By Jessika Harkay | ReporterWith social distancing, the loss of an on-campus semester and transitioning to online classes and virtual learning, student mental health is something campuses have been surveying, prioritizing and trying to provide resources toward.Holly Oxhandler, associate dean for research for the Diane R. Garland School of Social Work, conducts research focused on the connection between faith and mental health. She said that the pandemic has forced our bodies to react in a “fight-or-flight response,” which affects mental health in students.“The current COVID-19 crisis is understandably inducing various levels of fear, anxiety, and truthfully, trauma, as our individual…
Author: Jessika Harkay
By Jessica Harkay | Reporter As a university that calls its students, faculty, staff and alumni the Baylor family, it’s times like these that preserving the sense of community is most important. Yet, it’s also something that student organizations have had to figure out and how to maintain these relationships.From the Baylor Jujitsu Club sending short instructional videos to continue progressing in the sport, to sorority Netflix watch parties and Facetimes, various student organizations are making an effort to reach out to its members and remind them that there’s an outlet for students to depend on regardless of the COVID-19…
By Jessica Harkay | ReporterAlthough it may seem the world is stuck in a standstill, the Baylor Career Center said they want students to know their future hasn’t come to a complete halt.Earlier this month, the university successfully completed two virtual fairs with the Big 12 (and 150 companies participating) and the intelligence community. On Tuesday, students can participate in State Farm’s virtual career fair or tune into a YouTube Live Recruiting Seminar hosted by Google by registering through Handshake.The Career Center also expects to deliver an online newsletter within the next few weeks which will not only contain information…
By Jessica Harkay | ReporterAs the COVID-19 outbreak reached over 500,000 cases early Thursday afternoon and nearly a third of the world’s population is under some type of restriction or lock down, the disease has grown into a global pandemic. With millions forced to work and study in quarantine and practice social distancing, a few unexpected consequences have risen, including the decline of carbon monoxide emissions and improvements in air quality. Columbia University estimated that traffic levels have dropped by 35%, and in hand, CO2 levels from transportation have dropped as far as 50%. Alongside Columbia’s research, Dr. Erica D.…
By Jessika Harkay | ReporterThere’s no such thing as a black and white world, especially in the sports industry. One’s background will completely mold their bias, affiliation and perspective and it begins with something as small as the belief of whether it was a catch or not (sorry Cowboys’ fans, I get it) or a missed call (Saints’ fans, I’m looking at you). But it’s another thing when those factors develop into the blurred and muddied lines between the separation of politics and sports. As long as both (political and sports) worlds exist and as long as people have the…
By Jessika Harkay | Reporter According to the National Center for Education Statistics, black males and females, along with Hispanic males, accounted for 2% percent of full-time professors around the country. At Baylor, Dr. Vivienne Malone-Mayes opened the door for professors of color, being the first black professor to teach at the university in 1966, after being denied as a student due to her race five years prior. Today, black professors now account for 4% of faculty and staff — double the national average. Though the number is still low, Lakia Scott, assistant professor of urban and multicultural education and…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterII never understood what it meant to be a minority until I branched out from home and found myself at a university where only 14% of students identified as Latinos.My first year at Baylor, I genuinely struggled finding common ground with others. Not so much because I looked different than most of my peers in the classroom, but a feeling that I grew up a different way, listened to different music, knew a different language and it almost felt I didn’t have a grounding here with people who understood that side of me.I began exploring…
By Jessika Harkay | ReporterThe Texas Collection is home to over two million digital and print photographs, 36,000 oral history tapes and transcripts, 13,000 audio visual pieces and sits just off the heart of campus and Fountain Mall.Geoff Hunt is the primary caretaker for the Texas Collection. A Baylor graduate, Waco Native and son of a photographer, Hunt has been the audio and visual curator to the collection for the last 14 years. “It’s vital to those in the future that wanna look back and say, ‘Okay, well this street, this building, this event, whatever, how did it become what…
By Jessika Harkay | ReporterThe Multicultural Affairs Book Club aims to cultivate an empathetic environment toward different cultures through reading and conversation once a month. The club held its February meeting Thursday night and was founded in the spring of 2018 by former book club intern and now Baylor alumna, Megan Glover. The Multicultural Affairs Book Club is now led by higher education graduate student Madelynn Lee who hopes it can challenge students perspectives, including her own.“I think it’s just it’s been challenging so far having my eyes opened and I hope once we start talking about what we’re reading,…
