Presidential Perspective - February 15, 2018

Baylor Students, Faculty and Staff:

Earlier today, I shared the initial framework of Baylor's Academic Strategic Plan - Illuminate - with the Board of Regents, along with members of the President's Council and our Deans. This is an important initiative as we accelerate our quest toward preeminence as a Christian research university and strategically chart our path over the next five years and beyond. We will provide an update for you following the Board meeting tomorrow. Interim Provost Michael K. McLendon and I look forward to sharing the plan with you and receiving your feedback on Illuminate in the coming weeks and months.

Here are a few additional noteworthy items:

• Next Thursday, February 22, is the Collegiate Day of Prayer, and Baylor will join believers from around the world in gathering to pray for revival on college campuses. Baylor's Baptist Student Ministry and FaceTime with God will host an evening of prayer and worship for the entire campus community at Elliston Chapel at 7 p.m. I hope you can join the Baylor Family for this important time, as it will be an evening where our lights will shine bright.

• Speaking of #BaylorLights, Baylor continuously looks for ways to spotlight the great expertise and research of our talented faculty. Dozens of Baylor faculty experts have partnered with our communications team to speak with journalists and share their knowledge and insight into issues of importance to our community and beyond. This significant media outreach effort helps position our faculty as thought leaders and inserts Baylor and our role as a Christian research university into the national dialogue.

• Congratulations to 18 of our remarkably talented School of Music students, who won the third annual Semper Pro Musica Solo and Chamber Music Competition and now will have the opportunity to travel to New York City in May to perform in the historic Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The student winner of the upcoming Semper Pro Musica Organ Competition also will perform in New York City May 23-24 at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church. I look forward to joining Dean Gary Mortenson as our music students share their voices and music before audiences in two of the nation's premier venues.

• A team of three Baylor students were among six finalists from across the country who had the opportunity to experience firsthand the process of imagining, designing and bringing to life Disney theme parks. Erin Saylor, a senior electrical and computer engineering major from League City; Josh Martin, a sophomore graphic design major from Coppell; and Andrea De Oliveira, a senior mechanical engineering major from Katy, were selected to compete in the Disney 2018 Imaginations Design Competition for their underwater-themed idea, "Lion City." They presented their idea along with the other finalists on Jan. 22-26 in Glendale, California.

• You may have seen the viral video of Daniela Perez, a senior at C.C. Winn High School in Eagle Pass, to whom we presented a full-tuition scholarship at last Saturday's basketball game against Kansas. The seeds of such a moving presentation were planted 50 years ago with an estate gift that established the Mr. and Mrs. Charles McCaslin Scholarship to deserving Baylor students. The check presentation was the perfect culmination to the "I Know Where I'm Going" event for #BU22, our incoming class of freshmen this fall.

• Baylor basketball games are always exciting, which is why the First Gent and I want to see all of you at the Ferrell Center on Saturday. Our No. 3 Lady Bears host Kansas at 1 p.m. in a key conference matchup, followed by the men facing Big 12 leader and No. 7 Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. Sic 'em Bears!

Here's to a great remainder of the week! As always, thank you for your dedication and service to Baylor and don't forget to let your light shine bright.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President