Baylor We Are: Attracting World Leaders

University President Ken Starr has often remarked that as the world has grown smaller, the “Pro Texana” part of Baylor’s motto can no longer mean just “for Texas” or “for the state.” It must reach further; today’s Baylor students will impact not only the Texas of tomorrow, but the United States and even the world.

Hundreds of Baylor alumni live outside the U.S., and hundreds more of our current students are getting to experience a brief taste of what that’s like through international programs. That may mean a week-long mission trip, a summer abroad, or an entire semester spent in an exchange program.

In the past decade, the number of international opportunities available to Baylor students has nearly doubled, from 50 in 2001 to around 100 the last several years. Participation in study abroad programs has fluctuated with the economy, but overall is up 35 percent from 2001 to 2010 and peaked at 1,053 students in 2007. And that doesn’t even include the hundreds of students who have gone overseas on university-sponsored mission trips.

Such experiences without a doubt increase Baylor students’ “desire for wisdom, understanding of calling, and preparation for service in an interconnected global society,” as Aspirational Statement One of the draft strategic plan reads.

Sic ’em, world leaders of tomorrow!

Previously on Baylor Proud:
* Social work’s Global Mission Leadership to move ahead thanks to generous gift (Dec. 2011)
* Summer mission trips: 100s of Baylor students head out as research validates trips’ effects (May 2011)
* Alum moves from Baylor to the highest levels of Jordan’s government (Jan. 2011)
* U.S. Dept. of State puts recent Baylor grad on fast track to foreign service (Nov. 2010)
* International honors allow Baylor students to continue studies overseas (April 2010)
* As headquarters, Baylor leads global computer science competition (March 2010)
* Alum in Scotland reaches out to students overseas at Thanksgiving (Dec. 2008)