By Jessika Harkay | ReporterCastellaw Communications Center has a special four-legged friend who has taken over a corner of one of the building’s back entrances and has since become a personal greeter.Journalism senior lecturer Maxey Parrish said the black cat named Shadow first appeared three or four years ago. After the cat’s countless appearances at the building, different staff members began to leave out food and water. Now the space is occupied with a bed, blanket and occasional students stopping by between classes to say hello.“She’s been adopted, essentially. It’s interesting because she will not come inside. She just got…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterYou have to be a different kind of leader when you serve as a captain in the Big 12 Championship and you haven’t played since October. You have to be another type of leader when you inspire from a sideline more than on the field. You also have to be a special leader when your presence alone can influence all those around you. Despite losing his senior year to a knee injury against Texas Tech in early October, linebacker Clay Johnston has been one of the biggest defensive pieces that contributed to Baylor’s 11-2 season.…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer The 2019 Baylor Bears’ defense has etched its name into the program’s history book. In head coach Matt Rhule’s third year, a name that isn’t mentioned often is his defensive coordinator’s, Phil Snow. Snow, who not only has spent the last three years developing the Bears’ defense we see today, but has also helped work hand-in-hand with the head coach for over seven years to foster successful football teams. “I’ve been a head coach for seven years and … Phil Snow, Mike Siravo, we’ve all been together for seven years,” head coach Matt Rhule…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Drake Toll | Broadcast Reporter The Bears fell to No. 6 Oklahoma 30-23 in overtime in the Big 12 Championship Saturday at AT&T Stadium. And even on their third string quarterback, No. 7 Baylor was just one play away. “[True Freshman Jacob Zeno] was literally a scout-team quarterback the other week,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “I just think that’s kind of who we are. Clay [Johnston] goes down, Terrell [Bernard] steps up and he’s All-Big 12. We don’t want to be one of those programs that makes excuses and I think…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterThe No. 6 Lady Bears fell four spots after falling short for the first time this season in a 74-59 loss to South Carolina Saturday. Along with the defeat came two snapped streaks — that of 36 consecutive wins, and holding opponents below 50% from the floor in 53 games. Yet, there’s hope to extend one more streak as Baylor hosts Georgia Wednesday night.The Lady Bears have the opportunity to notch their 45th consecutive victory at home, but that’ll only come by going back to the two things that make Baylor women’s basketball who they…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterWhen Maryland-Eastern Shore travels to Waco in search of their first victory (0-9) Tuesday night, No. 18 Baylor knows not to underestimate its opponent, no matter who it is. It’s possible to dominate the college men’s basketball league and still fall short to the underdog. Just ask Duke who fell to Stephen F. Austin 85-83 last week. “It’s every day there’s a name school or power five school getting beat by a mid-major conference opponent,” head coach Scott Drew said. “Each and every day you look and there’s upsets and that’s why college basketball is…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer Coming off a heartbreaking 34-31 loss to Oklahoma last week, the No. 13 Bears look ahead and stay focused as they host Texas to close out its home schedule. Tied for first place in the Big 12, a win against the Longhorns will help clinch a spot in the 2019 Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship game in early December. The Bears will have to snap a 0-4 streak against Texas, with their last win in Waco coming in 2013, to advance to the championship matchup. That same 2013 victory against the Longhorns marked Baylor’s…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Julia Lawrenz | Broadcast Managing Editor When the No. 2 Lady Bears were held under 60 points for the first time since 2016 and to 35.6% shooting from the field, no one panicked because under head coach Kim Mulkey, Baylor knows that defense is the most important part of playing four full quarters and coming out on top. “Defense at the end of the day. We knew if we couldn’t score on offense, as long as they don’t score, we’re going to win the game,” junior guard DiDi Richards said. The defense…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterWhen head coach Matt Rhule arrived to Baylor in 2016, he overtook a program in shambles. But in just three seasons, the Bears have found their identity again after a decade that consisted of Baylor’s most successful achievements and utter disaster. With a peak in the first half of the decade (2010-15), the Baylor Bears advanced to five consecutive bowl games after a 15-year drought and produced a Heisman Trophy winner. The pinnacle of Baylor football was short lived as it came to a sudden collapse when the infamous sexual assault scandal came to light…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterOne top 25 women’s basketball team has to have its undefeated record snapped when No. 2 Baylor and No. 22 Southern Florida face each other today. The Bulls come into Waco hot with a 4-0 record with wins over Jacksonville, No. 15 Texas, Howard and Virginia Commonwealth. Southern Florida averages 73.3 points per game with a .412 shot average from the field with the help of junior forward Bethy Mununga, who leads the team with a .719 shooting average (23-32) and 10.8 rebounds a game. Baylor’s defense, on the other hand, has held its opponents…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Nate Smith | Broadcast Reporter The Bears seemed unstoppable at first, but a football game is 60 minutes, not just 30. And that’s something No. 13 Baylor learned the hard way in its 34-31 loss to No. 10 Oklahoma Saturday night at McLane Stadium. Baylor led 31-10 in the half — so it was a shock to the record crowd of 50,223 when the Sooners scored 24 unanswered points and