News Search

What the Founding Fathers believed about God and religion has long been a subject of debate and fascination, and Franklin’s beliefs in particular may have the widest variety of interpretations among his peers.

WACO, Texas (June 23, 2017) – Five years ago, Xin Zheng Yuan was born with a hole in his heart.

Baylor Law School Professor Laura Hernández is a recognized expert on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. She responded to President Trump's decision to continue the Obama-era program.

WACO, Texas (June 7, 2017) --Prior to seeing the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, audiences are introduced to a flurry of previews for upcoming films -- big-budget sequels centered on blockbusting standards: warring apes, animated cars, web-slinging and hammer-bearing superheroes, and space-based lightsaber battles between forces of good and evil.

WACO, Texas (May 23, 2017) — Quick, before it’s too late: May is Zombie Awareness Month — so it’s high time for people to prepare for a zombie pandemic. But that’s more than a heads-up for those who are passionate about zombies. Those who yawn at the notion of the walking dead also have reason to take notice, says pop culture critic Greg Garrett, Ph.D., of Baylor University.

WACO, Texas (May 8, 2017) – In the fall of 2012, Kevin Harmon parked his truck, grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat, threw it over his shoulder and walked onto the Baylor University campus as a sophomore.

WACO, Texas (April 11, 2017) — This week, Sesame Street has a new Muppet in the neighborhood. Julia, a four-year-old Muppet with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), was introduced April 10 during Autism Awareness Month.

WACO, Texas (April 10, 2017) – Looking for ways to help your kids eat healthier?
In this Q&A, Baylor University nutrition expert Janelle Walter, Ph.D., professor of family and consumer sciences and Nutrition Sciences Program coordinator, shares tips to help parents and children make better nutritional choices.

WACO, Texas (March 24, 2017) – Baylor University can count among its thousands of alumni many who could be regarded as heroes. On National Medal of Honor Day on March 25, America commemorates the 3,498 individuals, including two Baylor alumni, who were bestowed the Medal of Honor – the nation’s highest award for valor in action against an enemy force.

WACO, Texas (March 22, 2017) – As the nation inches into springtime and people begin to plan their summer vacations, a Baylor University recreation expert encourages trip planners to make time for outdoor adventures.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 9, 2017) — Fighting with your significant other as Valentine’s Day approaches? Consider this as Cupid aims his bow and arrow yet again.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 1, 2017) — After years of wanting the cheapest prices possible for clothes, consumers are starting to consider how their clothes are made and their impact on the environment, says fashion forecaster/author Lorynn Divita, Ph.D., of Baylor University.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 30, 2017) – Super Bowl festivities in Houston will be in full swing this week as the nation gears up for the NFL’s premier event on Sunday. Thousands of people will pour into the city. Unfortunately, those crowds will include those involved in human trafficking.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 22, 2016) – With 2016 nearly in the rearview mirror, Americans are making resolutions for the New Year. A Baylor University consumer behavior expert suggests that Americans resolve to get in good financial shape in the coming year.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 12, 2016) — As 2017 approaches, many Americans are considering ways to improve themselves via New Year’s resolutions.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 9, 2016) – As Americans financially support the 1.5 million charitable organizations registered in the United States, Baylor University philanthropy expert Andy Hogue says givers should consider five key areas as they look “within and without” to assess who they are, what they have been given and the needs and opportunities around them.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 9, 2016) — While some people rely on gift cards or certificates — perhaps even for a family getaway — it might be that creating a homemade “certificate” and committing to a pleasant evening at home with family could be a great alternative.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 2, 2016) – Chances are high that you will encounter someone who’s grieving the loss of a loved one this Christmas.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 2, 2016) – The holidays are a time for celebration, but it can be hard to feel festive if you’re overwhelmed with clutter.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 1, 2016) — The attack at Ohio State University on Nov. 28, when a student rammed his car into a group of pedestrians and began stabbing them with a butcher knife — wounding 11 — illustrates a crucial fact about mass violence, says a Baylor University researcher on terrorism.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 22, 2016) — If you buy more items online than in-store, you are not alone.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 15, 2016) – Think twice before clicking the unfriend button this year.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 26, 2016) – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released its report, “Household Food Insecurity in the United States in 2015.” The report shows a significant decline in the national food-insecurity rate, from 14 percent to 12.7 percent in one year, which means that millions more people throughout the nation now have access to food.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 20, 2016) – Yes, you spend a lot of time on social media. You might even check your phone every few minutes to see how many people have liked your latest Facebook post. But are you addicted?

