By Alyssa Foy | ReporterAs the semester comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the growth of our student publication, but also all the potential it still has. To truly be “news for the students by the students,” I believe both the news section and the opinion section of the Lariat needs more student voices to be representative of the student body.Student publications have the unique ability to publish young writers’ work and allow for a space for everyone to contribute to campus conversations. Further, the more diversity in journalism the stronger the newsroom will be. Having…
Author: Alyssa Foy
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterIn a press conference on March 20, the World Health Organization began to shift the dialogue and understanding behind their recommended isolation during this COVID-19 outbreak. During this press conference, the WHO began to exchange the “social distancing” terminology in favor of “physical distancing” in order to better clarify for physical and mental health purposes.Many have expressed concerns that social distancing implies a complete departure from social interaction, potentially causing people to isolate themselves mentally, which doctors have long advised against.People need to maintain connections, especially during these times.Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterDr. Trena L. Wilkerson, Baylor professor of mathematics education, was installed in early April as the new president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics via a virtual meeting.The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is an educational organization that provides members with access to classroom resources, funding grants and professional development opportunities, according to their website.After being elected by the over 30,000 members of the organization and serving the past year as President-Elect, Wilkerson was slated to be inducted as President during NCTM’s centennial celebration. However, the conference had to be reformatted to…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterNow weeks into stay-in-place orders from both the City of Waco and State of Texas in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, local Waco churches have implemented and adapted to this new online meeting reality.Churches all around the Waco area have taken different steps to continue to engage their communities in a time in which they cannot physically meet.First Woodway Baptist Church had already made some livestream content available prior to the coronavirus pandemic.Ronny Higgins, young adult minister at First Woodway, said the church has improved and added to the number of resources available. It has made…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterBefore spring break, I drafted an opinion piece about appreciating senior year and the uncertainties that come along with the changes of transitioning to a life after graduation. I never could have imagined that just a week later, spring break would be extended with two weeks of online classes. I definitely could not have imagined that just as that week of extended spring break begun, in-person classes would be suspended for the rest of the semester.I was still in disbelief for probably the entirety of the extended break. I had been planning to put together a…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterDr. Anne Spence, assistant chair and clinical associate professor of mechanical engineering at Baylor, helped forge a path for women in mechanical engineering when there were not many and continues to inspire undergraduates at Baylor.Spence began her work in the field at a very young age when she began accompanying her father, a professor of aerospace engineering, on flights. Spence said she recognizes her parents as major inspirations for her interest in engineering, as their support was encouraging and unwavering.“My family allowed me to pursue my interests at a time where girls where kind of told,…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterThe second Wacode hackathon will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Blume Conference Center on Baylor’s campus.Organized by the Baylor student organization Computing for Compassion, Wacode is a 12-hour hackathon described by the Waco team as an “invention marathon.”Registration is still open for this event, which is bringing together nearly 100 students from 11 universities for a full day of competition. Contestants can participate as individuals or teams to brainstorm and create technological solutions to specific challenges facing the Waco and Central Texas area.Rioverde, Mexico senior Mario Lopez Martinez, president of…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterBaylor’s Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) hosted an internship panel for students Tuesday night as part of the School of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) Week. The panel featured engineering and computer science major students that had previously held corporate internships or participated in undergraduate research. Panelists shared their summer or semester internship experiences with attendees, including offering advice for applications and interviews. Additionally, attendees were able to ask their own questions regarding the internship search, as well as company and project-specific questions. Companies that panelists had interned with included Baylor Scott & White Health, Hewlett…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterThe HelpDesk+ opened in the fall semester of 2019 to offer a centralized location for students, faculty and staff to seek technology-related support, and planning is ongoing for a formal grand opening during the Spring 2020 semester.After a full semester transitioning to this new approach to technology services, students and staff have responded positively to the changes.Luke Whiting, manager of technical support at HelpDesk+, said an additional significant change in the new desk is the greater focus on student employment. This includes part-time jobs and internship opportunities that help students gain technical knowledge and customer support…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterThe Crouch Fine Arts Library is full of musical and artistic resources for Baylor University students, faculty and staff. Tucked away in the corner of the third floor at Moody Memorial Library, the Crouch Fine Arts Library maintains an expansive collection of thousands of audio and video recordings, music scores, art books and multiple rare and historical special collections. Clayton Crenshaw, music liaison librarian and curator of the special collections, said one of the more extensive of the special collections is the Frances G. Spencer Collection of Popular Sheet Music, which has about 30,000 pieces of…
By Alyssa Foy | ReporterIn a workforce that increasingly requires technological knowledge, the School of Engineering and Computer Science is preparing Baylor students with extensive digital skills and conducting substantial interdisciplinary research. For students interested in video game design, the school offers a specialization in video game development in collaboration with the film and digital media department. Dr. Matthew Fendt, lecturer of computer science, said a unique aspect to Baylor’s gaming sequence of studies is that gaming is offered as a concentration within the department rather than as a major. Students can focus their studies on game development but also…