Presidential Perspective - Sept. 24, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

This weekend is one of the reasons Baylor continues to be recognized as having one of the best first-year student experiences in the country. U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 rankings on Tuesday, and Baylor remains firmly in the Top 10 in this category. U.S. News voters are university presidents, provosts and admissions deans, and it is so gratifying to see that those leaders understand there is something special at Baylor when it comes to delivering on the promise of the quintessential student experience. You can read more about our rankings below, but in the meantime, here are a few reminders for this weekend.

Tonight the No. 11 Baylor soccer team hosts Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. at Betty Lou Mays Field. It will be the Bears’ first match after playing to a 1-1 tie at West Virginia. The No. 18 Baylor volleyball team is on the road at No. 22 BYU on Friday, but you can watch the game on FS1 at 9 p.m.

Students, get your cowboy hats and boots ready for tomorrow’s Howdy at the Hurd. Howdy is your “first official welcome to Texas,” and this year’s festivities outside of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center will start at 6:30 p.m. Local food trucks and vendors, line dancing and even a Ferris wheel will be on site. Then at 8:30 p.m., CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Carter Faith will take the Dutton Avenue stage. The FREE show is open to all students, as well as Baylor football fans in town for the Big 12 opener.

Get plenty of rest Friday night because Saturday is a marathon – not a sprint! Baylor football opens conference play against Colorado at 11 a.m., and 15 minutes after the game ends, ANOTHER free concert will start in Touchdown Alley, complete with food trucks. You don’t want to miss Texas music legend Pat Green as he takes the Baylor Backyard Live stage. A Waco native, Green is known for his mix of traditional country storytelling with upbeat, rock-leaning energy, and I know he will deliver a fitting end to another signature Baylor weekend of fun.

On to a few updates:

• TOP 10 IN U.S. NEWS: Building on several years of success and our distinct position as a Christian Research 1 university with Power 4 athletics, U.S. News & World Report has again ranked Baylor among the nation’s Top 10 for Learning Communities (No. 3) and First-Year Experiences (No. 9). Baylor also stands out for Best Undergraduate Teaching (No. 25) and Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects (No. 36). Although certainly not inclusive of everything that makes our University special, these rankings in particular are tangible examples of how Baylor ensures our students develop the faith, character and leadership skills needed to flourish and lead lives of service, purpose and impact.
• GREAT COLLEGES TO WORK FOR: I am pleased to report that Baylor has once again attained Honor Roll status as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For program. Baylor has earned Honor Roll status – the highest recognition – 15 times overall and nine times in a row! This is an incredible accomplishment, and I want to thank the faculty and staff who participated in the survey last spring. This program is one way we evaluate our campus culture, and your feedback is a crucial component in maintaining Baylor’s distinct position in higher education.
• RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR DAY: For several years we have claimed National Research Administrator Day on Sept. 25 as a moment to highlight and celebrate Baylor researchers and the staff who support them. This year, our theme is “Research Solutions for Texas.” Baylor’s home in the Texas Triangle is one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions in the country, and our researchers are addressing areas of critical importance to the state while making a global impact. As a Christian research university, I’m continually inspired to see the ways our faculty, students and staff blend elite research expertise with a sense of mission and service. Happy Research Administrator Day on Friday, and thanks for all your dedicated work to make Baylor research so meaningful!
• EVERY MOMENT HOLY: Baylor Spiritual Life will host Douglas McKelvey, author of Every Moment Holy, for a series of events on Sept. 29-30. The campus and local community are invited to times of worship, fellowship and discussion centered around Every Moment Holy: Rites of Passage, a volume of liturgies created especially for young adults. The Worship Night will be on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Waco Hall at 7 p.m., and everyone is welcome. Following worship, students are invited for a time of fellowship, and the series will end with a breakfast for Baylor students, faculty and staff. The worship event is free, but you must reserve a ticket online.
• BEARS VOTE: Baylor students, faculty and staff will again have an opportunity to register to vote at locations across campus next Wednesday, Sept. 30. Planned registration sites include the SUB, Moody Memorial Library and the Penland lobby, among others, and the Texas voter registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 5. I am grateful for the ongoing work of the Baylor Ambassadors and Student Government in organizing this important effort for the campus community. 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 open dialogue that meets or exceeds the expectations for our caring Christian community now and in the months to come.
• CAMPUS RESOURCES: I know the start to an academic year can be overwhelming for new and returning students alike – not to mention faculty and staff. So, here are a few resources to help you now or throughout the semester. Baylor’s Paul L. Foster Success Center services promote academic achievement, personal development and vocational exploration. The Counseling Center fosters wholeness through caring relationships, cultural humility and integrated mental health services. The Office of Spiritual Life offers programs and resources to nurture spiritual wholeness and missional living in students, faculty and staff. The Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office engages on issues of harassment and discrimination with care and integrity. Please don’t hesitate to contact any of these offices if you need support.

On a personal note, Brad and I are celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary today! I want to thank him for being an amazing First Gent and partner in all we do at Baylor.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK