Presidential Perspective - May 14, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

It seems like just yesterday we began the spring semester, yet here we are – at Commencement! Tomorrow and Saturday, we will celebrate more than 3,100 Baylor University graduates who will walk across the Ferrell Center stage during four ceremonies, including the first-ever graduates from the newly renamed Moody School of Education. While at Baylor you have worked hard, persevered through challenges, and although the end of this chapter in your story is near, there is an exciting next chapter to come.

The Baylor experience is made up of big and small moments that transform students for a lifetime. In celebration of the graduating class of 2026, a video lookback was created for the Line to Legacy event. I thought you might also enjoy seeing the traditions and hearing the stories that transformed the lives of our newest Baylor Alumni.

On to a few updates:

• GLOBAL EVANGELISM MONTH: The Baptist World Alliance, the largest network of Baptists in the world, celebrates missions and evangelism each May. With Baylor being a full member of the Alliance, I am pleased to spotlight the individuals behind Baylor Missions, Service and Public Life this month. This team provides transformational opportunities for students to love their neighbors. I was thrilled to see so many students at the spring missions commissioning ceremony before they left to serve in places like Amsterdam, Guatemala, Greece and here in Texas. Their commitment not only showcases Baylor’s Christian mission, but it is a real example of how we live out Baylor’s motto – Pro Ecclesia (For the Church), Pro Texana (For Texas), Pro Mundo (For the World).
• FULBRIGHT & ROTARY AWARDS: Baylor students and recent graduates continue to receive some of the most prestigious and highly competitive scholarships and fellowships awarded at the national and international levels. Our recipients have been honored in language study, cultural exploration and with graduate school opportunities. Winning 11 Fulbright U.S. Student Grants and two Rotary Global Grants this year alone, these students are taking their Baylor education and experience around the world to pursue meaningful research, cultural exchange and service while powerfully reflecting our commitment to scholarship, leadership and global engagement.
• OUTSTANDING BAYLOR FACULTY: Twelve Baylor professors have been recognized with 2025-26 Outstanding Faculty Awards for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service to the University and broader community. The honorees represent Baylor’s highest standards of academic achievement and servant leadership, earning recognition for their impact in the classroom, research contributions and dedication to students. The recipients are nominated by their faculty colleagues, and they will receive an award of $3,750, a citation and recognition by their departments. Please join me in congratulating them on this outstanding honor!
• “A” FOR CORE CURRICULUM: I am pleased to announce Baylor’s core curriculum has earned an “A” from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) “What Will They Learn?” initiative. ACTA grades institutions on the core areas they require students to study, sometimes referred to as general education requirements. Baylor is one of only 19 institutions nationwide to receive an “A” or above for a core that ensures every Baylor student engages deeply with subjects like composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, mathematics and natural science. ACTA is a nonprofit dedicated to academic freedom, academic excellence and accountability, and in grading Baylor they said, “At a time when headlines about falling academic standards run rampant, Baylor serves as a model of intellectual seriousness, offering students an education that is both rich and meaningful.” I could not agree more.
• NCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION: It’s May and two Baylor Athletics teams are still competing in NCAA Tournament action. Baylor softball was selected as the No. 3 seed in the Austin Regional, and they’ll take on Wisconsin tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Meanwhile, our women’s golf team is headed to the NCAA Championship for the sixth consecutive time after finishing third overall in the Waco Regional yesterday. If you are wondering, baseball and track & field are still competing in regular season and Big 12 Conference play, respectively. Sic ’Em, Bears!
• WACO SPORTS CORPORATE CUP: Many of you know that Baylor is the largest employer in McLennan County with more than 3,500 faculty and staff. This spring we have a chance to show our fellow large businesses like Ascension Providence, SpaceX and TSTC what we are made of during the second annual Waco Sports Corporate Cup. Baylor has a team entered in the pickleball tournament on Friday, May 29, and I hope you will consider going out for a fun night to cheer on your campus colleagues. It all starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Waco Regional Tennis Center. Also, don’t forget to vote for the Baylor t-shirt in the design competition.
• SUMMER REMINDERS: I will be sending Presidential Perspective a little less often during the summer months, but I will stay in regular prayer for you. Everyone will get periodic updates about campus activities and important reminders, so keep checking your email. You can always follow Baylor’s official social media channels to stay informed. No matter where your plans take you this summer, the Baylor University Department of Public Safety reminds us that situational awareness is key to safety. Be mindful of where you are, what you’re doing and where you’re going. If you see something that doesn’t look or feel right, call 911 or if you are on campus, call the Baylor Police Department at 254-710-2222.

I am so excited to welcome Willie Nelson back to campus for tonight’s sold-out Willie Nelson & Family concert at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark. I hope to see many of you there! 

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK Such a fun and heartwarming way to move #BU26 from students to alumni during the Line to Legacy celebration!