Baylor Connections

Baylor’s Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL) helps faculty become better teachers through enrichment and development opportunities. Toby Brooks joined the Baylor faculty this year as ATL director and clinical professor in HHPR. In this Baylor Connections, he unpacks insights on serving teachers and the teaching profession, and shares his path from athletic training to higher education leadership.

Gratitude—it’s a positive human emotion shown to provide health benefits. Jo-Ann Tsang, associate professor of psychology, is a social psychologist and leading researcher into gratitude. In this Baylor Connections, she shares how listen can take healthy steps to focus on gratitude in their own lives and unpacks the ways scientists study and measure gratitude across groups of people.

When Baylor’s longstanding motto was expanded to include Pro Mundo, the University heralded its goal to have a greater global impact as a Christian research university. Every department on campus contributes in some way, but for Baylor’s Center for Global Engagement, global focus is a core characteristic. In this Baylor Connections, Eduardo Contreras, Baylor’s Vice Provost for Global Engagement, shares how the division facilitates cultural exchange and opportunity.

This year marks Truett Seminary’s 30th anniversary and is a meaningful time to consider the institution’s impact. Todd Still serves as the Charles J. and Eleanor McLerran DeLancey Dean and holder of the William M. Hinson Chair of Christian Scriptures. In this Baylor Connections, he recalls Truett's founding and examines how the seminary has grown, and will continue to grow, in advancing its mission to equip individuals for ministry.

When Baylor recruited Karen Foli as the first endowed chair in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, the University opened new possibilities to speak into mental health needs experienced in the nursing profession. Foli, a leading scholar and author on these topics, comes to Baylor from Purdue University to serve as the Louise Herrington Endowed Chair of Mental Health Nursing. In this Baylor Connections, she discusses a lifetime of addressing needs in nursing and examines her new role at Baylor.

You probably already know that Baylor hosted the nation’s first Homecoming in 1909—and remains the standard for collegiate Homecomings to this day. But there is likely much you don’t know about the roots of Homecoming, the traditions that have become Baylor icons and even the occasional shenanigans that accompany college students through the years. In this Baylor Connections, Alan Lefever—Truett professor, Baptist historian, and the author of The History of Baylor Sports—takes listeners on a tour from 1909 to the present to paint a picture of why Baylor Homecoming is so special.

Nearly 16 percent of Baylor students are the first person in their family to attend a four-year college. Baylor’s First in Line program serves these students to help them maximize their success on campus. In this Baylor Connections, Michelle Gonzalez, First in Line Program Manager, highlights the ways Baylor walks alongside first-generation students as they navigate the college years, and shares why the program was recognized among the nation’s best.

In today's political environment, numerous factors serve as obstacles to civil discourse and healthy approaches to political consumption. Thomas Hibbs, the J. Newton Rayzor Sr. Professor of Philosophy and Dean Emeritus in the Honors College, has long studied the intersection of politics and philosophy, and recently wrote the column “A Guide to Political Detox” in The Dallas Morning News. In this Baylor Connections, he unpacks concepts and actionable suggestions to help listeners examine their own relationship to political news and discourse.

Character formation is a foundational element of the Baylor student-athlete experience, and a new grant will enable Baylor to deepen work in this area through a partnership between the Faith and Sports Institute in Truett Seminary and Baylor Athletics. In this Baylor Connections, Paul Putz of the Faith and Sports Institute, along with Cori Bolts and Kenny Boyd of Baylor Athletics, takes listeners inside their collaborative work and examine opportunities to better serve student-athletes in the area of Christian character development.

When military equipment breaks down, those who rely on it need it returned to operation as quickly as possible. Brian Jordon and Paul Allison are developing a technology that could do just that on the battlefield, in Space and more. Jordan and Allison came to Baylor in 2022 and brought a national reputation for elite materials science research with them. In this Baylor Connections, they share how their work in Baylor’s Point-of-Need Innovations Center could make repairs faster, cheaper and more sustainable in a variety of settings.

Baylor in Deeds is here, a new strategic plan which charts a course for greater global impact, stewardship and service. With a focus on action and deed across every part of the University, Baylor in Deeds invigorates exciting new opportunities for the University to live out its scriptural calling and Christian mission. In this Baylor Connections, Provost Nancy Brickhouse and Chief of Staff Tiffany Hogue introduce the new plan and unpack the commitments and imperatives that will shape the years ahead.

