“Community is a space where you can ask questions, disagree and still belong,” Perryman said. “That is what the BIC stands for. The cost of acting is hard, but the cost of not acting is higher. Courage is the new currency; it’s what will take us from where we are to where we need to be.”

Baylor launched its annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month events at the beginning of October. Valerie Willis, assistant vice president for Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX, shared how the month’s events aim to foster education, awareness and action.

When Baylor Army ROTC Capt. Bernard Sheppard first arrived on campus nearly two years ago, one of the first cadets who personally introduced himself was Baylor senior Jackson Balsavias. Sheppard said the St. Louis native stood out immediately as articulate and forward-thinking, exactly what Sheppard hoped for in a cadet.

Baylor should absolutely celebrate its traditions, its faith and, of course, its close-knit culture. Those things are what’s worth holding onto. However, if the goal is to nurture students who can make an impact anywhere, Baylor has to challenge us to grow beyond the Baylor bubble. Otherwise, we risk being prepared solely for life here and not for the life that awaits us all after we leave.

Baylor professor Dr. Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley brought her love of trivia to the national stage last week when she competed on “Jeopardy!”, fulfilling a dream years in the making.

Baylor Law HEAL (Help, Educate, Advocate and Learn), a student organization dedicated to advocating for victim-survivors in the legal system, will host its annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month event from 2 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Hotel Herringbone in downtown Waco. The event will feature community partnerships, donation drives and interactive activities designed to raise awareness and support survivors.

Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed the legislation banning the sale of THC vapes in Texas, a move that has began to change both student usage patterns and local business operations in Waco after the Senate Bill 2024 took place on Sept. 1.

The impact of new federal legislation will vary for all groups. For student organizations that have a culture of support, the change may be minimal. But for organizations that have faced challenges related to hazing in the past, the new requirements will increase awareness and accountability.