WACO, Texas (Oct. 13, 2016) — James Kendrick, Ph.D., associate professor of film and digital media in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, is a Hollywood film historian and an expert on cult and horror films. While horror is not everyone’s favorite genre, Kendrick says, horror films are known to have a universal appeal.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 12, 2016) – This Halloween, a Baylor creative writing professor is urging readers to resurrect their interest in short stories.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 30, 2016) –Baylor University students helped a class of Marlin ISD third-graders learn about the world of possibilities, both literally and figuratively, beyond the walls of their classroom.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 15, 2016) – “Can you afford a lawyer?” That’s the first question Stephen Rispoli, assistant dean of student affairs and pro bono programs at Baylor Law School, asks when he speaks about the access-to-justice gap – the staggering number of Americans who have basic legal needs but cannot afford the services of an attorney.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 14, 2016) – More Texas students than ever are starting their school days fueled for success with a school breakfast. And in a state where more than one in four children are food insecure, the public school system continues to grow as a primary infrastructure for reigning in childhood hunger, according to the third edition of the Texas School Breakfast Report Card, compiled by Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative (THI).

WACO, Texas (Sept. 6, 2016) — When the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) opens Sept. 24 in Washington, D.C., an exhibit featuring African-American musical history will include materials from a Baylor University search-and-rescue mission to save recordings from the “Golden Age” of American black gospel music.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 6, 2016) – Joseph Kuehl, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, is partnering with a team of scientists to try to understand what caused a “large-scale mortality event” in July at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 16, 2016) — People trying to shed pounds — but who hang out with heavier pals regularly — are more likely to lose weight if they include thinner people in their social lives, according to a study by a Baylor University researcher.

WACO, Texas (August 10, 2016) — Tens of thousands of parents of new college freshmen will experience something new in the next few weeks: silence.

WACO, Texas (July 27, 2016) — Students soon will leave behind the lazy summer days and go back to school, leaping — or crawling — out of bed when that early alarm clock goes off. Michael Scullin, Ph.D., director of a Baylor sleep lab, suggests six ways to ease the transition.

WACO, Texas (July 27, 2016) — Music or biology, journalism or math? Whether you are an incoming freshman or a returning student, choosing a major and career path can be daunting, but employing a few key strategies can help.

WACO, Texas (July 20, 2016) – Summer may be a time of fun and rest for students, but too much relaxation can lead to the “summer slide,” or loss of academic skills over the summer.

WACO, Texas (July 20, 2016) - Live Facebook video of the sniper shootings of Dallas police officers, as well as a woman’s video capturing the fatal shooting of her boyfriend during a stop by police, also are being streamed by media such as The Washington Post.

WACO, Texas (July 19, 2016) — As Republicans and Democrats gather at national conventions to nominate their official presidential candidates, commentators and talking heads will abound on all forms of media critiquing the candidates’ every move, every speech and every tweet. It can be overwhelming and difficult to understand for adults, but imagine if you are among the youngest Americans—children.

WACO, Texas (July 15, 2016) — Terrorism scholar Philip Jenkins of Baylor University was horrified, but not surprised, to learn that a truck mowed down people during a celebration in Nice, France, killing more than 80 and injuring dozens.

WACO, Texas (June 30, 2016) — This Fourth of July marks the 240th anniversary of the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted. This year, in addition to firing up the grill and donning red, white and blue, why not pick up a book?

WACO, Texas (June 21, 2016) – The nation is on high alert for the Zika virus – and rightfully so, said Richard Duhrkopf, Ph.D., associate professor of biology in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences and nationally recognized expert on mosquitoes.

WACO, Texas (June 10, 2016) — The transition from high school to college can be as difficult for parents as it is for the students leaving the house.

WACO, Texas (June 8, 2016) – “By increasing our understanding of boundary layer dynamics on the ocean floor, specifically over the Texas shelf break, we will be able to better predict the transport of materials like heavy oil pollutants,” said Joseph Kuehl, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science.

