T. Laine Scales is Professor of Social Work and advisor for part-time instructors. Prior to coming to Baylor, she was on the faculties of Stephen F. Austin State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University. In addition to achieving the rank of Professor, Dr. Scales completed 15 years as Associate Dean in Baylor’s Graduate School from 2004-2019. Her scholarly work led to her appointment as co-director of Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR).   She has authored, co-authored, or co-edited 10 books, 40 articles and chapters, and presented over 50 professional papers and workshops in higher education and in social work. Her research interests include doctoral education, history of Baptist women in social work and missions, and rural social work. She teaches masters and doctoral level students in advanced theories of community practice, Christianity and social work ethics, and qualitative research methods. In 2016,  Dr. Scales was awarded the designation Master Teacher, Baylor’s highest teaching honor and in 2019, the Centennial Professor Award. She also provides faculty development  in online teaching and learning for part-time instructors in the Garland School of Social Work.

With an administrative focus on faculty development, Dr. Scales has focused much of her career on developing newer faculty, graduate students and part time instructors. Through her leadership of such programs as Conyers Scholars, Baptist College and University Scholars, and Preparing our Future Faculty, she has mentored aspiring faculty from all disciplines as well as current faculty and administrators, serving as co-leader of the Summer Faculty Institute (2005-2008); Adjunct Training Institute (2008-2011), and Baylor Seminar for Academic Leadership (2014-2016). She was influential in in the creation of Baylor’s Academy for Teaching and Learning in 2008, and has served continuously on its advisory board as well as on the provost’s Teaching and Learning with Technology Committee.

Dr. Scales’s research on historical settlement houses led her to establish Good Neighbor Settlement House in Waco Texas, a social innovation experiment in nurturing community through an intergenerational experience of the arts, music, education, recreation, and worship.  “Settlers”, volunteers living in community, operate the organization while learning about community development. Baylor in Oxford,  a program Dr. Scales co-directs with Elizabeth Flowers is also an important part of her teaching with undergraduates.

Education:

PhD, Higher Education, University of Kentucky at Lexington
MSW, Carver School of Church Social Work, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill