Presidential Perspective - June 18, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

A tradition at Baylor since 1960, Family Weekend strives to help families of Baylor students become better acquainted with the University and its beloved traditions, and I hope you are planning to return to Waco for this special time of connection Sept. 18-19. Preparations are well underway for After Dark, Taste of Waco and the Family Weekend Tailgate, and you can purchase a ticket package to these events plus the Bears’ football game against Louisiana Tech until July 31 – before individual tickets go on sale.

New this year is Wake Up!, a collection of free experiences that showcase some of the best that downtown Waco and the surrounding areas have to offer. It features a Friday morning coffee crawl through participating cafés and bakeries, plus a unique experience at Hole in the Roof, a promotions company founded by Baylor graduates. You can join a walking tour with Baylor faculty before heading to the Spirit Shop at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center for special discounts. Wake Up! is free, but space is limited and opening hours vary by location, so signing up in advance is required.

And remember this year’s slate of activities includes one of mainstream country music’s most popular live groups – Old Dominion – in concert at Foster Pavilion. Old Dominion has received numerous awards, accolades and nominations from the GRAMMYs, CMAs, CMT, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and iHeart Radio. They even have a star on the Nashville Walk of Fame. You don’t want to miss another great show happening right in our own backyard so get your tickets today!

Here are a few updates for this week:

• JUNETEENTH OBSERVED: Tomorrow is Juneteenth, a national holiday commemorating the day when the message of the United States’ abolition of slavery finally reached Texas on June 19, 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This year is even more meaningful across campus after the dedication of the Memorial to Enslaved Persons, which has received two landscape architecture awards for general design. In Waco this Saturday, Baylor will be well-represented in the city’s annual Juneteenth Community Parade Celebration by Baylor Athletics, the Bear Habitat, Baylor Law, Baylor Libraries and many faculty and staff. The First Gent and I will be out of town so we will sadly miss the parade, but I hope you will consider attending. To learn more about Juneteenth from eyewitnesses to history, Baylor’s Institute for Oral History has preserved the Juneteenth memories of Texans from various eras.
• NEW ENDOWED CHAIR: Baylor’s award-winning, distinctive core curriculum prepares students for a lifetime of continuing to learn, grow and develop as not only exceptional students, but well-rounded human beings. It’s that time-honored foundation in the arts and humanities, and our Christian mission, that inspired alumnus John T. Williams, B.B.A. ’67, of Baltimore to establish The Virginia and Tom Williams Endowed Chair in American Literature in memory of his parents, both 1931 graduates. I am truly grateful for John’s generous gift, which honors his family’s Baylor history while supporting generations of future Baylor alumni and the faculty who will mentor, instruct and inspire them to succeed.
• TEDX EDITOR’S PICK: Last week, the TED team announced that Michael Scullin, professor of psychology and neuroscience, was selected as an Editor’s Pick for his talk from the inaugural TEDx Baylor University event. This is especially exciting as fewer than 1% of all TEDx presentations receive this distinction. In his talk, Dr. Scullin shares his innovative ideas on why college students should prioritize getting eight hours of sleep during finals. Since its release, the video has already surpassed 15,000 views. Congratulations, Dr. Scullin! It is wonderful to see how TEDx is bringing Baylor’s impactful research and innovative ideas to a global audience.
• CAMPUS NURSE WINS AWARD: I am thrilled to announce that another Baylor staff member has been recognized for their contributions to the City of Waco. Baylor Health Services nurse and outreach coordinator Uriah Yarbrough was recently named Carter BloodCare’s 2026 Outstanding Blood Drive Coordinator for his leadership in expanding blood donation efforts on campus and throughout the community. During the past two years, Baylor has hosted nine blood drives under Yarbrough’s leadership, collecting more than 900 units – enough to help save nearly 2,700 lives. Even with the personal recognition, Yarbrough credits the success of Baylor’s blood drives to the collective generosity of the Baylor Family. Thank you, Nurse Yarbrough!

The Texas heat is now in full force, so don’t forget to hydrate and re-apply the sunscreen all summer long, Bears!

Linda A. Livingstone,
Ph.D. President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK