Baylor Welcomes New Deans

This spring, Baylor continues its legacy of excellence in academic leadership with the appointments of Dr. Todd Still as dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Dr. Michael McLendon as dean of the School of Education and Dr. Gary Mortenson as dean of the School of Music.

Todd D. Still, PhD
Dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary
In February, after a six-month search, Dr. Todd Still was announced as dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

"In Dr. Todd Still, Baylor University, and our dear friends in the Texas Baptist family, found a visionary leader to guide into a bright future our beloved Truett Seminary," Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr said.

As dean, Still provides academic and administrative leadership for the seminary. He believes deeply in the mission set forth by Truett's founders and hopes to positively pursue that mission in his new leadership role. His vision for Truett is a continuation and expansion of the direction the Seminary is presently heading. Still acknowledges the challenges he and many others who lead institutions engaged in theological education will encounter.

"We face challenges of enrollment and placement. We also are tasked with the continuing work of development and raising endowment," Still said. "These are opportunities that I am looking forward to engaging as Truett's fifth dean."

Still brings to his new position impressive academic credentials and congregational experience. Additionally, he has strong relationships with University and Seminary colleagues as well as the broader Baylor community. He has taught New Testament for nearly 20 years (12 of those at Truett) and is an acclaimed academic. He also has taught and preached at numerous churches both within and beyond the state of Texas, served on the Faculty Senate and as a Faculty Regent, and has recently chaired Baylor's Provost Search Committee.

"I think that I bring energy to this role and a desire to work tirelessly to promote Truett's good and well-being," Still said. "And it's all born out of a deep sense of affection and passion for what Truett and Baylor represent and mean."

His love for Truett is easily observed. Still cares deeply about the community shared between faculty and staff, the commitment to preparing men and women for ministry and mission, the seminary's history and vision, and its connection to Baylor University, his alma mater.

"I respect my faculty and staff colleagues. And, as Judge Starr is known to say, it's all about the students," Still said. "We admire our students and greatly esteem the churches who allow us to partner with them."

Beyond partnering with churches, Still envisions opportunities for local partnerships as well, including with the City of Waco, Mission Waco, and the Texas Hunger Initiative. Even closer to home, Still sees potential for Truett to foster and further its relationships at Baylor, such as through Spiritual Life and various other academic units.

"Our desire is to find areas where we can collaborate and cooperate with others and lend support to the important initiatives that they are already about," Still said.

With all of the challenges and opportunities his new role presents, Still acknowledges that he is most excited about helping churches learn more about Truett and the remarkable students who graduate from it.

"I am excited about helping congregations understand more fully that if they're looking for a seminary to support or a school they can throw their weight behind, they need look no further than Truett Seminary," he said.

Still stepped into his role as dean of Truett Seminary on April 1, 2015.

Michael K. McLendon, PhD
Dean of the School of Education
Following a nine-month national search, Dr. Michael McLendon was announced as the dean of Baylor's School of Education in March. Currently serving as the associate dean of Southern Methodist University's Simmons School of Education and Human Development, McLendon is coming home to his alma mater.

McLendon's exceptional academic career includes scholarship at the highest level and leadership at some of the top schools of education in the country," Baylor Interim Provost David Garland, PhD, said.

Not only did McLendon earn his undergraduate degree at Baylor in 1991, but it also was at Baylor, through his studies and the encouragement of mentors, that he discovered his calling to a career in higher education.

"In some ways I'm returning home, not just in the sense of an undergraduate institution I attended, but returning home to the source of all of my decisions about what I wanted to do with my life," McLendon said.

Along with his passion for and familiarity with Baylor, McLendon brings a broad range of experiences to the dean position. He served as a policy analyst on the Higher Education Committee of the Florida House of Representatives and held the role of executive associate dean and chief of staff at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. The inaugural holder of SMU's Simmons Centennial Chair in Higher Education Policy and Leadership, he is also a distinguished scholar and has published numerous articles and presentations focused on higher education governance, finance and public policy.

Innovative and enthusiastic with a wealth of experience, McLendon will begin his time as dean with a number of aspirations.

"I love to build," McLendon said. "In Baylor's School of Education, we will build off of a high level of quality and commitment from faculty and staff."

His goals include preparing professional educators to make a deeper impact, raising the national visibility of Baylor's School of Education, developing and cultivating external support for the School, building the School's research productivity and infrastructure, diversifying the faculty and student body, and developing high-quality, innovative programs to meet the changes in the field of education.

One particular area of interest for McLendon in regards to innovative programs is a focus on educational policy.

"In the last quarter century, education policy and policy change has become one of the most important developments in the field of education," he said. "In that area we're trying to produce individuals who are interested in both improvement in research and also in the practice of designing and evaluating broad policy systems that can impact large numbers of students and schools at a time."

McLendon's goals for the School of Education culminate in a vision for its growth and continued success during a period of change, challenges and opportunity in the field of education.

"We have a remarkable opportunity – in fact, an historic opportunity – to do a whole number of things that I think will further solidify Baylor as a university and the School of Education as one of the nation's best," McLendon said.

McLendon will begin as dean of the School of Education on July 1, 2015.

Gary Mortenson, DMA
Dean of the School of Music
Interim Provost David Garland announced Dr. Gary Mortenson's appointment as dean of the School of Music at Baylor in March.

"We are so pleased that Dr. Mortenson agreed to join Baylor as our new dean of the School of Music," Garland said. "He is an outstanding, award-winning musician, has had extensive experience in music education in a university setting, and is recognized as a talented administrator."

Mortenson comes to Baylor from Kansas State University, where he has taught since 1989. Most recently, Mortenson led Kansas State's School of Music, Theatre and Dance through a period of impressive growth and development as the School's director.

"I think being on faculty at one university for 26 years gives me the advantage of being around long enough to assess situations, to see what is needed and to do the hard work of investigating and advocating and never accepting the status quo," he said.

Growing up listening to his father's experiences as a high school band director, Mortenson was drawn to music and to education early in life. His talent with the trumpet led him to continue his education to the doctorate level. In the process, Mortenson realized his love for learning and discovery.

"I'd have to characterize myself as a very curious person," he said. "I think that if you want to enhance your intellectual skills and if you believe in lifelong learning, then curiosity is probably the best thing you can have."

Upon his arrival at Baylor, Mortenson plans to put his curiosity to good use as he begins to form relationships and to learn more about the School of Music. His first goal as dean is to get to know the faculty, staff and students and to listen to what they have to teach him.

"Everything I believe in has to do with servant-based leadership. What that means to me is that you work with people, you lift up programs, you leave no one in the dust," Mortenson said. "You're constantly trying to enhance people's strengths. If there are weaknesses, then you work with them humanely and with a caring attitude."

Mortenson acknowledges the challenges that await him as dean of the School of Music, particularly with the expense of the performing arts. From instrument care to individualized lessons, maintaining excellence in a school of music is not cheap.

"One of the things that I come with the full realization of is that you are never done raising money for scholarships and you are never done assessing the infrastructure of the school," he said. "You want to make sure that the resources that are necessary to do what we do at a very high level are always there."

As he looks forward to the opportunities and challenges of his new role, Mortenson emphasizes the respect he has for Baylor and for the School of Music.

"In all of my investigations, everything that I've found about the School of Music and Baylor University gives me tremendous respect for what is there," he said. "And I sense their respect coming back my way as well. That bodes very well for future success."

Mortenson will begin as dean of the School of Music on July 1, 2015.