Making a Statement: This is Our Baylor

When people visit Baylor University, there is a consistent refrain: “Wow, everyone here is so nice. They must really love their jobs.” This is true. For four years in a row, The Chronicle of Higher Education has awarded Baylor Honor Roll status as one of the country’s “Great Colleges to Work For.”

It is something that sets apart Baylor faculty and staff — we love Baylor University and believe in the mission. This is Our Baylor, and we are proud to give our time, talent and treasure to support the programs that stir our passions.

The Our Baylor Faculty, Staff and Retirees Campaign is an annual call for Baylor employees and retirees to financially support the area of Baylor that means the most to them. Any gift to any area counts toward our overall participation rate and helps us make a statement that we support Our Baylor. This year’s campaign runs from June 1, 2014, through May 31, 2015.

Twelve men and women have stepped up to help lead the charge in 2015, standing in the gap for their divisions and encouraging each person to show their support. Dr. Andrea Dixon, associate professor and executive director of the Keller Center and Center for Professional Selling, is the chair of this year’s campaign. To encourage participation, she and her husband, Doug, have pledged to give a $1 donation in honor of each faculty and staff member who makes a gift during this academic year.

“Truly, the Lord has called Baylor University to the national stage. My husband and I are absolutely humbled to see how He is working here,” Dixon said. “We would be thrilled to see 100-percent involvement by Baylor staff and faculty in this year’s Our Baylor Campaign. We’d like to encourage everyone here to make a gift of any size as an acknowledgement of the Lord’s work at Baylor University.”

Every single gift combines with the gifts of others to help accomplish our Pro Futuris goals. Together, we can improve access and affordability by providing scholarship support and increase opportunities for transformational education by supplementing program needs.

“Giving back to Baylor, no matter how large or small the gift, helps cement oneself to the university and enhances one’s personal and emotional attachments to the area supported,” said Gary Carter, financial manager and Our Baylor liaison for the College of Arts and Sciences. “It makes coming to work each morning that much more fun.”

For the past two years, nearly one in every two faculty and staff members has chosen to make a financial gift to the University. A few areas of that support include:

• Since June 2014, faculty and staff have already given more than $200,000 toward scholarships.

• 249 faculty and staff helped build McLane Stadium by supporting the McLane Stadium Brick Campaign, contributing almost $90,000.

• Faculty and staff have given more than $150,000 toward the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

Every gift enriches the Baylor experience. We hope you will join us by supporting Our Baylor.