Presidential Perspective - January 16, 2025
Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:
It’s become so commonplace that it must be a Baylor tradition – very cold weather to welcome students back to Waco for the spring semester! I’m a frequent checker of several apps on my iPhone, and the forecast for next Monday and Tuesday calls for freezing temperatures and another possible wintry mix of precipitation. Be sure to plan your travel ahead of time, be on the lookout for any messages from the University, take care of the four P’s (your people, pets, plants and pipes), and be cautious on roadways, sidewalks and other surfaces. We want everyone back in Waco safe and sound!
Here are some updates for today:
- WINTER STUDY ABROAD: Last year the Baylor Board of Regents approved expanding the University’s longstanding motto by adding Pro Mundo (For the World) to Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana (For the Church, For Texas). One way this expansion is embodied is through the robust Study Abroad program in the Center for Global Engagement, which offers numerous options for students to immerse themselves in cultures around the world. In fact, over winter break, more than 700 students participated in study abroad programs, forming one of the largest Wintermester cohorts ever at Baylor! These academic experiences provide invaluable opportunities for students to grow professionally and personally as they adapt and succeed in a diverse world. They also demonstrate our commitment to building the vibrant, caring global community outlined in our new strategic plan – Baylor in Deeds.
- REMEMBERING DR. KING: This Monday is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day set aside to honor and celebrate the life, ministry and legacy of the late civil rights leader. The Baylor and Waco communities will join together for a variety of events honoring Dr. King, beginning tomorrow at noon with the annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at MLK Jr. Memorial Park in Waco. Other events include Monday’s Peace March downtown over the Suspension Bridge, a Share the Dream panel discussion and worship service at Truett Seminary, Wednesday’s MLK Celebration Luncheon hosted by the Department of Multicultural Affairs and Thursday’s MLK tabling event led by Missions, Service and Public Life for students to find service opportunities on campus and in the Waco community.
- NOISE NEW MEDIA: Earlier this week we announced that Baylor has partnered with Nashville-based Noise New Media to book and promote future concert and entertainment events at the new Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion and other campus venues. This is exciting news as such events will continue to spur development along the Brazos River. Noise New Media will help us attract top-tier music, comedy and artistic shows for Baylor students, faculty, staff and the entire Waco community. I’m looking forward to new entertainment on our campus and in our hometown and to see another strategy within Baylor in Deeds come to life, the commitment to increase the visibility and vitality of the cultural and performing arts throughout the campus.
- BLACK GOSPEL ARCHIVE GRANT: Baylor has been awarded a $2.48 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative (RCII) to support a major expansion of the Black Gospel Archive (BGA) at Baylor University Libraries. Through two decades of pioneering efforts to locate, preserve and share America’s Black Gospel music heritage, this gift will elevate the Black Gospel Archive to new national prominence and deepen our understanding of the influence of African American worship on religious culture. The award represents one of the largest foundation gifts to support Baylor Libraries, and it will provide for significant expansion of the project, collection, archive and outreach.
- AIR FORCE ROTC WINS: A well-deserved honor has been awarded to Baylor’s Air Force and Space Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC). Our unit – Detachment 810 – has been named the No. 1 Medium Detachment in the nation, surpassing 49 other units to earn the prestigious Air Force ROTC Detachment Right of Line award. Lt. Col. Kenneth Sterling, the detachment’s commander, credited the achievement to dedicated cadre members, outstanding cadets and Baylor’s unwavering support over the past 75 years. Detachment 810 is a part of the College of Arts & Sciences, and it is an educational program designed to give men and women the opportunity to become Air Force or Space Force officers while completing their degrees. The AFROTC program prepares participants to assume positions of increased responsibility and importance in the modern Air Force and Space Force.
Be sure to check those men’s and women’s basketball schedules … We need you at Foster Pavilion!
Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Baylor’s partnership with Noise New Media will bring new entertainment opportunities to campus, and the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion is ready to host artists from around the world!