A Robust Fiscal Year of Fundraising Strengthens Baylor's Academics and Service to Local Community

During the recently completed fiscal year (June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018) — which coincided with the first year in office of Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. — the philanthropic support of students, alumni, parents and friends exceeded $113 million.

Marking the seventh consecutive year the University has surpassed the $100 million benchmark in fundraising, this amount is the second-largest annual fundraising total in Baylor’s history and a 12 percent increase over last year’s total. This year’s total also reflects an 8 percent increase in the number of donors whose gifts supported work across the University.

“Such philanthropic generosity is a remarkable testimony to Baylor’s ongoing strength and resilience and a powerful endorsement by the Baylor Family of our mission as a Christian research university,” Livingstone said. “This financial support is invaluable to strengthening Baylor as a place of transformational education for our students and a source of transformational change to our surrounding world.”

The generosity of the Baylor Family will impact students, faculty and a wide array of programs across campus and reflects a depth of engagement by students, alumni, parents and friends giving at all levels for the future of the institution. New gifts and pledges from Baylor alumni increased by 27 percent over last year, totaling more than $62 million, while matching corporate gifts grew by 18 percent. Of particular note, the total value of gifts and pledges made to Baylor’s endowment — a key component of institutional strength — increased by 70 percent over last year, and the total amount designated for student scholarships saw an increase of 48 percent.

Strengthening academics

Among the gifts to endow the academic pursuits of our faculty, Lynda (B.S.Ed. ’79) and Robert Copple (B.B.A. ’80, M.P.A. ’81) of Frisco created The Lynda and Robert Copple Endowed Chair in Christian School Leadership within the School of Education. The gift will enable Baylor to attract a visionary Christian leader to lay the academic and intellectual foundations of the Center for Christian Education (CCE) and establish the Center as the preeminent provider of professional development for leaders of Christian schools and for Christian leaders in non-sectarian school settings.

Also during the fall 2017 semester, a gift from David (B.A. ’60) and Shirley Lake of Tyler established The Lake Family Endowed Chair in Congregational and Community Health. The gift created a unique joint venture between Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work and George W. Truett Theological Seminary by supporting the work of a distinguished faculty member who will develop and implement a strategic initiative related to congregational and community health and will teach in both academic units.

More recently, The M. Stephen and Alyce A. Beard Chair in Business and Transactional Law was established in late May, funded through a gift from M. Stephen (B.B.A. ’71, J.D. ’73) and Alyce A. Beard (B.A. ’70). The chair recognizes Baylor Law’s prominence in practical training and scholarship through the fully integrated transactional program that prepares students for all types of positions within areas of business, commerce and intellectual property law.

Baylor’s strength in the sciences has been made even stronger with the establishment of the Floyd F. Davidson Endowed Memorial Chair in Biology, made possible through a gift of approximately $2.5 million from the estate of Lorene Taylor Davidson. Lorene and her husband, Dr. Floyd Davidson, were longtime Baylor supporters who blended giving to Baylor during their lifetimes with the inclusion of a gift to Baylor in their estate. Dr. Floyd Davidson (B.S. ’32, M.A. ’33) was a member of Baylor’s faculty from 1946 to 1977 and served as chairman of the Department of Biology.

Diversity of support

Student giving also played an important role in support of Baylor’s mission. As part of the senior class project, approximately 660 graduating seniors gave more than $12,300 to create the Student Care and Wellness Fund that will support students with emergency needs. In addition, on January 24, Baylor students led the campus community in the annual Change the World in a Day initiative, with more than 905 donors raising $10,125 to support mission trips to aid in the ongoing rebuilding efforts in Rockport, Texas, following Hurricane Harvey.

Reflecting Baylor’s institution-wide commitment to service, for more than 15 years the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences has partnered with the Waco Scottish Rite to host Camp Success, a free intensive summer language and literacy intervention program for children. In May, the program’s future was ensured by a $1.6 million gift from the Waco Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation that will create a permanent endowment for Camp Success. The endowment will provide resources for the camp program and support for CSD faculty, staff and students while also supporting the growth of CSD’s nationally ranked graduate program and enhancing community outreach to raise awareness about this valuable resource for Central Texas children.

“The great variety of gifts, both in size and in the programs strengthened, is a reflection of the diversity and passions of the Baylor family,” said David Rosselli, vice president for university advancement. “More than 19,000 donors chose to come alongside Baylor this past year as we pursue our aspiration to become a preeminent Christian research university. We are extremely grateful for their generosity.”