The Next Step

Posted on January 15, 2015 by hank_dehay

By Frances George, a Baylor parent

Over Thanksgiving Break, my daughter (who is a junior) and I had long talks about her future. Whereas many of her friends are clearly set on their post graduate plans, some are not quite so sure, my daughter included. As we talked, I reminded her again that my advice to my children in college (which was the advice my dear daddy gave to me) is to study what you love during these wonderful four years and what you are to do next will unfold at the proper time. She has heard that many times but “crunch time” is approaching and she was a little unsure.

On the way to the airport at the end of the break, it was just the two of us (a rare early Sunday morning departure and so it was just me driving Mary Scott to the airport rather than the whole family), we picked up our conversation about future plans and I gave her one last piece of advice: “Mary Scott, you don’t need to know today what you are supposed to do in a year and a half. The only thing the Lord asks you to do is ask Him what you are to do tomorrow on campus. May 2016 will be clear when it needs to be clear. You don’t need that clarity today. All you need is a plan for Monday morning on Baylor’s campus. Whoever needs encouraging? Seek them out, and encourage them. What task has the Lord set before you in your sorority for next week? Do it with excellence. The path of the journey will be made clear as you walk on the path for today, tomorrow and next week. You don’t need the way lit to journey’s end right now.”

And Baylor is the place where this kind of advice is given, opportunity to take root and find nourishment with exceeding excellence among its students and from its faculty. The advice of a loving mother does not end where the campus begins. The Baylor experience nourishes and encourages with the wisdom of the ages. The advice I gave my daughter is the same counsel that would be given by her house advisor, by upperclassmen, and by faculty. The very next week, Mary Scott called with new energy and excitement. She said she’d spent the week counseling many friends and that she found complete joy in engaging her peers on so many topics and grappling with so many issues.

She returned to her campus confident that she would find answers, that there would be light for the path and encouragement along the way. Perhaps she will pursue a path toward post graduate work in counseling. Who knows for sure at this point, but a little light was shed on her path and she was encouraged! This is the Baylor experience. At a school where the possibilities are endless, where the support from faculty and friends is evident, and where students are encouraged to look at all things through the prism of the eternal, the “Baylor Prism” is lovely. Baylor is academically rigorous and at the same time there is something positively unique about the atmosphere among students. They look to the future with hopeful eyes, with a vision of doing all things better than they’ve been done before. It is the way they go through college, the way they tackle papers, the way they conquer tests, and the way they encourage peers. Post graduate life is simply a continuation of what is familiar to them. So many college campuses focus on the fun- only of the four undergraduate years and never mind the future (the final playground of childhood) but at Baylor, students have a broader and deeper view in the approach to college life. They live life, everyday college life, with a purpose and a focus. Even the “fun” is done with excellence: SING, Homecoming, Recruitment. I continue to be impressed with every aspect of the Baylor experience. (Did you see the homecoming floats? I give you Exhibits A, B and C in excellence!)

Just in case you wondered…is there much fun to be had at Baylor? Trust me, there is! I see it on social media everyday among my daughter’s friends.

So do we know the next step? Not yet but I am confident that the future will unfold with outstanding clarity with options galore and the path will be well lit. The path leading from Baylor to life will be a clear path, an exciting path, and not only for my daughter, but also for every Baylor student I know. And at its end will be a life’s work that makes a difference with eternity in view. This is the Baylor difference.

Why Baylor Is Better Than Everywhere Else

Posted on December 4, 2014 by alicroom

By Derek Byrne

It’s hard to believe this is my last full month at Baylor. I knew this was my dream school as soon as I visited campus, and that hasn’t changed. There have certainly been some unexpected challenges in the last four years, but I’ve also had opportunities and found relationships I never could have anticipated. I could list dozens of reasons I’m grateful to call Baylor my home, but here are just a few moments that I couldn’t have experienced anywhere other than on this beautiful campus next to the Brazos.

