By Frances George

So why are we at Baylor? We are a North Carolina family with deep NC ties to our own universities, families on both sides who have been North Carolinians for generations dating back to a boat named “Mayflower”. Perhaps this story, less than 24 hours old in its genesis will explain why.

Ten years ago, my namesake, a beautiful young married woman, gave birth prematurely to her first child, a 2 pound 12 ounce baby boy names John Clark Purvis. For three months he struggled for his life in the NICU unit in Greenville, North Carolina, at one of our premier teaching hospitals. Ten years later, he’s grown to be a strong boy with a tender heart. Our daughter, Mary Scott, a senior now at Baylor, was a young girl when she first saw her cousin in the hospital. She could hold his entire body in the palm of her hand and over her wrist. She came out of the hospital that day following her visit, with a life calling – to work with children in critical condition in the early days of their life. As the years passed and she began looking for a college that would meet her criteria for her goals, Baylor quickly became high on her list. Once we visited the campus, she knew this was the place for her! However, because of her deep involvement in campus life, she realized she would not pursue nursing, which required moving to Dallas for her last two years. Rather, she changed her major to Corporate Communications and now hopes to move to Dallas following graduation and work in a children’s hospital, working with families in crisis and helping to administrate the day to day events within the hospital in the children’s wing. Later, perhaps, a graduate degree from Baylor in counseling to more deeply touch the lives of parents and their children in crisis. And all because of a two pound baby boy and a place called Baylor that inspires dreams that become reality.

Fast forward to September 7, 2015. This same namesake delivered her second son, Samuel Thomas, at 28 weeks, the exact same gestation as his now 10 year old healthy and strong brother. “Little Sam” weighs 2 pounds 9 ounces and is in the same NICU unit where his big brother spent the first three months of his life. Mary Scott’s younger sister, Catherine, visited this little one just a few hours following his birth and as we walked down the hallway to his unit said, “I feel as though I am walking in Mary Scott’s footsteps.” After seeing the tiny one, and praying over his incubator through all the tubes and IVs, we walked back down the hall and she said, “Mom, I feel as though I have found my calling – to teach special needs children. I AM walking in her footsteps.”

Why do I tell you this? Because, Baylor is a special place that grows young freshmen into lovely and strong adult women who will do great things for our world. Baylor Nation impacts THE nation and beyond. Classroom instruction can happen on any campus in the country. But Baylor develops character and inspires dreams that can be navigated to their apex, which is really only the beginning.

The picture below is of 10 year old John Clark praying over his tiny brother, Little Sam, on the day of his birth saying, “I’ll help you little buddy.” And that’s what Baylor does. It takes young men and women and provides the perfect environment (much like what our Little Sam’s environment looks like) of support and instruction and guidance and “life”. The result is a culture changing group of men of women prepared and excited about shaping their culture, even if their culture is within the halls of a Dallas children’s hospital or in a special needs classroom of elementary students.

Mary Scott will be in this spring’s graduating class, the Class of 2016. Where will her sister be? If it is at Baylor in the Class of 2020, then I can only say THIS is the best place to learn what it means to live out with great purpose what a 10 year old little boy said, “I’ll help you little buddy.” And at Baylor they do this and they do it with eternity in view.

Grateful for Baylor Nation once again.