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Author: Brenshavia Jordan
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Dr. John S. Belew was a Baylor chemistry major 80 years ago. Belew, who went on to teach that same subject at his alma mater until his retirement almost 30 years ago, celebrated 10 decades of life Tuesday, November 3. Belew’s family planned to celebrate this milestone with an in-person 100th birthday party but, due to the pandemic, plans changed. Instead, he had a zoom party and received birthday wishes in the mail. “Oh man, you should have been here,” Belew said. “[My son’s] family, my daughter and her family in San Antonio and…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Imagine sharing a life with someone, being born together, raised together and now sharing the same college together. This is exactly what two sets of twins on Baylor’s campus are experiencing. Arlington freshmen Maslin and Monet Markle and Landham, MD sophomores Marie and Annette Moukoury share their journey through twin life. The Markle sisters share that, growing up, they thought things were normal. However, the stares they received when they were walking and dressed alike proved otherwise. A common question they were asked was — what is it like being a twin? “I feel…
Compared to big cities, fun activities in Waco are few and far between.
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Students still have a chance to learn self-defense on campus — with a twist. Baylor’s Lifetime Fitness Self-Defense course (LF1163) once taught students hands on martial arts techniques. but it is now taught using hardened rattan fighting sicks to adhere to social distancing guidelines. The purpose of Lifetime Fitness – Activity Labs according to the Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department is to provide heath education, physical fitness education and recreational education activities. This beginner self-defense course has been taught by Lance and Melinda Yager for nearly four years. With over 25 years of…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Nick Madincea is a finance major from The Woodlands, but he is not your typical Baylor student. This 23-year-old sophomore is the founder and CEO of Drone Parks Worldwide, and has taught over 1,500 people how to fly drones. “Our mission at Drone Parks Worldwide is to democratize drone flight by building indoor drone stadiums where anyone can come and learn how to fly a drone,” Madincea said. Madincea shared that his love for aviation started as a child, watching videos of space shuttles and gawking at airplanes that flew by. At the age of…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Reporter”I have a job interview tomorrow, how should I wear my hair?” I have met so many Black women who contemplate this question before an interview, business meeting or when starting something new. I personally wonder, “Why is it so hard to accept a woman who wants to wear her hair natural? What makes her stand out compared to someone with straight hair?”Is it the texture? The fullness? The length? It is hard for women to embrace themselves in a world that defines beauty without representing them. The stares a Black woman gets when she wears…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Career day this year is virtual and invitation only. Students who attend must first register on the Handshake website and will then be redirected to CareerEco to set up a profile. This is the biggest event on campus for job searchers this fall, with nearly 150 employers looking to hire Baylor students for internships and career opportunities. Amy Rylander, Assistant Director of Engagement for the Baylor Career Center, has sent emails campuswide weekly, alerting students about this opportunity and why this is so important. “Students need to understand this is an opportunity they don’t want…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter A new smoothie and juice bar has made its way to town. Waco Nutrition and Energy opened August 6, and with the help of social media, primarily Instagram, it has begun to flourish. Sadie Richardson and Aaron Reynolds met at The Healthy Place in Temple, Texas. Reynold was once a frequent customer at Healthy Place Temple and is now the owner of the location. While working one day, he met Sadie, and they shared two major common interests — each other and nutritious drinks. They eventually became business partners running the location together. With the…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter “It is hard to put into words how grateful we are for this outpouring of love as we grieve our sweet baby.” Dr. Pat and Dr. Rebecca Flavin, both professors in the Baylor College of Arts and Science, are living through an unimaginable time but are comforted through the support of their colleagues. Their son, Felix Flavin, was born with a heart defect, and through the course of his treatments, the couple says their Baylor family has been there. “Our Baylor family has been incredibly supportive,” Rebecca said. “Prenatally, as each scan brought more discouraging…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Reporter Navigating life in the middle of a pandemic has brought many challenges and a new normal. However, in the midst of it all, I have learned to appreciate life and to be grateful for where the Lord has me. I have learned to trust the twists and turns, knowing I am submitted to a God who is in control of it all. As a transfer student, I obtained my Associate of Arts Degree from McLennan Community College and I came to Baylor in the fall of 2019, excited to experience its traditions. The atmosphere