By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-ChiefThe Spring 2020 edition of Scientia, Baylor’s undergraduate research journal, was published last week and features student research on topics ranging from the impact of social media on short-term memory to the use of fashion therapy for mental health. Scientia is published once a year and is produced by Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science & Technology (BURST). Houston freshman Isha Thapar, an editor for the publication, said that Scientia gives undergrads an opportunity to pursue research and opportunities in science and technology. “Scientia is produced by BURST and gives undergrads the opportunity to showcase their research…
Author: Bridget Sjoberg
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief Since its debut in March, Netflix’s limited series “Unorthodox” has become a topic of both conversation and debate, causing viewers to consider whether loyalty to tradition or a longing for individuality is the preferred path to follow. With incredible acting and an impressive attention to detail, “Unorthodox” is a triumph, and an important series to watch for anyone struggling between following their culture and following their heart. “Unorthodox” follows 19-year-old Esty, a young woman growing up in a traditional Hasidic Jewish community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Recently married to another Jew named Yanky, Esty struggles to…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief “Tiger King” appears to be everywhere these days— it’s being tweeted about by celebrities, has created a seemingly endless variety of memes on social media and has many of its viewers convinced that cat owner Carole Baskin murdered her husband. The seven-part Netflix docuseries is an absolute must-see. The premise sounds crazy, and the show itself is even crazier. It follows several owners of exotic animal sanctuaries, or zoos, most of them highlighting “big cats” like lions and tigers. Although the series covers owners like Carole Baskin and Doc Antle in detail, the majority of…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief“Little Fires Everywhere” has everything going for it to be wildly successful. It stars and is co-produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, two of Hollywood’s most popular leading ladies. It’s based off of Celeste Ng’s best-selling novel of the same name, which was also a pick for Witherspoon’s book club. It’s also being released as a Hulu series of eight episodes. With all of these expectations behind it, the first four episodes still manage to hit the mark…mostly. The plot, taking place in the ‘90s, follows two mothers, Elena Richardson (Witherspoon) and Mia Warren (Washington),…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief After the popularity of Netflix’s “The Circle,” reality lovers were looking for something new and interesting to jump into. Although the show is not nearly as thought-provoking or surprisingly meaningful, “Love is Blind” became the go-to for those still getting over “The Circle.”The two shows have been compared to each other frequently, and for good reason. Both came out on Netflix around the same time and feature contestants that communicate with each other without face-to-face contact. However, “Love is Blind” and “The Circle” are also incredibly different.“The Circle” focuses on contestants communicating with one another…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief Spring break is a time to explore—even if you aren’t embarking on a vacation, there are a variety of exciting activities and local spots to look into if you’re staying close to campus.In a town like Waco that serves as a hub for trendy coffee spots, there are multiple up-and-coming places to get your caffeine on. Waco’s proximity to cities like Dallas and Austin also makes going on coffee adventures a must when you have free time.That being said, here are some coffee spots to hit if you’re staying close to Waco for your week…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief The concept sounds absolutely ridiculous at first—eight people live in the same building but different condos, and can only communicate with each other via a social messaging app. If that’s not the most 2020 concept you’ve ever heard, I don’t know what is. I’d heard of the Netflix series “The Circle” before, but it initially sounded like a bad episode of “Black Mirror.” After giving it a chance, however, I was amazed that “The Circle” — despite its questionable premise — was actually quite thought-provoking. The show is also interesting in the sense that the…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Editor-in-Chief Cheerleading is a sport widely known but rarely taken seriously. Even if most people now realize that cheer involves more than just waving around pom poms and yelling chants, it still suffers from a long history rooted in untrue assumptions, and causes most people to picture pageant queens instead of legitimate athletes. This is why “Cheer” is the documentary that the sport has always needed; Premiering in 2020 on Netflix, “Cheer” is a six-part docuseries highlighting the cheer team at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. Although Navarro is a community college rarely known outside of…
Readers, First and foremost, thank you so much for reading the Lariat. All of us on staff are glad to be serving you this year and, truly, there has never been a better or more exciting time to be at Baylor. Last semester, the Lariat covered a variety of topics on campus, whether it be a near-campus shooting, homecoming festivities, or even international issues like the protests in Hong Kong. With a variety of events happening this semester, both at Baylor and nationally, the Lariat staff is proud to offer an objective lens to view the stories that matter. The…
By Sukhi Borse | Contributor Baylor’s religious requirement for being a Community Leader (CL) reflects the university’s Christian-centered mission, yet some students express that it excludes students of other faith backgrounds. Baylor’s identity as a private Baptist Christian academic institution offers a rigorous education for students while allowing them to grow in Christian faith and commitment within a tight-knit community. Because of their promise to provide a community deeply embedded in its faith, one of Baylor’s qualifications for becoming a Community Leader (CL) is they must have an “active and growing Christian faith.”A CL’s job on the Baylor campus is…
