By Jen Forse | Staff Writer
Baylor faculty, students and administration gathered outside Marrs McLean Science Building Tuesday to celebrate the unveiling of the new Moody School of Education sign.
Student ambassadors pulled back the tarps covering the new sign as President Linda Livingstone and other university leaders celebrated the gift, which was announced in January and led to the naming of the Moody School of Education.
The $30 million endowment will support students pursuing careers in education while also funding initiatives including early intervention for students with high academic potential in low-income areas, research addressing mental health among schoolchildren and new academic pathways to better serve students with disabilities.
Livingstone said education has the power to create lasting change in individuals, families and communities. She pointed to her own family’s connections to education, including her parents and husband, Brad Livingstone, who teaches at Vanguard College Preparatory Academy in Waco.
“I believe education is an important way that God renews and transforms our minds,” Livingstone said. “From a young age, each of us was instructed and guided by teachers who helped us not just to grow as learners, but also as human beings. I’m sure each of us can name teachers who left an indelible impact on our lives.”
The endowment is divided among five funds designed to expand the school’s academic programs, research and community outreach.
Dean Shanna Hagan-Burke said the gift’s impact will continue long after the initial investment, comparing the work of educators to planting seeds whose growth may not be immediately visible.
“Judge each day not by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant,” Hagan-Burke said, quoting educator and author William Arthur Ward.
“This is the true work of an educator and professionals who serve each day to advance learning and human flourishing,” Hagan-Burke said. “The full impact of their work is seldom realized in the moment. That’s the nature of seeds. Growth continues long after they’re planted.”
Hagan-Burke said the Moody Foundation’s gift represents an investment in people whose lives could be affected by the school’s future research, educators and community programs.
“At the center of every seed is a person, someone whose life will improve because of discoveries yet to be made,” she said. “Someone whose teacher will be better prepared because of innovations not yet imagined. Someone in a community we have not yet reached, whose life will be different because we were able to invest in their future. This is the harvest Moody Foundation’s endowment will yield.”
Hagan-Burke said the gift will support both the school’s work on Baylor’s campus and its broader efforts throughout Texas communities.
“The Moody School’s academic programs, research and community outreach work in concert to promote human learning and flourishing across students, families and communities,” Hagan-Burke said. “The school’s focus is well aligned with the Moody Foundation’s mission to empower Texas communities to thrive and prosper. We are grateful for this partnership and for their transformational gift.”
For students in the School of Education, the new sign serves as a visible reminder of the investment being made in their future.
Denton graduate student and student ambassador Sydney Ruocco said the gift could expand opportunities for students pursuing careers in education.
“I think this is our largest donation that we’ve ever had, and so it goes towards scholarships and being able just to like provide opportunities for all of us to do our passion of teaching,” Ruocco said. “It’s nice for it to be recognized as important.”
