Hurd Welcome Center going up fast; set to open Summer 2023

A generous gift from Mark (BBA ’79) and Paula Hurd officially launched both the creation of the Hurd Welcome Center and Baylor’s Give Light fundraising campaign in late 2018. Groundbreaking for the welcome center took place in February 2020, and the facility is now going up quickly at the intersection of I-35 and University Parks Drive.

See the progress for yourself in these photos from late last month:

Compare that to how things looked in September 2021, November 2021, February 2022 and April 2022, and you’ll get a sense of how fast things are moving on the site. When it opens in Summer 2023, the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center will serve as a sort of “front door” to the university — welcoming prospective students and alumni alike, with everything from high-tech interactive experiences to a spirit shop, coffee shop, ballroom, and office space.

Sadly, Mark Hurd passed away in October 2019, but his wife, Paula, continues to be actively engaged with the project. The university hosted Paula and the rest of the Board of Regents last month for a special ceremony in which the guests signed a steel beam that is part of one of the signature light pillars that highlights the project.

Sic ’em, Hurd Welcome Center!