Baylor in the News – March 28-April 3, 2021

Media Contact: Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-1961
Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

WACO, Texas (April 4, 2021) – Baylor University researchers and faculty experts were featured in national and local media stories as they shared their thoughts and expertise on the connection between attendance and racial diversity within a church, stress and COVID-19, faith leaders and public health, the legacy of the Queen of Gospel Mahalia Jackson and the "COVID slide" on adult literacy.

March 28, 2021

The List: Think Twice About Skipping This Meal If You Want to Lose Weight
Suzy Weems, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and retired professor of family and consumer sciences at Baylor University, says that breakfast is essential, but a healthy choice — not Twinkies and coffee — is what matters when it comes to slimming down or simply maintaining weight loss.

March 29, 2021

National Review: The Southern Baptist Convention Confronts Critical Race Theory
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., author of "Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis," is quoted in this article about the SBC and critical race theory.

EurekAlert: Racial diversity within a church is associated with higher average attendance over time
Racial diversity within the church is associated with a higher average attendance over time, according to a study led by Kevin D. Dougherty, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology. The research was reported on by the Christian Post.

The Medium: New Research Shows That ‘Hypersensitive’ People May Be Better At Handling Stress
A Baylor University study led by Annie Ginty, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience, found that people who showed a more intense response to stress before the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to experience PTSD after it started.

Baptist Standard: Humphries: Racial reconciliation a lifelong journey
Christians who want to become bridge builders between races must embark on a lifelong journey to do so, a ministry educator told participants in a Texas Baptist Women webinar, offered in cooperation with Truett Seminary’s Truett Church Network.

March 30, 2021

Baptist News Global: New data on COVID vaccine efficacy is good news for faith leaders seeking to be influencers
As faith leaders preach the public health benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, they have additional support with a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says Emily Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Baylor University at Baylor University and faculty member at the Duke Global Health Institute, who blogs as the “Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist.”

Baptist Standard: Baylor study: What motivates people to prevent COVID-19?
Baylor University researchers James Roberts, Ph.D., professor of marketing, and Meredith David, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing, have found that the fear of COVID-19 has been the driving factor that motivates people to take preventive measures against it.

PR Newswire: American Bible Society And Baylor University Study Shows The Benefit Of Bible-Based Trauma Healing Program
American Bible Society (ABS) and Baylor University released a commissioned report studying the effectiveness of a Bible-based Trauma Healing Ministry program, which significantly reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among inmates who completed the program. This study also was reported on by the Christian Post.

March 31, 2021

Baptist Standard: Baylor partnership brings Baptist Standard archive online
Baylor University Libraries are partnering with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Baptist Standard Publishing to digitize the Baptist Standard archives, making Baptist history accessible.

April 1, 2021

Harvard Business Review: Phishing Tests Are Necessary. But They Don’t Need to be Evil
Although phishing tests can be helpful to protect users, using questionable tactics — dangling perks or bonuses, for instance — has the potential to harm relationships between a company and its employees, according to a recent study by Daniel Pienta, Ph.D., assistant professor of information systems at Baylor.

Religion News Service: 10 nonfiction books (and one novel) to keep Women’s History Month going all year
In her new book “The Making of Biblical Womanhood,” Beth Allison Barr, Ph.D., professor of history and associate dean of graduate studies at Baylor, shares her experiences as a Southern Baptist and pastor’s wife, combined with the history and impact of complementarian beliefs.

April 2, 2021

Baylor Connections: Terry Maness
AUDIO: After 24 years of leading Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business through incredible growth, Terry Maness is retiring this summer as dean of the business school. On this Baylor Connections, Dr. Maness discusses why the timing was right for a new season of life, shares key moments in his career as dean, and reflects on a period of distinction for the school.

KCEN-TV: Baylor president supporting Bears in Final Four
VIDEO: Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., sat down with KCEN-TV in Indianapolis to talk about Baylor's postseason basketball success and how it impacts the University.

The Philadelphia Sun: How Mahalia Jackson’s legacy lives on through Gospel music and the fight for Civil Rights
Robert F. Darden, professor of journalism, public relations and new media at Baylor and director of Black Gospel Music Restoration Project, said that the late legendary singer Mahalia Jackson believed her vocal gift came from God, and “that unshakable belief provided the moral foundation that enabled her to resist calls to sing in nightclubs, or even arenas, and record overtly pop music, jazz or the blues.”

PR Web: Covid Slide Magnifies Literacy Challenges Says Literacy Texas
Literacy Texas and the Baylor University Diana R. Garland School of Social Work released survey results that identified barriers created by COVID-19 impacting Texas nonprofit adult literacy providers and students. This "COVID slide" also was reported on by the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

April 3, 2021

Discover Magazine: How Remote Work Changed Our Lives — and Our Health
Baylor psychologist Christine Limbers, Ph.D., talks about a study she and colleagues conducted that found mothers who exercised while working remotely during the pandemic had less stress than others.

ABOUT BAYLOR MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Baylor's Office of Media and Public Relations (M&PR) supports the University's Illuminate strategic plan as a top Christian research university by proactively placing high-profile stories about faculty research and expert opinions, innovative teaching, major awards and recognition, and community involvement. The Baylor M&PR team develops faculty experts to effectively communicate the impact of their research or, as subject-matter experts, speak into national trends and conversations with media outlets, Hot Topics and on the Baylor Connections podcast. Our faculty expert directory is available on the M&PR website at www.baylor.edu/news/experts.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 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 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.