Presidential Perspective - Sept. 17, 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. Baylor students, faculty and staff have been preparing for months for After Dark – our premier display of student talent – Meet the Faculty, Taste of Waco and the Family Weekend Tailgate.

New this year is Wake Up!, a collection of free activities that showcase some of the best that downtown Waco has to offer with a Friday morning coffee crawl and a unique experience at Hole in the Roof, a promotions company founded by Baylor graduates. The Spirit Shop at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center has a limited-edition coffee mug for purchase, and there’s a 20% off coupon that can be applied to the mug, or another single item, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. while supplies last. We have also launched a Saturday morning prayer walk for 2026. Beginning at 9 a.m. in the Barfield Drawing Room at the SUB, Baylor Spiritual Life and Baptist Student Ministries are gathering with students, parents and local ministry leaders to walk our campus and cover it in prayer.

I know you won’t forget that one of mainstream country music’s most popular live groups – Old Dominion – will be in concert at Foster Pavilion on Friday night. 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 and tickets are still available!

I look forward to seeing many of you around campus and at McLane Stadium on Saturday when the Bears take on Louisiana Tech. Traffic will be quite busy with all the activities this weekend, so please be patient and plan ahead.

Here are a few updates:

• ARMSTRONG BROWNING TURNS 75: I hope you have made plans to join Baylor Libraries as we celebrate Armstrong Browning Library & Museum’s 75th Anniversary. There is a two-day Academic Symposium with scholars from around the world that begins today, and tomorrow evening the Community Celebration with food, poetry, music and exhibits begins at 6 p.m. Armstrong Browning houses the world’s largest collection of books, original letters, manuscripts and memorabilia associated with Victorian poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as 62 stained-glass windows, an iconic 45-foot dome in the Foyer of Meditation and the tranquil Garden of Contentment. It is a gift to have this space on our campus, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the celebration throughout the year.
• CHICK-FIL-A CHAIRMAN: Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business has consistently been ranked among the strongest business schools in the nation, with several graduate and undergraduate programs in U.S. News and World Report’s Top 15. One of the hallmarks of the School is the opportunity for students to engage with leaders from a range of business sectors. This week, our students were treated to nuggets and insights on values-based leadership from Chick-fil-A Chairman, Dan Cathy. What a blessing for our students to be able to interact with and learn from a globally renowned leader of a Christian business like Chick-fil-A. I am grateful Dan took time from his schedule to visit Waco.
• GRADUATE FACULTY AWARDS: Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Baylor’s first-ever Outstanding Graduate Faculty Awards. These awards honor faculty who exemplify Baylor’s commitment to transformative graduate education and scholarly mentorship, while also recognizing their contributions to teaching excellence and administrative leadership across doctoral, master’s and professional degree programs. Faculty who teach, advise or mentor graduate students in any discipline were eligible, and winners will be celebrated during the Graduate School Awards Banquet later this semester.
• FACULTY AND STAFF CHAPEL: This fall’s morning Faculty and Staff Chapel will be a special opportunity to worship with Highland Baptist Church and Pastor John Durham. I hope you will join me at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Powell Chapel at Truett Seminary for the service. Faculty and Staff Chapel is held once per semester and brings a guest pastor and congregation to campus. It is complementary to Lift Up Your Hearts, which is held at the end of each semester and is led by members of the campus community. Although this Chapel is meant to support the personal spiritual growth of Baylor’s faculty and staff, students are always welcome.
• HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and at Baylor we use this opportunity annually to celebrate the rich culture, history and contributions of Hispanic and Latino individuals across our campus. Programs and activities are already underway, and I encourage you to explore the full calendar of events being hosted by different academic departments, student organizations and faculty groups during the next month. Anyone can join in the festivities and conversations with your fellow Baylor Bears, and I am sure by doing so you will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of others in ways that strengthen the entire Baylor Family.

Please take care when you stop by to visit Indy and Belle, our beloved Black bear mascots, this weekend. You will notice grounds improvements privately funded by the generous donations of the Baylor Family are already underway at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK