While some may count down the days to Winter Break, there are still many events to look forward to Baylor and in Waco between now and December. Here are our top nine:
Orientation (August 17)
There’s nothing more exciting than welcoming over two hundred new graduate students into the Baylor community! Students will gather at the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center to begin their day with a hearty breakfast, while meeting their new cohort and GSA representatives. Energetic and informative sessions that are led by graduate school staff members and current students will follow and a President’s Reception (more food!) at Moody Library will conclude the beginning of 250 new adventures.
Traditions Rally (September 1)
The Traditions Rally is always held the Thursday before the first football game of the season. The main event is a headliner concert that has seen Phillip Phillips and Brad Paisley make their way to Waco in the past two years. Free and open to all, we’re excited to see this year’s headliner, Aloe Blacc, perform and, of course, the fireworks!
David McCullough Lecture (September 26)
The Beall-Russell Lectures in the Humanities was established in 1982 and has grown ever since. This year, we welcome renowned historian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, David McCullough. Held in serene Jones Hall in the McCrary Music Building, McCullough’s lecture, The Incomparable Advantage of Intellectual Curiosity, is free and open to all students to attend.
Cultural Arts Festivals (October 1-2)
The arts have been gaining momentum in Waco and may have hit an all-time high when a proposal for a cultural district was sent to the Texas Commission for the Arts. The Cultural Arts Festival brings together local artists, writers, and scientists for a celebration on the banks of the Brazos in Indian Springs Park at the very beginning of the fall season.
Open House (October 6)
In October, the Graduate School will proudly host its first ever Open House. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet faculty and current students, learn more about the admission process, and tour our beautiful campus. If you’re thinking about Baylor for your next step, then this will be the place to be!
Homecoming, Part One: Pigskin Revue (October 13-15)
A Homecoming tradition since 1958, the enormously-popular Pigskin Revue showcases the winning acts from the Spring’s All University Sing competition. With three shows throughout the weekend, performances are complex and colorful Broadway-style musicals. Remember to get your tickets as soon as they become available because they go fast!
Homecoming, Part Two: Homecoming Parade (October 15)
A tradition unlike other any: Baylor’s Homecoming Parade. Since 1909, the Baylor Band and elaborate floats have strolled down Waco’s streets during one of the oldest and largest homecoming parades in the nation. It’s sure to draw an extra-large crowd this year as last year’s edition was cancelled due to inclement weather and we will definitely be among them.
Baylor vs TCU (November 5)
A game unlike any other: Baylor vs TCU. The last time the Horn Frogs came to town was in 2014 when Baylor erased a 21-point deficit with only 11 minutes to play to pull off a stunning 61-58 victory that is still talked about ‘round these parts. After a heartbreaking double overtime loss last year in Fort Worth that was played during a Texas-sized rainstorm and without our first seven or so quarterbacks, we expect nothing less than last minute dramatics from the 2016 rendition, as well.
Thanksgiving Dinner (TBD) and Christmas on Fifth (December 1)
Two of the best and most loved student activity campus programs are focused around the holidays. The week before Thanksgiving Break, all students and their families are invited to a free turkey feast that takes place on Fountain Mall. A few weeks later, we are treated to a tree lighting ceremony, live nativity, and concert during Christmas on Fifth. These are two events that should not (and will not) be missed!
By Matthew Doyen
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