Presidential Perspective - February 5, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

One of the things I love about Baylor is that the Baylor Family is made up of many members with different backgrounds and experiences that enable a wide range of contributions to the world. I believe our ability to fulfill our University mission, which is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community, is only possible when we embrace those contributions.

So, this time of year always reminds me of the importance of celebrating the contributions of people who may have gone unnoticed in U.S. history. Black History Month began 100 years ago in 1926, and our monthlong celebration, along with the greater Waco community, is a time when together we enrich our knowledge of African Americans’ achievements and central role in America’s story. Doing so helps foster the caring community that is so clearly articulated in Baylor’s mission.

For example, several years ago, during a time of great division within our country, the Baylor Board of Regents courageously and unanimously affirmed the report from the Commission on Historic Campus Representations. One beautiful outcome from the report is the Memorial to Enslaved Persons, which was dedicated last fall in a moving ceremony filled with students, faculty and staff from all walks of life. I hope each of you has an opportunity to experience the Memorial on Founders Mall. While a tangible reminder of our University’s challenging history, it also points us to a future full of promise as part of God's Kingdom.

Here are a few updates:

• FULBRIGHT TOP PRODUCER: Baylor continues its rise as one of the nation’s elite Top 10 producers of Fulbright U.S. Students, following a record-shattering year with 24 students and recent alumni earning the Fulbright to study, conduct research or teach English abroad. As a Fulbright Top Producer for four consecutive years, this Top 10 distinction places Baylor among the nation’s most prestigious institutions for global scholarship, joining Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Harvard, Michigan, NYU, Princeton and Yale. Congratulations to our incredible students, our Office of Engaged Learning and faculty across campus for preparing students to lead with wisdom and impact around the world. You can find more information on Baylor’s dedicated Fulbright website.
• POST MALONE AND JELLY ROLL: If you missed the news earlier this week, global music stars Post Malone and Jelly Roll are coming to McLane Stadium on Tuesday, May 19! The timing of our announcement could not have been better since Jelly Roll picked up three Grammys and gave an incredible testimony of the Lord’s transformation of his life during one of his acceptance speeches on Sunday night. This will be a high-demand show and tickets will go fast. Baylor Bear Foundation members can log into their accounts to purchase up to six tickets on Monday, Feb. 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. CT. Students, faculty and staff should check your email for an exclusive code to purchase up to six presale tickets on Monday, Feb. 9, from 3 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. CT. Please note that if the code is shared outside the Baylor Family, the order is subject to cancellation. This concert is another significant moment for Baylor and the City of Waco as we continue to partner to expand opportunities for entertainment and enhance economic development for the University and our community.
• BUGS DELIVERING DRUGS: I love learning about how Baylor researchers are leading the University’s growing impact in transformative cancer research. University Distinguished Professor and biology department chair Michael VanNieuwenhze, Ph.D., and his team have published a novel colorectal cancer study in the journal Cell Chemical Biology. Using bacteria as a tool in fighting cancer, they demonstrated how a modified form of Listeria monocytogenes delivers powerful cancer‑killing proteins directly into tumor cells. This innovative “bugs delivering drugs” approach shows that attaching the toxin saporin to listeria significantly increases its ability to destroy cancer cells, making it a particularly promising agent in the fight against colorectal cancer. The researchers hope to build on this foundation through genetic strategies that could make the process safer and more scalable, with a goal of eventual therapeutics for colorectal cancer treatment.
• CAMPUS BLOOD DRIVE: The next campus-wide blood drive is happening Monday, Feb. 9, through Thursday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside Moody Memorial Library on 3rd Street. Baylor Health Services is organizing the drive, and just last fall, their dedicated staff hosted the most successful blood drive in all of McLennan County in nearly a decade. As a thank-you, next week all donors will be entered into a drawing to win a Valentine’s dinner for two at Opal’s Oysters, compliments of the Health Center. Also, members of Greek and Student Life organizations will receive a one-hour service credit for donating. If you are willing and able to give, I hope you will consider sharing a little love this Valentine’s season through a blood donation. To reserve your chair in advance, you can sign up early and walk-ups are also welcomed.
• SPRING MEETINGS ON DEMAND: During the past two weeks, both the Spring Faculty Meeting and the Spring Staff Meeting were held online. During both gatherings I shared an important update about current challenges facing all higher education that are impacting Baylor, including our operating budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. If you were unable to join either meeting, I encourage you to watch them on demand. The faculty meeting is available on the Provost’s website, and the staff meeting is posted on the HR website.

Don’t forget Tuesday, Feb. 10, is the deadline for mandatory Title IX training for all faculty and staff. Check your email for details on how to complete this course that equips each of us to help maintain Baylor’s caring community.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

What a nice surprise to have cake and balloons to celebrate Baylor’s 181st birthday!