Generous Gift from Silsbee Philanthropist Creates Charline Dauphin Pro Locker Room at Baylor’s Simpson Athletic and Academic Center

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Contacts: Nick Joos, Baylor Athletics, 254-710-3043 and Lori Fogleman, Baylor University, 254-710-6275

WACO, Texas (Sept. 4, 2014) – Baylor University announced today a $500,000 gift from Silsbee, Texas philanthropist Charline Dauphin that will create a space where Baylor's NFL and pro players will "always have a home" when they come back to Baylor.

Construction is expected to begin later this fall on the Charline Dauphin Pro Locker Room within the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center at the Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex on the Baylor campus.

"We are grateful and humbled by Charline Dauphin's generous gift to provide a locker room for Baylor's NFL players in the Simpson Center," said Baylor head football coach Art Briles. "It is important that all of our players stay connected with our program after they leave Baylor, because they are an important part of our football and University family.

"Charline's generosity and vision will allow our NFL players to have a place to call their own when they return to Waco to train in the off-season," Briles added. "We want our players, past and present, to always feel the family atmosphere – this locker room will keep us connected."

The Dauphin family's love of the game goes back to Charline's days as a Rangerette at Kilgore College while her late husband Sidney "Chief" Dauphin played football at Tyler Junior College. He continued his education at Texas A&M Commerce and began a coaching career that eventually took him to southeast Texas and Silsbee High School, where the Tigers' field house today bears his name.

Together, the Dauphins started Texas Home Health, which allowed them to help families care for their loved ones at home. When the business was sold, Texas Home Health had more than 12,000 employees and more than 30 offices across Texas.

The Dauphin family has a history of investing in athletic programs and values the athletic experience, where students learn discipline as an important part of the educational experience at both the high school and collegiate levels.

"Baylor's program is impressive, and Coach Briles absolutely impressed me with his charm and enthusiasm," Mrs. Dauphin said.

Jim Willis, executive director of the Silsbee Chamber of Commerce, Dauphin Family Estate Manager and close friend of the Dauphin family, said he and the Dauphin family are excited to be a part of a program and University where many of their local students study.

"The Baylor story is inspirational, and we all fell in love with Art and his drive for excellence," he said.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.