Mission Waco Honors Six Baylor Students and Two Campus Organizations

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WACO, Texas (Feb. 23, 2018) — Mission Waco honored its volunteers of the year, including six Baylor University students and two campus organizations, as “Servant Leaders” during the Christian nonprofit’s annual banquet on Feb. 20.

Those who received awards included:

• Emily Neyland — senior Business Fellows major from Houston
• Amy Adams — senior Business Fellows major from Southlake, Texas
• Lilla Dorvee — senior Anthropology major from Roswell, Georgia
• Ellen Coulter — senior mechanical engineering major from Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas
• Maya Fontenot — senior sociology major from Houston
• Bailey Payne — senior Communication Sciences and Disorders major from Victoria, Texas
• Baylor Alpha Phi Omega (APO)
• Baylor Campus Kitchen

Mission Waco started with the initiative to provide Christian-based, holistic, relationship-based programs that empower the poor and marginalized, mobilize middle-class Americans to become more compassionately involved among the poor and seek ways to overcome the systemic issues of social injustice which oppress the poor and marginalized. The organization offers programs for families and adults, youth and children.

Neyland said she has a heart for children. She heard about Mission Waco’s after-school program and has been a part of it since her freshman year. She spends two afternoons a week there making friends with the kids and staff.

“I get to hang out with kids who live completely opposite lives than I do, yet we still form friendships. I’ve learned what it looks like to love and serve well, especially with kids, who often don’t recognize it,” Neyland said. “I’ve made friendships with some of the sassiest, funniest, yet most genuine and loving kids. The perspective I’ve gained from spending time in Waco will impact me as I move forward. I’ve been impacted by how hard it is to reflect the love of Christ to these kids, but also how rewarding it is.”

Jimmy Dorrell, president and founder of Mission Waco, said it was important to honor these students and organizations because of the hard work they put in and transformation that takes place in the students as well as the people of Mission Waco.

“Having been around the campus and community a long time, I appreciate the incredible gift of Baylor students who come to serve in Waco. At Mission Waco, we have had hundreds, even thousands, of students who invest in our lower-income children, youth, homeless, unemployed, addicted and others who struggle with time and deep compassion,” Dorrell said. “Not only are our participants impacted, but I watch God change the lives of students and begin to genuinely struggle with the issues of poverty, social injustice and how the poor and marginalized can be empowered. There are always a few students who rise to the top each year. They give incredible numbers of hours, as well as make our participants a priority in their weeks. Those are the ones we honored at the banquet.”
by Joy Moton , student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 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.