By Giselle Lee | Staff Writer
As Baylor welcomed freshmen to celebrate success during their first year, international students made up a fair share of the crowd.
According to a report by Open Doors, there were 1.2 million international students studying in the United States during the 2024-2025 academic year. For many, the U.S. provides unique academic experiences and exciting career development opportunities.
At Baylor, international students reaped the rewards of their courage at the annual Celebration of First Year Excellence. Held on Tuesday evening in Foster 250, the reception honored freshmen who earned a 3.7 GPA or higher in their first semester. That included Baylor’s largest international freshman class, many of whom attributed their academic success to the university’s vibrant living and learning environment.
Mauricio Escorcia, a freshman from Barranquilla, Colombia, said that Supplemental Instruction sessions and various tutoring services provided by Baylor were essential in helping him review course material.
“It really helps if you want to practice something specifically, or if you don’t know what to study, they help you plan around a topic and also have test reviews,” Escorcia said. “There’s also a lot of tutoring services available here, including virtual YouTube videos that you can use for calculus and other subjects.”
Escorcia said Baylor gave him resources to learn study skills as well, such as the five-day study plan or eight-day study plan, which he described as “very helpful” if one has a heavy workload.
For Honduras freshman Judith Alvarado, the Moody School of Education staff and her community within her residence hall helped her adjust and engage with the wider student body, which she said was her “biggest support” when moving to Baylor.
“My community leader was always asking me about my day and leading me to other people I could go to,” Alvarado said. “She even invited me to a Thanksgiving party she was going to when I was going to stay on campus alone for Thanksgiving.”
Alvarado said spiritual support was crucial for her, and her wide network of people helped her feel less isolated as a freshman.
“Having worship nights made me feel a stronger sense of community that helped me when I was missing home or when I was overwhelmed with academics,” Alvarado said.
Escorcia and Alvarado agreed that Baylor’s emphasis on direct engagement will be a vital contribution in their future semesters, which include resumé building, research writing and hands-on experience in the field through internships. Alvarado said she was excited for her classes as they are “growing” her as a person.
President Linda Livingstone commended all participating students for successfully transitioning to a different environment, both structurally and academically. Livingstone encouraged students build upon their success from the fall semester and challenge themselves.
“I encourage you to keep thinking about ways you can challenge yourself,” Livingstone said. “How can you expand the experiences you have at Baylor that take advantage outside of your motivations, your passions and your interests in ways that might help you think about what you do later in your life?”
