Conservation efforts across campus applauded by environmental group
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Honors
The results on the field last night weren’t quite what Bear fans hoped for, but at least in the concourses, things went a little better. As part of Baylor’s efforts to continue getting greener, nearly 100 recycling bins were added all over Floyd Casey Stadium — in the stands, on the concourses, in the skyboxes, even in the locker rooms — to collect as many cans and bottles as possible.
According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, Baylor hopes to be able to collect at least half of the bottles sold, and they’re going about it with vigor. The University is working with food service provider Aramark to reduce food waste and water use so that all parts of Baylor can be better stewards of the resources we’ve been given.
Additional recycling bins are being deployed all around campus, following up on last year’s roll out of bins in every residence hall. All of these efforts have earned Baylor recognition from the National Wildwife Federation, which cited the University’s sustainability program in their Campus Environmental 2008 Report Card.
Sic ’em, Baylor recyclers!
Chuck Norris urges Bears to victory — over everything
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, AthleticsIt’s Gameday! Baylor football kicks off the 2008 season tonight at 7 p.m. CT against 23rd-ranked Wake Forest. Join us at Floyd Casey Stadium, tune in to Fox Sports Net’s national broadcast, or follow the progress on BaylorBears.com’s GameTracker live stats and new Live In-Game Blog.
One more video to get your Baylor spirit revved up; join the unstoppable Chuck Norris as he cheers on Baylor. Do you want to be on the side opposing Chuck Norris? I didn’t think so.
Sic ’em, Bears!
Baylor’s Student Foundation named tops in the nation
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Student life, Honors
The green-and-white striped shirts worn by Student Foundation members are immediately recognizable on Baylor’s campus. Now it looks like Baylor’s “StuFu” is getting some recognition on a broader level; the group was named the 2008 Outstanding Student Foundation by the Association of Student Advancement Programs.
Student Foundation members help with student recruitment, raise scholarship funds through events like the Bearathon, and assist with programs all across campus. Since the group was founded in 1969, Baylor’s Student Foundation has awarded more than $4 million in scholarship money to upwards of 5,000 students. During the 2007-08 school year alone, the organization awarded $240,000 in scholarships to Baylor students.
Sic ’em, Student Foundation!
Class of 2012 second largest, most diverse in Baylor history
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Student life
The Class of 2012 arrived at Baylor late last week, with classes beginning yesterday. Hundreds of volunteers — faculty, staff and students — swarmed across campus to help students move in to their new homes for the coming school year. An estimated 4,750 students (over 40% of undergrads) will be living on campus this year, the most in Baylor’s history. (Click here for photos from Move-In Day 2008.)
Some other interesting facts about this fall’s freshmen… The class is the second-largest in Baylor history, with more than 3,000 students. But that size didn’t come at the expense of academic ability; for the third straight year, the freshman class’ average SAT score is over 1200. The Class of 2012 is also the most diverse in the University’s long history; minority enrollment is 31 percent, up 30 percent from three years ago.
All of that has helped Baylor continues to excel in U.S. News’ rankings. Baylor earned its second highest rank ever at No. 76, just one spot down from last year’s all-time high, and again the third highest-ranked university in the Big 12.
Sic ’em (and welcome back), Baylor students!
Football begins Briles era Thursday
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Athletics
The Art Briles era of Baylor football begins Thursday, as the Bears host 23rd-ranked Wake Forest at 7 p.m. CT. (Get your tickets now!) The game will be nationally televised on Fox Sports Net, so if you can’t make it out for the game, tune in!
Thursday is also College Colors Day Kickoff, and the Athletics Department has asked Baylor fans to wear their green and gold on Thursday to celebrate the Bears’ new season. (If you’re in need of new gear, order yours online now, and with overnight shipping, you might be able to get it in time!)
All together now — B-A-Y,-L-O-R, Baylor Bears Fight!
Sic ’em, Baylor football!
Bears leave Beijing with three more Olympic medals
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Alumni, Athletics, Honors
With the 2008 Summer Olympics wrapped up in Beijing, Baylor Bears are coming home with gold for the fourth straight Olympics.
