News

Pastors from several denominations, religions and races throughout Waco and Central Texas joined me yesterday in the Powell Chapel at our Truett Seminary to gather in prayer for area students, families, teachers and faculty in preparation for the rapidly approaching fall semester.

DALLAS, Texas (July 12, 2018) – The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted a dedication ceremony Tuesday of its new Divine Servant® statue given by Dallas Baptist University and dedicated in honor of LHSON Dean Shelley F. Conroy.

WACO, Texas (July 11, 2018) – Baylor University today congratulates Bob and Laura Beauchamp of Houston on being named Recovery Philanthropists of the Year by the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE) at a ceremony held Monday night at the University of Houston Student Center.

WACO, Texas (July 11, 2018) – As communities prepare for the upcoming school year, senior pastors and leaders of all faiths, denominations and races from throughout Waco and Central Texas joined Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., to pray for students, families, teachers and faculty during a Community Prayer Breakfast on the Baylor campus.

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July holiday yesterday! As many of you know, the First Gent is a history buff, and we’ve learned that two Baylor faculty members have done quite a bit of research on Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers. Did you know that Franklin was a businessman, entrepreneur, inventor, journalist, author, printer, editor, politician, postmaster, statesman and ambassador, in addition to being a signer of the Declaration of Independence?

The Livingstone Family is already looking forward to the July 4 holiday next Wednesday and celebrating the freedoms we enjoy here in our great country. We should never take these for granted. I hope you will join us at Touchdown Alley on the banks of the Brazos River for the City of Waco’s annual Fourth on the Brazos Celebration. We thoroughly enjoyed last year’s event with all the music, food and fireworks, as well as the opportunity to engage with the Baylor Family and other community members.

WACO, Texas (June 26, 2018) – Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., will welcome senior pastors and leaders of all faiths, denominations and races throughout Waco and Central Texas for a Community Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, July 11, on the Baylor campus. The event will bring together faith leaders to pray collectively for students, teachers, faculty and families as communities prepare for the upcoming school year.

WACO, Texas (June 25, 2018) – Baylor University today announced a $1.6 million gift from the Waco Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation that will create a permanent endowment for Camp Success, a free intensive summer language and literacy intervention program for children through the department of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) in Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.

As we near the midpoint of the summer break, I am longing for many things … the hustle and bustle of our students on campus, the engagement and interactions with faculty, the start of football season and a Dr Pepper Float!

WACO, Texas (June 20, 2018) – Baylor University today announced that the philanthropic support of students, alumni, parents and friends during the recently completed fiscal year (June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018) – which coincided with the first year in office of Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. – exceeded $113 million.

It’s exciting to see members of #BU22, our incoming class of freshmen, visiting the Baylor campus along with their families and friends throughout the summer. More than 1,200 students have already taken their first steps in joining the Baylor Family, including registering for classes, learning about and celebrating Baylor’s rich legacy and traditions, and even Running the Line at McLane Stadium.

I continue to be blessed each day to serve as Baylor’s President. Among the many highlights is being able to travel across the country to visit with alumni, current and prospective students, parents and friends of the University.

WACO, Texas (June 6, 2018) – Baylor Law has announced the creation of The M. Stephen and Alyce A. Beard Chair in Business and Transactional Law that will be funded through a generous gift from M. Stephen (B.B.A. ’71, J.D. ’73) and Alyce A. Beard (B.A. ’70). Proceeds from the endowment will support this faculty position in perpetuity, allowing Baylor Law to enhance practical training and scholarship in this critical discipline.

WACO, Texas (June 5, 2018) – Baylor University today announced the establishment of The Floyd F. Davidson Endowed Memorial Chair in Biology, made possible through a gift of approximately $2.5 million from the estate of Lorene Taylor Davidson, who died in 2013 at the age of 100. Lorene and her husband, Floyd Davidson, Ph.D., were longtime Baylor supporters who blended giving to Baylor during their lifetimes with the inclusion of a gift to Baylor in their estate. Floyd Davidson died in 1990.

Today marks exactly one year since I began serving as President of Baylor University. What a year it has been! This day offers a welcome occasion for me to express my extreme gratitude to the entire Baylor Family for your partnership and support as I have guided this great institution of higher education.

WACO, Texas (May 29, 2018) – Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., has appointed Brett Dalton as Chief Business Officer, a new position at Baylor that will lead progressive systems of financial planning, reporting and control as the University moves forward under the Illuminate academic strategic plan. His appointment is effective July 1.

WACO, Texas (May 25, 2018) – Eleven faculty members have been recognized as Outstanding Faculty in the areas of teaching, scholarship and contributions to the academic community for the 2017-2018 academic year. The awards recognize the best all-around professors based upon teaching capabilities, research achievement, effective committee service, time spent with students and civic and church involvement, including non-tenured track, tenured and tenure-track faculty.

Greetings from New York City, where our School of Music student performers take center stage tonight at historic Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. I am excited to be in the audience as they share their musical talents on such a grand stage and spotlight our great University.

On this National Day of Prayer, Baylor University President Linda Livingstone and her husband, Brad, speak with the Baylor Parents Network about the power of prayer in their lives and beyond.

WACO, Texas (May 22, 2018) – Three Baylor University professors in theology, history and educational leadership have been selected as the 2018 Baylor Centennial Professors by the Centennial Faculty Development Review Committee.

In January of this year, I asked a dedicated group of faculty and staff to join me in the search for Baylor University’s next Provost.

Well, it’s officially summertime on the Baylor campus! The hustle and bustle marking the end of the spring semester has transitioned into sparse pedestrian and vehicle traffic and, of course, near 100-degree temperatures.