Remarkable faculty and staff. A few months ago, I spoke at an event for prospective students for the department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media. A few days later, I received a handwritten note from our department chair, thanking me for serving the department. Dr. Stone, who manages the entire department on top of being an outstanding professor, took the time to write a note of gratitude to me. The relationships I’ve built with faculty and staff at Baylor are easily one of the most valuable parts of my time here, and this note of thanks was another reminder of the commitment faculty and staff have to investing in students.
Baylor Football. I’ve laughed. I’ve danced. I’ve wanted to cry. The Bears have made themselves known as one of the most entertaining shows in college football, and being in the stands for four seasons has given me some unforgettable moments. Running the Line, travel packages to bowl games and a beautiful new student tailgating section show the value Baylor places on its fans, and the university gives us opportunities you won’t find anywhere else.
Community partnerships. Being a student doesn’t mean waiting a few more years to do the things you love. Baylor and Waco seek opportunities to serve each other, and chances for students to get hands-on experience in a great community are common here. I’m currently interning in the office of Marketing & Communications at McLennan Community College, refining my skill in the education public relations field at a top-notch institution. Whether it’s marketing, child development, health care or business, there’s a place in town to put your education into action.
Unparalleled traditions. Baylor Homecoming might be the best thing in the world, and I’ve seen dozens of impressive Sing performances. There are also less flashy traditions that are unique Baylor experiences. Every Tuesday afternoon, I meet some friends in the SUB for Dr Pepper Hour. A quick afternoon break with good people and good ice cream is the perfect reminder that Baylor is a place for life as well as learning.

I could continue for a while, but these are a few of the university’s defining features that have made my time here so valuable. Academically, socially and personally, I’ve had opportunities and experiences here that I never expected, and I know I wouldn’t be able to find them anywhere but Baylor.

“Baylor People are God’s People”

Posted on November 19, 2014 by alicroom

By Micah Furlong

“Baylor People are God’s People” – this is the thought that keeps running through my head as I try to understand my own situation.

I’ll spare you all the gory details, but it seems like my best friend has abandoned me after eight years, and my relationship is coming to an end after four. These pillars of who I am are suddenly gone, and in this moment, it seems as if I’ve lost my foundation.

But I am not abandoned.

When I first realized what was going on, I felt so alone. Very quickly, I was asked what was happening, but not in some fake “I’m only curious – I don’t really want to listen” kind of way. I cried alone, and when I felt more stable, I was invited to come and cry with friends. In that place, I was welcomed not as some victim to be pitied, but as a brother to be comforted. We stayed up until four in the morning, crying, talking and running over innocent civilians in Grand Theft Auto. My friend had classes the next day and an exam worth 30 percent of his grade, but he gave up those precious hours of sleep to be with me.

Now, I can’t guarantee that if you come to Baylor, you’ll have as good of friends as I have been blessed to receive. But, honestly, these are some of the best people I’ve ever been around. At Baylor, the Christian mentality is not a “holier-than-thou” routine – although there certainly are those folks. It seems as if this community is made up of people still learning what it means to even be a Christian and trying to practice that conviction.

I don’t know where I heard the phrase, “Baylor’s people are God’s people,” but it keeps reverberating in the echoes of my mind. This change and potential loss of hugely important people in my life has been horrible, and I might have been able to stop it if I was at home. But I know that I am supposed to be at Baylor. Now that I’m here, in the midst of this community, I have found a loving group of people who are just as lost as I and yet who seek Jesus in all of their actions.

I hope that, if you come to Baylor, you can experience the same blessing.

Food For Thought…Potluck!

Posted on November 11, 2014 by alicroom

By Lauren Woods

When picking your roommate, I recommend going potluck, aka being randomly assigned a roommate. It was one of the best decisions I made before actually living on campus. Random roommate assignment is a chance for you to step outside your comfort zone and embrace the community experience! My current roommate is from Monterrey, Mexico, and I’ve learned so much from her.

This year, I’m a part of the HLT (Hall Leadership Team) and RCC (Residential Community Council) for Collins Residence Hall. These student groups have taught me how important community truly is when you’re in college. This sense of community starts with your roommate and extends to the entire Baylor campus. Hand picking a roommate your freshman year may be beneficial, but meeting someone new on move-in day is too. It gives you the opportunity to develop interaction skills with someone new. These skills are vital during and after college. Regardless of how you chose your roommate, community will be instilled during your time here at Baylor. I guess the question is, “How will you embrace this?”

Finding a Place to Serve

Posted on November 7, 2014 by alicroom

By Derek Byrne

Without a doubt, Baylor holds itself to high academic standards. Courses here are challenging and offer students outstanding educational opportunities. However, some of the best chances to learn can be found outside the classroom. I’m continually learning what it means to serve people and communities during my time at Baylor.

Meeting community needs and serving effectively can be complex issues, and educating yourself on what it means to serve is an ongoing process. Even so, there are a few concepts I’ve learned during my time in college that are now foundational to my perspective on service.

Serving is a powerful learning tool. The university and its various departments offer numerous opportunities to combine your studies in the classroom and the greater needs of the community in a practical way. It could be on a discipline-specific mission trip, a class project that utilizes a partnership with a local nonprofit or a discussion on service and learning hosted on campus. During your time here, you’ll have plenty of chances to discover how your field of study can contribute to the greater good of society.

There’s a place for each of us to serve. Service can be motivated by other interests and passions. At Baylor and in Waco, there are chances to serve in nearly any field imaginable. If you love working with kids, you can tutor children after school. Have a green thumb? There’s a community garden for you. For me, working with people who have special needs is a huge source of joy. Since freshman year, I’ve had the chance to work with Baylor Urban Missions’ special needs ministry. I get to do what I love with people I love, and that’s what service can be. Finding passion in what you’re doing is so valuable, and there are plenty of chances to do that at Baylor. Below is a video of Urban Missions’ Fall Ball Masquerade from last October. This was a great way to give back to the special needs community while also having a lot of fun!

Service is bigger than me. Easily the most valuable thing I’ve learned through my time serving at Baylor is that service is not about me. In fact, it’s not about any one person. Serving is about moving communities forward and improving lives. Service organizations and events on campus offer chances for reflection and discussion. They create places where students can consider the work they are doing and how it fits into the bigger picture of benefitting communities.

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Baylor is a university that is uniquely committed to service and located in a city that offers unparalleled opportunities for service-oriented partnerships. Don’t miss the chance to study the world around you by finding a place to serve during your college years.

Brace Yourself to Embrace!

Posted on November 5, 2014 by alicroom

By Patara Williams

So you’re incessantly counting down the days until you become an official Baylor Bear, eh? Yeah, I was in the same boat some four or so years ago. However, in the midst of all the excitement, I realized that I’m only 47 days from graduation. What happened to the time?!!?!?

Four years later, I find that not only am I “book smart,” but I am also equipped for graduate school, jobs, professional life and all that jazz. Unfortunately, not everyone will be. But, I’ll give you the lowdown…don’t get so consumed in your college career that you forget to do the following:

Foster Community: Choose Something to Help You Get Plugged In

Church
Residence Halls (especially Living and Learning Centers)
Organizations
Intramurals
Band
Choir
Missions

Mission Trip 2011 (Nashville Storm Restoration)..Sorry, it’s a super creepy pic.

Manage Your Time

Have a set of standards and rules for you
Establish how much time you should spend in your studies
Keep a planner, carry your a cell phone and manage your emails
Learn to say “No”
Get adequate sleep

Network

Never take a single encounter for granted
Attend the lecture seminars (at least every once in a while)
Take at least one selfie with the Baylor President
Go to your professors’ office hours
Get to know the people and professors around you (especially in your major)

Recognize the lady in pink? Tamera Mowry from “Sister Sister!” You never know who may speak at Baylor on any given day.

Enjoy Traditions

Experience a Baylor Homecoming with all of the trimmings
Go to Sing or Pigskin
Join Student Foundation (winky face)
Go to football games and run the Baylor Line
Go to Christmas on 5^th
Enjoy Diadeloso (Day of the Bear)

Hanging with Hager! Sic ‘Em Baylor Football!

