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There’s a Baylor experience that bridges high school debaters and aspiring basketball players, and connects future engineers with burgeoning musicians. That experience? Summer camps, on campus at Baylor.

For generations now, the Baylor campus has remained lively over the summer as camps like the Summer Debate Workshop or the Moody School of Education’s Talent Identification Program camps (just to name a couple) welcome future college students. Here, they get a taste of college life, from classrooms to dining halls to residence halls.

If you’re looking for law school education that truly prepares you for the courtroom, you can’t do much better than Baylor Law School. Earlier this year, U.S. News ranked Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program No. 3 in the nation — the program’s 17th straight year among the top five in the country.

In the science community, being named as a fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is one of the more prestigious professional nods a researcher can achieve — not unlike election to a hall of fame in the world of sports.

Past AAAS Fellows include names like Thomas Edison and W.E.B. DuBois, along with a roster of scientists who have made significant contributions to their field. That list includes four current Baylor faculty, two of whom — Dr. Dwayne Simmons (biology) and Dr. Samuel Urlacher (anthropology) — were named among the 2025 class of AAAS Fellows.

Baylor already ranked No. 1 in Texas for most Fulbright scholars — and this year, 12 more BU students get to add their names to that list.

Each of those Bears is headed overseas as part of the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, studying and teaching in countries ranging from Germany and France to South Korea and Taiwan. Two more BU students earned similarly prestigious Rotary Global Grant Scholarships, which will fund their graduate studies in the U.K.

And that’s not all… Three Baylor professors have also earned Fulbright recognition, with awards providing them unique research experiences in South Africa, Antarctica, Slovakia and Brazil.

To understand why scientists are interested in white dwarf stars, it helps to think of fossils, or rings on a tree.

Dr. Barbara Castanheira, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Baylor, has long studied white dwarf stars — the dense, collapsed core of a dying star. White dwarf stars are of interest to scientists, perhaps somewhat counterintuitively, because they can tell us about early star formation despite being in the final stages of their life cycle — a cycle which lasts billions of years, beyond the scope of human study from start to finish. As opposed to the bright stars visible in the sky, white dwarf stars have shrunk in size and no longer actively produce energy. As their remaining energy burns out, they have a story of great interest to science.

Every spring, the Baylor Family bids happy retirement to professors and staff who have dedicated their professional lives to the university and its students. It’s always a bittersweet mix — sadness in seeing them go, happiness for a well-deserved next step — but we wish them all well in the next phase of their lives.

Here, we honor some of the longest-serving and most recognizable professors who are retiring this year — men and women whose faces will be missed, but whose impact will not be forgotten:

The academic year is complete: finals graded, books returned, students graduated — and Baylor faculty honored! Congratulations to this year’s Baylor professors of the year:

A lot of great players have come through the Baylor Baseball program since Charley Carter (BBA ’98) set the program’s single-season home run record of 21 back in 1998 — David Murphy, Max Muncy and Shea Langeliers, just to name a few. But great as they are, none of them accomplished what Tyce Armstrong has done in 2026.

Entering the Big 12 tournament, Baylor’s first baseman has already mashed 24 home runs this season, breaking a record that stood for nearly three decades. A season that began with a bang in the season opener, when Armstrong became just the second player in NCAA history to hit three grand slams in one game, has somehow managed to grow even more historic from there.

Last Thursday night was a memory decades in the making, as Willie Nelson returned to his alma mater and took the stage at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Almost 75 years after he attended Baylor, the legendary country artist — at age 93 — performed for nearly an hour and a half on a picture-perfect evening. The sold-out crowd of more than 6,000 spanned virtually every age, from kids and college students on up — all brought together by a historic night.

Congratulations, Class of 2026 — you did it!

This weekend, more than 3,100 Bears celebrated earning their degrees, the culmination of the Baylor experience. Thousands of their friends and family filled the Ferrell Center for each of the four ceremonies, and countless more watched online and joined in the celebration via social media to honor BU’s newest graduates.

When Margo Paluch (BSED ’26) walks across the stage this weekend during Baylor Commencement, the senior elementary education major from Lake Geneva, Wisc., will experience a historic first as a member of the inaugural graduating class of Baylor’s newly named Moody School of Education. But she will also carry another first very close to her heart.

As a third-grade student teacher at Hewitt Elementary School just outside Waco, Paluch spent a day substituting in a self-contained special education classroom. That experience sparked an idea — a deeply personal one — about creating opportunities for her third graders to include others, be kind, and form friendships.

Alan Lenz had heard all the stories about Baylor from his wife, Allison (BA ’94). Then the couple sent two of their kids to BU, and he heard even more incredible stories — enough that Alan felt he was missing out as the only non-Baylor member of his family.