WACO, Texas (June 1, 2016) — June is national Great Outdoors Month, and that may have religious implications as people spend more time outside — in particular if they live in counties with beautiful weather and scenery. Such areas have lower rates of membership with religious organizations.

WACO, Texas (May 25, 2016) — Scattered across Baylor University’s campus are more than 140 granite memorial lampposts — silent stone sentinels that each bear a plaque commemorating a Baylor student who was killed in service.

WACO, Texas (May 19, 2016) – Most people believe “pro bono” means “for free.”

WACO, Texas (May 4, 2016) – For many people, the National Day of Prayer (May 5) might be the perfect time to reexamine, reassess – and maybe even reignite – their prayer lives.

WACO, Texas (April 20, 2016) — Moments after she got off the phone Wednesday with U.S. Treasury officials, Kimberly Kellison, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of Baylor University’s history department, said she was “excited and appreciative” about the announcement that abolitionist Harriet Tubman’s portrait will replace former President Andrew Jackson's on the front of the $20 bill.

WACO, Texas (April 13, 2016) — Couples’ romances, marriages and conflicts are favorite research subjects of Baylor University psychologist Keith Sanford, Ph.D. But he deals with other relationships in a rock music video he wrote to help his students as they wrestle with statistics.

WACO, Texas (March 24, 2016) – The approach of Easter each year marks many things: an annual resurgence of bunnies, eggs and pastel colors, the beginning of spring and the end of Lent, to name a few. Most importantly, of course, the Easter holiday serves as a reminder of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

WACO, Texas (March 22, 2016) – For current or future job seekers who don’t enjoy being “on camera,” it’s time to move past that insecurity. There’s high probability that your initial interview will take place online.

WACO, Texas (March 22, 2016) — If you’re waffling on whether to devote your time to labeling items and waking up at dawn to hold a weekend garage sale, you may want to consider donating, selling online or selling on consignment, suggests Becky Jones, senior lecturer of accounting and business law in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business.

WACO, Texas (March 22, 2016) — How many events offer you the chance to buy neat stuff at a low price, unload clutter, join forces with the neighbors, spend family time together (while teaching your kids business skills), make money, go green — and be trendy by “upcycling?” Whether you’re an aficionado or a naysayer, a goer or a giver, consider suggestions of Baylor faculty members who do (or don’t) love garage sales.

WACO, Texas (March 15, 2016) — Feeling less than ecstatic as the United Nations-decreed “Day of Happiness” approaches? Should you just plaster a smile on your face on March 20 (Sunday), or can your grin be more genuine — and longer-lasting? A roundup of Baylor research may help.

WACO, Texas (March 7, 2016) — A movie about a youthful Jesus discovering the truth about himself opens in theaters this week, following the success of “Risen” — the tale of a cynic searching for a Jew rumored to have risen from the dead. It's not easy to make Christian movies, but that won't stop determined filmmakers, says a Baylor writer/director.

WACO, Texas (March 4, 2016) – March 6 marks the 210th anniversary of Browning's birth. Although she is recognized all over the world for her poetry, Baylor Nation may know of her for another reason: the Armstrong Browning Library.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 25, 2016) – Legal scholars and political pundits who debate the legacy of recently deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia say much of his historical significance is found in his prolific writings and judicial opinions.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 11, 2016) – All-University Sing is one of the most well known and beloved Baylor traditions. The music, the dancing and, of course, the singing comprise acts that represent months of hard work by all the groups involved. Baylor students are responsible for the performances in their entirety. There are moves to be choreographed, costumes to be sewn, backdrops to be painted and lines to be learned.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 3, 2016) — Super Bowl Sunday is nearly here, and you’re planning to throw — or go — to a party with friends and families. So what do you do with the young’uns to keep them happy and occupied while you watch the game in (relative) peace? Baylor expert gives tips.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 3, 2016) – The World Health Organization (WHO) this week declared the Zika virus – a mosquito-borne illness – an international public health emergency.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 1, 2016) — Sparring over immigration reform, ISIS and whether Trump should be in the White House can go quickly from casual to spirited to heated during water-cooler chats at work or in staff meetings. A Baylor expert offers suggestions on dodging debate disasters.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 14, 2016) – Jobseekers should rethink adding “multitasking” to the list of skills on their resumes, said a Baylor University business professor.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 14, 2015) — The old Christmas carol “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” makes the scenario clear in its telling of Jesus’ birth: “Ox and ass before Him bow; and He is in the manger now.”

Maverick Moore, award-winning filmmaker and lecturer in Baylor University’s department of film and digital media, answers questions about the newest addition to the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens – and discusses what legions of dedicated fans expect from this film.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 9, 2015) — By combining the advancing tools of technology with time-honored techniques of interviewing and storytelling, this Christmas can be an ideal time for people to hear and preserve eyewitness accounts of life experiences from loved ones for future generations, says an historian at Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 23, 2015) – When people choose sides on Thanksgiving, it’s usually whether to eat sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes. But this year, a business debate has made Turkey Day headlines: whether retailers should open or close on Thanksgiving.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 6, 2015) — The firsthand accounts of 19 Texas veterans who helped liberate World War II Nazi concentration camps now can be seen and heard on Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History (IOH) website using a new video indexing tool that allows a rare type of access to their compelling stories.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 4, 2015) – Holly Oxhandler, Ph.D., assistant professor in Baylor University's Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, offers tips to open up meaningful and appropriate discussions about religion and spirituality between licensed social workers and their clients.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 4, 2015) — Most people do not fully understand the role of a school psychologist, said Alex Beaujean, Ph.D., associate professor of educational psychology in Baylor University’s School of Education.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 29, 2015) - October marks National Cyber Security Awareness Month, but staying vigilant every day is vital when it comes to being safe online. Baylor experts offer six strategies to keep your data as secure as possible.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 26, 2015) — Bloated and rosy-cheeked, sallow with long fingernails, fangs and foul breath, sexy and young, cuddly and goofy a la Grandpa Munster, melancholy and conflicted — vampires have been all of this and more since they emerged on the scene centuries ago. Baylor scholar J.Gordon Melton has a massive collection of "vampire-abilia" and has written a vampire encyclopedia.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 19, 2015) – All Hallow’s Eve is just around the corner, and instead of celebrating with gruesome and predictable slasher films, professors from the English department in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences recommend five hair-raising books – some classic, some contemporary – that make “Friday the 13th” look like a children’s film.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 12, 2015) -- Pumpkin products proliferate this time of year — and not just for traditional pies and breads, but for whimsical goodies that may not live up to the pumpkin’s healthy reputation.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 12, 2015) — Every U.S. presidential election season teems with political pundits, presidential polls and primary debates. Commentators and talking heads abound on TV critiquing candidates’ every move, including their debate and campaign trail performances. It can be overwhelming and difficult to understand for adults, but imagine if you are among the youngest Americans—children.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 7, 2015) – “The average age for victims entering the human trafficking lifestyle is 14-16 years old,” said Elizabeth Goatley, Ph.D., assistant professor in Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, who studies trafficking. “Each year, there are 30,000 to 40,000 children at risk for trafficking recruitment. Some common places for recruitment are schools, bus stations, homeless shelters, malls and on the Internet.”

WACO, Texas (Oct. 8, 2015) — “Bigger, better and badder than ever before!!!” is how international indie cassette labels are billing Oct. 17 — Cassette Store Day. On the vinyl record front, Billboard Magazine recently reported that more vinyl albums were sold than in any year since Nielsen started tracking music sales in 1991. That’s — sorry — a record. And in case you missed it, National Eight-Track Day was April 11.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 3, 2015) – You’ve tried to escape it. You really have. But, the constant stream of dings and buzzes from incoming texts and emails are just too much to take. And, before you know it, you’re scanning your smartphone. Again. Can the cycle be broken? Can people really put down their smartphones?

WACO, Texas (Aug. 11, 2015) – For some, it’s difficult to understand how a herd of rotting corpses with insatiable appetites for human flesh can have such mass appeal. But millions of people around the globe are eating it up … so to speak.

The presidential debates have arrived. Matthew G. Gerber, Ph.D., associate professor of communications and director of Baylor’s nationally recognized debate program, says viewers who are serious about learning about the candidates should be equipped to cut through the campaign clutter and zero in on their respective messages – or lack thereof.

WACO, Texas (July 20, 2015) — The New York Times best-seller "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" — in which the author advocates ditching things that do not "spark joy" — has inspired many people, but "techno-clutter" may be the next hurdle.

