Honors College Mission Trips Made Possible by Parents of Baylor Student
The parents of a current Baylor student have made a gift to the University that will make possible life-changing mission experiences for several Baylor students this summer, as well as for future students in the years to come.
On March 30, Baylor announced a gift of $1 million from David and Amy Hunt of McLean, Virginia, to create the David and Amy Hunt Christian Missions Endowed Fund. The gift will support mission experiences led by the Honors College, enabling Baylor students to integrate the Christian faith with discipline-specific learning and hands-on service. The Hunts said they are excited to support the mission and students of a faith-based university through their philanthropy.
"We love that Baylor University is unashamed of the gospel," David Hunt said. "We hope our gift will allow many Baylor students to go on mission trips to apply what they have learned– whether that is in engineering, the medical sciences or the humanities – while also sharing the gospel. We believe it is important not only to help people find Christ or to renew their faith, but also for Christians to reach out and help people in practical ways in a time of need."
Through Baylor Global Missions and other programs on campus, hundreds of Baylor students engage in mission work around the world every year, many on faculty-led, discipline-specific mission trips. Such trips create tangible opportunities for students to understand how they can use the knowledge and skills gained at Baylor to positively impact the world. Mission trips are available during Spring Break, the May mini-mester, and the summer for one to two weeks, with students paying for their expenses. Approximately 40 of these annual mission teams have a focus on work that is specific to a student’s discipline or special interest, such as engineering or healthcare.
This summer, the David and Amy Hunt Christian Missions Endowed Fund provided funding for Baylor students, with preference given to Honors College students, to go on a mission trip to Turkey and Greece, led by Dr. Doug Henry, associate professor of philosophy and associate dean of the Honors College.
"The gift by David and Amy Hunt will powerfully strengthen the Honors College by enabling our students to go out into the world and do good works while applying what they are learning as students of both ancient and contemporary thought," said Dr. Thomas S. Hibbs, distinguished professor of ethics and culture and dean of the Honors College.
"We have a great love for Baylor, and in particular the Honors College, because of its interdisciplinary focus, the strong and supportive faculty and how they encourage students to think critically and participate in class." Amy Hunt said. "With this gift, Dave and I want to encourage Baylor students to live out the gospel in their personal and professional lives, and we hope that more and more students will experience the power of service through the mission trips Baylor offers each year."