Common Ground
Building Scholarship Support Unites Generations of Baylor Women
The Baylor Family comes together in many different ways to forge new connections and support the University’s mission and students. For many of Baylor’s regional Women’s Councils, supporting scholarships for Baylor students is the common bond that brings them together.
“Whether they are alumnae, parents or longtime friends of Baylor, our Women’s Council members hold a deep love for Baylor and a drive to support our students,” said Alumni Engagement Senior Director Virginia Ellis. “Our members love to come together and share social connections with one another, but their commitment to raising funds for scholarships is a common bond that has led to lasting friendships and wonderful support for generations of our Baylor students.”
Seven of Baylor’s Women’s Councils have established scholarships dedicated to supporting students from their geographic areas, and members’ dues and group fundraising efforts provided more than $85,000 in additional scholarship support during the 2019-2020 academic year.
“We are proud of our Baylor women for finding a way to build community in their areas while also raising support for our Baylor Bears,” Ellis said. “Of course, that isn’t all that these groups do. They also host events for families, and they are focused on building relationships with each other in these groups, so casual get-togethers, networking lunches and even service projects help make membership to the Women’s Councils a rewarding and valuable connection for our Baylor Family.”
Membership dues, which include free membership for new graduates and mothers of freshman students, help to support scholarships and underwrite some of the costs for hosting and planning the Councils’ events. For many women, the Council provides lasting friendships that yield unexpected connections.
In April 2020, Debra Tibbetts, BSN ’84, left her home in the Houston area to serve as a volunteer nurse in New York City during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though she was thousands of miles away, her Women’s Council friends kept her in their prayers – and stocked with plenty of snacks. In the days after she arrived, the care packages started coming, which were a godsend during 17-hour workdays and with a strict curfew limiting their dining options. It was tangible evidence of the ties that bind our Baylor Family and the members of our Women’s Councils together.
Many events, whether virtual or in-person, and alumni groups offer the Baylor Family an opportunity to give back financially. For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.baylor.edu/alumni/connect.