This weekend, Alan and his youngest son, Robbie, will both walk the Ferrell Center stage at Commencement. Robbie (BA ’26) will receive his degree in communication, while Alan (EdD ’26) will receive his doctorate in education (learning and organizational change).

All year long, the Baylor Softball team challenged themselves by playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules, and they were rewarded for that effort by once again earning a selection into the NCAA Tournament — the program’s 17th in 23 seasons!

For a generation now, Baylor men’s tennis has set the standard for excellence in the Big 12 Conference. This year's Bears not only made the NCAA tournament, but have once again reached the Round of 16. Hosting NCAA early rounds for the 16th time in program history, No. 11-ranked Baylor swept Tulsa in the first round, then beat No. 22 Auburn 4-1 in the second round last week to advance.

In the Sweet 16, head coach Michael Woodson’s squad will host No. 27 Pepperdine on Friday (6 p.m.) at the Hurd Tennis Center. The winner will advance to the NCAA quarterfinals, hosted again this year by the University of Georgia.

On a campus of nearly 20,000 students — and with 160,000+ living alumni — there’s no shortage of great stories to tell from within the Baylor Family.

Baylor Magazine and BaylorProud share many of them in a written format, and Baylor Connections does the same in audio/video form. Now 19 episodes into its latest season, Connections this year has featured guests ranging from President Linda Livingstone and new Director of Athletics Doug McNamee to top Baylor researchers, student life leaders, and more.

For nearly 30 years now, it’s become a theme that never gets old for Baylor’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis programs: a selection to the NCAA Tournament.

Once again this year, both teams are back in the NCAAs — the 28th straight appearance for the Baylor men, and 27th overall for the women — nearly three decades of excellence.

On Saturday, Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling won its 11th — yes, ELEVENTH!!!!!!!!!!! — straight national title! The win extends a run that dates back to 2015 (there was no championship in 2020 due to COVID). Over those 12 seasons, head coach Felecia Mulkey’s squad has gone a mind-boggling 122-2, including a current 62-meet winning streak.

Last fall, Baylor launched its first varsity esports team, led by Baylor alum Adam Stanley (MDiv ’12). Just a few months later, the Bears have their first conference championship — and with eyes on even bigger prizes as they head to nationals.

It’s been almost 150 days — nearly five months — since we gathered at McLane Stadium around Baylor football.

That’s far too long.

This Saturday, the Baylor Family is invited back to McLane for “Baylor Fan Fest,” a festival-style celebration presented by McLane Children’s, featuring live music, local food trucks, interactive fan experiences, and a free open Baylor Football practice inside the stadium.

What if bacteria could be a tool to better deliver cancer drugs?

How would heart transplants be improved if hearts were better preserved while waiting for transplant?

These are just two of the many questions being addressed these days by Baylor researchers — professors and students alike — in departments across campus. It would take far more than this blog post to adequately capture the scope of Baylor research, but we can share a few examples of the latest work at BU:

What if bacteria could be a tool to better deliver cancer drugs?

How would heart transplants be improved if hearts were better preserved while waiting for transplant?

These are just two of the many questions being addressed these days by Baylor researchers — professors and students alike — in departments across campus. It would take far more than this blog post to adequately capture the scope of Baylor research, but we can share a few examples of the latest work at BU:

For almost a century now, Diadeloso has provided Baylor students with a much-needed day off just as the spring semester reaches its crescendo — a day to rest and relax, have fun with friends, and make memories on campus that will last a lifetime.

Gray skies threatened to dampen the Dia activities, but thankfully the rain held off, allowing for all the usual festivities to continue as planned. Traditional Dia activities like games, inflatables and a petting zoo were mixed with newer favorites like axe throwing, Nerf gun battles and a rock climbing wall — all served up in the heart of campus on Fountain Mall.

It may just be the biggest stage in sports sales for a student. Representing their schools at an NBA or NHL arena, students step up to the table with industry professionals (who may someday be their colleagues) and make their pitch. If it feels like an NCAA competition, that’s intentional — and it’s Baylor that makes it possible.

Baylor’s Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (commonly known as “S3E”) is the driving force behind the National Collegiate Business Championships. This series of sales competitions brings together college students from across North America to help them sharpen their skills and test themselves in front of industry leaders. Numerous in-person and virtual competitions comprise the championships in both the U.S. and Canada.

On March 9, 1954, Baylor University admitted a student from a small town near Waco — just in time to start the spring term. His name was Willie Nelson.

Now, some 72 years later, the University is welcoming Willie back to campus to celebrate his Baylor ties and his legendary career in music and public service. Highlighting the reunion will be an outdoor concert by Willie Nelson & Family on Thursday, May 14, at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark, just a few weeks after his 93rd birthday.

