Baylor Proud

Our thoughts and prayers remain with our neighbors at Fort Hood, 60 miles southeast of Waco, as they continue to deal with the tragic shooting that claimed 13 lives last Thursday. With the nation’s largest military base right outside their door, most every resident of nearby Killeen has some connection to the base where the killings occurred.

Dr. Randall Wallace, BA ‘84, D.Min ‘07, is pastor of First Baptist Killeen, where about a third of the congregation has direct ties to Fort Hood. The church was also home to a a multi-denominational service last Sunday night that brought together believers from across the city as well as leaders like Texas Governor Rick Perry.

“My church has civilian people who were in the room at the time [of the shooting], and they were spared bullets,” Wallace told CBS News. “Fort Hood has been a sanctuary to our families… What we said was, ‘You go to Iraq; we’ll take care of your family.’ The sad reality is that this now takes away one of our safe places.”

Wallace and other pastors in the area have a tough task ahead, answering all the “why” questions that follow an event like this. Wallace, at least, can speak from the place of one who has battled adversity in his own life, having overcome dyslexia to earn his degree in religious studies from Baylor in 1984, then a master’s at Southwestern Theological Seminary before completing his doctorate from Baylor’s Truett Seminary two years ago. He has served as pastor at FBC Killeen since 2000 and also is a member of the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Executive Board.

Sic ’em, Pastor Wallace, for your service in time of need!

In May 2004, Tim Culver (BBA’ 84) received news that his wife, Sara (BS ‘84, MS ‘85), had suffered a stroke. With three children still at home and the oldest child heading off to serve in Iraq, Tim was devastated. After 10 days in ICU, he was told his wife would never walk, talk, or interact with people again.

Sara spent three months doing in-patient rehab before the recommendation came that she needed to be moved to a nursing home, because she would need 24-7 care the rest of her life. Tim, however, was still seeing improvements, and thus refused the recommendation. He fought his insurance company to get Sara into a special center that treats traumatic brain injuries; three months later, she went home and walked up the stairs without assistance. Today, she drives, takes care of her children and has returned to work.

That, of course, is the short version of their story; one could write many, many more words about what such a battle meant to the Culvers, not to mention the ocean of tears shared by the entire family over the past five years. Tim, now a doctoral student at Baylor in addition to his full-time job at AT&T, has captured the entire tale in the book Sara’s Story, released earlier this fall. An inspiring chronicle, and best of all, one with a happy ending for the Culvers!

Sic ’em, Culver family!

I had the privilege last week of attending the Baylor Business Network of Austin’s monthly luncheon, at which Drayton McLane, BBA ‘58, chairman of the Houston Astros and McLane Group, LP, was the featured speaker. McLane spoke to a group of about 100 Bears about the importance of integrity in leadership. That he took time from his busy work schedule (and in the midst of hiring a new manager for the Astros) speaks to the importance he sees in such Baylor Network gatherings.

In the coming months, the BBN Austin luncheon will feature speakers such as 2008 national Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year Dr. Bill Petty, business school dean Terry Maness, Jim Arnold (BBA ‘76) of Arnold Oil, and Texas State Rep. Valinda Bolton (BA ‘81). And that’s just the Austin group; similar groups meet regularly in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, with a new group in the works in New York City.

And all that is just the business aspect of the Baylor Network; there’s also the Baylor Sports Network, gathering fans for rallies and watch parties across country; the Baylor Women’s Network, promoting fellowship and raising scholarships for current students; the Young Grads’ Network, for those who graduated in the past 10 years; the Global Network, connecting Bears all over the world; and the Baylor Parents League, helping improve the Baylor experience for moms and dads of students.

In all, the Network held over 500 events across more than 100 cities in 25 states last year. (At right is just a sampling of the Network’s events this month; click on it for more.) Are you connected? Visit baylor.edu/network for more information.

Sic ’em, Baylor alumni!