Baby bear shows Baylor spirit
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for FunFootball season’s coming up quickly; Baylor’s season opener is three weeks from tomorrow! This little one is ready; are you?
Sic ’em, baby bears!
‘Almost unbelievable to comprehend the attention we received’ at Baylor
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Student life
After we posted this letter last month from a parent pleased with her child’s Orientation experience, we received a similar letter from yet another parent. A few excerpts from her e-mail:
“I read with great interest the letter regarding Orientation from a fellow incoming freshman parent and simply want to echo nearly every word she said. … Words cannot begin to explain how a parent feels when they KNOW that their child will be instructed, mentored and befriended by people like those we meet during orientation. … In today’s world it is almost unbelievable to comprehend the attention we received – it was as if Orientation was designed just for our family on those two days.”
Parents of incoming freshmen who went through Orientation were asked to fill out an anonymous evaluation form, and they shared thoughts like:
“I am so pleased with the sense of community that was impressed upon us at the orientation. As a parent, it is horrifying to imagine our precious child navigating his life path alone. Therefore, the overall tone of the Orientation was most helpful in that it conveyed a warm and welcoming sense of community and gave the impression that our child will not be alone in a new place. We felt the presence of the Lord at Baylor, and are truly grateful for your commitment to openly encourage fellowship and worship.”
“I was especially impressed by the event beginning in prayer and how Christian values really are woven into everything at the school. After sending my first two sons to public schools, UT and Texas State, I wish we had encouraged them more to look at Baylor.”
“[The most important thing I learned was] the importance and priority Baylor places on being a Christian school and putting Christian identity/values before all else, and how excellent academics follows and does not have to be sacrificed. Very honestly and thoroughly presented. Well done.”
Sic ’em, Orientation staff!
J.P. Stapp: ‘fastest man on Earth’ — and quotable alum
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Alumni
I’m a sucker for strange stories, but stay with me on this one…
I stumbled across this story just the other day, about “the fastest man on Earth,” John Paul Stapp — who just happens to be a Baylor grad (BA ‘31, MA ‘32). In the 1940s and ’50s, Stapp was an Air Force colonel working at a research facility studying the effects of rapid deceleration, testing both the strength of seats and harnesses and the human tolerance to the G forces encountered in simulated plane crashes. Unwilling to risk injury to any of his own men, Stapp repeatedly served as his own test dummy over a period of several years (like in the test pictured at right).
In 1955, Stapp was featured on the cover of Time magazine after he (and the rocket he rode) broke the land speed record. Later in life, he used his research to emphasize the need for seatbelts in cars; when President Lyndon Johnson signed the legislation in 1966 that made seatbelts mandatory, Stapp was in the room.
All of that would be enough for most men, and it was indeed enough of a career that the Baylor Alumni Association included a profile of Stapp in its ongoing “Alumni 150” series in the Baylor Line. But it’s an almost completely unrelated happenstance that makes Stapp — and Baylor by connection — the answer to a trivia question: “Who coined the term ‘Murphy’s Law‘?”
The exact evolution of the phrase is murky, but most signs point to Stapp as the person who first used the term. (This long feature is an excellent read, and details both Stapp’s experiments and how the term came to be.) A captain by the name of Ed Murphy had come to check out Stapp’s experiments. Something went wrong, and Murphy commented on the occurrence. Later at a press conference, Stapp reportedly mentioned that “we do all of our work in consideration of Murphy’s Law.” When questioned, Stapp explained that it was the idea that you had to think through all possibilities before doing a test so as to avoid disaster.
In the years since then, the term has become quite commonplace — even earning a spot in Webster’s Dictionary. All thanks to a Baylor Bear!
Sic ’em, Colonel Stapp - for your life-saving research, and your way with words!
‘Personal attention and genuine care’ highlight Baylor Orientation
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Student life
I have some fond memories of my freshman orientation at Baylor, so it was good to read this letter from an alum (who happens to be the parent of an incoming freshman) who writes about what an incredible experience she and her son enjoyed at Orientation last month.
Dear Baylor Family,
We have just arrived home from our son’s June 12-13 orientation at Baylor and I had to write. I am struggling to find the words that adequately express my gratitude to the Lord for this wonderful school. I wondered if the same atmosphere of peace, joy, excellence, service, personal care and warmth would be there that I found as a student in the seventies. It is — and even more so.
