Happy Diadeloso!
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Alumni, Student life
Today is Diadeloso, so we’re out enjoying the festivities with the rest of campus. Check back next week for a photo gallery from today’s activities. And if you’re not in Waco, visit the Baylor Network website for more on a Diadeloso celebration near you — San Antonio, Austin and San Diego, April 26; Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston, May 3.
Sic ’em on this, The Day of the Bear!
Soccer tournament raises money for women’s charity
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Athletics
In her first spring as head soccer coach at Baylor, Marci Jobson took the team’s usual spring scrimmages and added a little something extra: the chance to raise money for charity.
Jobson created the Play for Hope Tournament, held last weekend at Betty Lou Mays Field. Baylor defeated Trinity, TCU and Texas State by identical 1-0 scores, which is good news for the team’s immediate future on the field. But the even better news was the $2,500 in donations that were raised for the DiscoverHope Fund, an organization that works to support women in poverty. The Fund’s creator (and Jobson’s sister), Magdalyn Miller, said the money will go to help women in Peru.
In addition to the games, the team held a soccer clinic for children, with donations going to the charity. What a great way for Baylor to get involved in the community and also give to those in need across the world.
Sic ’em, Baylor soccer!
Senior class elects this year’s Collins Outstanding Professor
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Academics, Alumni, Student life, Honors
When I heard that Dr. Mona Choucair won this year’s Collins Outstanding Professor Award, I was both overjoyed and completely unsurprised. For the senior lecturer with dual appointments in the English Department and the School of Education, it was only a matter of time.
Dr. Choucair (BA ‘86, PhD ‘00) is the epitome of what it means to be a Baylor professor: knowledgeable, professional, a great communicator, a superior listener. Every semester, students fight tooth and nail to get into her classes. She brings dynamic energy to the classroom, starting off almost every period by asking students about their other classes and often offering a timely pep talk. And though Dr. Choucair’s classes are challenging, her fairness and consistency is remarkable. She inspires her students to work hard every single day. I should know; I was one of them (and I didn’t even make an A).
Above all, Dr. Choucair cares deeply about her students, whether that means helping them with schoolwork, sharing meals, writing recommendation letters, or just talking with them about life. She welcomes all visitors, and on most days, a line waits outside her office door. As busy as she is, Dr. Choucair always makes time for one more.
I have often been the “one more” Dr. Choucair made time for. She is a big reason I switched my major to English after taking her American Literature course. She even helped me locate a home, find the right graduate school and land three jobs! Baylor is extremely blessed to have more than our fair share of people like Dr. Choucair who literally change the direction of our lives. May we always remember how fortunate we are to be surrounded by professors who devote themselves to the students of this university. Track down those favorite professors of yours and let them know how much you appreciate them. Professors like these make me proud to be part of the Baylor family.
Sic ’em, class of ‘08, for making an excellent choice, and Sic ’em, Dr. Choucair!
Briles to enter Texas High School Football Hall of Fame
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Athletics, Honors
When head football coach Art Briles was hired last fall, much was made of his ability to turn around programs, going all the way back to his days in the high school ranks. Friday, the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame announced that Briles will be inducted into the Hall this May as part of the Class of 2008.
When Briles took over as head coach at Stephenville High School in 1988, the school had not reached the playoffs in over 35 years. In just his second year, Briles got the Yellowjackets into the playoffs; they would not miss the playoffs again during Briles’ 12-year run at Stephenville.
Even more impressive, Briles led the Yellowjackets to back-to-back state championships in 1993-94 and again in 1998-99. After that fourth state title, Briles left Stephenville, spending three years as an assistant at Texas Tech and then five years as head coach at the University of Houston before coming to Waco.
Sic ’em, Coach Briles!
Students serve Waco during Steppin’ Out
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Student life
Wednesday may have been American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” program, but Baylor students have been participating in something similar for much longer. Last Saturday, hundreds of students, faculty and staff volunteered for Steppin’ Out, the University’s semi-annual service day. This year’s group painted homes, picked up trash and helped out at an animal rescue shelter, among many projects.
Students and other Baylor folks have been working with the Waco community to help serve the city’s needs through Steppin’ Out for over 20 years. Baylor Photography snapped the pictures in this photo gallery to share with those who couldn’t participate.
Sic ’em, Baylor student volunteers!
Tisdale drafted by WNBA’s Chicago Sky
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Alumni, Athletics, Honors
Senior Angela Tisdale became the sixth Baylor player to be selected in the last seven years when the WNBA held its annual amateur player draft Wednesday night.
Tisdale was the 33rd overall pick, going in the third round to the Chicago Sky. A 2007-08 All Big 12 first-team selection and a national player of the year finalist, Tisdale led the Lady Bears in scoring and assists, setting a new program record for career assists earlier this year. She and teammate Rachel Allison each earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press.
This is the fourth straight year a Lady Bear has been drafted. Previous selections include Sheila Lambert (2002, 1st round), Danielle Crockrom (2002, 1st), Steffanie Blackmon (2005, 3rd) , Sophia Young (2006, 1st) and Bernice Mosby (2007, 1st). Young and Mosby are still active.
Sic ’em, Angela!
Publix CEO first led at Baylor
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Alumni
Ed Crenshaw’s stint as president of Student Foundation in 1972-73 proved a nice training ground for his later life. After spending the last dozen years as president of Publix, Florida’s No. 1 grocery store chain and a market leader in the southeast, Crenshaw was promoted to CEO of the company last month.
Crenshaw started at Publix shortly after leaving Baylor and worked his way up to company president by 1996. In coordination with his promotion, the Lakeland Ledger recently ran a nice feature on Crenshaw and his service-oriented approach.
[Personal note: My wife grew up in Florida and has long insisted that Publix is better than any other grocery store she’s ever frequented. She has particularly applauded their quality of service, even long before we knew there was any Baylor connection.]
It’s fitting that Crenshaw’s name adorns the Ed Crenshaw Student Foundation Center, which opened in 2006.
Sic ’em, Mr. Crenshaw!
Baylor passes financial inspection with flying colors
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : HonorsI didn’t learn much in my high school economics class, and I never took economics at Baylor. But I was impressed to read last week that Baylor had gotten such positive feedback from the investment community when the University refinanced its long-term bonds.
In order to do so, some outside funding agencies — groups like Standard and Poor’s and Fitch — had to come in and peek under Baylor’s hood, looking at the University’s finances, the vitality of its current programs and the likely success of its future plans. What they saw impressed them and led to Baylor earning a AA- rating for those bonds (click here and here for more detailed explanations of what that means).
Furthermore, when those bonds were put back out on the market where they were offered to the general public for the very first time, demand was four times the supply. That means investors really liked what they saw in Baylor’s financial standing, as well.
I’m no economics expert, but I know that those savvy enough to be making bonds a part of their investment portfolio and the investment professionals who hold bonds don’t just throw money around. They do their research, and the fact that they’re happy with where Baylor is financially leads me to feel pretty good about where Baylor is, too.
Sic ’em, Baylor!
Multiple graduate programs named among U.S. News’ best
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Academics, Honors
Several Baylor programs were named among the nation’s best in U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” released in late March.
The Baylor-U.S. Army doctoral program in physical therapy ranked fifth nationally, while the Baylor-U.S. Army master’s degree program in health administration ranked 20th. On the school’s main campus, Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program rose to No. 8 in the nation.
The biggest jump of any Baylor program came in the School of Social Work, as its master’s degree program has jumped from 87th in 2004 to 60th this year. As has become standard for Baylor, multiple other graduate programs were also honored among the nation’s best: law (55th out of 195), speech-language pathology (60th of 244), business (71st of 425), nursing master’s program (72nd of 395), biological sciences doctoral program (77th of 249), clinical psychology doctoral program (83rd of 209), and the school of education (103rd of 278).
Sic ’em, Baylor educators!
Vote for Bruiser!
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun
Baylor mascot Bruiser is in the Final Four in the finals!
RedEye, a free daily newspaper in Chicago put out by the Chicago Tribune, has been running a bracket contest based on Internet voting to determine “the best mascot of the NCAA Tournament” during March Madness. Baylor’s Bruiser knocked off Purdue’s “Purdue Pete,” Xavier’s “D’Artagnan,” West Virginia’s “Mountaineer,” and Western Kentucky’s “Big Red” to make it to the Final Four.
Now, Bruiser squares off against Stanford’s “Tree.” Click here to vote, but hurry — voting ends at noon on Friday. Voting for the National Championship will begin Friday afternoon.
Friday update: Bruiser beat Stanford’s “Tree” and now faces South Alabama’s “Southpaw” with the title on the line. Click here to vote!
Sic ’em, Bruiser!
