Baylor Proud

Apr

2013

Men’s hoops to play for NIT championship!

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Athletics, Honors

Isaiah Austin Baylor fans will get to enjoy watching seniors Pierre Jackson and A.J. Walton in the green and gold for one more game.

Jackson’s 24 points and 10 assists led Baylor men’s basketball past BYU Tuesday night, 76-70, in the NIT semifinals. [See photos from Baylor Photography and the AP.] The Bears will now face Iowa for the 2013 NIT championship Thursday night (8 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Head coach Scott Drew’s squad is in the NIT title game for the second time in five years; Baylor lost in the 2009 championship game to Penn State, 69-63; that game was the last at Baylor for Curtis Jerrells, Kevin Rogers, Henry Dugat and Mamadou Diene. But it also featured freshmen Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones and sophomore LaceDarius Dunn, players who would lead the Bears to two NCAA Elite Eights in the following three years.

[Want to show your support for the Bears as they aim for the NIT title? Back the Bears with a gift of $5, $15 or $50 to the Baylor Bear Foundation Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund!]

Overall, the last five years under Drew have seen the Bears reach two NCAA Elite Eights and two NIT championship games. The Bears’ postseason record in that time is 14-3.

Baylor fans in Dallas (Christie’s, 2811 McKinney Ave.), Houston (Champps Americana, 1121 Uptown Park Blvd.) and other cities can gather with other Bears for watch parties Thursday night; to find out if there’s a gathering in your town, contact the Baylor Alumni Network.

Sic ’em, Baylor basketball!

Apr

2013

Lady Bears’ loss brings out showings of support from Baylor family

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Alumni, Athletics, Student life

If anything good came from the Lady Bears’ stinging one-point loss to Louisville on Sunday night in the Sweet 16, it was seeing how the Baylor family rose up together in support of the program and its student-athletes.

In fact, in the 48 or so hours since the loss, I have yet to see a single person knocking the women in any way. Instead, I’ve seen hundreds of tweets, Facebook posts, etc. commending the Lady Bears for their efforts — including comments from some of Baylor’s most prominent alumni.

NFL Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III, BA ’10, went off in defense of his fellow Bears via Twitter, attracting even the attention of Texas Monthly (who described RG3′s comments as “unfiltered, angry and fiercely Baylor proud”). For example:

Whew…..ok I took my time to calm down and not go off on twitter about the Baylor Girls Basketball game….BUT I CAN’T DO IT!!!!!

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 1, 2013

NBA first-round pick Perry Jones III was in attendance at the game and was comforting the Lady Bears in person after the game (that’s him with Odyssey Sims at right in a great photo taken by the Dallas Morning News‘ Vernon Bryant).

ESPN studio host Trey Wingo, BA ’85, kept it short and sweet Sunday night:

Baylor, we are. Forever proud of @brittney4griner and @kimmulkey

— trey wingo (@wingoz) April 1, 2013

University President Ken Starr was among those in Oklahoma City cheering loudly for the Lady Bears, and he, too, joined the voices of support in an email to the entire Baylor family. “We salute this magnificent team,” he wrote. “These student-athletes — and their coaches — will forever be remembered by Baylor Nation — and indeed, the entire country.”

HLN anchor Richelle Carey, St. Louis Ram Terrance Ganaway, Seattle Mariner Kelly Shoppach, and others were also vocal in support of the Baylor players and coaches. This tweet from a current Baylor student seemed to sum up the night:

SO much baylor love on my TL right now. Just goes to show how much of a family we are and how all students will always be @baylorproud

— Tessa Espinoza (@tesshuhh) April 1, 2013

Sic ’em, Lady Bears and the entire Baylor family!

[Another way to show your support for the Lady Bears? A gift of $5, $15 or $50 to the Baylor Bear Foundation Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund.]

Mar

2013

Students host annual Easter egg hunt for Baylor community kids

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Photo Galleries, Service, Student life

Baylor Easter Egg Hunt

Every year, the ladies of Kappa Kappa Gamma host an Easter Egg hunt on Founders Mall (between Pat Neff and Waco Hall) for the children and grandchildren of Baylor faculty and staff. [Click here for pictures from this year's event, thanks to Baylor Photography.]

Hundreds of plastic eggs stuffed with candy and other goodies are distributed across the grounds, as the children (ages 9 and under) wait for the signal to begin a mad dash of egg collecting. The “hunt” doesn’t take long — usually five minutes or less — but the squeals of joy ring in parents’ ears for far longer. (My three-year-old thanked God that night for “the Baylor Easter thing.”)

Of course Easter is primarily about our Savior’s death and resurrection, but it’s also enjoyable around such holidays to celebrate with family — be they flesh and blood, or members of the larger Baylor family. As both an alum and a parent, I’m thankful to be a part of the community here and to those who bring us together for such events.

Sic ’em, KKG!

Mar

2013

Men’s hoops headed to NYC, Madison Square Garden and NIT Final Four

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

Cory Jefferson vs. Providence For the second straight year, Baylor is the last Texas team standing in both men’s and women’s basketball.

One night after the Lady Bears won at home to advance to the NCAA’s Sweet 16, head coach Scott Drew’s men defeated Providence in the Ferrell Center, 79-68, to move on to the NIT semifinals. The Bears will face BYU on Tuesday, April 2, in Madison Square Garden (6 p.m. CT, ESPN2), with the winner playing for the title two days later.

As has been the case so many times this season, Wednesday’s win was keyed by senior guard Pierre Jackson (20 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds, 0 turnovers) and junior forward Cory Jefferson (26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks). Freshman Rico Gathers added a tough 8 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and played a season-high 27 minutes. [See pictures from Baylor Photography and the Associated Press.]

[Want to show your support for the Bears and Lady Bears during their postseason runs? Back the Bears with a gift of $5, $15 or $50 to the Baylor Bear Foundation Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund!]

Baylor has a limited number of tickets available for the games in New York City; fans can also purchase tickets through Ticketmaster. Fans in NYC can join the Baylor Alumni Network for sendoff parties at the team hotel (the Marriott Marquis) 90 minutes prior to each game; fans at each sendoff party will also receive a free t-shirt (while supplies last).

NOTES: The Bears’ three NIT wins so far have improved their record to 21-14, marking the fifth time in the last six years that Baylor has won 20-plus games. In the previous 101 years of Baylor basketball, the Bears had just three 20-win seasons. … Baylor has already faced BYU once this season; the Bears beat the Cougars 79-64 in Waco back in December behind double-doubles from Jefferson (13 points, 16 rebounds) and freshman Isaiah Austin (14 points, 10 rebounds).

Sic ’em, Baylor basketball!

Mar

2013

Griner’s 3 dunks lead top-ranked Lady Bears to fifth straight Sweet 16

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Athletics, Honors, Photo Galleries, Videos

Brittney Griner waves to fans after final game in Waco

From the outset Tuesday night, it was clear that Brittney Griner wanted to put on a show in her final game in the Ferrell Center — especially after learning there was a special guest in the house.

With former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, in attendance, Griner scored 33 points, pulled down 22 rebounds, and became the first woman in NCAA history to dunk three times in a game as the No. 1-seeded Baylor women’s basketball team beat Florida State, 85-47.

With this victory and the Lady Bears’ opening round win over Prairie View A&M, Baylor advanced to a fifth straight Sweet 16 (the eighth in Kim Mulkey’s 13 years at Baylor).

[LINKS: Highlights from ESPN, including Griner's 3 dunks || Photos from Baylor Photography and the AP || Griner & Mulkey reflect on the seniors' final home game || President Obama picks Baylor to win it all || Players do their best Mulkey impersonations || Jalen Rose on Brittney Griner's numbers || Griner's 15th career dunk || Baylor/Sweet 16 t-shirt available from the Baylor Bookstore]

Over the last four years, Baylor’s senior class of Griner, Nae-Nae Hayden, Jordan Madden, Brooklyn Pope and Destiny Williams led the Lady Bears to an astounding 72-2 record in the Ferrell Center. But their final goal still awaits; they hope to leave with back-to-back national championships — something only three other schools have ever accomplished (Southern Cal, Tennessee and UConn).

Next up for the Lady Bears: 16th-ranked Louisville on Sunday in Oklahoma City, with the winner of that game facing either Tennessee or Oklahoma Tuesday in OKC. Baylor has sold-out of its allotment of tickets for the regional, but fans may purchase seats directly from the Chesapeake Energy Arena web site. Gameday bus trips from Waco to OKC and back are also available for both games from Anthony Travel.

In Oklahoma City, Baylor fans can join the Baylor Alumni Network for send-off parties at the team hotel (the Skirvin Hilton) 90 minutes prior to each game, as well as a pep rally at the hotel from 8-9 p.m. April 1 if the women advance to the Elite Eight.

Sic ’em, Lady Bears!

Mar

2013

Top-ranked programs helping Baylor prepare tomorrow’s healthcare industry leaders

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Alumni, Honors, Student life

Hilary Griffin From individual honors to national rankings, Baylor continues to make its name known among universities preparing tomorrow’s healthcare industry leaders.

Just this month, Baylor MBA candidate Hilary Griffin placed second in the 2013 Richard J. Stull Student Essay Competition in Healthcare Management, sponsored by the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Her essay outlines a possible solution to obstacles that hinder more than 11 million children with chronic conditions from getting the medical care they need.

Griffin (pictured) is a graduate student in the Robbins MBA Healthcare Program in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, which ranked 25th nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent graduate school ranking of healthcare management programs. Another Baylor graduate offering, the Baylor-U.S. Army master’s program in health administration, was ranked No. 11 in the nation by U.S.News.

Of course, Baylor isn’t only preparing tomorrow’s healthcare industry leaders — they’ve also prepared many of today’s, including the CEOs of both Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare, the president of a leading network of rehabilitation and long-term care providers, and a top Army medical reserve commander.

Sic ’em, Bears in healthcare!

Mar

2013

Men’s hoops continues postseason roll into NIT quarterfinals

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Athletics, Honors

Men's basketball postgame prayer

If you’ve been following Baylor men’s basketball the last few years, you’ve probably picked up on two things.

One, the Bears have an interesting pattern going. 2008, 2010, 2012 — NCAA tournament appearances. 2009 (NIT), 2011 (nothing, following Perry Jones’ suspect suspension), 2013 (NIT) — elsewhere.

Secondly, head coach Scott Drew’s team has a pretty impressive record in the postseason. Over the past five seasons (including this year), Baylor has a combined NCAA/NIT record of 12-3, including two NCAA Elite Eight finishes (2010, 2012) and a run to the NIT championship game (2009). And you’ll have to go back to 2008 to find the last time the men were knocked out of the postseason by a team that didn’t end up winning the tournament.

The Bears are working on another such run, having defeated Big West Conference regular season champ Long Beach State (112-66!) and Pac-12 at-large bid Arizona State (89-86) in the first two rounds of the 2013 NIT. Baylor will host ~~the winner of tonight’s Robert Morris/~~Providence ~~game on~~ at 8 p.m. Wednesday night. [Check out BaylorBears.com's digital postseason guide for a pretty sweet preview, complete with video links and more.]

Win or lose, that will be the final game in the Ferrell Center for seniors Pierre Jackson, A.J. Walton and Jacob Neubert; the loser of that quarterfinal match will go home, while the winner will move on to New York City and Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals and finals, April 2-4.

Got your tickets? Got your gear? Then I’ll see you at the Ferrell Center Wednesday night!

Sic ’em, Bears!

Mar

2013

Alum named director of White House faith-based office

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Alumni, Faith, Honors

Melissa Rogers When President Barack Obama went looking for a new director for the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, it seems only natural that he would find a Baylor Bear.

Melissa Rogers, BA ’88, was named earlier this month to replace one of President Obama’s longest-serving aides as the top White House official on religious issues. Rogers joins the Executive Branch from Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity, where she has led the Center for Religion and Public Affairs since 2004; prior to that, she served as executive director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and as general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

[MEDIA COVERAGE: Huffington Post || Christianity Today || New York Times || Associated Baptist Press || Washington Post || Relevant Magazine]

An expert on church-state relations and lifelong Baptist, Rogers earned Phi Beta Kappa honors and a bachelor’s degree in history from Baylor before graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Sic ’em, Melissa!

Mar

2013

Alum’s photos document 50 years of changes in the Middle East

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Academics, Alumni

A lot has changed in the Middle East over the past 50 years. That might be intuitive, but it’s never more evident than through the lens of Dr. Colbert Held’s camera.

Take the images above, for example. At left is a mostly empty stretch of desert along the Persian Gulf in 1973; at right, that same stretch of coast in 2003 – now part of Dubai, a city of two million people known for its ambitious skyscrapers and luxurious lifestyles. Both photos were taken by Held, BA ’38 — the first during his 20 years in the Middle East as a Foreign Service officer (part of the U.S. Department of State), the second during a return trip many years later.

Held photos exhibit, Poage Library In 1976, Held retired from the State Department to Waco, where he was invited by Baylor President Abner McCall, JD ’38, BA ’42, to join the faculty as diplomat-in-residence and professor in political geography. But even after returning to the States, Held and his wife, Mildred, continued to regularly visit the Middle East, always taking photos to document the changes they began to see.

Held’s knowledge of the region led to the publication of a book, Middle East Patterns: Places, Peoples, and Politics, in 1989; an updated sixth edition will soon be released, as the volume is still used as a textbook at Baylor and elsewhere.

This spring, Held (now 95) worked with Baylor doctoral candidate Corinne Peters to select approximately 200 photographs (out of his collection of more than 19,000) for an exhibit on display through May in Baylor’s W.R. Poage Legislative Library (pictured at right), sponsored in part by Aramco Services Co. Additional photos are also on display in Moody Memorial Library, The Texas Collection and Armstrong Browning Library.

Sic ’em, Dr. Held!

Mar

2013

Students skip skiing for spring break service

Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in Service, Student life

2013 Baylor Freshman Spring Break Mission Trip at work While the cliche remains that every college student spends spring break hitting the slopes or partying at the beach, hundreds of Baylor students spent their week off in a very different manner: serving others.

In addition to the many who headed out with local church college groups, six teams of students organized by Baylor’s Office of Spiritual Life hit the road to put what they’ve learned in the classroom to practical use benefitting others:

The Multicultural Association of Pre-health Students sent a group to Panama City, Panama, where they observed and served in free local clinics under the supervision of doctors from Global Medical Training International.
An American Medical Student Association team traveled to Guatemala to work with Global Community Health Evangelism, observing and serving in local clinics and teaching basic hygiene techniques to village children.
Students from Baylor’s medical humanities program visited Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador, the country’s national university, where they observed and served in the university hospital and local clinics.
Baylor School of Nursing students went to Lima, Peru, to work with a local church, offering health education and physical assessments. They also researched local health practices in Peru.
An urban mission team traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas, to partner with Literacy Connexus and Texas Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. There, the group sponsored family reading fairs and literacy projects, worked in community gardens and performed light construction.
A team of 20 freshmen worked with Eight Days of Hope, a disaster recovery group, helping with relief efforts and doing light construction in LaPlace, La.

“These students are giving up their spring break to serve others,” noted Rebecca Kennedy, Baylor’s director of missions and an associate chaplain. ”That speaks volumes to the spirit of the Baylor student who seizes opportunities to serve God and neighbor. Many of our trips are discipline-focused, which allows students and faculty to integrate faith, learning and service into their mission experience.”

To see photos and read more about these students’ spring break experiences, check out @BUMissions on Twitter and visit facebook.com/BUMissions.

Sic ’em, Baylor students!