As parents of an entering freshman, my husband and I are amazed at the level of personal attention and genuine care expressed to us by all of you, including all the nameless young people posted everywhere on campus giving a helping hand.
At almost every informational session, the people leading would look out at an audience of scores, and sometimes hundreds of people and give not only their office phone #, but their cell phone #, insisting that we call if there were any question or concern, at any time! You have convinced us that you are genuinely “glad we are here” as we heard over and over again.
Thank you for your cheerful patience as we re-asked the same questions, made changes in majors, asked for “miracles” in schedule changes (thank you Sally Firmin!). We felt as if we were VIPs getting some sort of special treatment and attention. But, we know you were doing this for everyone. It is remarkable — the spirit and attitude of Baylor.
Thank you for openly honoring God and His principles. It is no coincidence that the atmosphere at Baylor is so unique and infused with peace: God’s blessing and favor are there because you honor Him.
We loved the elegant dinner for parents on Thursday night! The setting was beautiful, food wonderful, iced tea so refreshing. The serving folks were so kind and friendly. Please, thank them for us. They treated us like royalty. Getting to know other parents was wonderful! Judy’s words were so helpful and reassuring; and the parent panel gave us invaluable information. The Baylor Family is really that, a family.
I have sent this to those whose emails I did jot down, but I include the many whose emails I don’t have: Dr. Kim Kellison, Martha Lou Scott, the Success Center folks, the campus safety people, the “grandmother” working in the bookstore who met our son, learned his name, and reassured me she would keep a look-out for him and encourage him to study and get enough sleep; Charlotte Moody in financial services who patiently and cheerfully answered all our questions — two or three times; smiling faces in the Memorial and Penland dining services, and everyone else in yellow orientation polos!
We know all of you have you own lives and personal concerns. We are praying for you that as you so unselfishly serve and love us and our children, God will give you an extra boost of His blessing and favor in your own lives. Thank you for your ministry to us.
With much love and gratitude,
J.V. (class of ‘73)
Sic ’em, Orientation welcomers!
From spelling bees to Scrabble
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Student life
I was never all that great at spelling bees. I still remember the last one I participated in, and the word I misspelled — “diagonal.” I added an extra letter in there somewhere, and quickly took my seat with the rest of the students who had struggled with similar challenges.
Orry Swift probably never had that problem. A former spelling bee champ, Swift — now a senior finance major at Baylor — has shifted his focus from spelling bees to Scrabble. And he’s good — real good. In fact, when you’re flipping channels later this month and come across a Scrabble tournament on ESPN, pause for a moment; the player you’re seeing might just be Orry.
The 4th-ranked Scrabble player in Texas, he’ll be competing in the National Scrabble Championship in Orlando July 25-29. He explains some of his strategy in this Waco Tribune-Herald article and offers tips in the accompanying video. Maybe these sorts of tips will help the next time someone breaks out the Scrabble board at a family reunion.
Sic ’em, Orry!
Looking back on a record-setting 2007-08 school year
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun
The Baptist Standard ran a nice wrap-up last week of Baylor’s significant developments and achievements from 2007-08. Among the year’s highlights:
* Welcoming the most academically qualified freshman class in school history;
* Jumping six spots to No. 75 in the U.S. News rankings, Baylor’s best-ever mark;
* Adding 15 new faculty positions and 31 new staff positions;
* The positive national story that followed the men’s basketball team making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years; and
* An increase to 40 percent in the number of students living on campus as Brooks Village opened.
The one that jumped out to me was the increase in giving to the University. During the past year, Baylor received more than $80 million in gifts and pledges, including more than $21.9 million given specifically to Baylor’s endowment — the seventh straight year Baylor has seen an increase in the support of endowed scholarships, endowed faculty positions and endowed programs. Overall, Baylor’s endowment increased to a school-record $1.1 billion this year, even while the financial market has struggled nationwide.
KCEN-TV ran this short report, and there’s plenty more in the official release. (And of course, we’ve covered even more to be proud of on the Baylor Proud blog.) As President Lilley said, “Alumni and friends of Baylor University should be greatly encouraged with our remarkably strong trajectory.”
