While first-generation students make up an estimated 16% of Baylor’s student body, Frisco senior Liberty Ferguson said significantly fewer take advantage of the available scholarships and programming, making student engagement a key success factor.
Author: Rhea Choudhary
Rhea Choudhary
Rhea Choudhary is a freshman from Coppell, Texas, double majoring in anthropology and biology. She developed a passion for storytelling through writing as a part of her high school's newspaper. In her free time, she enjoys watching long TV shows, with Friends, Gilmore Girls, The O.C. and One Tree Hill among her favorites. After graduation, she aims to pursue a medical school education and explore more ways to advocate for underserved communities.
As a Spring senior in Baylor’s Air Force ROTC program, Alissa Zenero earned the Distinguished Graduate designation, awarded to the top 10% of ROTC cadets across the country, while also securing a coveted reserve pilot slot to fly the C-5M Super Galaxy out of Dover, Del.
For some students, figuring it out later could mean taking an interesting class or switching their majors a few times. For others, it means risking financial aid, wasting time or choosing between passion and stability. These are not the same situation.
Several students’ responses to the events reveal a disconnect between institutional attention and student interest, a disconnect that may negatively affect other events across campus.
“Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibit, is currently on display in the middle of the first floor in Jones H. Jones Library from April 11 through May 20. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association presented the exhibit, examining the Holocaust through America’s evolving awareness of the event.
Spring brought change for Baylor Student Government. The April election results are finalized, ushering in new leadership, constitutional amendments and clarification on long-standing governance procedures outlined in the Senate bylaws.
Nearly 80 years after it was built, Baylor’s Student Union Building is struggling to keep up with students’ needs, prompting student government leaders to push for both immediate upgrades and long-term renovations.
Moving from discussions in Baylor Science Building classrooms to conversations in federal agency meetings, Austin senior Miriam Daniel has seen firsthand how healthcare policy takes effect.
College classrooms should challenge students to think, not just to speak. And until participation grades show that, they are not really measuring engagement at all. Instead, they are measuring personality.
Returning for its 29th year, Baylor’s Gateway to India will transform Waco Hall into an atmosphere filled with music, dances and community this Saturday. Hosted by the Indian Subcontinent Student Association, the Bollywood fusion competition will feature numerous teams coming in from across the country, local flavors and a packed lineup designed to keep the audience engaged from start to finish.
The Student Government Allocation Fund distributes roughly $500,000 in university operational dollars each semester to support events, campus improvements and student initiatives. Funds are awarded on a merit basis to eligible student organizations, according to DeRidder, La., junior and Senate Internal Vice President Ashlyn Graves.
“When we lift these stories up, we bear witness to the truth of the Gospel and invite others to do the same,” said Dr. Erik W. Carter, executive director of the Center for Disability and Flourishing. “When we tell these stories together, we invite the whole body to live more faithfully, receiving the gifts of God and helping the Church live more fully.”
“In a world where everyone is busy and stressed, these little moments matter,” Baylor Eats Marketing Manager Jennifer Bohannan said. “If we can create even one interaction that changes someone’s day for the better, that’s worth it.”
“We talk about our mission in every meeting that we have,” Board of Regents Chair William “Bill” Mearse said. “Our students are always our top priority.”
While every act feels brand new every year, Sing stands on decades of choreography notes, costume sketches, rehearsal photos and late-night practices that came before it.
The message given was clear. Tenure does not take a single year, nor does it require a specific population. It takes consistent writing, strategic and effective planning and helpful collaboration. As stated, for faculty beginning their careers, the most important place to begin is simply to start writing.
When service becomes performative, it stops being about who we are serving and starts being about who is watching.
“What we’re really doing is establishing a workforce pipeline, and that pipeline needs to start in the K-12 space,” Grover said. “We want students excited about cybersecurity early so they can see what’s possible and be prepared to meet industry needs.”
“When students see themselves reflected in Baylor’s history, it strengthens their identity, their sense of belonging and their connection to the university and to one another,” said Dr. Elizabeth Rivera, university archivist and associate librarian.
“My hope is that this program will equip, enable and empower participants to be more thoughtful, faithful and fruitful in serving the Lord and those with whom they are privileged to serve,” Still said.
“Sports aren’t just games,” Dr. Paul Putz said. “They’re places where people wrestle with questions of meaning, purpose and faith. My hope is that this book helps readers see how deeply connected those worlds really are.”
“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.
