“When students see themselves reflected in Baylor’s history, it strengthens their identity, their sense of belonging and their connection to the university and to one another,” said Dr. Elizabeth Rivera, university archivist and associate librarian.
Browsing: traditions
For decades, two bears have been the face of Baylor. Saturday, the latest additions to that legacy, Judge Indy and Belle, celebrated their third birthdays.
A tradition has lived on for generations: tamales bubbling over a large cooking pot, the smell of masa and fresh spices filling the air, friends and family gathered around a long table savoring the taste of their culture’s food. Despite the warmth and joy these traditions invoke, one Baylor professor says there is still a harmful immigrant narrative in the U.S. that is gaining ground.
Half a century ago, Baylor Homecoming celebrations included barricade kissing, snake dancing and “Hawny Frog” skits, trading elaborate floats for simple wagons and buggies. Today, much like 1909, the bonfire still burns bright, a pep rally flings green and gold afar, the parade bridges downtown Waco and campus and, of course, the football game is a staple. Decades of Baylor Homecoming shine brightly in their similarities, with some crown jewels fading into the archives.
Generation after generation, Baylor students continue to return to the campus their parents called home. For these families, homecoming is more than just a campus tradition; it is a celebration of a legacy.
“One of the early leaders of the Dr Pepper Museum was a Baylor alumnus,” Summar-Smith said. “He was a Dr Pepper drinker for many years, Wilton Lanning. So I think Waco has a lot of identity in Dr Pepper and a lot of identity in Baylor, and so they’re just a natural partnership.”
“It brings both Baylor’s campus and the Waco community together to celebrate our shared history,” Chiles said. “The alumni of the past are allowed to come watch an hour and a half long parade that showcases the best of Baylor and Waco.”
In just a few days, Baylor’s 116th celebration of homecoming will commence, ringing in all the craziness and excitement that comes with it every year. Events like Pigskin Revue, the parade and the football game are long-awaited and long prepared for, with students putting in the work toward these events for months prior.
Public discourse unfolded online, leaving students to make sense of gun violence on high school and college campuses. With traditions like Homecoming and Christmas on Fifth Street around the corner, administrators are navigating safety measures in the current political climate.
As final exams start and commencement approaches, many soon-to-be-graduates are taking time to reflect on their experiences, celebrate their accomplishments and savor the moments that made Baylor feel like home.
On Jan. 22, 1927, a tragic bus-train collision near Round Rock took the lives of ten Baylor basketball players. These young men were more than just athletes; they were cherished members of the Baylor community.
While homecoming only lasts a week, several months of planning and preparation are put in by the Baylor Chamber of Commerce to ensure that these traditions will run smoothly and be memorable for the Baylor community.
Every homecoming matters. Whether it is your first Baylor Homecoming, your second, third or even 20th, we can gain more precious moments here in the place we spent years calling home. Even when new traditions are formed, we can always appreciate looking back at past homecomings with fondness, and these memories grow more dear the older we become.
“I would say that these traditions really [are] what builds our strong sense of community here at Brooks,” Henry said. “We’re always experiencing life together, and it’s really sweet to see.”
Some of the recruitment events prospective new members can mark their calendars for are a painting class, a cupcake social, bowling night and a service project opportunity, which can be found on Baylor’s Student Activities website, according Hollywood, Fla. senior Jasmari Fontanez, who serves as the Chamber recruitment chair.
Running the Line is one of the most celebrated Baylor traditions for freshmen and new transfer students. The 50-year-old tradition, though, faces new students with challenges like dehydration, heat exhaustion and dog-piling over their fellow classmates.
The marketing team performed a test in which they watched commercials from other schools, but removed logos, colors or any other indication of the school’s identity, Cook said. They were hardly able to identify any of the colleges. This really caught their attention and motivated them to seek new ways to set Baylor apart from the rest, or “stand out in the sea of sameness.”
The Baylor Line originated in 1970, with generations of Baylor freshmen after them immortalizing their names on the same golden line, according to BaylorProud. The Baylor Chamber of Commerce helps keep this tradition alive.
Baylor’s traditional chapel offering — large-scale student gatherings in Waco Hall — has been scattered into a variety of “calling and career” options in recent years, as the chapel department pushes to personalize the chapel experience. The result: more than four dozen options, including everything from Aviation Chapel to Eastern Orthodox Morning Prayers.
If the couple decides they want a morning wedding with no reception, that’s their choice. If the couple decides on a colorful wedding with no theme, that’s OK too. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Each year, Baylor veteran students receive help during their transition from the military to college life through the Veterans Education and Transitional Services program.
While it can be entertaining to point out flaws and have a giggle at some of the funnier moments of Sing, it’s important to try to put yourself in the shoes of a performer before you post something degrading about their act.
If our parents refuse to change, we must understand why their decision is their decision. Before taking any action, it’s important for us to have compassion for our parents and understand them through a cultural and historical lens.
Students and faculty attended the first-ever Global Cultural Fest Thursday at the Hankamer School of Business. The event was dedicated to educating and celebrating the diversity of businesses around the world.
When most people think of food on the Thanksgiving table, their mind goes straight to the turkey, but let’s not forget about the various types of casseroles, stuffing and potatoes. Whether the sides are made from a recipe on the back of a can or from ones passed down in the family, the food is always amazing.