A Rich History
From humble beginnings in Independence, Texas, we have grown to a 735-acre campus in Waco, Texas, educating more than 14,000 men and women to pursue their individual life callings.
These are exciting times in the life of the University - a period in which we are striving to remain both a relevant institution of higher learning for the coming years and to continue to fulfill our original mission laid down by our founders: to be a Christian University "fully susceptible of enlargement and development to meet the needs of all ages to come." In a world where faith is often the casualty of a serious pursuit of academic achievement, Baylor is a special place.
The ability and willingness of Baylor to adapt and change to achieve continual progress can be traced throughout its history. It has endured and survived hardships, from financial hardship, to the Great Depression, to world wars. It made a historic and critical decision to move from Independence to Waco, its current home. It divested its medical and dental schools at a time when that proved to be the most prudent decision for the success of each program. It even had the foresight and fortitude to change its very charter to insulate the institution from denominational struggles.
Had Baylor and its leaders throughout history not faced these decisions and challenges with foresight and a commitment to progress, it would not be the leading university that it is today. And it is that very spirit of progress that is invoked by Baylor 2012. The vision for the University will continue to help Baylor adapt and grow with the world around it, while ever strengthening its original mission and heritage.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies Baylor as a research university with "high research activity." Baylor has an international reputation for educational excellence built upon the faculty's commitment to teaching, scholarship and interdisciplinary research to produce outstanding graduates.
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked liberal arts institution. Our rank of alumni include missionaries and pastors, heads of Fortune 500 companies, governors of Texas and professional athletes, to name but a few. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest, continually operating university in the state.
The Presidents of Baylor University
In more than 160 years of educational service, Baylor has had 14 individuals serve as president. The University's presidencies include:
• Henry Lee Graves
• Rufus C. Burleson
• George Washington Baines
• William Carey Crane
• Reddin Andrews
• Rufus C. Burleson
• Oscar Henry Cooper
• Samuel Palmer Brooks
• Pat Morris Neff
• William R. White
• Abner Vernon McCall
• Herbert H. Reynolds
• Robert B. Sloan, Jr.
• William D. Underwood
• John M. Lilley
• David E. Garland
