Baylor 2012 « Baylor Proud

Points of Pride — Baylor 2012

Jan

2010

Victory with Integrity campaign surpasses goals of five-year plan

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Athletics, Baylor 2012, Photo Galleries

When I worked in athletics, I lost track of the number of other schools that would come to play Baylor and marvel at our athletics complex along the Brazos River. Since then, Baylor has only continued to improve its athletic facilities, as venues like the Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility, the Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex and the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center have gone up along University Parks Drive.

This past weekend, the Hurd Tennis Building was dedicated, following renovations that make the facility one befitting Baylor tennis’ championship level of competition. The dedication was the crowning event of an entire weekend of celebration, as the athletics department celebrated the successful conclusion of the Victory with Integrity Campaign. (See photos here.) Launched in 2005, the campaign’s goal was to raise $90 million in five years for facilities, scholarships and endowments. Baylor fans deserve kudos for blowing past that goal, raising a total of $94.3 million for athletics.

In addition to the money raised for scholarships and endowment, the campaign’s fundraising allowed for the construction of the Lt. Jack Whetsel Jr. Basketball Practice Facility and the Willis Family Equestrian Center, plus the completion of the Grant Teaff Plaza at Floyd Casey Stadium and numerous other upgrades and renovations. The benefits of these improvements can been seen on the field, with nine Baylor sports currently ranked in the top 25 (softball joined the fun this week at No. 15), and in the classroom, as a school-record 254 student-athletes earned places on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll this past fall.

Sic ’em, Baylor fans and Baylor athletics!

Jan

2010

Freshman bio students get new opportunities for research

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Baylor 2012, Honors, Research

Eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes’ interest in biomedical research half a century ago will benefit Baylor students beginning this fall, as some BU freshmen join students from 36 other universities and colleges in an undergraduate research project that will walk them through discovering, studying and even naming a bacterial virus.

Baylor was selected by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a non-profit medical research organization started by Hughes that ranks among the nation’s largest philanthropies, to join the Science Education Alliance, a two-part, year-long course that allows students to become involved with research even as freshmen. The course will be taught in a pair of new introductory biology courses.

In the first semester, students will isolate a bacterial virus (like the one pictured here) and study its DNA. Between terms, the DNA will be sent to the Joint Genome Institute-Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico for sequencing; students will then spend the second course using bioinformatics tools to analyze the genomes. (Click here to hear what students at other universities have said about their experiences in this program.)

Sic ’em, Baylor researchers, from faculty to freshmen!

Oct

2009

Visiting fan commends Baylor fans’ hospitality

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Alumni, Athletics, Baylor 2012

Baylor tailgating One of the imperatives of Baylor’s Vision 2012 is “Winning with Integrity.” Naturally, the emphasis there is on Baylor’s student-athletes — that they would not only succeed athletically, but also in the classroom and in life. But a corollary of that is how Baylor alumni and other fans carry themselves, as well, particularly around athletic venues. I was pleased to read this letter to the editor that ran in last week’s Waco Tribune-Herald from a Connecticut resident who came down for the Baylor-UConn football game.

“At the age of 78, my wife and I have lived long enough to say that our recent visit to Waco will be a standout memory for our remaining years. We arrived Sept. 19 to attend the University of Connecticut vs. Baylor University football game. This was not only our first visit to Waco but our first visit to Texas. Unfortunately, the only prior knowledge we had of Waco was the news coverage of the David Koresh cult, but we arrived with open minds and soon found ourselves being welcomed wherever we went. …

“We arrived at the football stadium to find tailgating in full swing with smoke billowing from huge trailers hauling double grills. I had never seen one of these grills, and here was a field full of them. My wife and I walked around — in UConn shirts — and nearly every group around a grill extended an invitation for us to join them for a meal and beverage. Not one derogatory remark was passed.

“We were overwhelmed by the kindness extended to us, especially the Bears fans. We have never been the recipients of so much genuine hospitality. In a world of so much negativity, to be treated as we were is such a stark contrast that we felt we had to write and extend our thanks and gratitude to the people of Waco and especially those Bear fans. Bless you all.

– V. Wright, Waterford, Conn.”

Sic ’em, Baylor fans, for representing our University so well!