A new school year provides countless opportunities to engage and support students. Baylor Student Life offers a vast array of resources to support the total development of students. In this Baylor Connections, Vice President for Student Life Kevin Jackson takes listeners inside the moments and resources that enrich the Baylor experience for a new generation of Bears.

College athletics is in the midst of a season of change as new legislation and rule changes open new revenue streams to student-athletes. In this Baylor Connections, David Kaye gives listeners an “NIL 101” session. Kaye, who serves as Baylor’s NIL general manager, unpacks the ways Baylor University is adapting to the changing landscape to best serve student-athletes and provides insights into factors like revenue-sharing, collectives, in-house units and more.

Laila Sanguras has plenty to share with parents and teachers as they encourage their students to succeed in school. A leading researcher into student grit and coping, Sanguras serves as Graduate Program Director of Baylor’s EdD program in Learning and Organizational Change and is a lecturer in Curriculum & Instruction in the School of Education. In this Baylor Connections, she examines questions many may have to support their students in the year ahead.

Anticipation abounds at the start of a new school year, and the Baylor Family has much to celebrate. In this Baylor Connections, President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., takes listeners inside the Fall Semester at Baylor. From the launch of a new strategic plan to a focus on Baylor’s global impact as a Christian university, President Livingstone highlights a number of themes key to the year ahead at Baylor.

A contentious election season highlights the need for citizens who can engage with respect and understanding amidst disagreement. As a Christian university, Baylor seeks to both model civil discourse and train students to do the same. Leslie Hahner, Professor of Communication, and Kevin Villegas, Dean of Intercultural Engagement, work with students as they navigate these complexities. In this Baylor Connections, they share those experiences, along with practical insights to encourage discourse commensurate to the call to love our neighbor.

David Wills has a passion for generosity and helping others live generously. The two-time Baylor graduate was named the 2024 Baylor Alumnus of the Year. In this Baylor Connections, Wills lists the questions that everyone should ask to consider generosity in their own lives, explains why generous people are happy and shares the impact of his Baylor experience on the path his life has taken.

New additions to the Baylor campus, national rankings, Big 12 expansion and more highlight the conversation with Jason Cook in this week’s Baylor Connections. Cook, who serves as Baylor’s Vice President for Marketing and Communications and Chief Marketing Officer, takes listeners inside Baylor’s national reputation, examines the impact of new facilities in the last year and looks ahead to the coming months at Baylor.

Legendary organizations Mission Waco-Mission World and Church Under the Bridge are known for their commitment to serve others and efforts to overcome injustice in Waco and beyond. Their work has blessed thousands of individuals and inspired generations of Baylor students to pursue their own calls to serve. In this Baylor Connections, co-founders Jimmy and Janet Dorrell, recipients of Baylor’s 2024 Pro Ecclesia Medal of Service, share the heart behind a life committed to the poor and marginalized.

For incoming students and families, Orientation and Line Camp are core moments in the final weeks before they officially become Baylor students. In this Baylor Connections, experience these events through the eyes of their participants. Nathan Shelburne, director of New Student Programs, and Kaleigh Wiffler, a rising senior and team captain on the Student Leadership Team, share favorite activities, key experiences and more.

After 22 years in corporate America, Gabe Madison wasn’t expecting the call to lead an urban farm addressing food insecurity and community wellbeing in South Dallas. In this Baylor Connections, Madison, the 2024 recipient of Baylor’s Pro Texana Medal of Service, shares her journey to Bonton Farms and examines needs in the community that this farm continually grows to meet.

In this Baylor Connections, a Baylor history professor transports listeners to Revolutionary times. Julie Anne Sweet, Professor of History and Director of Military Studies, has been featured on C-SPAN as she lectures in full Revolutionary War-period military gear. As we approach Independence Day, she shares why that period is so meaningful to her, gives insights on making history come alive, and recounts some of her favorite people and moments from the times surrounding the founding of the U.S.

Candi Cann spent last year in South Korea after earning a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. An assistant professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, Cann is a noted researcher on death and dying around the world. In this Baylor Connections, Cann takes listeners to South Korea and shares experiences from her time there, while further delving into her research and why she hopes to make it easier for people to discuss challenging topics like death and grief.

