WACO, Texas (July 18, 2022) – Baylor University bear Judge Joy Reynolds, known simply as “Joy,” beloved sister of Judge Sue “Lady” Sloan and a cherished member of the Baylor Family for 21 years, passed away peacefully today surrounded by her loving and dedicated caregivers, staff and veterinary team.

They may not be blue-check verified on Twitter, but Judge Joy and Judge Lady – Baylor University's two American black bears who reside on campus in the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat – will make history as the first live college mascots to send a tweet on the popular social media platform.

WACO, Texas (May 12, 2021) – The Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat at Baylor University today announced its approval for accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the independent, international accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 11, 2021) – Baylor University announced today that Judge Lady, one of the University’s two beloved American black bears, is progressing to the next phase of her recovery and rehabilitation from a successful operation to remove a cyst that developed around her spinal column. The surgery occurred in August 2020 at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) in College Station.

After a late 2019 diagnosis with a benign thymoma mass, Lady, 18, received a series of innovative, noninvasive radiation doses called TomoTherapy — a treatment believed to be the first of its kind done on a bear. Follow-up examinations and radiograph images in July of this year showed Lady’s mass has not expanded, even suggesting a 20 percent reduction in size.

As we reach the end of the second week of the fall semester, I want to commend all of you for your continued wearing of facemasks, practicing social distancing and following University guidelines and policies during this unique time of COVID-19.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 26, 2020) – Baylor University announced today that Judge Lady, one of the University’s two American black bears, is recovering from a successful operation to remove a mass that developed around her spinal column.

Be sure to check your mailboxes as we get closer to the fall semester. In the weeks ahead, we will start mailing mandatory COVID-19 test kits to all students, faculty and staff.

Starting off with some good news this week: You may recall that in December, one of our beloved black bears, Lady, underwent a first-of-its-kind treatment, called Tomotherapy, for a thymoma in her chest. Last month, Lady underwent a check-up from her veterinary team who came to visit her in Waco. The team took images of Lady’s chest and have reported that the Tomotherapy treatment is successfully managing the size of the mass – it has not grown.

WACO, Texas (April 20, 2020) – Amid the shelter-in-place mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, diligent student caregivers in the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat, a Class C Zoo, have maintained world-class supervision and protection of the University’s black bears, Judge Joy and Judge Lady.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 11, 2019) – Baylor University announced today that Lady, one of the University’s two American Black Bear mascots, is undergoing an innovative, noninvasive radiation treatment for a benign cranial mediastinal mass, or thymoma, in her chest. The tumor was found during a routine wellness examination with veterinarians at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Baylor University celebrates many beloved traditions, but few bring as much joy to students, alumni and friends and as many rich opportunities to interact with and educate young people in Central Texas as our live bear mascots, Joy and Lady. They are a cherished part of the Baylor Family.