Race for the White House at Poage
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Research
In our modern era, presidential candidates have (for the most part) moved away from creative and colorful posters and buttons in favor of MySpace pages and Facebook groups. In some ways, that’s a shame, because future generations won’t have artifacts like “Who? Who? Hoover!” signs and “Snowmobilers for Bush” bumper stickers to look back on.
Just in time for the run-up to our next presidential election, the Baylor Collection of Political Materials has put an array of such memorabilia from its archives on display at the Poage Legislative Library (on campus, between Jones Library and Castellaw Communications). The “Race for the White House” exhibit is on view from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, from now through the end of summer. Admission is free.
The Waco Tribune-Herald and Baylor Lariat each recently ran nice features on the unique collection. In case you can’t make it to Waco to see the display, we’ve compiled a photo gallery of the exhibition for you.
Sic ’em, Poage Library!
Alumni band featured on iTunes
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Alumni
Each week, the folks at Apple’s iTunes Music Store pick a song that they label as a “Discovery Download,” usually one from an up-and-coming singer or group, and give it away as a free download. This week’s Discovery Download is “All That Matters,” by Addison Road — a group made up of mostly Baylor alums.
Lead singer Jenny Simmons, her husband and guitarist Ryan, guitarist Ryan Gregg and bassist Travis Lawrence each graduated from Baylor about five years ago. After starting out playing at Common Grounds, the group headed to Nashville and then Dallas, leading worship at various locations while trying to break into the industry. Next month, Addison Road will release its first album with INO Records, a label that also features the likes of Caedmon’s Call, Mercy Me and Chris Rice.
The band’s sound is definitely right up my alley; check it out now on iTunes! (The song is free through early next week.)
Sic ’em, Addison Road!
Baylor prof named national entrepreneurship teacher of the year
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Baylor 2012, Academics, Honors
Dr. Bill Petty is nearing his 40th year teaching, having spent the last 18 years in the Hankamer School of Business. He’s racked up plenty of awards over the years, including being designated one of Baylor’s Master Teachers in 2004 — the highest honor given to faculty members.
This month, he added another award to his mantel as he was named the national Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year by the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence, “a nonprofit organization that trains and inspires entrepreneur-teachers to assist aspiring entrepreneurs of the future.”
Petty, the W.W. Caruth Chair of Entrepreneurship, has done a remarkable job balancing research (serving as editor of a couple of finance journals) and teaching–exactly the sort of professor described in Baylor’s Vision 2012 as “world-class faculty.” He’s the sort of professor who doesn’t wait for you to stop by the office, but invites you in; who doesn’t just talk about the next assignment, but about the dreams and goals of students, as well.
Sic ’em, Dr. Petty!
Ferrell Center Gold Out sold out for Saturday
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Athletics
The athletic department announced late Monday that the public allotment of tickets for Saturday’s men’s basketball game vs. No. 11 Texas has sold out. That means that two of the Bears’ last three home games have been sellouts; in 19 previous seasons at the Ferrell Center, the arena had only sold out three times for men’s games.
Tickets for students and staff and will be made available later this week. If you can’t get tickets, the game will also be televised nationally on ESPN (Saturday, 5 p.m.).
Both the men’s and women’s games this weekend are part of a Gold Out promotion; fans at each game will receive a free Gold-Out t-shirt, courtesy of Texas Farm Bureau and Time Warner Cable. The No. 8 Lady Bears host No. 10 Oklahoma Sunday at 12:30 p.m.; get your tickets now! If you can’t make it to Waco, the women’s game will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
(Both the men and women are on the road midweek — the men at OSU, 7 p.m. Wed., and the women at UT, 8 p.m. Wed. on ESPNU. If you live near Stillwater or Austin, go support your Bears/Lady Bears!)
Sic ’em, Baylor basketball fans!
Students ring in Chinese New Year
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Student life
Last Thursday, East met West in the heart of Baylor’s campus as the Asian Student Association and Campus Programs hosted a Chinese New Year celebration in Burleson Quadrangle.
A family craft tent, free food and traditional games welcomed visitors. A martial arts group from Dallas demonstrated kung fu and tai chi, while other groups performed traditional Chinese New Year traditions like the lion dance and the dragon dance. Click here for a photo gallery from the event.
It’s good to see Baylor students getting a taste of other cultures, and it somehow seems particularly fitting for it all to happen in the oldest part of campus.