of…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom passed the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act prohibiting race-based hair discrimination. California was the first state to make hair discrimination illegal; both New York and New Jersey shortly introduced the same legislature. The bill protects traits associated with hair texture and hairstyles in K-12 schools and the workplace. Statutory protection is extended under the Fair Employment and Housing Act of 1959 (FEHA) and the California Education Code. Last week, Virginia and Colorado signed the CROWN Act making them the fourth and fifth states…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter VirtuOSO is a Contemporary a capella group consisting of 14 members. It was founded in August 2012 and is the only group of its kind on Baylor’s campus who perform pop, jazz and in-house written music to a variety of audiences. Senior’s and group members Natalia Araujo and Brynn Deger shared their experience in this group. “We’ve had some really awesome opportunities in the past few years,” Araujo said. “We were able once to go to Tawain and sing in Tawain at an a capella competition.” The group has traveled across the U.S. performing for…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Emergency Management’s purpose is to make sure the campus is prepared and trained in times of emergencies and disasters. Sirens are one of the ways Baylor alerts the community in case of a tornado. Starting March 6th, the campus will begin testing their sirens in coordination with the City of Waco-McLennan County. This routine test will be conducted every first Friday of the month at 10 a.m. from March through July. George Nunez, Director of Emergency Management, explained the importance of emergency sirens. “Regardless if you are a Texas native or whether you are brand…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter The Mayborn Museum complex opened a new exhibit Feb. 1 to highlight the history of Baylor over the past 175 years. The exhibit, called “Founding to Future: Bright Lights of Baylor University,” takes visitors on a journey through Baylor’s past, present and future. The exhibit is structured by categories Arts & Athletics, Christian Mission, Innovation, Independence and Tradition. It features artifacts such as the Judge Baylor Collection, which includes furniture from Judge Baylor’s home. Visitors can also take a visual look through history with an interactive digital timeline. Charlie Walter, the Director of the museum,…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter On Dec 1, 2017, Baylor opened a food pantry called The Store. This initiative was started to combat the negative stigma of food insecurity on campus. The pantry provides non-perishable food items along with hygiene products for students. The Store runs on donations and students have access with their Baylor ID. Since opening, the pantry has grown from serving 40 students weekly to 230 — making it difficult to keep the shelves replenished. This month the pantry will transition to The Store runs on donations and has a new partnership with The Central Texas Food…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Shawn Helms Jr. was an active Baylor student who loved the community and his Intramural sports team “Tune Squad.” He was a regular college student enjoying life until back pain led to a fatal discovery. The pain quickly became unbearable and Sean decided to seek medical help. After a visit to the hospital, he was told to buy a new mattress and he would be okay. After the pain continued, he returned to receive an x-ray where it was revealed his lungs were full of fluid. At first, it seemed like a case of pneumonia.…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter During a routine checkup in June, a two-inch by five-inch cranial mediastinal mass was found in Lady the bear’s chest, near her heart. In August, Lady received a low dose of tomotherapy treatments from Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in College Station which began a long process of treatments. Just a few months later, Lady endured three additional rounds of treatment and is now closely monitored by her care team as she recovers. “This was one of our routine vet visits with them,” Dakota Farquhar-Caddell, the Associate Director of Student Activities, said. “We noticed…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Dr. Angela Gorrell is an assistant professor of practical theology and the author of “Always On,” a book geared toward helping others use social media more effectively and provoking users to think about how social media use is related to Christian faith. The high usage of social media among college students often leads to comparison, depression and anxiety. Gorrell shares four practical ways that students can use social media wisely. Her four main tips are to not feel pressured to post that you are happy when you are actually not, pay attention to who you…
BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter San Antonio freshman Sequoia White began to feel stiff and fatigued at the age of 16. After many visits to the doctor and a trip to the emergency room, doctors discovered stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s T-cell Lymphoma. After being placed in a medically induced coma for 30 days, White woke up and has been eager to live life to its fullest since. Now, two years later she is thriving at Baylor as a freshman biology major. White returns home to San Antonio for chemotherapy on occasion. However, she hopes to move her treatments to Baylor Scott…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Texas has one of the highest percentages of human trafficking victims in the nation. This is modern-day slavery where victims are forced into labor and sexual exploitation. While alarming, there are many organizations that exist to help bring awareness to this issue. Baylor professor Dr. Christina Crenshaw has conducted research on this topic and shares how research is the number one tool for prevention. After many students shared their passion with her on this topic, she asked the Honors College about holding a class relating to human trafficking. “So, for the first time ever…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast ReporterI know this lady who had a child after graduating high school. She always wanted to go to the military and was sworn into the U.S Navy before she graduated. However, due to her pregnancy, she was unable to go. She never looked into college because her dream was to serve her country. I remember the day she went to her recruiting office to share the news. She walked away feeling like her life was over. Her classmates went off to college and went to do great things. She didn’t have a backup plan, so…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter In recognition of Veterans Day, Baylor hosted a special ring recital at the McLane Carrillon atop Pat Neff Hall. The program included hymns for each Armed Forces and a hymn of peace, “Da Pacem Domine.” The 20 minute service reflected on the unity and respect for the ones who have served our country. Senior lecturer Maxey Parrish reflects on his father Tom Parrish and father-in-law Bill Holland. They are two volunteer veterans who proudly served in the United States Navy in World War II. Parrish shared his appreciation for their heart of service. “They…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Professor of Finance Dr. Tom Potts and former president of The Financial Planning Association, currently received the highest and most prestigious recognition, the P. Kemp Fain, Jr. award. “I view financial planning as a calling,” Potts said. “It’s not just a job or career but a higher standard.” This standard is his motivation as he uses his wisdom to give back to his college students. “There are a couple of things I share with my students,” Potts said. “Make sure you are more valuable three years after you graduate, and add to your human…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Always, a popular brand for hygiene products, has made the decision to remove the female symbol that represents femininity. The brand says this will be a way to be more inclusive of transgender and nonbinary customers. The brand released a statement regarding the recent change. “For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so,” the company said. “We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers.” Students on Baylor’s campus shared their opinion…
By Brenshavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Los Angeles, Calif. senior Teryca Brooks-Long shared how a tragic event propelled her desire to share her story with others. “When I was five years old, my mother passed away of breast cancer,” Brooks-Long said. “It has taught me a lot about myself, especially now that I am getting older. I want to advocate for it, advocate for others who don’t have a voice and for people who go through this every day and don’t speak on it.” Breast cancer occurs when cells divide and grow without…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter Balancing being a mother and a student can be challenging, but it’s not impossible for Fresno, Calif. junior Adeeva Jackson. She shared her journey of balancing school work and parenthood. “It is very busy,” Jackson said. “I am at school as early as eight in the morning, and I try to stay here until around five. My husband can pick up the kids, and as soon as I get home, I am on the go with dinner. I get the kids entertained and spend time with them before bed.” Approximately 700 Baylor undergraduate students…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast ReporterWho, me? I am sorry but you got the wrong person. We all make mistakes in life, but we also grow and become better because of them. It just sucks when people can only identify you with your past flaws. There is a scripture in the Bible I read last week, and it really made me think about this. Colossians 3:9-10 “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge in the image…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter The Bears for Books program is in its third year, specifically partnered with Waco ISD elementary schools. The goal of the program is to work with schools that have been put on a list for required improvement. The athletes read to the students during school periods and give them reading logs to track reading outside of the classroom. The support is to help boost academic achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and post secondary readiness. The program also helps build relationships with every classroom visit. Christal Peterson, the Student-Athlete Character Formation coordinator, shares more…
By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter As a Baylor student, there are celebrations and traditions to look forward to throughout the year. Homecoming has been noted as one of the most anticipated celebrations since 1909. It is a time for alumni and current students to come together as one. In 1901 Baylor University hosted the nation’s first collegiate homecoming. It started with alumni receiving postcards in the mail and inviting them to come back and share in the school spirit again. The school spirit is still alive today, as students prepare for the traditions that have been around for over…