Presidential Perspective - April 19, 2018

April 19, 2018

Baylor Students, Faculty and Staff:

I must admit that I was a little sore yesterday after participating in the Baylor Fun Run to kickoff Diadeloso on Tuesday. Yes, the First Gent and I finished the race(!) and then enjoyed a "day off" with all of you as we prepare for the end of the spring semester. From a giraffe to goat yoga and concerts to crazy games, "The Day of the Bear" was a big success.

Here are a few noteworthy items to share for this week:

  • We look forward to welcoming Laura Johnson, Ph.D., as Baylor's new Title IX Coordinator, effective June 11. Dr. Johnson comes to Baylor from Georgetown (Ky.) College, where she currently serves as Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator. She has a wide range of experience in student services overall and in the prevention, investigation and management of sexual violence on college campuses. As we await Dr. Johnson's arrival, the University will continue to provide the full complement of Title IX services for our campus community as we all commit to addressing the scourge of sexual violence.
  • Two Baylor seniors and a research graduate have been selected to receive prestigious Fulbright awards from the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government:
    • Amanda Ward Braswell, B.S.N. '17, a registered nurse in the Bone Marrow Transplant unit at Medical City Dallas, has received a Fulbright grant to India;
    • John Ryan Isaacson, a senior international studies major from Muleshoe, Texas, has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany; and
    • Sofia Sonner, a senior biology major from South Pasadena, California, has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan.

    Amanda, John Ryan and Sofia are Baylor's 52nd, 53rd and 54th Fulbright recipients since 2001, and we understand that there are more Baylor Fulbright recipients to come this year. For more information about national and international scholarship opportunities, contact Baylor's Office of Scholarship Programs, Awards, Research, Knowledge (SPARK).

  • Tonight at the Mayborn Museum, the Provost's Office and Baylor's Social Innovation Collaborative (BAY-SIC) will host a panel conversation on the Central American refugee crisis on opening night of the Northern Triangle Art Exhibit by Borderland Collective. The exhibit, on display through September, comes to Baylor as the result of a project by students in the BAY-SIC course, "Child Migration in the Western Hemisphere." Starting at 6 p.m., these students will discuss their project and welcome panelists Mark Menjivar, Jason Reed and Erina Duganne of Borderland Collective; Dr. Victor Hinojosa and Dr. Lori Baker, who teach the course and have spent their careers studying and working on various issues in migration in Latin and Central America; and Dr. Andy Hogue, director of the philanthropy and public service program. This is a prime example of how our faculty, staff, and students are coming together to discover and develop innovative ways to promote human flourishing.
  • We continue to receive good feedback from the campus community on Illuminate, our academic strategic plan. Given the response, we are extending the comment period through Tuesday, April 24, at 5 p.m. Be sure to visit the Illuminate website.
  • And don't forget that it's Green and Gold Weekend! A host of athletics events, performances and community activities are planned Friday through Sunday. With the weather on Saturday looking a little iffy, be sure to monitor the University and Athletics social media accounts and check the Green and Gold website for any updates to the schedule of events.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our great University.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President