Baylor News
As Baylor students return to campus, the university’s student body officers are starting the year with plans to expand student engagement, improve campus life and strengthen connections with the Waco community.
As students return to Baylor’s campus, several major developments from the spring and summer have shaped the university. From a new AI degree and a record-breaking fundraising year to changes along I-35, here are 10 things to know ahead of the new semester.
As new students settle into campus and find their place, the Baylor Spiritual Life Center welcomed everyone to its annual Church Fair at Fountain Plaza. Representatives from more than 80 churches across the Baylor area set up tents to introduce students to their communities and invite them into conversation.
Incoming freshmen were exposed firsthand to Baylor traditions and Waco culture at the 2026 A Waco Welcome on Wednesday and Thursday at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.
Waco News
“People that have been climbing for years can come and be able to learn from one another,” Robb said. “Also, we have a different set of programming than what’s available currently on campus.”
“Y’all [have] more years ahead of you than the rest of us do, and so I want students to take control,” Henry said. “You have a voice, and I want students to use it.”
“I don’t think churches were as healthy as they are now,” Wallace said. “There are more churches that are healthier right now in Waco than I think ever before.”
Chip and Joanna Gaines hit television show “The Fixer Upper” created a brand for the city of Waco as the hosts revitalizing old, rundown houses. These houses are now unaffordable for the poor community.
INTERNATIONAL
The Iran war is now in its 46th day. Iran responded by restricting access to Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, and moving to toll vessels transiting the strait. Waco drivers are already feeling it. The local average hit $3.38 a gallon last week, up 21 cents in seven days and 75 cents year-over-year, according to AAA data.
Gas prices in Texas have surged more than 70 cents per gallon since the U.S. went to war with Iran three weeks ago. The near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices up more than 40%, pushing the national average to its highest point since 2023 and sending diesel past $5 for the first time in three years.
The largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades unfolded as American and Israeli forces struck Iran Saturday, killing its supreme leader and triggering retaliatory strikes from the Gulf to Israel. The White House said the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and toppling its government.
Dr. Joshua Alley, assistant professor of political science, said part of the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland has to do with America’s national security strategy.