By Alison Rogers | Contributor The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) held a three-day preaching conference this week at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary, inviting various speakers to share about their experiences in ministry. Craig Christina, associate executive director of the BGCT, said he was excited for Baylor students to attend.“I think students would be amazed at all of the ministry taking place through the cooperation of Texas Baptists all the way from river ministry to theological education to campus ministry,” Christina said. Christina said there are opportunities for students to connect with nonprofits and ministry groups that…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News EditorAs part of an annual partnership to benefit both groups’ philanthropies, Chi Omega and Alpha Tau Omega will be hosting Chi O Chili Cook Off and ATO Bed Races, a night full of contests and community. It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight on Fountain Mall, and all proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation and CoHope, the philanthropies of Chi Omega and ATO, respectively. The main activities of the night will be a chili cook-off where participating groups submit their contribution to a panel of Baylor faculty and staff, and bed races, where students…
By Andrea Lindsey | Contributor While Baylor’s core values have remained virtually consistent throughout the duration of its existence, one thing that has changed is the dynamic of the student population. As Baylor has increased in its amount of minority students, their need for representation increases as well, and Dr. Elizabeth Palacios hopes to give students across campus a voice. Palacios is Baylor’s dean of student development and has been a part of the Baylor community for 38 years, along with being the longest standing Latina administrator at the university. She was an undergraduate at Baylor as well, and said…
By Julia Pearl | Contributor With a research foundation, a month dedicated to awareness and 1.25 million Americans living with it, diabetes is a widespread disease that affects a large group of people, including college students. For National Diabetes Month, students shared their experiences living with Type 1 diabetes and the difficulties most confront stemming from others’ misconceptions and lack of knowledge about the disease. This presents a number of additional challenges to college students, and in some cases, college athletes. In support of Lauren Cox, a Baylor women’s basketball player with Type 1, Baylor hosted their fourth annual Type…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News EditorAutumn-themed games and festivities will be present at Kappa Alpha Order’s third annual Fall Fest, which will raise money to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). This year’s Fall Fest will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday in Burleson Quadrangle. San Antonio junior Chris Estrada serves as philanthropy and merchandise chair for Kappa Alpha, said that the event will present a wide array of fall-themed activities for the Baylor and Waco communities to participate in. “At the event, we’ll have a pumpkin patch, a dunk tank, pumpkin painting, Bittersweet cookies, coffee, a caramel apple bar…
By Tyler Bui | Staff WriterJulia Detchon, recent recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, presented a lecture titled “Abstraction and its Legacies in Postwar Latin America” at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hooper-Schaefer Building. The lecture was presented through the “Abstract Expressionism and Its Legacies” seminar, taught by Dr. Katie Larson, assistant professor of art history at Baylor and was funded by the Allbritton Art Institute. Detchon, a Ph.D. candidate at Univeristy of Texas at Austin in the Center for Latin American Visual Studies, specializes in modern and contemporary Latin America. She has worked in the Museum of Fine Arts, the…
By Matthew Warden | ContributorWhen walking between the Allbritton House and Moody Memorial Library, it can be common to see and feel a mist present in the air. Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., junior Olivia Azzopardi, like other Baylor students, is curious as to why she is rained on every time she “walks by that humming industrial building next to Moody.” The water vapor, which has been confirmed to be clean and containing no toxins, is the byproduct of the Baylor Energy Complex (BEC), the central utility plant of Baylor’s main campus. According to Michael Landolt, maintenance manager for the Baylor…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News Editor I joined the Lariat staff at the beginning of my sophomore year at Baylor to better my writing skills and gain practical journalism experience. Since then, I have definitely received those benefits out of my roles in the publication, but I’ve also gained another useful experience that has benefited me more than anything: a chance to attend a variety of events in the Baylor and Waco communities, many of which I would have never thought to attend in the past. As a staff writer for the entirety of last year, I was called to…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News Editor It was confirmed today that Mark Hurd, Baylor alumnus and CEO of Oracle, has died at 62. Hurd served as vice chair of the Baylor Board of Regents, as well as a co-chair for Baylor’s Give Light philanthropic campaign. Mark Hurd and his wife Paula Hurd donated a lead gift, one of the largest in Baylor’s history, for the Give Light campaign. His philanthropic legacy can be seen on campus through the Hurd Tennis Center and the soon-to-be Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, which will replace the Wiethorn Visitors Center as the campus…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News Editor American Horror Story is one of the best TV series to watch in the fall. The twisted plot lines and dark themes are perfect for October, and the bulk of the show’s ninth season AHS 1984 will be aired on FX this month. American Horror Story has