recorded their biggest comeback in program history. The Bears offense managed to run only four plays in the third quarter, while…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Nate Smith | Broadcast Reporter Head coach Matt Rhule asked his team for 21 more days. Twenty-one days for his football team to commit themselves to their coach, to their team and to the fight in front of them. The first obstacle in Rhule’s challenge is the matchup that brought ESPN’s College Gameday to Waco for the first time since 2015. The 21 days begins facing No. 10 Oklahoma Saturday at McLane Stadium in a prime-time battle for the top spot in the Big 12. “We have three chances to play. Maybe…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer No. 2 women’s basketball opened its first two regular season matchups out-scoring their opponents 217-75. Now coming off a 120-46 victory over Grambling State last week, Baylor has the chance to continue the longest active NCAA win streak to 32 as they face off against the Houston Baptist Huskies Thursday night. To head coach Kim Mulkey, the key to their success isn’t by outplaying the other team though — it’s by playing at the highest level against one another. “Our practices are pretty intense when they go against each other, and I’ve always thought…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Drake Toll | Broadcast Reporter When Texas Christian University and No. 11 Baylor met on the football field nearly a year ago, TCU left with a 16-9 victory. But that defeat marked Baylor’s last loss as the Bears went on to clinch a bowl game and spark their current 10-game win streak. This Saturday the two teams will face off for their 79th meeting, thier first being in 1920. The Horned Frogs lead the matchup 44-33 and have held the Bears to a four-game losing streak. Baylor last secured a victory over…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Nate Smith | Broadcast Reporter The No. 2 Lady Bears did something they never did before in program history in their season opener Tuesday night. Against the University of New Hampshire, Baylor not only shutout their opponents in the first quarter, but held them to only three points in the first half, setting up their 97-29 victory against the Wildcats. Baylor led 51-3 into the half, marking a Big 12 and Baylor record and showing why it was ranked first in field goal percentage defense (.318) in the 2018-19 season. It took…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterNo. 2 Baylor women’s basketball has the opportunity to extend the nation’s longest active win streak to 30 games, and 40 consecutive home game wins, Tuesday when they take on New Hampshire in their season opener at the Ferrell Center. Baylor comes off two exhibition matches against Langston and Lubbock Christian where the Lady Bears outscored their opponents 247-95. But what head coach Kim Mulkey looks forward to the most is using the exhibition as a spring board moving forward into the regular season. “Sometimes when the lights come on, they’re a different player —…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Drake Toll | Broadcast Reporter No. 12 Baylor football overcame three turnovers and allowing eight sacks to hold on to a 17-14 win over West Virginia Halloween night at McLane Stadium. The win kept the Bears unbeaten and on top of the Big 12 with an 8-0 record thanks to a strong defensive effort against the Mountaineers. Baylor only allowed 14 yards rushing and 219 total yards, 83 of those coming in a long touchdown pass to senior transfer wide receiver George Campbell that tied the score at 7-7 in the third…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer The Lady Bears open their 2019 preseason with a familiar matchup. This Friday at the Ferrell Center marks the third season-opener in four years against Langston University, an opponent that Baylor has outscored 231-77 in their previous two games. The Lady Bears enter the year off a successful national championship run, where the team was 37-1 on the season and defeated Notre Dame 82-81 to clinch the NCAA Women’s Basketball title in early April. Baylor comes into the new year with a veteran lineup, only losing two players, Kalani Brown and Chloe Jackson, to…
When I moved to Texas, nearly 1,000 miles from home, I had two intentions: to get away from a small town and to make a dream that was inspired by the relationship with my dad to come true.That dream was to become a reporter for the Dallas Cowboys, which isn’t the craziest thing to chase in the grand scheme of things. But that’s all I wanted. I wanted, and still do, wish to become a sideline reporter, a writer or something for a football team I committed myself to when I was 12. All because it was the bridge between…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports WriterThe narrative that seems to lead No. 18 Baylor football’s undefeated season (7-0) is the importance of second-half play. Trailing at halftime, the Bears were in a position to respond and in what became a back-and-forth battle at Boone Pickens Stadium, the Baylor overtook Oklahoma State 45-27. The first half was an offensive standstill on both sides, with nearly identical statistics on both sides and the Cowboys on top 13-10 into intermission. The fight to get back into the game didn’t begin until OSU scored a touchdown after converting a 4th and 7 with a…
By Jessika Harkay | Sports Writer, Video by Drake Toll | Broadcast Reporter The last time No. 18 Baylor football traveled to Stillwater, Okla. two years ago, the Bears suffered their sixth straight loss, falling to the Cowboys 59-16. This time around, Baylor travels to Boone Pickens Stadium with an undefeated (6-0) record with each athlete mentally locked in and ready for the next opportunity. The Bears come off a 33-30 double overtime homecoming brawl against Texas Tech Saturday. The fight wasn’t easy as the team lost their leading tackler, senior linebacker Clay Johnston, who suffered a season-ending knee injury…