When it comes to speeches with an impact, TED Talks are the big leagues — and through their TEDx series, they allow grassroots voices to share their stories of overcoming obstacles, lessons learned, innovation and more.

Last fall, Baylor faculty, staff, students and alumni took the stage at the inaugural TEDxBaylor University event, where they presented speeches based on the theme of “Innovation in Deeds,” connecting to the University’s strategic plan through their own personal stories. (Those stories are now available online for a global audience.)

In the spring of 1945, a group of Baylor students prayed for spiritual renewal for 90 straight days. Their prayers led to a movement that helped inspire ministries on campus and around the world, from the Journeyman mission program to the Passion Conferences.

Last week, thousands of Baylor students again gathered in Jesus’ name for FM72, an annual 72-hour on-campus prayer and worship event coordinated by Baylor’s Office of Spiritual Life in conjunction with local churches and campus ministries.

Looking for one of the top college experiences in the nation? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Looking for a great education? Baylor ranks among the top 20% of national universities (U.S. News). It also ranks among the top 10 nationally in Fulbright qualifiers (U.S. Department of State), the top 40 nationally for best undergraduate teaching and research (U.S. News), and the top 40 nationally for “Most Innovative Schools” (U.S. News).

Yes, the calendar just turned to spring… But these 85+ degree days we’re having say summer will be here before we know it, and fall right on its heels.

Time to go ahead and put some important fall dates on your calendars (and possibly even start making plans):

One of Baylor’s own is now commander of the service’s oldest continuously serving numbered Air Force, the 5th Air Force, based in Japan.

Lt. Gen. Joel Carey (BA ’92), recently promoted to a three-star general, took command earlier this week at a ceremony in Tokyo. The move was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in January, the latest promotion in Carey’s distinguished career since he got his start at Baylor more than 30 years ago.

She’s been called the “Mother Teresa of Bangalore,” and her lifetime of service is the subject of two books — a biography published in 2008, and a children’s book published in 2021.

But before the books, before the recognition, before the lifetime of service, Rebekah Ann Naylor (BA ’67) was a Baylor Bear.

Only one school in Texas was named among the nation’s most beautiful college campuses by U.S. News, Architectural Digest, and Condé Nast Traveler.

That school would be Baylor University.

For the 22nd straight year (!!), Baylor women’s basketball is headed to the NCAA tournament!

To put that in perspective, only one player on the team — graduate student Jana Van Gytenbeek — was even born the last time the Baylor women missed the NCAA tournament. (That came in March 2003, when BU finished as WNIT runners-up; two years later, the program won its first national championship.)

When researchers complete a study and share their work, they hope it will have impact: to help people, advance understanding, develop technologies and more. 

Such impact is important — but can be hard to measure. There’s no one way to do it, but Stanford University has annually compiled a prestigious list that captures one important measure of impact: citations. And Baylor researchers do very well there.

There’s a lot to like about Baylor’s home here in Waco, the heart of Central Texas. A city recently recognized by Southern Living as undergoing a “creative renaissance,” Waco anchors a growing metro with over 300,000 people who enjoy the area’s outdoor activities, history and culture, job market and more.

While such factors alone have long drawn people to the area, there’s a growing focus on the burgeoning megaregion Waco calls home: the Texas Triangle.

When you think of the greatest moments in Baylor women’s athletics history, you likely think of highlights like Women’s Basketball’s three national championships, Acrobatics & Tumbling’s decade of dominance, and softball’s six Women’s College World Series appearances.

Not surprisingly, many of those moments have come in the last quarter-century, as Baylor’s increased investment in women’s sports has set a high bar for excellence. The story of women’s sports at Baylor, however, goes back more than a century.

Three months ago, Baylor Director of Athletics Doug McNamee (BA ’03, MSED ’05) made it clear at his introduction as AD that improving the fan experience would be an immediate priority.

True to his word, McNamee and Baylor Athletics this spring have rolled out a series of “Fan First” announcements aimed at “making the fan experience more vibrant and gamedays more accessible.” Baylor football fans this fall will find significant changes to the gameday experience, including:

After countless hours of planning, practicing and performing, All University Sing 2026 is in the books. Over the last two weeks, hundreds of Baylor students put their hard work on display performing for thousands of Baylor students, alumni and friends in Waco Hall (plus a streaming audience online for Saturday’s finale).

Congratulations to Beta Upsilon Chi, which won first place this year for their act, “Grill of Rights” (pictured above). Phi Kappa Chi took second for their act, “Cold as Ice,” followed by Delta Delta Delta in third for “When A Mouse Eats A Cookie.”

For a quarter of a century now, the Lake Waco Wetlands have provided a rich home for countless species of birds, deer, amphibians, and other animals, plus a wide variety of plants and trees indigenous to Central Texas.

From the wetlands’ very beginning, Baylor’s Dr. Robert Doyle (BS ’81, MS ’85) has played a key role — first in helping establish it, then in helping study, enhance and expand it. For his longstanding service, the City of Waco proclaimed Feb. 17, 2026, as “Robert Doyle Day.”

If you want to reach students, you can’t be afraid to try new things. Baylor has struck an incredible balance of holding on to what’s most important (our faith, incredible student experience, etc.) while growing and improving across the board (Exhibit A: R1 status).

Higher ed leaders across the country are noticing Baylor’s efforts — and that shows up in lists like U.S. News‘ “Most Innovative Schools,” where Baylor ranks among the nation’s top 40 national universities. That puts Baylor well inside the top 10% nationally when it comes to innovation.

If one goal of college is to get you a job in your chosen profession, then the Baylor men’s basketball program is one of the best job training programs in the nation.

For the second straight year, Baylor ranks among the top 10 universities with the most players currently in the NBA, one behind Kansas and ahead of such programs as North Carolina, Villanova and Texas. A school-record 11 Baylor alumni played in the NBA last year; this year, 10 Bears have seen time on NBA rosters.

In 2019, Baylor set a school-record with seven Fulbright scholarship recipients — part of the nation’s most prestigious international education exchange program. Just three years later, Baylor doubled that total, with 14 Fulbrights. And in 2025, Baylor jumped to 24 Fulbright student honorees.

Such success has catapulted Baylor up to No. 10 nationally in Fulbright qualifiers — No. 1 in Texas, and among Big 12 schools. Baylor also earned recognition this spring as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the fourth straight year.

Baylor’s mission has long been to “educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service” — and for the third straight year, a survey by TIME magazine confirms Baylor’s doing exactly that.

Baylor once again ranks among TIME‘s list of the 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders, coming in at No. 70 nationally for 2026 (No. 4 in Texas, No. 5 in the Big 12). This year, the publication studied the resumes of almost 5,000 U.S. leaders — pulling from business, government, academia and more — to find where today’s leaders got their start, with Baylor continuing to stand out among the nation’s best.

Among the many ways to measure the impact of a college education is a practical accounting: Are students finding opportunities to work or further their education after graduation? At Baylor, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

With the most recent numbers just released (covering Summer 2024 through Spring 2025), Baylor’s placement rate is 92%, and its success rate is 94% — numbers well above the national average, and emblematic of steady growth in this area at BU.

Few Christian programs have garnered the level of critical acclaim and multi-platform viewership as The Chosen. The show — a historical drama of the life of Christ through the eyes of those around him — has appeared on the IMDb Top 250 list, and reviewers have lauded the program’s storytelling and production. Such success made the chance to serve in professional roles on the show all the more appealing to Baylor Film & Digital Media (FDM) students.

As the 2026 Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling season begins Friday, the Bears find themselves in a familiar position — ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team in the preseason poll for the 11th straight season.

For a program and coach accustomed to celebrating national titles, it’s hard to imagine that anything could match what’s become an annual thrill, but everyone involved — especially Coach Fee, as she’s called by her athletes — got just that last month.

When Dr. Jamie Rankin talks about great teaching, he doesn’t start with expertise or accolades. He starts with caring.

That philosophy has guided Rankin’s work for more than three decades — and it’s a large part of why Baylor named him as the 2026 recipient of the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching.

If you’re a Baylor fan who loves life with your earbuds popped in, or who can’t make a drive without connecting your phone for your favorite podcast, then you’re in luck: the University offers multiple podcasts to keep you connected to all things Baylor, from athletics to academics, theology to history.

Here are 10 podcasts from Baylor faculty, schools and more to add to your subscription list:

We’ve hit the midpoint of the Big 12 basketball season, and March is only a month away — meaning college basketball’s stretch run is here.

Ranked 14th nationally and tied for first in the Big 12 standings, Baylor Women’s Basketball is poised to make the next two months memorable, thanks to a strong start, top scorers and rebounders, and an elite defense.

When David J. Negrón Sr. (BA ’61) walked the halls of Baylor University, he was majoring in mathematics — but his creative spark was impossible to ignore. During his time on campus, Negrón was actively involved with Student Activities and found support (both emotional and financial) from Marie Mathis, director of the Student Union Building, who recognized his artistic talent.

That encouragement proved pivotal. His passion led him to pursue professional art training after graduation, ultimately launching a remarkable career as a conceptual painter, illustrator and storyboard artist in the motion picture industry.

On Friday, Baylor announced a historic $30 million gift from the Moody Foundation to the School of Education, supporting scholarships, expanding faculty research and providing resources to grow academic programs.

