Baylor Dedicates Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center

University honors Bob and Laura Beauchamp, celebrates dedication of new sports nutrition facility

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WACO, Texas (Oct. 19, 2015) – Baylor University celebrated the official ribbon cutting and dedication of the $8.5 million Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center (BANC), one of the university’s newest on-campus athletics facilities located on the Brazos River, during a special event on Friday, Oct. 16.

Known as the BANC, the Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center is named for Bob and Laura Beauchamp of Houston, who provided a $3 million lead gift for the project in December 2013. Construction on the two-story, 12,100-square-foot facility began in spring 2014 and was completed in August.

Conveniently located near the Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility and the Simpson Strength and Conditioning area amid the Highers Athletics Complex, the Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center directly supports the vital role that proper nutrition plays in the pursuit of athletic excellence for Baylor’s 550 student-athletes.

“We are deeply grateful for the profound generosity of Bob and Laura Beauchamp that led to the creation of our sports nutrition facility,” President Starr said. “Attending to the dietary needs of those in training is an essential component of our commitment to the overall welfare of the outstanding student-athletes who compete in all 19 of our intercollegiate sports. This wonderful facility provides a magnificent gathering place to fortify the physical, mental and spiritual health of our student-athletes who dedicate themselves to hard work and excellence on the fields of play and in the classroom.”

Honoring the Beauchamps

More than 100 guests, including the Beauchamp family, coaches, members of the Board of Regents and university and athletic administrators, gathered for a reception and dinner at the BANC to honor the Beauchamps.

Following the president’s remarks and a prayer of dedication by Athletics Chaplain Wes Yeary, the Beauchamp family joined President Starr and Director of Athletics Ian McCaw to cut the ribbon and officially dedicate the new facility.

During the evening, guests heard from Kaz Kazadi, associate athletics director for athletic performance, who spoke about his drive and passion for helping students find success in both athletics and academics, while McCaw closed out the night thanking the Beauchamps for investing in the university’s vision for an athletic nutrition center.

“The thought and care that has gone into the development of the Beauchamp Athletic Nutrition Center and the continued programming provided by specially trained nutritionists and our athletic performance team truly provides our student-athletes with what they need to compete at the highest level,” McCaw said. “The addition of the BANC to the athletics complex that surrounds us brings an important component of athletic training to the forefront of the Baylor experience, and we are grateful to Bob and Laura for their investment in this vision.”

Two years ago, when the Beauchamps made their gift, they pointed to the success of the Baylor athletics program, which benefited the university invaluably by creating a platform that has increased awareness of Baylor as a leader in Christian higher education.

“Our hope is that this new facility enables Baylor’s outstanding student-athletes to thrive both on the field and off, propelling them to great performances in competition, and excellence in their academic pursuits. Our family is grateful for the opportunity to support Baylor at this exceptional time in its history,” Bob Beauchamp said.

Taking it to the BANC

Complete with a “fuel station” for healthy grab-and-go options, the BANC provides student-athletes with the resources necessary to maintain top performance health. The facility reflects Baylor’s commitment to meeting the nutritional needs of student-athletes through a rigorous assessment, education and implementation plan that is enhanced by a dedicated athletics nutrition center.

Teaching student-athletes to correctly fuel their bodies before or after workouts and throughout the day has been shown to strengthen their abilities to recover from training and to maximize physical development. The Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center offers student-athletes the expertise of sports nutritionists to develop individualized dietary plans that enhance hydration, prevent injuries, address special needs and aid in recovery when injuries occur.

The BANC building was designed to blend with the university’s athletic facilities, while having a unique look, and is situated to take advantage of natural water views overlooking the Brazos River. The facility features a downstairs dining hall that seats 160 people, an outdoor terrace and an upstairs players' lounge, in addition to the fuel station.

A member of Baylor’s Board of Regents since 2009, Bob Beauchamp earned a B.B.A. in finance from the University of Texas and an M.S. in management from Houston Baptist University, while Laura Beauchamp earned a B.B.A. from the University of Texas.

Bob Beauchamp is chair and CEO of BMC Software, one of the world’s largest and best-performing software companies. Since joining BMC in 1988, he has held a number of other senior roles, including global leadership of the company’s strategic marketing, research and development, and mergers and acquisitions organizations. He was named BMC’s president and CEO in 2001. He serves on the boards of National Oilwell Varco and Raytheon and in a number of other prominent industry and civic organizations. In 2012, he was honored as a transformational chief executive, receiving the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Gulf Coast Region.

The Beauchamps have four sons, three of whom have been or currently are Baylor students. The family's involvement with the university grew out of their experience as Baylor parents, according to Laura Beauchamp.

“Seeing Baylor through the eyes of our sons, as they have successively grown from being freshmen to graduates, has allowed us to appreciate more deeply the outstanding qualities and overall character of the university,” she said. “There is a strong affinity between our family’s values and Baylor’s commitment to preparing young men and women to be leaders whose ambitions are grounded in ethical principles and selfless service.”

Bob and Laura Beauchamp served on the Steering Committee for the successful $100 million President’s Scholarship Initiative at Baylor. In 2007 they established the Bob and Laura Beauchamp Endowed Scholarship Fund at Baylor.

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 16,000 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 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.