If I had known half of these things when I came to Baylor, I would have maximized my opportunities to carry out these actions. The above is merely a glimpse into the life you’ll live. Your four years here will truly fly, so make the most of it. Maximize your ability to learn and live. Good luck!

Sic ‘Em Bears!

Unexpected Blessings

Posted on October 30, 2014 by alicroom

By Maggie Malone

It was far too early to function, but I knew I needed to give it a try. After all, they had coffee. Right?

A couple weeks ago, I dragged myself out of bed at six in the morning after only getting two hours of sleep to attend my church’s early morning prayer service at Common Grounds, the local coffee shop down the street.

I was hesitant to go at first. I’m not much of a morning person – meaning if I’m woken up too early, I can get mean. As my roommate and I walked in the dark hours before sunrise, I prayed for the capacity to be nice.

The coffee did help.

But even more importantly, it was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had while I was at Baylor. It was so cool to stand outside with my fellow college students as we sang our hearts and souls out and covered each other, our campus and our city with prayers.

College is a place where trying new things can lead to all sorts of unexpected blessings, and I was truly at peace as I watched the sky get lighter and lighter. Who knows what can happen when you take that leap of faith, step out and do something out of routine?

Not only is it important to feed the body and the mind, but it’s also very important to feed the soul as well. And for the first time in a long while, my soul was comfortable and full. My weary soul felt rested, and after a delicious omelet from the Memorial cafeteria, I felt that I had started the day off right.

Proverbs in Action

Posted on October 27, 2014 by alicroom

By Jaziah Masters

Around this time of year, many in our Baylor student body make their way south to go to the legendary Austin City Limits Music Festival. I’m told it is a wonderful experience for all. But this weekend, I found myself in Austin for a very different reason.

Because I serve as a Peer Leader with the Office of Community Engagement & Service, I was given the opportunity to travel to Austin to participate in the No Need Among You Conference (NNYC). I had no idea that I was about to have an experience unlike any other in my collegiate career. Unlike every other conference I’ve attended, the NNYC revolved around the idea of service. During the weekend, we were shown how to become better service leaders, we became aware of the issues facing America and the world and we met some wonderfully inspiring people, all while being surrounded by a warm and nurturing Christian community.

This year, the Conference was held in East Austin at Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church. East Austin itself is a very beautiful and unique neighborhood (In fact, it reminds me a lot of Waco). When we arrived at the Conference, we all were presented with various workshops to go to. In the main room, there stood a big banner to remind us all why we were here. It read, “’Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’ Proverbs 31:9.” Some of the workshops I got to attend were: “To Serve This Present Age,” “The Church’s Active Response to the Growing Phenomena of the Sex Industry” and “How to Dialogue to Bring About Racial Reconciliation.” All of the sessions were led by passionate and informed leaders in regards to their issues. We were shown ways that we could assist in their endeavors and given information we could take back with us.

Overall, the Conference was a wonderful opportunity to grow in so many ways: my faith, my local, national and global awareness, my leadership capabilities and myself as a person. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity. It is something so special about being able to sit with likeminded people from all walks of life and work toward a higher, yet common purpose. I would strongly encourage everyone to go next year, so please mark your calendars – October 14-16, 2015!

And The Greatest of These Is…

Posted on October 17, 2014 by alicroom

By Cody Frohman

What do you value most? Well for me, it’s community. While in Welcome Week training and during Welcome Week itself, we played an ice breaker game called “Trashing Your Values.” You start out with ten slips of paper and you write down ten things you value. Through a couple different rounds you trash, trade and have values taken away until you’re left with one value. This game is supposed to encourage you to think about what you truly value – what is important to your life and what is not as important. Both times I played, I ended up with the same three values: grace, justice and community. In the end, community won the game both times.

Community has been a huge part of my experience at Baylor, and it’s the main reason my college experience has been so amazing. When I first arrived at Baylor, I didn’t know a single person – I didn’t go to Line Camp or Orientation. I had never even visited campus before. #outofstateprobs. During my first two months at Baylor, I got connected to a life group through Antioch Community Church and found an amazing group of people who quickly became like family.

Some of my life group in Mongolia this past summer.

When I decided to come to Baylor, I had absolutely no idea that my life would be completely changed through the community around me. I had no idea I would be part of a group that deeply loves, carries my burdens faithfully, breathes life into me and always points me to God. Along with all of the deep spiritual change I’ve gone through, I’ve also had a ton of fun with my community at Baylor. I’ve gone on a number of spontaneous late night trips when I definitely should have been studying. I’ve gone on life-changing missions trips and spent countless nights laughing and just hanging out with the coolest people in the world (I might be slightly biased…).

Now, I know what you might be thinking…“Community?? Of all things, you picked community?” It wasn’t easy – I had things like grace, faith, love, justice and mercy written down, but after thinking, I came to the realization that all the things I value are magnified or exemplified by community. I’ve never experienced grace, love and mercy like I have within a community. I’ve never seen such unshakeable faith and a desire for justice than I have within a community.

I entered my freshman year unaware of what was ahead, of what the year would hold. But I left with vision for what was valuable – people. I’ve seen how great community is; I’ve seen the impact it can have as people are transformed and restored. We are people, and we were created to live in community. Whether you find it at church, in your residence hall or through one of Baylor’s many campus organizations, don’t wait to experience the quality community Baylor has to offer.

If you’re interested in learning about more ways to get plugged in to life groups or other organizations, leave a comment below or email me at cody_frohman@baylor.edu.

Only at Baylor: Student Christmas Greeting Cards!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by alicroom

By Frances George, a Baylor parent

Welcome to second semester! For the parents of prospective students reading this, I understand how you feel right about now: Huge, life altering decisions are facing your darlings, and you want to make sure the trajectory of their life’s ambitions are perfectly on course when next August rolls around. I know. I’ve been there…twice and still have one to launch from the nest into college just two years from now.

Rest assured, if your student chooses Baylor, they will have chosen well! So many things make Baylor an outstanding academic choice but as you know, college is about more than just the academics. I addressed that in my December blog. Character and legacy are components as well that should enter into your equation.

What, you ask, makes Baylor even more of a stand out than superior academic possibilities and the sense of community the students receive from faculty as well as newly made friends?

A Christmas Greeting Card!

When our daughter came home for Christmas break, her room, with remarkable speed, was so messy it looked like a bomb had gone off. Clothes everywhere, unmade bed, notes and gifts from Baylor friends and Christmas cards – full fledged photographs and professionally printed greetings from “named” dorm rooms and houses where upperclassmen live! I had to take a double take. It was true. Neatly placed on top of all the “stuff” that came from one (big) suitcase, were Christmas greeting cards from classmates with her own house picture on top! The boys had clearly taken time to stage, pose and have printed cards with greetings, addressed and mailed to the girls. Our daughter’s little green cottage of girls had done the same; standing on the porch, tastefully decorated with Christmas lights inside the house and out, were three wrapped “boxed” presents (the three girls) with enormous wrapping bows in their hair. Say “Sic ‘Em”! There was a professionally printed and handwritten greeting along with a beautiful verse of Christmas scripture printed on the back of each card…from the boys as well as the girls. What other school has students who do this? What other school has this kind of community that celebrates the season…the real reason for the season…with “family” members in dorms and in cottages scattered throughout a few streets of the college community? I have never seen this kind of university community. I have seen the lovely cards sent from the university front office (Baylor’s was lovely, for the record) from around the country but none from students to students! It made me smile.

When I mentioned this to our daughter, she said, in such casual stride (as if every school in the nation must do this), “Of course we send cards. It’s what family does!”

I hope this cheerful blog makes you smile and gives you a window in the type of university Baylor is and can be for your student.

Praying for you as you begin make life’s trajectory choices! Oh yes, academics are so very important, but a sense of family is very near the top in our house! Baylor accomplishes both and so much more, setting your student on the right course, unlike any other.

Baylor Admissions

Who you will become, begins here.

Tag Archives: Community