The gift was the largest single gift to Baylor’s School of Ed in its 107-year-history. It was so significant that, in recognition of the Foundation’s transformational generosity, the School of Education has been renamed the Moody School of Education.

Earlier this month, Baylor announced the hiring of two new deans, each of whom will begin their new roles this summer.

Dr. Tanya Sudia (pictured above right) returns to Baylor on June 1 as dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, while Dr. James Brockmole (above left) comes to Baylor on July 1 as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. They follow in the footsteps of Dr. Linda Plank (nursing) upon her retirement, and Dr. Lee Nordt (A&S) as he returns to the classroom.

It’s hard to believe that Foster Pavilion only just hosted its first public concert last April — just nine months ago — and yet, such events at Foster (and elsewhere) now feel like a regular part of campus life.

Let’s take a look back at some of 2025’s headlining concerts on Baylor’s campus — and then ahead at what’s in store for 2026:

Every college student knows the feeling — a challenging class that stretches your limits, perhaps at the same time you’re adjusting to the new responsibilities of college life. In the moment, you may feel the top-tier academics that drew you to the school are stretching you beyond your limits.

At Baylor, students are not alone in those moments. All they have to do is know where to look — and Baylor’s Paul L. Foster Success Center is the place to start, offering personalized support for Bears.

For the seventh time in nine years, a Baylor Bear is Texas’ student-teacher of the year.

This year’s honoree is Bella Buncher (BSED ’25), now a second grade teacher north of Atlanta

Another year, another top-10 ranking for Baylor entrepreneurship.

Yes, for the 16th time in 17 years (!!), Baylor’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program is a top-10 national pick in the field, coming in this year at No. 10 nationally according to U.S. News.

The NFL regular season is over, and the playoffs are here. As games begin this weekend, Baylor fans will have multiple opportunities to cheer on their fellow Bears as they pursue a Super Bowl victory.

This season began with 16 Bears on NFL rosters, and with the field whittled down to just 14 teams, there are now five Bears on active playoff rosters. All of them played meaningful roles in helping their teams get there:

Another year has flown by… As the calendar turns, let’s take one last look back at 2025, through the lens of our favorite photos from Baylor’s official Instagram account.

Here are our top 10 Baylor Instagram photos of 2025:

Every student walking Baylor graduation stages this weekend has proved their resilience in some form or fashion — but few will have shown the resilience in the months leading up to Commencement as Baylor Nursing student Mahala Griffin-Halvorson.

This summer, Mahala and her husband, Caleb, were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child when life took an unexpected turn. Their son, Hudson, was born 13 weeks early, entering the world at just 1 pound, 9 ounces on June 20. The Halvorsons found themselves fervently praying for their son as nurses cared for him in NICU, providing intensive care to strengthen and save his life.

Baylor’s campus is always beautiful — but it shines brightest at Christmas.

With Christmas trees and decor in practically every building — and in between as well, highlighted by the trees on Fountain Mall and Founders Mall — Baylor’s campus in December is a true winter wonderland of Christmas beauty.

For more than 60 years, the combined choirs and orchestra of Baylor’s School of Music have heralded the arrival of Christmas with a joyful worship performance. This month, an encore presentation of the award-winning "A Baylor Christmas" will air on 175+ stations across 39 states.

During sold-out performances in 2023, KWTX Television captured the brilliant voices of the Baylor Combined Choirs who, along with the talented musicians in the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, resounded throughout Jones Concert Hall as they performed traditional favorites. All told, the production features the talent of more than 350 Baylor students and faculty, performing such favorites as “O Holy Night” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the Baylor Bear in your life? Whether they’re alumni, current students, parents, or fans, here are 10 Baylor-themed ideas sure to make any Bear’s holiday merry and bright:

Baylor students living on campus have a wide variety of options. Some choose to live with other students their age; others, with students who have similar academic or extracurricular interests; still others, in faculty-led residential colleges.

Baylor takes these opportunities seriously, and it shows. For the third straight year, Baylor’s learning communities once again rank among U.S. News‘ top 10 nationally — just behind schools like Vanderbilt and Yale, and ahead of, well, just about everyone else. (The honor ranked Baylor No. 1 in the Big 12, No. 1 in Texas, and No. 1 among large private universities.)

It’s almost like Doug McNamee’s whole life was geared toward this moment.

A Baylor Bear, through and through. Experience working at every level of Baylor Athletics, and in the corporate sector (with a special focus on business and branding). It all adds up to what you see in Baylor’s new Director of Athletics, Doug McNamee (BA ’03, MSED ’05).

The most wonderful time of the year is officially here!

Last Thursday night, Baylor kicked off the Christmas season with the beloved tradition Christmas on 5th Street. From lights and snow to musical performances to pictures with Santa to photo opps and, of course, the live nativity, the heart of campus was filled with Baylor students, faculty/staff, their families — and plenty of Christmas spirit.

We almost let 2025 slip by without recognizing it as the 25th anniversary of a VERY important Baylor milestone… Yes, it has now been a quarter-century since Where the Heart Is was released in theaters, starring Baylor’s beautiful campus (and also Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd).

If you weren’t a student at the time, this might be a little piece of BU trivia for you… But Baylor’s campus is very clearly the setting for the film’s climactic scene, in which (spoiler alert) Portman’s character confesses her love for her boyfriend, setting the stage for the pair to live happily ever after. 

For the 10th year in a row, Baylor Volleyball is in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ryan McGuyre has led the best decade in program history, with a high program standard that this year’s squad, with significant contributions from numerous freshmen, has extended.

The Bears enter the postseason on a high note, having closed out the regular season with a top-20 win at TCU. Their 17-9 record and No. 22 overall ranking were buoyed by a strong close to the season that saw the Bears win four of their final five matches. That earned them a spot in the tournament as a No. 6 seed. They’ll begin their postseason journey in West Lafayette, Ind., taking on Arkansas State this Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m (ESPN+).

An incredible Baylor soccer season came to an end Sunday in the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, as the Bears fell to Ohio State, 2-1 in double overtime.

In her fourth year leading the Bears, head coach Michelle Lenard’s squad finished the year 14-5-4 overall, 7-3-1 in Big 12 play, and back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since back-to-back runs in 2017-18.

Only a relative handful of schools nationwide rank among U.S. News‘ top 40 for both undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research. That short list is filled with schools like Duke, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Yale — and Baylor.

For the seventh straight year, U.S. News‘ rankings placed Baylor right alongside such prestigious peers, as BU was ranked No. 27 nationally for undergraduate teaching and No. 40 for undergraduate research/creative projects. No other Big 12 schools (and only one other Texas school: Rice) made the top 40 in both categories.

The research being done at Baylor impacts lives on multiple levels. There are the people who benefit directly from the research itself — the people served by improved water quality, or mental health care, or autism care, etc. Then there are the Baylor students, who benefit from their professors bringing what they learn in the lab or in the field into the classroom.

You can also add Waco-area high school, middle school and elementary students to that list. Over the course of the last year, Baylor faculty have taken their research directly to schoolkids in seven local school districts in the form of hands-on projects tailored to their grade level. The programming is designed to encourage student interest in science, technology and math, and to encourage them to think about college for themselves.

According to a recent study, 44% of Gen Z Americans (ages 13-28) regularly watch anime. The animation style, which largely originates from Japan but has found a worldwide following, features a unique animation style and complex storylines. With anime becoming more mainstream in the last decade, more streaming services are adding titles to their libraries in order to cater to such audiences.

Anime-focused streaming service Crunchyroll, headquartered in the Dallas area, is among those leading the charge when it comes to providing the most robust collection of anime — and one of the people helping guide Crunchyroll is a Baylor alum.

Baylor Soccer‘s 2025 season has been a special one, with the No. 23-ranked Bears emerging as a force to be reckoned with nationally. On the heels of their best regular season in seven years, they’ve earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament — and they will begin their postseason journey at home.

For the seventh time in program history, Baylor Soccer is into the postseason. They’ll host Texas State Friday night at Betty Lou Mays Field, where they went 7-1 on the home pitch this season. It marks the eighth time Baylor will have hosted an NCAA Tournament match, and it’s easy to see why this year’s squad earned that honor.

Clyde Hart (BBA ’56) came to Baylor in 1952 as a student-athlete, then returned in 1963 as the Bears’ head track and field coach — a role he would hold for the next 42 years, followed by another 14 in another role with the program.

That’s 60 years wearing the green and gold as a student and coach — fully two-thirds of his life, after his passing on Saturday at age 91.

Every Saturday at McLane is like a Baylor Family reunion — but Homecoming weekend is THE annual family reunion, the one you don’t want to miss.

The nostalgia factor was high for the thousands of Bears who made their way home to Waco this past weekend for Baylor Homecoming 2025. For those who couldn’t make it — or for those who want to relive it — we bring you a look back at the weekend:

For so many in the Baylor Family, Homecoming is more than just a weekend — it’s the joy of showing loved ones that Baylor spirit, revisiting old stomping grounds, and reconnecting with the people and places that shaped their stories. Every October, that first glimpse of the bonfire signals that we’re home again.

For Scott Floyd (BA ’11, MDiv ’14) and his wife, Olivia (BS ’15), Homecoming has always carried extra meaning. The couple met in 2012 when Scott was in his second year at Truett Seminary and his future wife was a Baylor sophomore. Their friendship quickly blossomed into something more, and by the time Homecoming rolled around in October, they were officially dating.