WACO, Texas (July 15, 2015) – It’s been two months since you walked across the stage with your diploma. You scour the want ads and send out your resume, but no one is calling you back. Frustration is setting in. What should you be doing right now?

WACO, Texas (July 1, 2015) – As Independence Day approaches, social media is lighting up with memes and quotes from the nation’s Founding Fathers. But did George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin actually say these things for which they receive so much acclaim? Find out what Baylor's Franklin expert and biographer Blaine McCormick has to say.

WACO, Texas (June 24, 2015) – A Baylor University history lists some notable but lesser-known women in American history who might be overlooked as possibilities for the soon-to-be redesigned $10 bill – the first paper currency in more than a century to feature a portrait of a woman.

WACO, Texas (June 18, 2015) — In Texas, May turned out to be the wettest month on record as Central Texas slogged through 25 consecutive days of rain, while state rainfall totals reached an astonishing 35 trillion gallons. Those heavy rainfalls have not only affected communities across Texas but have significantly impacted mosquito populations.

WACO, Texas (June 16, 2015) — It’s time for Dad to step up to the plate and take charge of his day rather than sitting back and waiting for the gifts to roll in, says Mark T. Morman, Ph.D., a Baylor University expert in family communication.

WACO, Texas (June 8, 2015) – Robert F. Darden, professor in Baylor University’s department of journalism, public relations and new media, and former gospel music editor for Billboard magazine, is leading a national movement to preserve the fast-disappearing legacy of African American sacred music on vinyl.

WACO, Texas (June 3, 2015) – David A. Smith, Ph.D., senior lecturer of history in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, said Audie Murphy -- movie star and decorated hero of World War II -- displayed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) long before it was understood.

WACO, Texas (June 3, 2015) – Chris Hansen, M.F.A., independent filmmaker and chair of the film and digital media department in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, discusses the challenges for original storytelling and the future of the film industry.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 27, 2015) — February 28 marks the 24th anniversary of the cease fire that ended the 1991 Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. But the end of the war signaled the beginning of a new struggle for thousands of service men and women—their personal battle with Gulf War illness (GWI).

WACO, Texas (Feb. 19, 2015) - Christopher Hansen, M.F.A., independent filmmaker and director of the film and digital media program in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, discusses this year’s Oscar nominations and the role of gender in filmmaking.
WACO, Texas (Feb. 5, 2015) -- The explanation by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams that he "misremembered" being aboard a helicopter shot down in Iraq in 2003 is probably "spot on," says a Baylor University memory reconstruction expert.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 12, 2015) – As long as there are servers in restaurants, there will be disagreeable customers who give them a hard time. Are those customers always right? And how should a server respond?
WACO, Texas (Dec. 18, 2014) – Baylor University faculty experts are available to work with media to take a look back at 2014 and discuss a number of key happenings, including the events in Ferguson, Missouri following the death of Michael Brown, the Ebola outbreak, ISIS attacks, legal cases, sports stories, consumer behavior, immigration and events in Ukraine.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 11, 2014) – Many Americans already have enough “stuff,” and the gift-giving season sometimes adds to that collection of things we really don’t need. Instead of always receiving, how can we resolve to be more generous in the New Year?

WACO, Texas (Nov. 24, 2014) – Note to venture capitalists: Entrepreneurs are watching to see if you’re naughty or nice.
Baylor University experts are available to work with media to comment on a variety of holiday topics -- everything from Thanksgiving and Black Friday to gratitude and grief.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 19, 2014) – For many, this Thanksgiving or this Christmas will be the first holiday without a special loved one. The loss of a family member or a friend brings obvious grief. And for those who have the opportunity to interact with a bereaved person, there are often questions: What do I do? What do I say?

DALLAS, Texas (Nov. 13, 2014) – In the hospital operating room, everyone has a job to do. The person in the room whose sole purpose is the well-being of the patient – no matter the situation, no matter the circumstance – is the perioperative nurse.
Forgiving — and being forgiven — are good for your emotional health, research has shown, and National Forgiveness Day on Oct. 25 may be a good time to let bygones be bygones and also to make amends.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 21, 2014) – The last time the Kansas City Royals were in the World Series (1985), Ronald Reagan was President and a gallon of gas cost less than a buck. So why are baseball fans picking the team to win the 2014 Fall Classic?