WACO, Texas (May 11, 2018) – At its regular spring meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents accepted the University moving forward with the implementation of Illuminate, Baylor’s Academic Strategic Plan, and took action to approve a $660.1 million operating budget for 2018-2019, five new academic degrees and new Board members.

Congratulations to the Baylor Class of 2018! The end of the spring semester is always an exciting time, especially for the nearly 3,000 graduates who will participate in our three Commencement ceremonies at the Ferrell Center on Friday and Saturday.

WACO, Texas (May 4, 2018) – Baylor University announced it has received $371,627 from ExxonMobil and its employees through the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2017 Educational Matching Gift Program.

WACO, Texas (May 4, 2018) — Baylor University’s spring graduating class of 2018 will enter their next phase of life as they walk the graduation stage during commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 11, and Saturday, May 12, at the Ferrell Center, 1900 S. University Parks Drive.

Greetings from 30,000 feet in the air somewhere between Denver and Atlanta! We have taken our Baylor Conversation Series across the country this week, as we’re visiting with alumni, parents, friends and prospective students about the great things happening at Baylor and sharing an overview of Illuminate, our academic strategic plan.

"But if we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another." – 1 John 1:7

WACO, Texas (April 20, 2018) – Baylor University’s School of Music will present the President’s Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in Jones Concert Hall, Glennis McCrary Music Building, 110 Baylor Ave. This year’s program is “America: Reflections of Diversity,” an evening of music by American composers or international composers who studied in the United States.

WACO, Texas (April 20, 2018) — The senior class selected Rebecca McCumbers Flavin, Ph.D., senior lecturer of political science at Baylor University, as this year’s Collins Outstanding Professor Award recipient.

I must admit that I was a little sore yesterday after participating in the Baylor Fun Run to kickoff Diadeloso on Tuesday. Yes, the First Gent and I finished the race(!) and then enjoyed a “day off” with all of you as we prepare for the end of the spring semester.

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of a leadership change within the Provost's Office.

As I mentioned in last Thursday’s email, we had a team of administrators from institutions across the country on campus this week as part of our SACSCOC Decennial Reaffirmation, which is a key component of our accreditation renewal process. This week’s visit was very successful.

Approximately 9,000 prospective students and parents have registered to experience Baylor Premiere on Saturday. This year’s version of our spring “open house” is shaping up to be the largest in University history, as high school juniors and seniors will have an opportunity to explore campus, experience college life and interact with many of our incredible faculty and staff. Let’s remind our Premiere attendees that Baylor is a place “Where Lights Shine Bright!”

"He is not here: He is risen, just as He said." (Matthew 28:6A) This is a powerful verse of meditation for this Easter season, as it boldly proclaims the victory that we have as Christians in our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

This Easter, may your heart dwell on the promises God has fulfilled through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. May your joy rest in Him this Easter.

My heart continues to be touched by the many stories of how your “Lights Shine Bright” not only across our campus, but throughout our community and beyond.

As the grass and trees turn green and the temperatures begin to warm, I am always reminded that spring is a time for renewal.

WACO, Texas (March 14, 2018) – Baylor University leadership, including President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., and Board of Regents Chair Joel T. Allison, will discuss the state of the University with the Baylor Family across Texas and the nation as part of the ongoing Baylor Conversation Series.

The Baylor campus sure is still and quiet with all of our students on Spring Break this week! But I know our faculty and staff who remained in Waco to prepare for the remainder of the semester are enjoying the wonderful spring weather.

I look forward to heading to Fort Worth for tonight's installment of the Baylor Conversation Series - our first outside of Waco. Board Chairman Joel T. Allison and I will provide an update on the state of the university, while also answering questions from the Baylor Family in the Metroplex.

While we were deeply grieved to learn that the Rev. Billy Graham had passed away yesterday, we rejoice that he has been called home as a good and faithful servant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 21, 2018) – Baylor University, in conjunction with the Baylor Line Foundation, has announced the slate of alumni-elected Regent candidates presented for election this spring.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 21, 2018) – Baylor University is mourning the passing of the Rev. Billy Graham, who received an honorary doctorate from Baylor in 1954 and later Baylor's Pro Ecclesia Medal of Service for his contributions to a Christian ministry that made an immeasurable global impact. Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., said, “Our deepest prayers are with the Graham family, and we join millions around the world in giving thanks for Billy Graham, for his unyielding faith in a risen Savior and his mission to bring Christ’s light to the world.”

WACO, Texas (Feb. 16, 2018) – During its regular February meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents received a status update from Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., on the Academic Strategic Plan – called Illuminate – which will represent the second phase of the University’s Pro Futuris vision over the next five years.

Earlier today, I shared the initial framework of Baylor's Academic Strategic Plan - Illuminate - with the Board of Regents, along with members of the President's Council and our Deans. This is an important initiative as we accelerate our quest toward preeminence as a Christian research university and strategically chart our path over the next five years and beyond.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 8, 2018) — Baylor University recently was awarded a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fund a five-year project called Soundings. The project will allow Baylor to serve as an innovation hub for 15 Texas congregations as the university and congregational leaders together reflect deeply and theologically about the nature of vocation.

February is Black History Month and our students and leadership across campus have a terrific line-up of events planned throughout the month.

Baylor University continues to promote a campus culture where each individual is valued and respected. Every faculty and staff member plays an integral role as together we foster safety, integrity and dignity among our colleagues and our students. To support a healthy campus climate, all faculty and staff will continue to participate in online Title IX training on an annual basis.

I am sending today's email from Grapevine, Texas, as I attend the 2018 International Forum of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), which includes more than 180 Christian institutions around the world. Although Baylor may be one of the largest CCCU universities, we all share in the mission of advancing Christ-centered higher education and transforming lives by integrating scholarship, service and Biblical truth.