Sic ’em, student celebrations!
Proper conduct
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Student life, Honors
Baylor School of Music grad student Stephen Carver was selected as one of five up-and-coming young conductors from across the country to conduct at the National Conference of the College Orchestra Conductors Association, to be held later this month in Utah.
A second-semester master’s candidate, Carver and the other four honorees will conduct the Brigham Young Chamber Orchestra and Brigham Young Symphony during the conference. The quintet will also receive instruction and feedback from maestro Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops.
Sic ’em, Stephen!
Briles’ triumphs follow tragedy
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Athletics
New head football coach Art Briles introduced his first Baylor signing class yesterday (click the link for a transcript and video), and the recruiting haul bodes good things for the Bears. According to rankings from Rivals.com, it is Baylor’s best group in at least seven years (that’s as far back as their online archives go).
Among the class’ headliners are 4-star quarterback Robert Griffin, a local product from nearby Copperas Cove, and receiver Kendall Wright, who was among ESPN’s top 150 recruits in the nation. With Griffin and fellow freshman-to-be Nick Florence, plus transfers Jeremy Sanders (Navarro JC) and Kirby Freeman (U. of Miami), Baylor’s incoming quarterback class was ranked third in the nation by both Rivals and Scout.com.
Briles said he and his staff “jumped in with both feet” to make up for the short time they had to recruit after coming to Baylor. “I’m not intimidated by circumstances,” Briles has said. “Events in my life made me unafraid.”
The events he referred to include the death of his parents when he was just 20. The Austin American-Statesman recently ran a moving feature on how that has shaped Briles into the man he is today. It’s as good a read as you’ll find into the Bears’ 25th head football coach.
Sic ’em, Coach Briles and Baylor football!
Prestigious journal focuses recent issue on Baylor Religion Survey
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Academics, Research, Honors
The Baylor Religion Survey conducted by the University’s Institute for Studies of Religon (ISR) made waves a couple of years ago when its results were released, and it’s back in the news again — this time, in the pages of the prestigious Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
The Journal, widely recognized as the top research journal dedicated to the intersection of religion and social science, included four major articles in its December 2007 issue looking at the results of the survey — a very rare allotment of space to one subject.
Sic ’em, ISR!
Student retention rates up this spring
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Baylor 2012, Academics
Baylor released its spring 2008 enrollment numbers Monday, and student retention rates are up across all undergraduate groups. According to the University, the retention rate for all undergraduates increased to 94.9% this spring; last spring saw 94.6% of students returning. Retention rates were also up among first-time freshmen, provisionally admitted students, and transfers.
For the fourth straight year, enrollment is up compared to the previous spring. This spring’s enrollment of 13,289 undergraduate and graduate students is up 120 over a year ago, 276 versus two years ago, and up 574 compared to three years back.
In the press release, Diana Ramey, assistant VP for enrollment management, pointed to the strong academic profile of this year’s freshman class and the opening of the Paul L. Foster Success Center as important factors in the increased retention rates. Both factors are important parts of Baylor 2012’s Imperative IV: “to attract and support a top-tier student body,” and these retention numbers show Baylor’s progress toward that goal.
Sic ’em, returning students!
‘Immeasurably blessed by her faithful servant-leadership’
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Alumni, Honors
Baylor is all the richer for the many alumni and friends who maintain lifelong relationships with the University. One such example, Mary Russell McCall, was recently honored with the Founders Medallion, one of Baylor’s most distinguished awards.
While a student at Baylor, McCall met her future husband, Lloyd Russell. While he was off serving the country during World War II, she transferred to North Texas to complete her degree. After the war, the couple returned to Baylor, where Mary completed her master’s degree and Lloyd served as baseball coach.
The Baylor family helped Mary persevere when Lloyd passed away in 1968. Mary eventually found a new spouse from that same Baylor family; she married University President Abner McCall on Christmas Day 1970 and went to work as the new First Lady of Baylor. Her work at Baylor has ranged from establishing scholarship funds to advising a sorority. In fact, the chapel in the Stacy Riddle Forum was dubbed the Mary McCall Chapel in her honor.
McCall has also served her church and the Waco community for many years, earning the “Yellow Rose of Texas” honor from Governor George W. Bush in 1995, but it’s her faithful commitment to Baylor that those around the University remember most.
Sic ’em, Mary Russell McCall!
