Baylor Takes Dr Pepper Hour on the Road
68-year-old tradition extends to students at 17 high schools across the state
Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-709-5959
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WACO, Texas (Sept. 22, 2021) – Baylor University is taking one of its most notable and cherished traditions on the road this fall as Dr Pepper Hour debuts at select high schools in Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Waco over the next four weeks.
Started in 1953, Dr Pepper Hour provides an opportunity for Baylor students to gather on the Waco campus each week and enjoy a Dr Pepper Float with friends, faculty and staff. The unique dessert mixes Dr Pepper and vanilla ice cream into a milkshake-type of texture and provides an opportunity for students to visit and take a break from their busy schedules.
As part of the Dr Pepper Hour Tour, a bright gold Baylor-branded Dr Pepper Hour truck-and-trailer combo will greet prospective students at their respective high schools when classes dismiss for the day. They will receive a COVID-safe Dr Pepper Float kit, consisting of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, a mini can of Dr Pepper, straw/spoon and a gold Baylor-branded plastic cup. Baylor Undergraduate Admissions Counselors also will be on-site adjacent to the vehicle to speak with students about transitioning to college and the opportunities that exist at Baylor.
“Where else can students receive free ice cream with their friends each and every week of their college experience other than at Baylor? That’s one of the many aspects of Dr Pepper Hour that makes this tradition so special for Baylor students and alumni,” said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer at Baylor. “We wanted to extend the Baylor campus experience across the state and share this 68-year-old tradition with prospective students.”
Baylor has partnered with ICE Factor, a Chicago-based experiential marketing agency, on the Dr Pepper Hour Tour. A web-based app allows students to track the tour from their smart phones, request a stop at their school, view images and videos, connect them with Baylor’s Undergraduate Admissions webpage and learn how to make a Dr Pepper Float from Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., and her family.
“We’ve already heard rave reviews from students who have attended a Dr Pepper Hour at their school, and we’re so excited to bring this tradition on the road,” said Ross Van Dyke, Baylor’s senior director of undergraduate admissions. “We love that high school students can now experience one of the most unique Baylor traditions in their own backyard.”
This fall’s tour includes stops at 17 high schools, in addition to Baylor’s Big 12 football opener against Iowa State on Saturday at McLane Stadium in Waco. An eight-week tour is planned for Spring 2022, with the potential to visit 32 high schools across Texas.
Dr Pepper was first created, manufactured and sold in Waco beginning in 1885 at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store. It is the oldest of the major soft drink brands in America.
Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas, having been founded in 1845 in Independence before moving to Waco in 1886, one year after the birth of Dr Pepper.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.