Jeremy Wariner won silver in the 400 meters, then ran the anchor leg in the 4×400-meter relay as the U.S. claimed gold yet again in that event. (Click on any of these links for results, photos and video highlights.) Reggie Witherspoon also earned a gold for the relay, as he ran the third leg in prelims. Darold Williamson served as a relay alternate this year after winning a gold in 2004, but did not compete in Beijing.
Wariner now has three career gold medals, one shy of Baylor and Olympic legend Michael Johnson’s four golds. (Johnson originally earned five golds, though he recently returned a relay gold after the other three members of his team admitted to using performance enhancing drugs.)
Baylor track coach Clyde Hart also saw another prodigy come home with a pair of medals. Hart trains former Texas Longhorn Sanya Richards in Waco; Richards won bronze in the 400 meters and a gold in the 4×400-meter relay.
Sic ’em, Baylor Olympians!
Interim President David Garland an ‘inspired and inspiring choice’
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Academics, Honors
I was all set to write a lengthy post about what a great choice Dr. David Garland was for Baylor’s interim presidency when I saw that The Baptist Standard beat me to it with this excellent column.
If you’re looking for even more about what sort of things Dr. Garland has been doing as dean of Truett Seminary, you don’t have to look far. For instance, we just wrote last month about how Dr. Garland and his wife, School of Social Work dean Dr. Diana Garland, have done an excellent job bringing together the theoretical and practical sides of ministry. The initial reaction to his hiring as interim president has been exceedingly positive — which comes as no surprise after reading not only what he’s done, but what kind of man he is.
Sic ’em, Dr. Garland!
Baylor professor named Texas Choirmaster
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Academics, Honors
Keeping with our music theme… Shortly after posting yesterday’s blog entry, I received notice of yet another honor, this time for a Baylor professor. Dr. Donald Bailey, recently retired director of choral activities, received the Texas Choirmaster award from the Texas Choral Directors Association — the most prestigious honor given by the group.
The award is such a rare honor that in its 53-year history, the association has only given it to 10 people. Most impressively, three of those 10 are former Baylor choir directors: Bailey, Euell Porter and Hugh Sanders. In fact, prior to Bailey’s retirement, those three were the only three Directors of Choral Activities in Baylor’s history; Porter led from 1955-1982, followed by Sanders from 1984-1993 and Bailey from 1993-2008. (Dr. Loyd Hawthorne, former dean of the School of Music at Hardin-Simmons, now serves in the role.)
Sic ’em, Dr. Bailey and Baylor choirs!
Alumna a finalist for Next Great American Country Star
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Alumni, Honors
Baylor alumna Megan Conner is one of six finalists to become The Next GAC Star, as she competes on the American Idol-like show airing on the Great American Country (GAC) cable network.
If the name sounds familiar, you might have seen her on stage at Baylor. A performance major, Conner starred in several musicals and other plays while a student, and she initially moved to New York City looking to continue her performing career. After a detour into fitness training, Conner was discovered there by Paul Vance (the writer of such songs as “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” and “Catch a Falling Star”), who encouraged her to give country music a try.
The finals of The Next GAC Star are slated to air on GAC Sept. 3 and 10 at 8 p.m. CT; mark your calendars now! In the meantime, check out audio and video clips of Conner’s work on her MySpace and MusicNation web sites.
Sic ’em, Megan!
Meet the Bears, greet the Bears
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Just for Fun, Athletics
Baylor football held its annual “Meet the Bears” gathering Saturday and drew an estimated 1,200 fans for the event and the 90-minute scrimmage earlier that morning.
Fans in attendance mingled with Baylor players and head coach Art Briles, who signed autographs and posed for pictures. We’ve got our own photos to share, thanks to Baylor Photography; click here for our photo gallery from the day. If that’s not enough, check out more photos on BaylorBears.com and WacoTrib.com.
Nine days ’til kickoff! Get your tickets now!
Sic ’em, Baylor football!
