Author: Abby Rathburn

From women’s heart health to puppy love, Alpha Phi’s Woofstock event featured fun activities for students and allowed members to share more about “the number one killer of women:” heart disease.

Dating used to be simple. Someone would ask you out, you’d go on a date then choose to take it somewhere or split as friends. But now, we have social media. Stop the investigations and bring back casual dating.

Beyond academics, Baylor’s mission of growth within a Christ-centered community comes to life as student organization leaders share their ‘why’ behind the communities they chose to join and lead.

After setting aside time to refocus their hearts and minds on Jesus, this year’s Vertical leadership team and volunteers are ready to engage students across every inch of Baylor’s campus. With hope in their hearts, they pray that Jesus will be known and loved more and more every day.

On Thursday, returning students helped new students transition to life at Baylor with Move2BU. Volunteers, students and parents felt the heat along with all the emotions that come with starting a new school year.

For incoming Bears, the first week at Baylor is about more than unpacking boxes. From worship and traditions to new friendships and mentorship, Welcome Week is designed to help students find their place in the Baylor community.

First-year students gathered around Fountain Mall to commemorate their first year at Baylor. Through ice cream, yard games and fellowship with friends, many students reflected on a year of growth.

Four years after freshman move-in, the Honors Residential College dorms remain home to many graduating seniors today. While many students started looking for off-campus housing for their freshman or sophomore years, some seniors found the community of Memorial and Alexander Residence Halls worth sticking around for.

Students who live in three of the two-year dorms at Baylor — Teal Residential College, Honor Residential College or Brooks Residential College — sign a two-year contract when they move in. For some, the experience grows their community. For others, it’s a fight to get out of the contract.

Residential chaplains are seminary students at George W. Truett Theological Seminary who choose to live alongside undergraduate students, dedicating 20 hours a week to providing spiritual support for the challenges of daily life.

The student-run organization Apparel Professionals hosted a clothing swap on Fountain Mall on Monday, where students could easily refresh their wardrobes while embracing a more sustainable approach to fashion.

Students might notice the green polo and khaki shorts-clad guides walking around campus with groups of prospective students — but what goes unnoticed are the challenges of being a Baylor tour guide.

Beta Upsilon Chi is drawing attention on campus after coming off a first-place Sing victory and recruiting 28 new members, nearly doubling its organization’s size. The men of BYX hope to continue this momentum as they share their “why Beta Upsilon Chi.”

For years, Baylor has identified as an evangelical Christian university while maintaining its Baptist heritage. However, a shift in recruitment strategy has shifted the student body away from its Baptist roots, and now, fewer students than ever identify as Baptist.

What started as a project in an advanced project management class may become a reality. A group of students has worked with University Architect David Bess for months to design a shed that protects e-scooters and bikes from theft.

Students across campus gathered to support “Kicks for CASA” Saturday evening at the BSB fields, raising funds for children in the foster care system. Although many teams competed, Sigma Alpha Epsilon took home the championship.

Over time, the church has made Christ’s death and suffering too normalized. His horrible pain and agony have been lessened in our hearts and minds, and it is easier now than ever before to forget the brutality of Christ’s crucifixion. Watching “The Passion of the Christ” will remind viewers of this sacrifice and realign their hearts toward God in an honorable manner.

Students, faculty and staff manned a prayer tent around the clock during FM72 for attendees to pray and worship anytime. Additionally, students of all denominations gathered each night for a special time of worship and a message, according to Director of Operations Anna Webb.

Amid ongoing staff shortages, Baylor students are taking steps to ensure a smooth Easter break. Some turn to smaller airports, such as Dallas Love Field and Waco, while others plan to arrive early.

Saturday morning, students, faculty and members of the Waco community gathered for the Bearathon. Through this, Student Foundation raised money for student scholarships.

The debate featured two panelists from the College Republicans and two panelists from the College Democrats, as well as the moderator, who fielded audience questions coming via a QR code posted at the beginning of the event. Upon hearing the question, each organization had approximately two minutes to answer.

TPUSA is coming to Baylor, and students have varying reactions. Some argue that Baylor is expanding free speech, while others argue that Baylor is making a clear political statement by inviting the organization onto campus.

Students from across the U.S. involved in Baylor’s OTD program gathered Wednesday afternoon for a social tailgate to bond with each other and celebrate their white coat ceremony.

With all 1,700 spots filled, Student Foundation achieved a record-breaking number of sign-ups for the Bearathon, selling out of tickets more than a month before the race.

Unlike traditional hands-on volunteering, the Steppin’ Out planning committee offers a unique service of coordinating the event itself. Those interested in joining should attend the Tuesday interest meeting for more details.

Alpha Epsilon Delta, the American Student Dental Association and the Physician Assistant Society collaborated through a joint clinical etiquette workshop Wednesday night in the BSB. Through this, professionals shared what to do and what not to do while job shadowing.

Whether you want to admit it or not, sex can never truly be casual. Even so, undergraduates routinely turn to it in college, as they seek after the “college experience,” in an effort to cure their own feelings of loneliness.

In building truly meaningful relationships, there is a connection between vulnerability and trust, where the success of one is likewise dependent on the success of the other. Associate Chaplain and Director for Chapel Rev. Dr. Erin Moniz encouraged her audience to consider how this shapes all types of relationships.

It takes mere seconds for hackers to access what took years to build. Alumni of the Cybersecurity Club shared their tips and tricks for entering a workforce with such high stakes on Friday evening in Cashion 314.

As the walls of Waco Hall begin to echo with songs and dancing, campus gears up for All-University Sing 2026. While opening night promises entertainment and dramatic reveals, what goes unnoticed is the real cost behind producing it all.