Corrie Coleman | ReporterBaylor in Maastricht, Baylor’s oldest semester-long study abroad program, sends students to the Netherlands each semester and summer. Nestled between Germany and France, Maastricht is home to 123,000 people. Irving junior Lauren Frick has been living in this small Dutch city for the past three months, studying at Maastricht University and traveling on the weekends. Late Thursday night, she boarded a plane to return home to Texas.Reflecting on her semester abroad, Frick said she is thankful for her time in Maastricht, a city she says now feels like home.“I love Maastricht. I enjoy the people. Right now…
Author: Corrie Coleman
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterOn Tuesday evening in the Bobo Spiritual Life Center, Baylor Missions hosted a discussion about ethical photography on mission trips. The event challenged students to take photos with respect for other people and cultures. Bob Oei, coordinator of worship technology and communications at Baylor, and Dr. Clark Baker, professor of journalism, spoke about visual storytelling and later answered questions from students. Oei said he believes photography and videography are powerful tools that can trigger change if used effectively. “Visual storytelling is a thing that can impact people for good or for bad depending on how you…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThe Baylor Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory, founded in 2015, works to conduct research on sleep and its effects on the body. The lab explores the ways sleep impacts memory and cognition while promoting healthy sleeping habits in students through its findings. Humans spend nearly one-third of their life sleeping, Frisco junior Taylor Terlizzese, senior research assistant at the lab, said. He believes that research on sleep is crucial to science.“I think it’s really important to figure out biologically why sleep is so important,” Terlizzese said. “[We want to] improve sleep for those who have poor…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThis week the Center for Global Engagement and Baylor Athletics partnered to give international students a tour of McLane Stadium. The students were shown the stadium’s locker room, recruitment room and media room. At the end of the tour, they were led onto the field, where football players waited to lead them in football warmups and practice drills. The event was planned to help international students learn more about football and encourage them to attend games in the fall. Ryan Eklund, assistant athletic director of fan engagement at Baylor, said he hopes this event can help…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThe Global Mission Leadership Initiative, a program in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, works to educate and empower international leaders. The program brings Christian leaders from around the globe to Baylor, offering full scholarships, mentorship and support during their time at the university. Jennifer Dickey, Global Mission Leadership Initiative director and social work professor, said the program started in 2008 through the efforts of the late dean of the social work school, Diana Garland. “[Garland] wrote an innovative grant proposal for funding for the program. She had dreamed of a way to educate…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterCan you remember a time when you were talking and felt like no one was paying attention? Yeah, me too.No matter who you are, it’s discouraging to feel unheard or ignored. On the other hand, feeling heard and understood can be empowering.Learn to listen well –– to your friends, professors, your boyfriend or girlfriend and even the cashier at H-E-B. It’s important to engage with those around us through active, compassionate and humble listening. Mindful listening leads to more informed opinions, deeper relationships and a better understanding of the world around us.Active listening means concentrating fully…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter The Baylor chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants was founded last fall. The organization works to provide Baylor students with recruitment opportunities, professional contacts and social events to build community within the business school. The National Association of Black Accountants, whose slogan is “Lifting as we climb,” advocates for diversity in the business field. Houston senior Arianna Washington, president of the Baylor National Association of Black Accountants, said while the organization is open to all students, it is primarily focused on reaching minority business students. “We are open to everyone but we are…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterReports have surfaced that the White House may attempt to impose study and work visa restrictions on Chinese international students studying in the United States. Baylor, a school with 330 Chinese international students, would most likely be affected by these restrictions, and if the Trump administration carries out these restrictions, the number of international students at Baylor could drop. Disputes between the United States and China over technology policies and trade have led the Trump administration to enforce tariffs and investment restrictions on Chinese products. In addition to restrictions on student visas, the White House has…
By Corrie Coleman | Staff WriterBaylor marketing professors Jim Roberts and Meredith David have conducted extensive research on the consequences of cell phone addiction, concluding that excessive cell phone use can be incredibly harmful to relationships. According to their research, Baylor students spend an average of nine hours on their cell phone each day. Roberts and David also said 60 percent of U.S. college students admit they may be addicted to their phone. In Roberts’ book “Too Much of a Good Thing,” he explores the negative effects cell phone addiction can have on relationships as well as mental and physical…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterBaylor and Beyond is a living learning community (LLC) in North Russell Hall that encourages students from diverse backgrounds to engage with the world. Its mission, “deeply rooted and branching out,” means that the LLC helps students get involved at Baylor and in Waco while pushing them to become informed and compassionate global citizens. Through events like urban missions projects, “cultural cooking” days and interfaith worship nights, this LLC helps connect students across cultural boundaries.Holly Joyner, Baylor and Beyond Program Director, said many students who choose to live in the Baylor and Beyond LLC are already…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter Baylor Third Culture Kids, founded nearly a year ago, is an organization that provides community and support for students who have lived overseas. Through events and meetings, Baylor Third Culture Kids helps students adjust to life in the United States and at Baylor.In August 2015, junior Kate Hambly moved from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Waco. Although her parents are American, Hambly lived most of her life in Southeast Asia. The transition from Malaysian culture to American culture was initially challenging for Hambly.