Author: Josh Siatkowski

“I know this may not seem like something that’s making an impact, but I’m sure it will make an impact in the future and make a difference to the students on campus,” Merced said.

Five months after a team of sophomores formed the first cohort of University Innovation Fellows at Baylor, the organization is bringing in a new class of freshmen to ensure continuity of the group and its impacts.

By now, almost everyone has seen the viral video of Ashton Hall’s morning routine, where the comically muscular man takes six hours to meticulously prepare for his day. Although reactions to this video have been skeptical of the efficacy of Hall’s quarter-day “life-changing” routine, the video still signals that our infatuation with self-help has gone too far.

“What we’re really trying to push toward is a more aware student population,” Burten said. “If we keep our vets in a little bubble, then nobody else can benefit from their experiences, which kind of defeats the purpose.”

Cowan’s deep dive into the chastity-crazed, right-wing militant leaders of Brazil came from the desire to learn how two teenage students kissing on a bus could be seen as the essence of communism — something a Brazilian official actually said after being on that bus, according to Cowan. Analyzing the origin and effect of this reasoning is the larger point of the “Mobilizing Morality” series.

While it’s not a direct result of Rodman’s appointment as director of public safety, there’s been another development on the BUDPS front. After long backups, new police vehicles are finally arriving to rejuvenate BUPD’s fleet of cars.

RISE, which stands for Reflecting Cultural Diversity, Inspiring Leadership Growth, Strengthening Community Relations and Ensuring Lasting Impact, passed on March 6 in the student senate, with 32 of 35 senators voting in favor. It ensures 2.5% of the roughly $500,000 Student Government Allocation Fund — about $12,000 — is dedicated to helping sponsor cultural organizations.

As Baylis said, the impacts of this research are tremendous for the United States, as it could curb the problem of limited spectrum space for our increasingly internet-reliant world. This technology could also be used for defense initiatives such as more advanced radar and communication technologies.

The Fulbright Program, which offers U.S. government-funded experiences to recent college graduates, has been accepting more Bears than ever. Eighteen Baylor graduates received a 2024-2025 Fulbright scholarship and a record 48 have been named semi-finalists for the 2025-2026 school year.

Unlike other historic, yet revolutionary discoveries and inventions – like fertilizer, air conditioning, or aviation – oil and gas has not been able to quietly age into an unsung hero of modern life. Instead, the industry and its nearly 11 million American workers have been villainized and rejected by the very people who reap the benefits of oil and gas.

When a professor gives a lecture about matching kidney donors with the right patient, one might expect it to be held in the BSB. Similarly, for a lecture on racial bias among jurors, one might look to Sid Richardson for the statistics department. One wouldn’t, however, assume that this research came out of the same department –– and one certainly wouldn’t expect it to come out of the same building that’s home to Rising Roll and endless rows of Patagonia vests.

As pickleball tops the charts as one of the fastest-growing sports in America for the third year in a row, it’s easy to see the craze here on campus. It started off with some freshly painted lines on the McLean Tennis Courts between Penland Dining Hall and the Marrs-McLean Gym. Then it evolved into a trio of pickleball courts at the McLane Student Life Center. Latest on the list of pickleball’s imperial conquests are the Paul and Jill Underwood Pickleball Courts.

St. Amant is something of an expert when it comes to true crime. She’s helped create over 20 episodes of CBS’ hit crime show “48 Hours.” She hosts not one, but two true crime podcasts. She even has a television series in the works. Now, she’s telling the story behind those stories in “Killer Story: The Truth Behind True Crime Television.”

Along with a completely revised core curriculum and new electives, the total credit hours required to complete a major or secondary major has dropped from 36 to 30. Many prerequisites, which often barred non-majors from enrolling in a course, have also been stripped.

Mazumder, 42, joined Baylor in the 2021-2022 academic year. After four years in Waco at the Hankamer School of Business, Mazumder and his family will relocate to northern Georgia as the soon-to-be former dean begins his tenure as the ninth president of the sprawling, rural 2,000-student Berry College.

SGAF funding can be used for all types of campus groups, ranging from Greek organizations to cultural clubs and anything in between. The SGAF has provided funding for events like Pi Beta Phi’s “Howdy,” fraternity car washes, and even a luau. El Paso senior and Student Senate Finance Chair Aron Basurto said that Student Government prides itself on the diversity of the events it has funded.

According to career guidance firm Pathrise, it now takes an average of 294 job applications to land a position. That’s a 0.3% acceptance rate, which is 10 times more competitive than Harvard. Compared to Baylor — which just reported an all-time low 38% acceptance rate — it’s over 100 times harder.

In the second episode of Baylor’s Bearly Presidential Podcast, Aurora, Colo., senior, Student Body President and newly minted podcast host Lily Davis sat down with the redshirt junior and Mississippi State transfer. The conversation began with a discussion of a historic 37-34 win against TCU, moved into life as a student and as a Christian and finally found its way to an array of bizarre personal stories.

Democrat Barry Johnson — who switched parties on the day of filing for candidacy — conceded to incumbent republican Thomas West around 10:30 p.m. With 55% of voters reporting, Johnson was behind 32% to 67%, a 35-point deficit.

It is unknown when the elevators might be back up. Until then, students who need it are encouraged to use the elevator in Jones Library to navigate between the first and second floors. The garden level and third floor of the Library will not be ADA-accessible until elevators are fixed.

Childers spent 26 years working in government law enforcement, 18 of which were with the US Secret Service. After eight years as a US Marshal, Childers took up various roles in the Service. He spent time on President George W Bush’s detail, investigated white-collar crimes in Washington, D.C., and supervised President Bush’s ranch in Crawford. And just before joining Baylor, Childers was prepared to accept another new position.

Aurora, Colo., senior and Student Body President Lily Davis said that one thing she hopes to implement is a game day participation incentive modeled after one created by the University of Cincinnati which could see students winning prizes for attending games.

Starting next spring, the introduction to finance class will be held outside of the business school’s campus. Instead, it will be taught in Bennett Auditorium in the Draper Academic Building. According to Assistant Dean for Operations Anthony Lapes, it’s the first time the business school will be regularly holding classes outside Foster.

Incumbent Republican Judge Thomas West, 59, faces off against Barry Johnson, 68, who became a Democrat in December 2023 before filing for election. It is safe to say that neither thinks the other is fit for office. The issue with the opposing candidate, both agree, is not a matter of political lean, but of experience and character.

For Vance, the issue comes from having to defend — whether he believes them or not — the often baseless claims of former President Trump. For Walz, the challenge is defending Vice President Harris as she continues to be tight-lipped on policy plans.

At the end of a hall in the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative is the Point of Need Innovation Center. Inside the 5,000 square foot space are an array of massive machines, tools made out of moon soil and researchers set on changing the way manufacturing happens.

The Student Body Constitution states that fall elections must occur prior to the sixth Friday of the semester, which would be Oct. 4. However, a delay arose due to a previously unfilled vacancy in the electoral commissioner position, Hewitt sophomore and senate public relations chair Naomi Burgess said.

Other than diversity, Baylor was recognized in seven different categories this year: job satisfaction and support, mission and pride, faculty and staff wellbeing, compensation and benefits, supervisor effectiveness, confidence in senior leadership and professional development.

“Everyone saw the value in being here, even though they came from so many other places and backgrounds.”

“A lot of students want to have their pictures taken [at Founders Mall] because of how pretty it is, and how Baylor-esque it is. And so with not being able to go around there at all, you have to re-plan your entire set of locations and rethink how you can still have a Baylor senior photo shoot without a location that’s so central to Baylor,” campus photographer Catherine Kramer said.