Though only two miles away from campus, few Baylor students have visited the street that once stood as Waco’s cultural and economic heart.

Those who have visited find Elm Street bears more resemblance to a ghost town than the bustling economic center it once was.

Now, over 60 years since the community was devastated by a tornado in 1953 that claimed hundreds of businesses, a specialized team of Baylor business students led by Dr. Marlene Reed, a senior lecturer, have set themselves to the task of revitalizing the community.

Over 200 people of all ages, colors and backgrounds gathered Monday at the Jubilee Theatre for Mission Waco’s production of “A Woman Called Truth: The Story of Sojourner Truth.” The production was a part of a daylong celebration addressing racial history and tensions of Waco.

Eight Waco nonprofit organizations are starting the new year thousands of dollars richer after Baylor’s inaugural “Philanthropy and the Public Good” course distributed $100,000 to those select organizations through a semester-long process.

Baylor Fitness Department kicked off the semester by giving students, professors and community members plenty of health and fitness information at its first Fit Well Expo.

Lack of information shouldn’t be an excuse for anyone who fails to keep their New Year’s Resolutions this semester. The 2015 Fit Well Expo will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Saturday in the Barfield Drawing Room at the Bill Daniel Student Center.