Aug

2009

Tennis teams match on-court excellence with academic success

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Athletics, Baylor 2012, Honors

Sure, you’ve heard all about Baylor’s incredibly successful men’s and women’s tennis teams. How each squad won the Big 12 regular season title for the fifth straight year. How both teams again won the Big 12 Tournament. How they both advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals this spring. And how they each finished among the top 10 in the country for the third time in four years.

But add one more feat to the list: both Matt Knoll’s men and Joey Scrivano’s women were named All-Academic Teams by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. To be eligible for the honor, the team GPA must be 3.20 or higher; during the spring, the women recorded a 3.40 GPA, and the men a 3.46, all-time highs for each program.

So to recap, we have a pair of year-in, year-out top-10 squads, including one with a national championship in its recent history, AND they excel in the classroom, too? Sounds like the definition of “Winning with Integrity” to me.

Sic ’em, Baylor tennis!

Jul

2009

Prominent alums, supporters meet with Regents to talk Baylor

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Alumni, Baylor 2012, Photo Galleries

Baylor alumnus Drayton McLane, chairman of the McLane Group and owner of the Houston Astros, led a group of heavy hitters who visited Baylor this week during the annual summer retreat for the University’s Regents. Academic and business leaders, key supporters and others joined the Regents to hear reports about Baylor’s progress and to contribute to discussions about the University’s future.

Board members convened two groups. Wednesday afternoon, regents met with a panel of current and former board members from several different universities. The four panelists — McLane, former chair of Baylor’s Board; James Huffines, chairman of PlainsCapital Bank and current chair of the University of Texas System Board of Regents; Phil Norwood, president and CEO of Faison Enterprises and immediate past chair of Washington and Lee University’s Board of Regents; and David Laney, formerly chair of Amtrak’s Board of Directors and a former member of Stanford University’s Board of Regents — spoke to Baylor’s Regents about a variety of “best practices” they’ve encountered and implemented while serving as a member of a university board.

A special feature of the three-day meeting was a dinner for Regents and welcomed guests hosted by Waco residents and Baylor supporters Nell and Jim Hawkins at their home Wednesday evening. A number of prominent Baylor alumni joined Regents to learn more about University initiatives and progress. Among those in attendance were Jay Allison, president and CEO of Comstock Resources Inc., and Jenny Allison, past-president of the Baylor Women’s Council of Dallas; Ken Carlile, co-chairman of Carlile Companies, his brother Steve Carlile, chairman/CEO of Home and Garden Party, and Penny Carlile, president of Home and Garden Party; Paul Foster, president/owner of Western Refining Co.; Bob Perry, chairman of the board for Perry Homes Ltd.; Walter Umphrey, senior managing partner of the Provost & Umphrey Law Firm; and John Eddie Williams, founding partner and attorney for Williams Kherkher. (Click here for a photo gallery from the week’s events.)

As a Baylor graduate, I’m deeply appreciative that such busy, influential leaders are motivated enough by their love for our university that they took time out of their schedules to come to Waco to help my alma mater. That individuals such as these would choose to support the University speaks volumes of the special affinity people have for this place and the unique role that Baylor has in the world of higher education.

Sic ’em, Baylor heavy hitters!

May

2009

Baseball’s Miller earns program’s 7th Academic All-America honor

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Athletics, Baylor 2012, Honors

Exactly a week after receiving All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches, Baylor junior Aaron Miller became the seventh student-athlete in Baylor baseball history to earn Academic All-America honors, following in the footsteps of pitcher Pat Combs (1988), first baseman Charley Carter (1998), pitcher Jason Jennings (1998-99), outfielder Jon Topolski (1998-99), first baseman Ross Bennett (2003) and catcher Zach Dillon (2006). All but Combs were so honored during head coach Steve Smith’s 15 seasons at the helm of the Bears.

Miller, a management and entrepreneurship major, has been the epitome of “Winning with Integrity,” excelling not only in the classroom but also at the plate and even on the mound this season. As the Bears’ right fielder, Miller is batting .328 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 53 games; he also has compiled a 3-3 record on the mound, with 59 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. The junior also earned his sixth selection to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, one of a school-record 223 student-athletes to be so honored this spring.

The Academic All-America announcement also came just one day after the Bears learned they would be making their 10th NCAA appearance in 12 years, heading to Louisiana for the Baton Rouge Regional. Baylor will face 21st-ranked Minnesota Friday at 6 p.m. CT; host LSU, the national No. 3 seed, and SWAC champion Southern round out the regional field.