been running since 2011, with each season depicting a completely different theme, story line and cast of characters. While some of the show’s actors reappear in multiple seasons, the cast often changes to best reflect the theme. Over the show’s eight-year span, AHS has tackled everything from…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News Editor When US News and World Report released their official 2020 Best Colleges rankings, Baylor was included in several different categories—one of the highest being included as No. 8 in the nation for “First-Year Experience.” The rankings are made by a variety of “college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools” who nominate universities to be included within specific categories. Baylor was included in the ranking due to having received 10 or more nominations.Michelle Cohenour, director of student success initiatives, has been at Baylor for five…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News Editor Last week, the Lariat reported on Baylor Police Department’s escort system being taken away. I understand the department’s reasoning for wanting to find a new system and for why the current system wasn’t fully effective, but eradicating the program creates a safety issue for students.All of last year, I absolutely loved the escort system. Working for the Lariat requires me to stay in the newsroom on campus late at night, leaving after midnight several times a week. When this happened, I was able to dial BUPD, state my location and be picked up by…
You’ve probably experienced it before — during a time you may have been worried about classes or wondering whether you will end up graduating on time. You ask a classmate what year they are at Baylor, and they give you the dreaded answer: “Well, I’m technically a freshman, but I’m actually a junior in credits.” Interactions like this or similar ones happen all too often at Baylor. While students may be in the class of 2021, 2022 or 2023 socially, they feel the need to let you know immediately that they are, in fact, not in that same class academically.…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News EditorThe premise sounds like a typical reality show filled with drama, relationships and betrayal—Bachelor in Paradise brings together past cast members from The Bachelor or The Bachelorette and films their interactions and conflicts on a beach in Mexico. And that description is pretty spot on—cast members form relationships, can ask each other out on dates when selected and give out roses each week to the person of their choice. There are fights, tears and drama, but Bachelor in Paradise is more than just craziness being filmed on the beach. There’s a reason that the show…
By Bridget Sjoberg | News EditorTaylor Swift’s 18-track album “Lover” has already sold more than 500,000 copies, making it 2019’s top-selling album.The album, which was released last Friday, is her longest to date and one she has been teasing for the past few months after dropping the lead single “ME!” in April. “ME!” was everything you could want in a lead single—catchy, upbeat and even featured Panic! At the Disco’s Brendon Urie. It in no way prepared fans for the album that would follow. “ME!” was a popular lead choice, but “Lover” stands as one of Swift’s greatest achievements to…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer Mamaka Bowls, a popular California-inspired acai bowl and smoothie shop from Arkansas, is opening a second location in this summer, and it just so happens to be in Waco. Mamaka was founded by mom-daughter duo Carrie and KK Hudson, who opened their first storefront in Fayetteville, Ark. In May 2018. Originally from the Dallas area, KK Hudson said she is excited to bring Mamaka to Texas, particularly in a college town like Waco. “When we realized that we could open a second store, we really wanted to be back in Texas since it’s where…
Bridget Sjoberg | Staff WriterAn anonymous donor recently made a donation of 100 million dollars to Baylor. The donation was made in response to Baylor’s recent Give Light campaign, an effort to raise money to accomplish the university’s Illuminate strategic plan. The 100 million-dollar donation is also the largest the university has received to date and will assist in Baylor’s goal of reaching 1.1 billion dollars.President Linda Livingstone said a large portion of the donation will go toward supporting on-campus facilities and matching gifts made by future additional donors.“The gift will support a couple of areas—there will be some elements…
Bridget Sjoberg | Staff WriterOn a Christian campus like Baylor, it’s common for students to embark on mission trips to countries around the world or spend their time leading a summer camp. Although these activities are often fun experiences, they are also composed of hard work on a day-to-day basis.It’s common to see social media posts about volunteering on a trip or working a camp and to notice smiling faces and people playing with cute kids. These types of experiences often do involve fun interactions with kids, but they can also require manual labor, long hours and a strong mindset.one…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Staff WriterBaylor’s Catholic Student Association (CSA) finished off the school year with Dia Del Catholic, a play off of the well-known Baylor on-campus tradition and one of the group’s largest events. The event was free for all students to attend and took place at the Baylor Marina, allowing for attendees to partake in activities like kayaking or sand volleyball. It also served as a way for CSA to help students learn more about what the group stands for and participates in on a weekly basis. San Marcos junior Laura Rivas serves as president of CSA and…
By Bridget Sjoberg | Staff WriterBaylor Wellness and Campus Recreation are hosting their first “Try” event Friday. It involves run, bike and swim events to encourage students to de-stress and spend time exercising during a busy final season. The Try event will hold a 4 p.m. division for fun, as well as a 4:45 p.m. competitive division and a 5:30 p.m. faculty and staff division. Assistant director of wellness Van Davis said including multiple divisions will allow all students and faculty to get involved, whether they are looking for a challenge or simply just a way to take a study…