“What school hosted the first collegiate homecoming?”

It’s a question that’s been long debated. But if you picture an alumni event centered around a varsity football game when you think of homecoming, then there’s no question that Baylor University hosted the first collegiate homecoming, all the way back in 1909.

College basketball season hasn’t yet arrived, and already Baylor basketball fans have had plenty to celebrate in recent weeks — from former BU All-American NaLyssa Smith earning a championship ring with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, to former men’s standout VJ Edgecombe’s historic NBA debut.

Such success is a reminder that we again have the chance to cheer on some of the best in the sport at Foster Pavilion. This year, both the Baylor men’s and women’s teams begin with familiar expectations and goals, but different roster makeups.

In 1909, Baylor hosted the first collegiate homecoming celebration in the nation. This week (Oct. 27-Nov. 1), we again renew that tradition, as the Baylor Family returns to campus to “catch that Baylor spirit again,” as President Samuel Palmer Brooks famously wrote more than a century ago.

At Homecoming, Baylor rolls out the red carpet to welcome you — alumni and friends — home. It’s the biggest Baylor Family reunion of the year — all about seeing old friends, recalling fond memories, sharing those stories with the next generation, and celebrating together as one.

Whether you’re a Homecoming regular or this is your first trip to campus in years, you’ll want to start your Baylor Homecoming experience this year at the Hurd Welcome Center.

The Hurd will serve as “Homecoming headquarters” for visitors, with Baylor staff on hand Friday and Saturday to answer questions and help you connect with school/college/campus events — plus a host of activities, photo ops, student performances and more for Bears of all ages.

For a decade now (!!), Baylor Traditions Ornaments have helped add a little green and gold to Christmas trees across the Baylor Family.

This year’s ornament features the cherished opening lyric from our school song: “That Good Old Baylor Line.” (And to celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary: If you missed one from the last few years, you can catch up — either with individual ornaments from the last five years, or a special Legacy Ornaments Set that includes past ornaments and a special display hanger.)

Looking for a great undergraduate experience? You can’t do much better than Baylor.

Baylor is one of just three colleges to rank among U.S. News‘ top 10 nationally for both first-year experience and learning communities, and the only one of those three to be either an R1 research institution or offer Power 4 athletics.

What is the best prescription for the challenges faced by communities and the individuals that comprise them? Dr. Tyshawn Gardner says the answer is “Christian proclamation” — the preaching that takes place in churches around the world. He has applied his scholarship and experiences toward resources that equip pastors to share the Good News in ways that are “faithful to God, faithful to the Biblical text and [done] in wisdom.”

One of the goals of a college degree, especially a graduate degree, is to help land a job. Few MBA programs are better at that than Baylor’s.

Baylor’s full-time MBA program ranks No. 6 in the nation for helping graduates find employment after graduation, according to U.S. News‘ most recent data. Last year’s class saw 92% of graduates employed within three months of graduation — one of just nine programs nationally to top 90%, and the only one in Texas.

It all started in 1942, when Mary Allen English (BA ’42), a young Baylor graduate, stepped into the halls of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. At the time, pediatric cardiology wasn’t a specialty; in fact, it barely existed. But under the mentorship of groundbreaking physician Helen Taussig, English finished first in her class and helped define an entirely new field. (She also married a classmate on her graduation day, becoming Dr. Mary Allen Engle.)

By the 1950s, Engle was leading the charge to treat congenital heart defects in infants — without invasive surgery. After completing fellowships at both Johns Hopkins and Cornell, she joined the faculty at New York Hospital–Cornell University Medical Center, where she founded and led the Division of Pediatric Cardiology. The innovations coming out of her lab would save countless children’s lives.

Baylor is filled with great stories to tell, and for the last eight years, Baylor Connections has been a key place where Bears share their stories in their own voices. After nearly 400 audio episodes, Baylor Connections has expanded — now offering both audio and video formats!

For many Baylor students, summer is a chance for special experiences — whether through internships, study abroad or or mission trips, or research opportunities.

Baylor senior Greatness Adewumi is an example of that last group — a psychology/neuroscience major on the pre-med track whose experience this past summer in Houston has only fueled her desire to delve into medical research.

About a decade ago, Baylor set out to complete major renovations of each of its legacy residence halls. Each would go offline for a year, during which time it would receive a head-to-toe update.

Penland went first, followed by North Russell, South Russell, Martin, Collins, Memorial and Alexander — and now, newly completed in time for the 2025-26 school year, Allen and Dawson. (Work is already underway on Kokernot, which should reopen in 2026 to welcome the next class of Bears.)

