Fulbrights & Trumans & more, oh my! Baylor students build on record year for scholarships

Last year, Baylor set a school record when 13 Bears earned prestigious Fulbright scholarships -- almost twice the previous BU record! -- as part of the nation's flagship program for international graduate student and education. The year also included a Truman Scholar (BU's first in 15 years), a Goldwater Scholar, a Churchill Scholar, and two Critical Language Scholars.

And yet -- 2023's student honors may be even more impressive.

This spring, Baylor students have earned 10 Fulbright awards (plus seven more students who were named alternates and could still ultimately receive the award), another Truman Scholarship, the school's first Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Peace and Reconciliation, a Goldwater Scholarship (BU's sixth straight), a Boren Award, three Critical Language Scholarships, a Marshall Scholarship, and a Churchill Scholarship.

Here's the (lengthy) list of honorees, along with where the honor(s) will take them:

* Laxmisanjana Ade, a senior neuroscience major from Schaumburg, Ill. -- Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Colombia
* Caroline Barnett, a senior University Scholar (concentrations in political science, ancient languages & philosophy) from Spring, Texas -- Fulbright Study/Research Award to Israel, as well as the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Peace and Reconciliation; plans to pursue her master's in violence, terrorism and security at Queen's University Belfast
* Sudili Fernando, a senior biology major from Fort Collins, Colo. -- Fulbright Study/Research Award to Ireland
* Jade Franklin, a senior international studies/Asian studies major from Honolulu -- Boren Award; plans to study Japanese at Nanzan University in Japan
* Katrina Gallegos, a master's candidate in museum studies from Albuquerque -- Critical Language Scholar; plans to study Portuguese in Brazil over the summer
* Melissa Heald, a doctoral candidate in the DNP-Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program from Houston -- Fulbright Study/Research Award to the UK (Wales)
* Lauren Jarvis, a senior University Scholar (concentrations in political science, economics & international studies) from Boerne, Texas -- Fulbright ETA to Kosovo, and Marshall Scholarship; plans to begin graduate studies in the United Kingdom
* Lindsay Lassiter (MA '21), a temporary lecturer in Spanish from Spokane, Wash. -- Fulbright ETA to Costa Rica
* Patrick Leech, a doctoral candidate in history from Tyler, Texas -- Fulbright Study/Research Award to Hungary
* Willie Leggett, a junior international studies/environmental studies major from Baton Rouge -- Critical Language Scholar; plans to participate in CLS Spark for a summer virtual study of Chinese
* Arvind Muruganantham, a senior cell and molecular biology major (pre-med) from Fremont, Calif. -- Churchill Scholar; plans to pursue an M.Phil. in developmental biology at Churchill College, Cambridge
* Travis Pierce (BS '22), a biology & German graduate from Santa Barbara, Calif. -- Fulbright ETA to Germany
* Lauren Roe (BA '21), a University Scholar, BIC & Honors Program graduate from Flagstaff, Ariz. -- Fulbright ETA to Czech Republic
* Tyler Rossow, a senior Baylor Business Fellow (majoring in economics, political science & philosophy) from Tulsa, Okla. -- Fulbright ETA to Vietnam
* Alagu Subramanian, a senior University Scholar (concentrations in biology & medical humanities) from San Ramon, Calif. -- Goldwater Scholar; plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in translational oncology
* Kaitlyn Vana, a senior mathematics and Slavic/East European studies major from Celina, Texas -- Critical Language Scholar and Truman Scholar; plans to pursue graduate studies in Russian, East European and Eurasian studies, and in global policy studies
* Emma Wrona, a senior University Scholar and international studies major from Fort Collins, Colo. -- Boren Award; plans to study Turkish at the Turkish Flagship Language Initiative in Azerbaijan

"Once again, our students have shown that a Baylor education is preparation for worldwide leadership and service of the highest order," says Dr. Andrew Hogue (MA '05, PhD '09), associate dean for engaged learning at Baylor. "More than a recognition, these awards represent for our students the opportunity of a lifetime -- for study and research at the highest levels, for diplomacy and cultural exchange in communities around the world, and for leadership experiences that will bring encounters with human need and opportunities to promote human flourishing."

Sic 'em, Bears!

You might also like:
* Years later, Baylor grads share where Fulbright, Truman & other scholarships have taken them (Feb. 2023)
* U.S. Dept. of State honors Baylor as a 'Fulbright Top Producing Institution' (March 2023)

		Like this story? Click an icon below to share it with your friends.

Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling wins 8th (!!!!!!!!) straight national title

Eight days ago, Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling won its eighth -- EIGHTH!!!!!!!! -- straight national title. At some point, a run of success like this becomes hard to even comprehend.

The eight straight championships actually dates back to 2015, since there was no championship in 2020 due to COVID. Over those nine seasons, head coach Felecia Mulkey's squad has gone an incredible 87-2.

The Bears were led by NCATA Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year Kamryn Kitchens, a senior who also earned her second NCATA All-America selection and her third NCATA Academic All-America honor. This marks the seventh time since 2015 that a Baylor Bear has been named the national A&T athlete of the year.

"Thank you, Baylor Family, for supporting and providing our Bears with an amazing student-athlete experience!" Mulkey tweeted after the championship. "It truly does take a village. I do not take for granted that I work at the best University with amazing humans!"

For those who are wondering, this marks Baylor Athletics' 14th national championship. In addition to A&T's eight wins, Baylor has also won team national titles in men's basketball (2021), women's basketball (2005, 2012 & 2019), men's tennis (2004) and equestrian (2012).

Sic 'em, Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling!

		Like this story? Click an icon below to share it with your friends.

Lady is graduating!

In case you haven't heard -- Lady is graduating!

Yes, Baylor's beloved American black bear is preparing to move on -- in this case, from her campus habitat to a new home off-campus (located on the enrichment site she and her sister, Joy, have enjoyed for years). There, she'll continue to be taken care of by her Baylor Bear Habitat caregivers, staff and veterinary team.

Her new home -- expected to be ready by midsummer -- includes native trees for shade, a wading pool, heated flooring for cold weather, and a cooling system for the summer heat. She will continue to receive daily enrichment and medical treatment to help ensure comfort and free movement into her senior years. This is a new step for Baylor, as the university has committed to caring for her for her full lifetime. (Previous live bears were typically retired into the care of other organizations.)

Baylor students gathered earlier this month to send Lady off with her own graduation party -- complete with snacks, photo opportunities, and a banner seniors signed that will hang in the Williams Bear Habitat through graduation weekend.



Baylor is working on next steps for the live bear program -- specifically, plans to welcome new bear cubs into the Baylor Family. Stay tuned for details on that!

Sic 'em, Lady!

		Like this story? Click an icon below to share it with your friends.

At Yellowstone, Baylor prof shifts from vacation to vocation after national park flooding

Last June, Dr. Ryan McManamay and his family planned to celebrate his parents' 50th anniversary at Yellowstone National Park. Their plans were changed, however, by historic flooding in the park, which washed out portions of the park's main road and forced a shutdown that impacted every surrounding community. For McManamay, the park's closure wasn't an inconvenience -- it was a call to action.

The towns surrounding Yellowstone, all of which rely on tourism, were suddenly cut off from the visitors who keep the towns' businesses afloat. For example, consider Gardiner, Mont. -- the town where the McManamays had planned to stay. The town of 900 serves over 1 million visitors a year in its restaurants, hotels, gas stations and more. For McManamay, a Baylor environmental science professor, this was a real-life case study with people who needed help.

McManamay earned a rapid grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to survey the owners of nearly 250 businesses in Gardiner and other surrounding communities. He, environmental science colleague Dr. Ben Ryan, and a team of students spent several days last summer embedded in those communities. Moved by the resilience and grit of the people he met, McManamay has spent the last year working to better understand community dependence on natural systems, with a focus on seeing those systems as critical infrastructure.

While roads through a park are not currently considered critical infrastructure, the data collected through the project in Gardiner and other gateway communities could help others view natural parks and resources through a new lens. That work is already being put to use by the Economic Development Agency, which is using the survey to determine the level of federal support needed for the region.

"We depend on natural assets in so many important ways, and Yellowstone is just one example of how these areas provide for our society," says McManamay. "We need to be ready to fix these issues quickly because so many people depend on them. (A project like this) is a reason why I'm glad to be at Baylor. There are so many examples of faculty motivated by an opportunity to serve. It's an outpouring of our Christian faith and the mission of this university, to help people -- it's a drive here to share the love of Christ."

Sic 'em, Dr. McManamay!

[Learn more about McManamay's work and Yellowstone in this Spring 2023 Baylor Magazine feature.]

		Like this story? Click an icon below to share it with your friends.

		10 books by Baylor authors for your Summer 2023 reading list We don't stop learning just because we've finished college -- and while podcasts and documentaries can be great, there's just something about picking up a good old-fashioned book. Even better than that? Reading a book written by a fellow Bear! Baylor faculty and alumni authors have been busy this spring, writing on everything from history...
		Happy 75th birthday, Baylor Air Force ROTC! Fueled by the post-war boom, 1947 was a busy year at Baylor. Kokernot Hall was completed, portions of the Union Building (now known as the SUB or Bill Daniel Student Center) opened, the Graduate School was established and began awarding degrees, and President Harry Truman visited campus to receive an honorary degree. It was also...
		Meet Baylor's internationally recognized expert on religion in Latin America When it comes to more fully understanding religion and faith in Latin America, Dr. Juan Carlos Esparza Ochoa bridges data, social work and theology -- and at Baylor, he's found a collaborative spot to continue decades of research in this area. Esparza Ochoa came to Baylor in 2019 in a multi-faceted role. He serves as...

Like the Baylor family refrigerator door, BaylorProud brings you a sampling of the latest highlights from Bears everywhere; for more, visit our blog, subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter.