A look ahead at this fall’s freshman class

Part of Baylor’s Vision 2012 has been to attract a top-tier student body by “recruiting students with strong academic records and characters consistent with Baylor’s mission” — outstanding students like Alana Akers, Miriam Garcia and Andrew McCleskey. These three students have each chosen Baylor and are just a sampling of the 3,000-plus students who will begin classes this fall.

* Akers, an incoming freshman from Beaumont, Texas, is a National Merit finalist and an aspiring doctor who has already been shadowing a pediatrician on a weekly basis (pictured at right). The Beaumont Enterprise profiled her here.

* Garcia is one of four El Paso-area students who received Gates Millennium Scholarships, given to top minority students with financial need. Garcia is the No. 2 student in her class and chose Baylor over schools like Notre Dame, Texas Tech and TCU. The El Paso Times wrote about her and the other local Gates Millennium Scholars.

* McCleskey, a Richardson, Texas, native, was highlighted by The Dallas Morning News in their ongoing series of “Good Kids.” An Eagle Scout and mission work volunteer, McCleskey plans to major in film and digital media at Baylor.

We are truly blessed at Baylor to have student after student with backgrounds like these entering year after year.

Sic ’em, incoming freshmen!