Sic ’em, Aaron and Baylor baseball!

Apr

2009

Math professor recognized for teaching excellence by state association

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Baylor 2012, Honors

Dr. John Davis Another month, another award for a Baylor professor… This weekend, math professor Dr. John M. Davis will receive the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America at the group’s annual meeting.

I love what Davis has to say about the University: “I came to Baylor because of the emphasis Baylor places on research and teaching. Excellence in one area does not preclude excellence in the other. … Baylor is a special place in terms of the students I come in contact with, as well as the faculty who are genuinely interested and engaged in being successful teachers. … My goal each day, and each semester, is to bring something new and better to the classroom than I did the last time I taught the material.” Really, that’s the heart of Baylor’s Vision 2012.

Sic ’em, Dr. Davis!

Feb

2009

School of Music takes Baylor to Belgium for two weeks of performances

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Baylor 2012

Baylor in Belgium Over the next two weeks, 24 professors from Baylor’s School of Music will invade Belgium, presenting 21 concerts and recitals, 78 master classes and workshops, 12 scholarly lectures and presentations, and seven governmental relations events. The scope of “Baylor in Belgium: An American Music Festival” is unprecedented among American universities, as Baylor representatives will appear in 16 different cities, including appearances in all of Belgium’s major music conservatories and in a host of music academies for high-school age students.

During the trip, the annual International Contemporary Music Festival will showcase the musical compositions of Baylor faculty composer Dr. Scott McAllister. Another professor (and alumnus), Dr. Loyd Hawthorne, will conduct the Belgium National Radio Choir in two concerts, while other Baylor faculty members will conduct and perform in major public concerts in Brussels and Antwerp.

The goal of all this? Besides the obvious “flinging our green and gold afar” and sharing the Baylor name internationally, the School of Music aims to establish relationships with music colleagues in Europe while offering our own faculty new experiences, which in turn will make them better teachers for students back home in Waco. Both of those purposes help fulfill the goal of emphasizing global education detailed in Baylor’s Vision 2012, as today’s students increasingly enter a world in which they must be comfortable thinking not only regionally or nationally, but globally.

Sic ’em in Belgium, Baylor School of Music!

Feb

2009

Heart of service at the core of Baylor’s mission

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Baylor 2012, Student life

Earlier this week, Baylor was named to the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which “recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service.”

Teaching students the importance of service has always been at Baylor’s core, as seen in both the University’s longstanding mission statement and the more recent Vision 2012. Whether overseas or right here in Waco, Baylor students learn the need to follow Christ’s example in serving one another.

I could share countless other examples (and we often have), but here’s a new one I just heard about. About a year ago, we covered the ONE Campaign’s efforts at Baylor and nationwide towards raising awareness of extreme poverty. In December, the Baylor chapter raised funds to support Malaria No More, a non-profit group that aims to end deaths from malaria. Above and beyond that, the Baylor group also worked with faculty to incorporate Malaria No More’s message into curriculum in classes across campus. Professors in departments as diverse as engineering, social work, Spanish, journalism and biology all pitched in to help spread the word about the over one million people who die worldwide each year from the disease.

Sic ’em, ONE Campaign supporters and all Bears who serve!

Oct

2008

More students than ever applying for international Fulbright Program

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Baylor 2012, Student life

Since the launch of Baylor’s Vision 2012, the University has placed extra emphasis on global education. An important part of that has been helping students apply to the Fulbright Program, a federal international educational exchange program which gives scholarships to help students study abroad.

Earlier this week, a record 20 Baylor students submitted their applications for the Fulbright Program; the proposals come from a variety of subject areas, ranging from music and journalism to international studies, from business to modern foreign languages.

Applications have gone forward for Fulbrights to Austria, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Nepal, Armenia, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil and Taiwan. About 80 faculty members supported these students’ bids by providing letters of recommendation, completing language assessments, reviewing student proposals and interviewing applicants.

The application process is intense, and not something to be taken lightly. The program has been administered through the dean’s office in the College of Arts and Sciences for the past three years; since the College began a concerted effort to promote the program more widely on campus, Baylor has had 10 Fulbright winners. Not only do the individual students benefit from the effort, but Baylor’s strong academic reputation is strengthened.

Sic ’em, potential Fulbright scholars!

Points of Pride — Baylor 2012

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