They sit at the top of their academic divisions, accountable to the provost as well as to a retinue of independent-minded faculty members. They shape the curriculum, the direction and the quality of instruction for thousands of students. In this two-part series, we ask Baylor's 11 deans to give us a glimpse into their personalities by answering a specific question -- a perspective most might not get by simply interacting with the person behind the desk. The second part of the series will be in the September issue.

Bob Bullock was a Texas politico of almost mythic proportions, and this summer his political archive opens at Baylor

Achieve a $2 Billion Endowment

Last December, Stuart Smith completed a 16-year odyssey to ascend the highest peak on each of the continents, known by mountaineers as the Seven Summits. But instead of staying South for the winter, the Waco attorney already was planning his next trip -- nearly 70 miles of cross-country skiing. At the North Pole.

From sunrise to sunset, they work the soil and tend the animals with one goal -- to find ways to alleviate global hunger. It's a simple approach that can feed the poor, one family at a time. More and more, Baylor students are heading to the World Hunger Relief Farm to learn how to change the world.

One semester shy of graduating, David Stalcup decided to take a trip. Five years and six continents later, he came home.

Last December, a team of 20 from Baylor went to war-torn Iraq to meet with higher education officials. Across religious boundaries and ideological differences, what people discovered was commonality of heart and purpose.

Last December, a team of 20 from Baylor went to war-torn Iraq to meet with higher education officials. Across religious boundaries and ideological differences, what people discovered was commonality of heart and purpose.