When Tiffany Jones‑Smith (BA ’95) graduated from Baylor, she couldn’t have known that her future would involve leading a statewide health initiative. Still, her heart for service and community was already clear. Today, as president and CEO of the Texas Kidney Foundation and chair of the Texas Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force, she’s become a fierce advocate for health equity, early screening, and life-saving policy. Her work reaches thousands of Texans each year, especially in communities where access to care has been historically limited.

For well over a decade, Baylor has been a staple among the universities recognized as a “Great College to Work For” — appearing on the elite annual list’s honor roll for 14 of the last 16 years. And while that alone makes for a good headline (and is emblematic of a BaylorProud faculty and staff), it’s far from the only honor that Baylor has earned this year for being an elite workplace.

It all started in 1951, when Jarrell McCracken (BA ’50, MA ’53), then a Baylor student, reimagined the Gospel with a twist: as a play‑by‑play radio game featuring two teams, Jesus vs. Satan, refereed by God. He dubbed it “The Game of Life,” pressed a mere 100 vinyl records — and changed the course of contemporary Christian music forever.

Baylor is once again among the nation's top 50 private universities and top 100 national universities, according to new U.S. News rankings for 2025-26.

Baylor moved up one place to No. 46 among private colleges and universities, and up three spots to No. 88 among the national universities (both public and private), ranking among the top 20% of all major universities nationwide.

Baylor Homecoming is just a month away — time to make your plans (if you haven’t already)! Here’s a round-up of what you’ll want to work into your schedule:

At Baylor, the student experience — creating a place where students can thrive academically, spiritually and socially — is at the heart of what we do. From our small student-to-faculty ratio and Christian environment to the 400+ student organizations on campus, Baylor offers countless ways for students to get involved and feel at home.

With so many opportunities, there’s something for everyone — literally from A to Z:

Music has long added elements of pageantry and aura for the U.S. Armed Forces. For the U.S. Navy, the Navy Band Sea Chanters is the musical voice of the aquatic branch. And now, a Baylor alumna stands among their ranks.

Alissa Ruth Suver (MM ’25), a conductor and soprano vocalist who graduated from Baylor in May, earned a highly coveted and highly competitive spot among the Sea Chanters — and then further demonstrated her commitment to the role and the cause it supports by completing Navy boot camp.

Last week, Baylor and Texas Baptists representatives came together for a ceremonial groundbreaking on a new Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) building that will be built at the corner of South Fourth Street and Daughtrey Avenue — near East Village and the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

From an early age, Thasunda Brown Duckett’s father taught her an old proverb: Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

That advice has served Duckett (MBA ’01) well. Over the last decade, she’s served as CEO of Chase Consumer Banking (2016-21) and, since 2021, as CEO of TIAA — a leading financial services provider that ranks among the 100 largest corporations in America. Her success earned her recognition as Baylor’s Alumna of the Year for 2022.

Baylor has always been about family — so it was a joy to welcome thousands of BU parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and more to campus this past weekend for Family Weekend 2025.

From the “Meet the Faculty” Welcome Hour on Friday afternoon, through the Lauren Daigle concert that night, and on to Baylor Football’s victory Saturday, the weekend was a joyful celebration of our extended Baylor Family.

This Family Weekend, students’ loved ones aren’t the only ones coming to Waco. Also returning: Baylor’s iconic Growling Bear, which is coming out of the vault for a limited time.

First introduced in 1969 after a design contest organized by head football coach Bill Beall, the Growling Bear logo was selected from more than 75 entries. The winning design was created by Elmer Fisher (BA ’51), a longtime classics professor and diehard Baylor football fan, in collaboration with law student Joey Taylor (BA ’68, JD ’71).

Clean water is something many of us take for granted; when we turn on a faucet, clean water just pours out. Not everyone is so lucky.

At Baylor, many researchers are individually and collectively focused on maintaining and improving water quality — building an internationally recognized name for excellence in water quality research that is relied on by communities, state governments, reservoir management agencies, and more.

Cheering on our Bears in the NFL is second nature to Baylor fans — from legends like Mike Singletary (BBA ’83) to current stars such as Jalen Pitre (BBA ’20, MSED ’21), there’s no shortage of Baylor alums who have made us proud at the next level.

But it’s not just on the field; all across the NFL, Baylor Bears can be found in front offices and training rooms, discovering talent on the scouting trail and generating revenue in tickets and sales. 

Chaplains have served the spiritual needs of American military members since the Continental Congress established them in 1775. For 250 years, these ministers have attended to the spiritual, moral, counseling, and guidance to servicepersons worldwide.

Recognizing Baylor’s legacy of Chaplain ministry service, the 21st U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Major General) Trent Davis, visited Baylor earlier this week to speak during Truett Seminary’s Chapel Service.