Before he even knew his last name carried a legal connotation, Jeremy Counseller showed signs of pursuing a career in law as a child. Today, he serves as the Abner V. McCall Chair of Evidence Law and will take over as Dean of the Baylor Law School in July. In this Baylor Connections, get to know Baylor’s newest dean.  Counseller shares his experience as both a Baylor law student and faculty member and paints a picture of the qualities that make Baylor Law distinct.

Baylor's McNair Scholars program serves undergraduates from low-income, first-generation and other underrepresented backgrounds through mentorship, research opportunities and other scholarly activities. Steven Fernandez serves as director of Student Opportunity and Achievement Resources at Baylor. In this Baylor Connections, he shares how the program fosters relationships and opportunities that have helped propel students to elite academic posts when their time at Baylor is through.

The Mayborn Museum celebrates 20 years of serving Central Texas in 2024. This Spring, they unveiled signature bronze mammoth sculptures to welcome visitors. Rebecca Nall serves as Assistant Director of Exhibits, Communication, and Visitor Services. In this Baylor Connections, she shares more about the sculptures, takes listeners on a tour of the museum and highlights new summer exhibits.

Getting product to people—the fundamentals of the supply chain, and a baseline for Hannah Stolze’s nationally recognized work. Stolze came to Baylor last year as the inaugural William E. Crenshaw Endowed Chair in Supply Chain Management. She focuses on transformative supply chain management, informed by her Christian faith. In this Baylor Connections, Stolze takes listeners inside important supply chain concepts and what it means to offer dignity to everyone involved in the supply chain.

On the heels of recognition as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution, Baylor University celebrates a school-record 17 students and recent alumni who have been selected for Fulbright U.S. Student Grants. Learn more about the opportunities they’ll experience in this Baylor Connections, with recipients Madelene Do, a 2024 graduate pursuing Fulbright studies in Vietnam, and Jacey Jamison, a senior who will travel to South Korea next year. Andy Hogue, associate dean for engaged learning and a Fulbright advisor at Baylor, further shares how Baylor supports students in pursuit of these prestigious honors.

At the end of another school year at Baylor, President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., sits down to discuss highlights from the past year and looks ahead toward the summer months. On this Baylor Connections, President Livingstone previews the University’s new strategic plan, shares insights on a record-setting class of Fulbright Award recipients, details summer projects across the University and more.

Nearly 5,500 graduate students call Baylor home, and a record number of Ph.D. students will receive their degrees this Spring—tangible signs of growth in the Graduate School at Baylor. Larry Lyon serves as Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. In this Baylor Connections, he examines how the Graduate School pursues distinction at a Christian research university, highlights growth and unpacks the unique regalia worn at Commencement.

There’s no shortage of challenges that can impact a child’s mental health — but school districts often face a shortage of qualified mental health professionals. Baylor researchers in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work are working to bridge this gap in Central Texas. Carrie Arroyo serves as senior lecturer of social work and Mary Zane Nelson serves as project director of a project called Partnering for Heart of Texas (H.O.T.) Mental Health. In this Baylor Connections, they take listeners inside this $2.5 million partnership with Waco ISD schools.

Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business sets the standard in research and scholarship at the intersection of faith and leadership. What does Christian leadership mean, and how can Christians build on their faith foundation in the workplace? In this Baylor Connections, these topics are examined by Sandeep Mazumder, the William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean , and Matt Quade, the Kimberly and Aaron P. Graft Professor in Christian Leadership in Business.

Outlets ranging from The Wall Street Journal to CNBC have highlighted the outstanding performance of Baylor’s endowment. The University’s investment returns are beating those in the Ivy League, long the gold standard in this area. In this Baylor Connections, Chief Investment Officer Dave Morehead shares how, taking listeners inside Baylor’s successful approach as he unpacks common questions surrounding university endowments and casts a vision for future growth.

Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business is celebrating its centennial throughout the school year. In this Baylor Connections, Hankamer faculty take listeners on a tour of research and education, with insights from Brad Lail, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate Professor of Accounting and Business Law, Patsy Norman, Associate Dean for Graduate Business Programs and Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation, and Mitch Neubert, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and holder of The Hazel and Harry Chavanne Chair of Christian Ethics in Business.

Baylor celebrates Graduate Student Appreciation Week April 1-5, presenting an opportunity to recognize the nearly 5,500 Baylor graduate students who advance research, teaching and more throughout the University. In this Baylor Connections, Sara Dolan and Joe Taube share more about the importance of graduate education. Dolan serves as Associate Dean for Professional Development in the Graduate School; Joseph Taube is an Associate Professor of Biology and Graduate Program Director for the Department of Biology, and both have partnered with graduate students to advance high-level research.