“I had a major panic attack at the Dairy Queen on LaSalle with my…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThe Baylor Global Business Forum presented “The Automated World,” a series of events about the impact of technology on business last week in the Paul L. Foster Business School. Speakers, luncheons and discussions from March 12-16 encouraged students to explore the possibilities and potential challenges of a future with artificial intelligence (AI). AI, computer systems that are able to do tasks which usually require humans, is a rapidly growing field of study. Many people have questioned what global business will look like in the future as technologies like self-driving cars and behavioral algorithms drastically expand current…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThis spring break, Baylor Missions sent students and faculty to seven different countries: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico and United States. Each team’s mission project was discipline-specific, allowing students to use skills they are developing in their classes to serve in other cultures.Lubbock senior Chloe Bell traveled to Panajachel, Guatemala, to serve with nutrition majors and faculty in rural villages. Guatemala is in the midst of a nutrition crisis. This means that, although food is usually available, it often lacks the nutrients necessary for growth and brain development. Through an organization called Mission…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterAT&T has announced that they will be bringing 5G broadband to three cities in the U.S.: Dallas, Atlanta and Waco. The Dallas-based network provider plans to release 5G service by the end of 2018.AT&T stays that it is the only carrier in the nation that has publicized plans to launch 5G service.5G will be the fifth generation of wireless broadband technology. Bob Hartland, Director of IT Servers and Networking Services at Baylor, said each time a new generation is released, the service speed increases.“In the cellular world, you started off with the brick phones. That was…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterWhen I feel stressed, lonely or even just bored, I reach for my phone. But somehow, as I scroll through dog videos and vacation photos, I feel myself becoming even more discontent. It’s exhausting to try to keep up an online presence that is cool, funny, pretty, consistent and “genuine.”When I forget my phone at home, I get severe FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). I find myself being distracted while talking to friends or wondering how many likes my photo has gotten while I’m in class. In the online world of comparison and competition, I almost…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter Houston sophomore Timothy Tateossian has been in South Korea for 20 days and has already watched an Olympic medal ceremony, seen a holographic PSY concert, celebrated the Lunar New Year with a Korean family and played coin karaoke. Tateossian is studying abroad in Seoul this semester, where he is attending Yonsei University. Tateossian, who already speaks English and French, said he chose to study in Seoul because he hopes to become proficient in Korean. “I want to gain fluency. I had already been studying the language since 2013, so I really viewed this as an…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter“Olympic Athletes from Russia” is a team composed of 169 Russian athletes who are competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics after Russia was barred from participation due to doping allegations. As evidence emerged of widespread use of banned substances and tampering with urine samples, medals were stripped from previous Olympic athletes. One report found that over 1,000 athletes had benefited from doping. Despite substantial evidence, the Russian government still denies any government-sanctioned or systematic doping within the Olympic programs. Athletes who had consistently passed drug tests and also agreed to follow strict rules were allowed to…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterAt the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, North and South Korea marched under one flag. This symbol of unity comes at a pivotal moment for the two nations’ political relations, which have been especially strained in recent months. The 2018 Winter Olympics is taking place in PyeongChang, a South Korean city located roughly 40 miles from the North Korean border. Many are left wondering what the future will hold for the Korean Peninsula.In addition to marching together in the opening ceremony, the two nations also share a women’s hockey team. These expressions of…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterWhen Cameron and Jessie Bell bought a tiny, dilapidated shotgun house, they paid $28,000. Today, they have the same house listed for sale, asking nearly $1 million. What’s the difference? The house was featured on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” and has been remodeled by Waco’s Chip and Joanna Gaines.People Magazine recently reported that seven Fixer Upper homes from the show’s five seasons are currently on the market. However, even more have been sold or rented in the past. While many families sell their homes for unexpected reasons, such as children or job transfers, the widely popular show…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThis spring break, Baylor Missions