Baylor News
According to the Student Activities website, the office opened in fall 2018 in an attempt to support student leaders, providing them with resources and a space to work as a group. It acts as an extension of Baylor Connect — a program that details upcoming events held by student organizations.
In an effort to recognize women in mathematics education, the Association for Women in Mathematics bestows the Louise Hay Award annually — and this year, the honor was given to Dr. Trena Wilkerson.
Dr. Whitney Jones, senior director for CASE, said students come from a variety of educational and financial backgrounds, and CASE exists to bridge the gap to success at Baylor. She said it has special programs for first-generation students, transfers, law students, veterans and more. Free tutoring and supplemental instruction are also available for all majors.
The Martin Museum of Art recently introduced a new exhibit, In Pursuit of Light: Women in Photography, to reflect on women’s role in the art form. Allison Chew, director of the Martin Museum of Art, said that the exhibit focuses on how female artists relate to the concept of light — and that it was created in part as a nod to the solar eclipse taking place in April.
Waco News
After four years of college, recently graduated students have some new things: a degree, an appreciation of hard work and a large collection of T-shirts.
In keeping with its mission of providing a bridge between Baylor and the local community, the Baylor/Waco Foundation has begun fundraising for an endowed scholarship to be awarded to a McLennan County high school graduate beginning in the fall of 2012.
President Ken Starr will be speaking on service within the community at Caritas of Waco’s largest annual fundraiser, Feast of Caring, on Thursday.
Waco Independent School District offers a number of programs and accommodations in all of its high school campuses to prepare students for college.
State News
Texas voters turned out in historic numbers Tuesday, delivering victories for State Rep. James Talarico and forcing a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s U.S. Senate contest that claimed national attention. The total early-voting turnout of more than 2.5 million marks the highest ever for a midterm primary election. The results also kicked off the 2026 midterm cycle.
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.
