By Elliott Nace | Staff Writer
For some Baylor graduates, tying the knot may mean starting married life after graduation. For others, marriage and their studies go hand in hand.
Ph.D. students Mitch and Libby Minyard, who were married last summer, now call Waco their first home together as a couple. Between their studies and their spiritual lives, the couple has learned to embrace Baylor as the backdrop for the beginning of their marriage.
Libby Minyard, who is completing her doctoral program in philosophy, said she and her husband will stay local for the time being.
“We’ll be in Waco for at least the next two years,” she said. “Our programs are both five years long, so we’ve been here for almost three.”
She also mentioned how she settled upon Baylor because of its academics, particularly with respect to the tolerance of religion in her field.
“I came here because I wanted to study philosophy somewhere where I could have the kind of academic freedom to be a Christian — to study things from a perspective that included my faith,” she said.
The couple first met and bonded through their shared beliefs. Mitch Minyard, a Ph.D. student of mathematics, explained how his time spent at the St. Peter Catholic Student Center helped him meet his wife.
“In my first year here, I was going through the RCIA program to become Catholic, and she was one of the people who was volunteering to help with that program,” he said. “So we met in the kitchen at St. Peter’s, and then shortly afterwards started dating.”
Libby Minyard then quipped about how the church introduced the two and then wedded them.
“Everything comes full circle,” she said.
Even though they are still students, Mitch Minyard said the university life and social scene have in fact eased the dating and marriage process for the couple.
“In our relationship, we have always been able to spend time together and our schedules are both fairly flexible, so we hope to continue to do that in the future,” he said. “The people at St. Peter’s have become our friends, and I think both of us have enjoyed flourishing in this community.”
For many new couples, there may be an urge to look to big cities when going on dates, yet Libby Minyard said that Waco is as good of a place as any to start a relationship.
“There are lots of cool places to explore outside and to walk around,” she said. “It might have been harder [to get married] in Austin or Dallas, where things are more expensive. Waco, in the general case of life and cost of living, has been a really helpful thing for us as we’re starting marriage.”
According to Mitch Minyard, faith still drives their marriage forward through their professional and personal lives. He maintained that the university fosters a culture of spiritual acceptance.
“I think it’s one of the things that initially drew us together in the first place,” he said. “I feel like Baylor is good because they do allow people to freely follow their faith. In my department, it’s not really a big deal between most of the professors, and all of our students are pretty faithful Christians, which is nice. So it’s nice to have all of the grad students … have similar goals.”
Libby Minyard added that Baylor provides a spiritual security to the couple’s marriage that may not be found at other universities.
“There’s never been any fear that what we’re taking on will interfere or contradict our work or our life as students,” she said. “So that’s been really unique. I think at some other programs you can come up against this stigma that once you’re starting your family or getting married, that you’re selling out rather than being part of an integrated life.”
Mitch Minyard affirmed that the timing of his marriage during graduate school helped them both navigate such a major lifestyle change while also excelling in an inclusive academic environment.
“I teach undergrad, so [my students] kind of expected me to be married,” he said. “There’s another couple in my department who did a ‘Ring by Spring’ type thing. They were married exactly a year after they started dating, and everyone in our department was like, ‘Oh, good for y’all!’ Among grad students, it’s so normal here, which is wonderful.”
