Presidential Perspective
The first session of New Student Orientation and Baylor Line Camp starts Monday, and over the next two months, Baylor will welcome thousands of students and their families to campus to prepare for the fall semester. Attendees get to meet other new Bears, learn about their major, meet with academic departments and take their first steps as part of the Baylor Line. All experiences are available to new first-year and transfer students. Parents or guests are encouraged to attend as well, with special programming for them woven throughout the day.
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.
Today is the National Day of Prayer, an annual day of observance designated by the U.S. Congress in 1952 in which people are asked to “turn to God in prayer and meditation.” Here are a few things I am praying for throughout the day, and I hope you will join me and millions of others across our country.
It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of another spring semester at Baylor. Commencement is right around the corner on May 15-16 for more than 3,000 Baylor students, and I know many of you are already working diligently on projects, papers and preparing for final exams.
Yesterday evening Baylor students organized two events on our campus that provided the opportunity for attendees to hear from speakers with differing viewpoints. Both gatherings were conducted safely and without incident, and I want to thank each of you for engaging respectfully as a demonstration of Baylor’s Christian mission, our commitment to academic freedom and to civil discourse.
This is the time of the year that we call the “Spring Sprint,” as we move quickly from Diadeloso to so many semester-ending events and activities – all the while finishing up the academic year in the classrooms, libraries and research labs.
Some of the most meaningful traditions at Baylor are those that tie directly to the University’s mission to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.
The Easter story is a beautiful reminder that God’s love for us is complete.
Baylor University has a deep history of prayer that reflects our mission in Christian higher education and our historic Baptist roots. In the spring of 1945, Baylor students prayed for revival for 90 straight days, and in 2015, more than 35,000 attended “The Gathering” service at McLane Stadium.
In a world of increasing discord and conflict, Baylor has an opportunity as a Christian institution to share our expertise and use our faith foundation to bring people together. Whether in our classrooms and labs, with colleagues, or throughout the student experience, we have a responsibility to fulfill our mission to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community as we live out our scriptural calling to know one another as part of God’s creation.
This year’s Pruit Memorial Symposium, Frontiers of Health & Innovation, is happening March 24-25, and it will bring together a wide range of disciplines and experienced researchers to examine how innovation and technology are reshaping health and wellness.
The spring storm season in Texas is approaching, and it’s a good time for all of us to make sure we are “Weather Ready.” When we experience severe weather in Central Texas, which can include everything from snow and ice to thunderstorms and tornados, the Baylor Department of Public Safety alerts our campus community through the multi-tiered Baylor Alert emergency notification system.
It’s hard to believe Spring Break is only one week away. Soon many Baylor students, faculty and staff will scatter across the state, nation and world for vacations, mission trips and visits home to see friends and family.
As a Christian research university, Baylor takes great joy in celebrating holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is something special about expressing gratitude for our blessings and for preparing our hearts for Advent. Now that the Lenten and Easter season has started, I am thrilled to see so many opportunities for the Baylor Family to share in this important time for Christians across the world.
There are so many ways to measure the impact of a college education, and at Baylor we take great pride in our mission to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service. We know that leading and serving can take many forms, ranging from the corporate sector to military service to public service and the mission field.
One of the things I love about Baylor is that the Baylor Family is made up of many members with different backgrounds and experiences that enable a wide range of contributions to the world. I believe our ability to fulfill our University mission, which is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community, is only possible when we embrace those contributions.
This Sunday Baylor University turns 181 – the oldest continuously operating university in the state after being chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845.
The spring semester is certainly off and running at a brisk pace! I hope everyone is settling into new routines and becoming acclimated academically, physically and spiritually.
We are just days away from the start of a new semester, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone back on campus after what I pray was a wonderful holiday season.
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful (and restful) Christmas break and are ready for all 2026 has in store for Baylor University. There is great anticipation across campus as faculty and staff have returned and students prepare to begin classes on Jan. 20. As we embark on another year, I am reminded of how faithful the Lord has been to us.