Great Momentum: Give Light campaign enters spring more than halfway toward goal

In November 2018, Baylor University celebrated the public launch of Give Light, the institution’s $1.1 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign, with a lead gift from Mark and Paula Hurd to create the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

At the time of the public launch, the University also celebrated the success of a silent phase that had propelled the campaign to nearly half its goal.

Since that time, the Baylor Family has continued to make generous gifts to the University through Give Light, including a gift in February of $2 million to create an endowed Chair in Global Leadership within Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work and a $15 million gift to renovate Tidwell Bible Building.

Vital Program Support

The endowed chair, which was made by Baylor parents from California, will support the Garland School’s nationally renowned Global Mission Leadership (GML) program, whose purpose is to contribute to Christ-centered international development through culturally informed education.

In addition to providing programmatic funding for the GML program, the gift also will support a full-time faculty member to lead the program and help grow its outreach and curriculum to equip not only GML students, but also Garland School students interested in serving globally.

“We are grateful for these Baylor parents who saw an opportunity to amplify Baylor’s ability to shine a light in communities throughout the world through their generous investment in the Global Mission Leadership program within our School,” said Jon Singletary, dean of the Garland School of Social Work.

In addition to undergirding the initiatives contained in Illuminate, the University’s academic strategic plan, Give Light will impact every aspect of campus life — from academics and athletics to student life and service learning — while also bolstering financial support for students and the campus community.

Capital Project Support

The Sunderland Foundation, a special University partner with a history of support, gave the leadership gift for the renovation of Tidwell. The project is part of the nearly $300 million in capital improvements planned to support Illuminate.

“These are exciting times as we celebrate the progress of Give Light, which will strengthen our commitment to our Christian mission, impact every aspect of campus life and position our academic programs and our students for success. We are deeply grateful for The Sunderland Foundation’s transformational gift that will restore a truly historic and important building on our campus for future generations,” President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., said.

The project will improve infrastructure of the 57,000 square foot building that will significantly enrich and grow academic instruction spaces, faculty offices and community areas. Included in the restoration is the preservation of the historic limestone carving depicting biblical scenes and the stained-glass windows in Miller Chapel.

Tidwell has remained a traditional and educational keystone in the lives of Baylor students, faculty and staff for more than 60 years. Restoration and preservation of the space not only furthers the story of a key piece of Baylor history, but also ensures that students and faculty have the spaces necessary for academic excellence and achievement.

Continued fundraising during the Give Light campaign will be focused on three critical areas of support: endowed funds to establish endowed chairs and professorships, endowed scholarships and endowed funds for growth priorities; expendable funds to support immediate needs, athletics and global learning experiences; and capital projects that add capacity for academic growth.

To learn more about Give Light: The Campaign for Baylor, visit baylor.edu/givelight.