“I will do my very best to represent Baylor well,” Johnson said. “I see it as my responsibility to take — just like as a diplomat, I took the American flag where I went — I look forward to taking the Baylor name and its reputation to places that it has not been before.”

Philbrick said if students want to apply, the application process is really easy and takes around 10 minutes for them to complete it. Most students at Baylor should have already used the housing portal entering their freshman year, he said.

Dr. Karynecia Conner, GSA’s diversity chair, said she organized the gala with the intention to shine a light on what Baylor is able to do for diversity in its research. In her speech, she said researchers should seek research topics as a means of ministry.

“Every semester … whatever area it is, they grow in confidence, and they realize, ‘Oh, I can do this. God has gifted me, and this is what I love doing,’” Horton said. “That initial call — it’s like, you’ve got these little little flames, but it just grows when they’re doing the internship.”