is sponsoring 14 mission trips. From building music centers in Mexico to teaching nutrition in Guatemala, nearly 200 students will serve in seven countries as well as throughout the United States.The Hunger in Texas trip will highlight food insecurity through community service in Texas, specifically in communities affected by Hurricane Harvey. Students will learn about the impact of hunger on families while working in Rockport, an area struggling to recover from the hurricane. They will also spend time in Austin, speaking with policy makers about food insecurity in Texas.Grace Norman, Baylor…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter In August 2017, days before the start of the fall semester, Rome, graduate student Raffaele Idone attended a welcome dinner for international students. This is where he met Randall Bradley, director of the Church Music program and his wife Brenda, who were asked to host a table at the event. The Bradley’s and Idone immediately connected. “I arrived here and I was quite tired … Then we had the dinner and I met the Bradleys,” Idone said. “I felt at home right away.” Soon after, the Bradleys were asked to become a part of the…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter “There’s nothing better than a professor that can lecture for fifty minutes and captivate the whole room, and that was Dr. Vardaman,” Dr. David Chrisman, history professor and department chair at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, said. Professor Emeritus Dr. James Vardaman, died on Jan. 31 at the age of 89. Vardaman taught history at Baylor for 33 years before retiring in 2000. He led study abroad trips to over 40 different countries, giving hundreds of students a chance to experience new cultures. He began the Baylor in the British Isles and Baylor in Maastricht…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterBaylor’s Christian Business Leaders are sponsoring a food drive this week to collect canned goods for Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry. From Monday to Friday, collection boxes will be placed near the main entrances to the Paul L. Foster campus. Christian Business Leaders was established at Baylor in the Spring of 2016. The organization seeks to empower business students to remain rooted in their faith as they enter a primarily secular workplace. They sponsor events throughout the year such as service projects, guest speakers and prayer meetings.Shepherd’s Heart, the organization that will be receiving the food, is…
By Corrie Coleman | Reporter The 1846 Business Incubator provides students with the support they need to develop, launch and grow their business ventures. Through resources such as faculty aid, mentorships and office space, students are given the tools to succeed. After an involved application process, an average of five business ventures are chosen every academic year. Dr. John Laurie, program coordinator for the business incubator, said the program is intended to help students turn their ideas into a sustainable businesses. “The business incubator is designed to help take students from the concept or startup stage to a viable business,”…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterComputer science is a thriving field, producing three times the national average number of jobs. If trends continue, in 2025 only 20 percent of those jobs will be held by women according to new research from Accenture and Girls Who Code. Additionally, just 18 percent of computer science majors are women. In Mississippi, Montana, and Wyoming, no girls took the AP Computer Science exam in 2013 according to a study by Georgia Tech. However, Baylor is taking steps to encourage and empower aspiring female computer scientists despite the present gender gap.Baylor computer science professor Cindy Fry…
Story by Corrie Coleman | Reporter, Illustrations and video by Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor In January 2009, a company named Bitcoin released its first units of decentralized “cryptocurrency”: in essence, digital cash. Since then, over a thousand cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have been created, leading to speculative conversations about the purpose and practicality of this new form of currency. Simply understanding what cryptocurrency is can be puzzling. There is no coin or physical dollar bill changing hands. Instead, it is a long string of numbers that can be printed or stored on a flash drive to keep safe from…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterI get it: talking to professors can be scary. I know that going to office hours or even answering questions in class is intimidating for many students. However, I also know that pushing myself to do these very things has shaped my time at Baylor in ways I never anticipated. The relationships I have built with my professors have impacted the way I view my education, my career goals and even myself. All students can benefit, both academically and personally, from making the extra effort to build relationships with their professors. The first reason you should…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterBaylor has started four new study abroad programs this semester located in Berlin, Shanghai, Prague and Santiago.The Berlin program, although not the first in Germany, is one of the only program that does not require students to be proficient in German.Bobby Leis, study abroad adviser, said many students want to go to Germany, but because they do not speak the language, were previously unable to participate. Now, Baylor has partnered with CIEE Global Institute Berlin, where students from all over the world attend and classes are taught in English.“Students can go there and take their core…
By Corrie Coleman | ReporterThe past week has been eventful for DACA negotiations. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was brought to a halt in September by President Donald Trump. However on Tuesday, Judge William Alsup ordered the Trump administration to resume the program. Alsup said that Trump’s decision to halt DACA was improper and the program must resume accepting applications for renewals. This was seen by many immigration advocates as a significant step in the right direction.After DACA was halted in September, the clinic came to an end. As a result of this week’s developments however, the Baylor Law…