The Black Student Success Initiative and Black Faculty and Staff Association co-hosted Forward Together on Tuesday night in Marrs McLean Science Building to discuss descriptive representation. The goal was to encourage Black students and students of color to navigate struggles at Baylor and to prepare for life after graduation by hosting a career-readiness and leadership panel discussion.

After nearly 30 years of serving the city, former Assistant City Manager and Chief of Police Ryan Holt as officially been appointed as the city manager of Waco. Citing the importance of collective impact, Holt hopes to engage through thoughtful, strategic ways to move the city forward, including deepening ties with Baylor.

As Baylor’s spring semester starts settling in, Baylor students say their emotional well-being is based on two main forces: the strength of Baylor’s community and the pressure of academic demands.

It seems that Baylor’s happy-go-lucky, rainbow-sunshine demeanor is restricting people from telling the truth about their lives, for fear of being judged by the seemingly picture-perfect peers that surround us. This phenomenon seems unique to Baylor.

When people warn you about the “freshman 15,” they usually mean too many late-night snacks, Dr Pepper refills and dining hall desserts. But the scary version isn’t the number on the scale. It’s the freshman 15 of distractions — 15 clubs, 15 group chats, 15 events you swore you’d go to and 15 stressors you didn’t actually need.

A Season of Thanksgiving is Baylor’s university-wide campaign that encourages the Baylor community to take time to express gratitude for the people and blessings in their lives. One of the activities on campus that is encouraging a reflection of gratefulness is writing notes of appreciation.

In honor of Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, students, faculty and staff all around campus wore denim Wednesday to stand with sexual assault victims and debunk misconceptions about sexual violence.

Baylor’s American Chemical Society Affiliates is set to welcome families to Sic ‘Em Science Day from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Usually hosted by the Mayborn Museum Complex in the fall, ACS will host the spring session independently, including a variety of hands-on experiments and its traditional Chemistry Magic Show.

Complete with Cha Community, Kona Ice and fire dancing, the Hawai’i Club’s third annual Luau will feature cultural themes of connection and “aloha spirit.”

The Office of Transfer Student Success offers notable resources to help transfer students get involved in the Baylor community and achieve success in academics. Its main purpose is to combat transfer shock by providing events and meetings to support them from arrival to graduation.

Center for Global Engagement ambassadors provide resources and mentorship for international students all year round. Ambassadors help put on initiatives and events for international students and are focused on welcoming them and connecting them to the Baylor community.

Smith Getterman, director of sustainability and special projects, said Baylor’s policy of sustainability is in place to give the university guardrails for best practices while helping it maintain its Christian mission.

Baylor Homecoming originated almost 114 years ago on Nov. 24, 1909. According to Elizabeth Rivera, university archivist of The Texas Collection, the tradition exists thanks to then-President Samuel Palmer Brooks, who created the nation’s oldest homecoming as a way to inspire the community and reunite alumni.

Judge Indy and Judge Belle have been on campus for over a month, and they are taking well to Baylor while showing off their distinct personalities.

Baylor’s Department of Public Safety is hosting Sic ’em for Safety Day from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday on Fountain Mall. The event will feature emergency trainings, such as a residence hall fire demonstration and CPR training, as well as fun activities for students, like ax throwing.

Walker’s student government journey began his freshman year when he ran for class vice president with his continued collegiate campaign “Walk with Walker.” In a tight race, he lost.

“I didn’t think there was any reason to be nervous since the last serious tornado in Waco was in the 1950s,” Tucker said. “I did have some pretty serious hail damage to my car; I definitely wasn’t expecting that, it didn’t seem like hail was a real possibility since it had been so hot earlier that week.”

Other schools across Texas, such as Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas A&M in College Station, Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth and Collin College in Plano all dealt with similar active shooter hoaxes on Thursday.

Baylor’s Free Farmers Market will be taking place from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday on Fountain Mall. This year, event organizers have added giveaways, a photo booth and more to encourage students to come out, get free food and aim to destigmatize food insecurity.

“There’s different levels to the hurt we’re all going through. Some of us are better at putting it away and hiding it than others,” Ash said. “Just be mindful of your audience. Don’t really throw words around just to seem cool or knowledgable.”