Greetings to BIC friends and family,
I hope the beginning of the summer finds each of you well.
My own summer plans involve a lot of time at the computer. I am immersed in writing Plato’s Socrates on Socrates: Autobiography as Public Philosophy. As I read over my Director’s note from this time last year, I see that I was working on the proposal for the book this time last year. The proposal was indeed completed and accepted. The manuscript is due to the publisher in September. When I’m not hard at work on that project, I’ll be doing a lot of yoga, playing with the dogs, and travelling with Jeff (and the dogs) to Colorado for two weeks.
As always, there is a lot happening on the Baylor campus. I continue to enjoy serving on the Advisory Board for Better Together. Many BIC students are involved in this organization as well. Be sure to check out the great work they are doing to promote awareness around a variety of challenging social issues through the cultivation of interfaith dialogue.
Within the BIC itself, I’m pleased to report that Social World I is expanding its work in the Waco community. Starting this Fall, every BIC student will volunteer with Indian Spring Elementary school as part of the class. World Cultures III has also been involved in revamping its curriculum to include a section on Africa. We are also offering new capstones that deal with the complex issues around race and gender.
We are having some faculty turn over. Dean Thomas Hibbs will be leaving us in one short week to become President of the University of Dallas. We wish him the very best and thank him for many years of support of the BIC. This, of course, means that Stacey Hibbs will be leaving us as well. She was just recently promoted to senior lecturer. She will now bring her excellent teaching to University of Dallas students. We will miss them and their BIC capstone course on Friendship (read Stacey Hibbs’ Senior Recognition Banquet speech).
Two other BIC faculty members received promotions this Spring. Jason Whitlark was promoted to Full Professor. He is the first Full Professor in the BIC! Sarah Walden received tenure. She is now an Associate Professor! We are so proud of them.
Finally, I want to welcome Colleen Zori to the BIC faculty. She will join the teaching team for Natural World and World Cultures III. She has been teaching in World Cultures II for several years. Colleen will replace Sharon Conry who will retire next year after many years of service in the BIC. We will miss Sharon and are glad she’ll remain with us in BIC a little while longer.
Have a wonderful summer everyone.
Anne-Marie Schultz
Director, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core