Sic ’em, Baylor!
Will your employer donate to Baylor?
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for FunI read this week that over the years, ExxonMobil has given more than $5 million to Baylor through the company’s matching gifts program. Last year, Baylor received more than half a million dollars from matching gift programs, including more than $370,000 from ExxonMobil’s generous three-to-one matching policy.
ExxonMobil is just one of more 7,500 companies that offer matching gift programs to employees. Whether you’re already giving to Baylor or just starting to consider giving, click here to see if your company might help your gift go even further. For more information about matching gifts, contact Baylor’s University Development office.
Thanks in part to gifts like these, Baylor’s endowment has grown to $1.1 billion — nearly double where it stood five years ago — even as endowments nationally have struggled in a difficult market.
Sic ’em, matching gift-givers!
Alum chosen to sing German anthem for audience of 300 million
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Alumni, Honors
At big American sporting events, it’s usually pop or rock stars who are selected to sing the National Anthem — singers like Billy Joel or Carrie Underwood.
The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship (commonly called Euro 2008) wrapped up Saturday in Vienna as Germany faced Spain in the title match, which is roughly equivalent to an international Super Bowl of soccer. And who was selected to sing the German national anthem? Baylor grad Eddie Gauntt, a native of Clifton, Texas, who now sings opera in Karlsruhe, Germany.
An estimated 300 million people worldwide tuned in to the game, and thus heard a Baylor grad singing. (Click here for video from ABC’s coverage, or here for the view from inside the stadium.) Gauntt graduated from Baylor in 1979 with a bachelor of music degree in voice. His wife, singer-composer Cae Cooley Gauntt, is also a Baylor music graduate (class of 1978).
Sic ’em, Eddie!
Max Lucado among Spring Chapel guest speakers
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Just for Fun, Student life
In April, noted Christian author and pastor Max Lucado was a guest speaker in Chapel. (Watch video from that and other Chapel services here.) Lucado spoke on the most well-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, elaborating to the students and others in attendance on the beauty of God’s openness to all who will receive Him.
Chapel has been a fixture at Baylor since the University was founded in 1845, and its focus on worship and teaching is one of the clearest examples of the school’s Christian heritage. (Check out this feature from the new issue of Baylor Magazine for more on how Chapel fits into Baylor’s efforts towards helping students develop spiritually.) I didn’t fully appreciate Chapel while I was a student, but I’m so grateful now for the many ways — like Chapel — that Baylor so intentionally helps students explore their faith.
Sic ’em, Chapel programmers!
Baylor family provides new home for injured former football star
Posted by The Baylor Proud Team in : Photo Galleries, Just for Fun, Alumni, Athletics
In 1979, sophomore defensive back Kyle Woods fractured his neck and severely injured his spinal cord during football practice; the injury left him paralyzed. Thanks to help from Baylor friends and family, Woods was eventually able to go back to school, graduating from UT-Arlington in 1993. He has spent the past 13 years as a counselor at Mountain View College in Dallas.
In 2000, a former teammate recognized Woods’ need for a special van with a wheelchair lift, and funds were raised for a new Dodge Caravan that was presented to Woods during the 2000 Homecoming game. More than enough money was donated, and the overflow started what eventually became the Kyle Woods home project.
Earlier this month, Woods was presented with the keys to a new home, designed with his needs in mind. (Click here for a photo gallery.) Former head coach Grant Teaff gave a recognizable face to the project, while business professor L.M. Dyson oversaw the work. Countless former teammates and other Baylor friends stepped up to make the home happen.
This video report from Dallas’ WFAA gave me chills. For more, check out the Waco Tribune-Herald’s excellent story on Woods and the home, complete with their own photo gallery. I liked what Woods had to say about the overwhelming response to the situation: “It’s kind of mind-boggling that people still care about you after all this time. I guess there’s just a bond that hasn’t been broken.”
Teaff agreed, noting, “I told (new Baylor football coach Art Briles), ‘You’ve stepped into a place that’s unique and special and different.’ Not once in 29 years has there ever been a separation of Kyle and his teammates and his coaches. Period. Think about that.”
Sic ’em, Baylor family!
