With the U.S. government’s latest termination of “Duration of Status” (D/S) from Sept. 15 onward, Baylor’s International Student and Scholar Services Office recommends reading new regulations for major changes or school transfers carefully to ensure F-1/J-1 status for international students.
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.
CURRENT PRINT ISSUE
The Central Texas Food Bank has finished construction on its new Waco location. This facility will provide food to Waco residents struggling with food insecurity.
- East bound & down September 4, 2026
- Get to know the churches in Waco | Bear Witness September 3, 2026
- James Talarico on campus, Flock camera surveillance September 1, 2026
- Fresh season, fresh faces and fresh money August 28, 2026
Just In
Excitement filled the air in Waco as football kicked its season off and volleyball was set for a top-20 clash. The weekend did not go the Bears’ way as football drops a heartbreaker and volleyball gets swept.
No. 17 Florida’s intense service pressure and rally-killing attacks overpower No. 20 Baylor volleyball in the top-20 matchup.
“Everyone believed we [were] going to win; I did, and we fought to try and get that win,” said Aranda. “Guys were playing through pain, discomfort, and all that. It’s one of the reasons for going for it. You know, we had a bunch of guys getting band-aided up, and we had a chance to kind of close it out.”
Baylor decided to try to win the game with a 2-point conversion with nine seconds remaining. The Bears fell inches short of the game-winning conversion, dropping the season opener to Auburn.
Lariat TV News Today
https://youtu.be/cPzh-FUczlc?si=hdLpGJiUULIUqtP9By Claire-Marie Scott | LTVN Executive Producer, Aiden Richmond | LTVN Managing EditorWelcome back to…
https://youtu.be/0gdZvXFxfwY?si=zs2ZbiEnOIixDy3eBy Irma Peña | Graduating Executive Producer, Claire-Marie Scott | Incoming Executive Producer, Aiden Richmond…
https://youtu.be/I5XM0p-oA18?si=kXn5vx5y5IQqfv7JBy Irma Peña | Executive Producer, Claire-Marie Scott | Managing Editor, Aiden Richmond | Sports…
All Are Neighbors, held in the Cashion Academic Center, drew 270 ticketed attendees, totaling 352 people, including VIP guests and speakers, nearly filling all available seats. The event was created in response to TPUSA’s presence on campus, but speakers and organizers consistently emphasized that the gathering was not merely reactive. Instead, it functioned as a faith-centered call to action, rooted in Christian teaching and expressed through civic engagement.
Waco Adapt is creating a space where individuals can continue building strength after physical therapy ends, offering accessible fitness options for those transitioning out of rehabilitation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCA-NFvc2fcIrma Peña | Executive Producer, Claire-Marie Scott | Managing Editor, Aiden Richmond | Sports DirectorThis…
ARTS & LIFE
It’s staycation weekend, which means it’s time to take a rest from two weeks of labor and scout out the Waco scene. Here are some activities to get you out, about and away from that assignment you’ve been stuck on.
Sometimes, the most powerful step forward is accepting that not everything will make sense. Life will be life, and not every situation needs an explanation — only a willingness to learn and grow from it.
Step into any recently renovated house, cafe or office and chances are you’ll see the same thing: gray walls, black trimmings, white surfaces. Perhaps a splash of beige here and there. “Modern,” “clean” or “minimalistic” are terms used to describe most places today. But at what point did the world exchange vibrant color for muted tones?
For all the negative habits you are certainly instilling in yourself during your time at Baylor, there’s one positive habit worth forming that makes up for it: take a short trip out into nature.
Our media is designed for distraction; as a result, you can’t have productive conversations because they want intellectual diversions. The result is a kind of intellectual echo chamber masquerading as informed discourse. We mistake familiarity for accuracy and repetition for truth, echoing headlines we have absorbed rather than arguments we have examined.
Dedicate your life to bringing change. One painted blade at a time, one life at a time, you will find it better and bluer than you found it.
Baylor should offer safe transportation services to Baylor students across Waco, especially late at night and on weekends. Even as a dry campus, providing students with a safe way to get home if they drink helps save lives.


