritt J. Tucker, Ph.D., The Eula Mae and John Baugh Chair in Physics, is part of a multi-institution, interdisciplinary effort to discover new materials and create innovative pathways for advancing materials performance under extreme conditions. The $12.5 million research team was funded through the Department of Energy (DOE) for the next five years.

While honors are meaningful, what John L. Wood, Ph.D., finds most rewarding is mentorship and playing a role in the day-to-day transformation that takes place within students.

Fellowships from the American Mathematical Society and American Physical Society are elite honors bestowed only on faculty who have made significant and longstanding contributions to their disciplines

Meet four Baylor alumni making a difference in the world of higher education.

Top-ranked Bears continue to grow the sport — and fan following.

The dynamic landscape of college athletics enters a new era.

Marking 20 years of sparking curiosity and inspiring lifelong learning, the Mayborn Museum at Baylor University celebrated its milestone anniversary by officially unveiling and dedicating a life-size landmark for the community – stunning bronze Mammoth sculptures that stand as timeless symbols of the Mayborn Museum’s commitment to inspire and educate generations.

Two former Baylor volleyball players are ready to take flight in the professional ranks. 

A Conversation with Jason Diffenderfer, Vice President for University Advancement
 

Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary reaches students in Houston and San Antonio.

Baylor’s social media team invites students on campus to sit down for a moment and reflect on what Baylor means to them.

Baylor University and Frisco-based Major League Soccer franchise FC Dallas launched a comprehensive partnership that makes the University the club’s exclusive higher education sponsor.

Baylor’s endowment performance tops the list in growth.

Baylor’s premier aerospace engineering club, Aero at Baylor, has its eyes in the clouds — and for good reason. 

Baylor has been named among the nation’s best universities for developing future leaders according to TIME Magazine.

Baylor students have earned highly competitive major fellowships and awards during this record-setting year.

Prayer has a distinctive role on Baylor’s campus in Spring 2024 through national and local prayer events.