Coretta Pittman’s focus as Associate Professor of English at Baylor is to build strong writers and communicators. In her role as Associate Dean for Diversity and Belonging in the Baylor College of Arts & Sciences, she works with fellow faculty in purposeful work to support a diverse student body. In this Baylor Connections, Pittman takes listeners inside those roles and shares tips that she provides her own students to become excellent writers.

Curtis Reynolds officially joined the Baylor Family this month as Vice President of Business and Finance and Chief Financial Officer. He comes to Baylor from the University of Florida, where he served as Vice President for Business Affairs. Get to know Reynolds in this Baylor Connections, where he discusses topics ranging from his family and path to Baylor to current challenges and opportunities in higher education.

Beth Allison Barr is a history professor, bestselling author and faculty-in-residence at Baylor. In this Baylor Connections, Barr shares insights from her book The Making of Biblical Womanhood, takes listeners inside the experience of living in community with students and examines how the distinct roles she serves on campus enliven her work and scholarship.

Baylor senior Nick Madincea took a non-traditional path to Baylor and now serves as Student Body President. In this Baylor Connections, he takes listeners inside Student Government—how those involved seek to serve Baylor students, the impact of Student Government on campus, and the role of student body president.

This year, Baylor will host the global broadcast for Collegiate Day of prayer, a gathering for prayer and worship focused on college students. Charles Ramsey, Director for Campus Ministries & Church Connections and Associate Chaplain in Baylor Spiritual Life, has worked with organizations across campus and throughout the community in preparation for the event. In this Baylor Connections, Ramsey shares the heart behind the day, examines the importance of community prayer and considers the significance of the spiritual focus throughout the Baylor community.

What is time disorientation and how does it relate to mental health? Sociologists Matthew Andersson and Paul Froese examined these questions and more while studying Americans’ relationship with time after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Baylor Connections, Andersson and Froese take listeners inside time disorientation—what it is, what it isn’t, and what factors can impact our perception of time.

Baylor has long been recognized as a “Great College to Work For,” earning honor roll status on this competitive list for 12 of the last 13 years. In this Baylor Connections, Cheryl Gochis, Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, shares how Baylor HR serves Baylor faculty and staff through initiatives that promote wellness, increased benefits offerings, employee resource groups and more.

How does Baylor create spiritual growth opportunities for hundreds of student-athletes? As the first Executive Senior Associate Athletics director for Mission Impact & Enrichment in Baylor Athletics, Juliana Smith works to serve students and equip colleagues to enhance this foundational goal. In this Baylor Connections, Smith explains the heart behind her newly created position and the vision to meet student-athletes wherever they are to share the Gospel and promote spiritual growth.

Illuminate’s Baylor in Latin America initiative shapes research, outreach and service to neighbors close to home and throughout Latin America. Last summer, Felipe Hinojosa joined the Baylor faculty as the John and Nancy Jackson Endowed Chair in Latin America and Professor of History. In this Baylor Connections, Hinojosa shares stories of formative experiences that shaped his path to higher education, the vision that drew him to Baylor from Texas A&M, and his hopes for collaborative work throughout the institution to advance the Baylor in Latin America initiative.

The Baylor Center for School Leadership has served teachers around the world in the five years since its founding through research, networking, events and more. Jon Eckert came to Baylor in 2019 as the Lynda and Robert Copple Endowed Chair for Christians in School Leadership. In this Baylor Connections, Eckert takes listeners inside the University’s efforts to serve and equip teachers and to encourage them for excellence as they teach the next generation.

Baylor Opera Theatre has spent the last year earning numerous national awards as they annually present multiple performances to campus. This spring, Baylor Opera delivers Luisa Fernanda, their first opera entirely in Spanish. In this Baylor Connections, Jen Stephenson, Director of Baylor Opera Theater and assistant clinical professor in the School of Music, takes listeners inside the world of opera and shares what goes into delivering award-winning performances.

Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business is celebrating 100 years of business education. Founded in 1923, it has since grown into one of the nation’s premier business schools—recognized in the top 12 percent nationally by U.S. News. In this Baylor Connections, Dean Sandeep Mazumder shares reflections from a milestone birthday: people and values over the last century that set the stage for present success, growth within the business school, and priorities that will guide Hankamer School of Business into its second centennial of service.