Presidential Perspective - Oct. 15, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

The Revivalry is back on our home turf this weekend! When Baylor Football takes on TCU at 6 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium, it will be the 122nd edition of the most-played rivalry game in the state of Texas. Our Bears are riding a four-game winning streak, and there will be lots to do and experience for fans of all ages. Let’s Blackout the Brazos and enjoy some fall football weather!

This week’s free Baylor Backyard Live pregame concert in Touchdown Alley features Wynn Williams, a rising country music singer from here in Texas, and Baylor Athletics will host college football’s largest drone show ever on Saturday. But that’s not all. No. 13 Baylor Soccer will host the Horned Frogs at 7 p.m. Friday at Betty Lou Mays Field. Although not at home, Baylor Volleyball is also taking on TCU at 2 p.m. Sunday in Fort Worth, with the match streaming on ESPN+.

Our rivalry with TCU is fierce, but there is another way to channel that competitive spirit. Through the Baylor vs. TCU Food Drive, the Baylor and TCU communities are going head-to-head to see which institution can raise the most food and funds in the fight against hunger. Organized by both university’s student governments, Baylor donations will benefit the Central Texas Food Bank, and you can still give online or on Fountain Mall this afternoon.

On to a few updates:

• BAYLOR ALUMNI AWARDS:  It’s always such a privilege to announce the recipients of the Baylor Alumni Awards, which honor individuals who embody the distinct Christian mission of the University through their remarkable achievements. I look forward to celebrating our 2026 Alumni Awards recipients during Homecoming Week, but please join me in congratulating the men and women who have transformed their communities and professions with their selfless service, humble leadership and steadfast faith.
  • Alumnus of the Year: John David Rainey (B.B.A. ’93, M.B.A. ’95), Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Walmart;
  • Pro Ecclesia Medal of Service: Kenyatta Gilbert (B.A. ’96, Ph.D.), Dean and Professor of Homiletics at Howard University School of Divinity;
  • Pro Texana Medal of Service: Brenda Snitzer (B.S.Ed. ’85, M.S.Ed. ’86), Executive Director of The Stewpot, a community ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Dallas; and 
  • Pro Mundo Medal of Service: Biak Nu Sung (M.S.W. ’12), Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF in Myanmar.
• NEW ENGINEERING ASSOCIATE FELLOW: Congratulations are also in order for Dr. Lulin Jiang, associate professor of mechanical engineering, on her election as an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession, and this prestigious honor recognizes her contributions to aerospace science and technology. Throughout her career, Dr. Jiang has worked to advance cleaner, more efficient combustion, and her dedication to mentoring future engineers exemplifies Baylor’s overall commitment to excellence in research and teaching. I am pleased to see her recognized by her peers.
• TOP TWO IN TEXAS: Two Baylor Law School graduates have continued the Law School’s tradition of excellence on the Texas Bar Exam with an extraordinary accomplishment. Sam Murray and Lizzie Barringer earned the highest and second-highest scores, respectively, on the July 2026 Texas Bar Exam! This incredible achievement reflects the talent, dedication and preparation that define Baylor Lawyers, and these two Bears will be recognized later this month by the State Bar of Texas. I want to congratulate both outstanding graduates and all Baylor Lawyers who recently passed the Bar.
• SOLAR STORMS: A Baylor researcher has helped clarify one of the earliest recorded examples of space weather disrupting technology. Dr. Trey Cade, Director of Baylor’s Institute for Aviation Sciences, helped an international research team unravel a historical mystery involving a solar storm and a railway’s telegraph system in 1841. Published in the academic journal Space Weather, this fascinating study sheds light on present-day challenges like the vulnerability of satellites, communications and power grids to solar activity. It is so gratifying to see Baylor experts and their work contributing to solutions at home and around the world.
• THIS MATTERS CONVERSATION: Although we are in the middle of another contentious election season, at Baylor we will engage with one another respectfully and without hostility. We will be a marketplace of ideas and foster open dialogue that meets or exceeds the expectations for our caring Christian community. One way we can do that is to participate in the latest This Matters conversation, happening at 5 p.m. tonight in Bennett Auditorium. Baylor faculty will lead an engaging conversation about civic responsibility, faith, virtue, history and the common good. The conversation is free and open to Baylor students, faculty and staff.

I am already looking forward to welcoming prospective students and families to Baylor in a few weeks for Fall Premiere, an incredibly important day for guests to explore our award-winning campus, learn about our nationally ranked undergraduate student experience and interact with our outstanding Baylor faculty. The event is free but registration is required.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

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