Presidential Perspective - May 8, 2025

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of another spring semester at Baylor. Commencement is right around the corner for thousands of Baylor students, and I know many of you are working diligently on projects, papers and preparing for final exams. Whether you are graduating or returning to campus this summer or in the fall, these can be incredibly exciting, yet stressful days. I hope you are taking good care of your mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing!

I strongly encourage you to get plenty of rest, eat well and stay hydrated. If you feel like you need more support, please do not hesitate to contact the Pastoral Care team, Counseling Center or use any other resource available to Baylor students, faculty and staff. Remember I am praying for all of you as the semester ends and we prepare to celebrate our May 2025 graduates next week.

On to some updates:

• LINE TO LEGACY: If you are a senior graduating in May, August or December, mark your calendar for a special gathering with your classmates in McLane Stadium on May 14 at 7:30 p.m. This new celebration for seniors will feature fun and memories, and I will join you for a final Dr Pepper Hour. I want to thank our student leaders for organizing this exciting event, and I hope all graduating seniors will participate. The celebration is free, but you should register in advance. Parking is available in Dutton Garage, and you are encouraged to walk across the Umphrey Bridge into the South Plaza to enter the stadium through the Baylor Line walkway.
• NURSING DEAN TO RETIRE: Earlier this week, Linda Plank, Ph.D., Dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) since 2021, announced her plans to retire next summer. A Baylor graduate, Dean Plank spent more than three decades as a registered nurse and administrator before becoming a nursing lecturer in 2009 at Baylor. During her deanship, enrollment in the LHSON has nearly doubled and several programs have become Top 50 mainstays in the influential S. News & World Report rankings. In addition, Dean Plank was instrumental in helping the LHSON raise more than $57 million during Baylor’s Give Light campaign. I am thankful for Dean Plank’s leadership and look forward to celebrating her impactful career in the months to come.
• SUMMER OF DISCOVERY: Baylor’s Summer of Discovery offers in-person and online classes to help incoming and current students catch up, get ahead, add a minor and more. Classes are taught by Baylor faculty and since summer tuition is reduced, students and families can lower their costs when compared to the fall and spring semesters. Furthermore, Summer of Discovery courses are available across multiple sessions, and they support most degree plans and majors. Registration is open, and the first courses begin on Monday, May 19.
• CENTENNIAL PROFESSOR AWARDS: Congratulations to Elesha J. Coffman, Ph.D., professor of history, and T. Philip Nichols, Ph.D., associate professor of English education, who will each receive a 2025 Centennial Professor Award. These awards were created by the Baylor Class of 1945 to support the research and development of two tenured faculty members, and winners receive a $5,000 Centennial Faculty Development award. Dr. Coffman’s research examines the history of Religion News Service and Dr. Nichols researches the development of a free database of new technologies for K-16 educators. This is a well-deserved honor bestowed upon these two faculty members by their peers.
• STUDENTS EARN TOP SCHOLARSHIPS: Baylor University students continue to be awarded the most prestigious – and highly competitive – scholarships and fellowships at the national and international level for foreign service, critical language study and cultural exploration. Baylor Bears have won Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarships and more. I will always appreciate the many faculty and staff who mentor and guide our students to help them flourish. Congratulations to:
  • Rebeca J. Blemur, history doctoral student, Boren Fellowship-AFLI to study French at the University of Florida, followed by a year of study in Senegal;
  • Shannon Barton, junior University Scholar, Boren Scholarship to study Korean in South Korea with an emphasis on STEM studies in medical sciences;
  • Taylor Chung, senior international studies major, Critical Language Scholarship to study Swahili in Arusha, Tanzania, at the MS-Training Center for Development Cooperation;
  • Mike Ermis, senior history major, Critical Language Scholarship to study Russian in Daugavpils, Latvia; and
  • Nikolas Gillaspie, sophomore double major in history and political science, Fulbright UK Summer Institutes award to study Scotland’s history at the Fulbright University of St Andrews Summer Institute.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

It is always a joy to spend time encouraging and praying for Baylor students who are working in camps this summer!