President, First Gentleman Welcome Students Back to Campus over Coffee, Breakfast Tacos, Ice Cream
Baylor leadership shares excitement, encouragement with students over beginning of academic year
Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (Aug. 20, 2018) – Hundreds of Baylor University students kicked off their first day of classes with a good breakfast – and a free one at that – served by the University’s President.
President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., First Gentleman Brad Livingstone and members of the President’s Council joined students for Steak ‘n Shake breakfast tacos and Common Grounds coffee and tea Monday on the first floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center (SUB).
Later, the Livingstones enjoyed lunch with students in the Great Hall at Brooks College. In the afternoon – joined by “First Pup” BU (pronounced Boo) – they hosted a free ice cream social for students on the front lawn of Allbritton House, the President’s home.
“I’m always excited when we welcome our students back for the first day of class, especially for our freshmen who have not experienced it before,” President Livingstone said. “I love the start of a new year, a new beginning for everybody, so it’s a fun day on campus.”
The day’s events gave Baylor leaders an opportunity to offer students words of welcome and encouragement at the beginning of the academic year and also allowed the University and its dining services partner Aramark to showcase new brands added over the summer to the SUB food court, including Common Grounds, Heritage Creamery, Slow Rise Pizza and Steak ‘n Shake. Students filled the SUB Den for the free before-class treats, with the President greeting students and learning more about their journey to and through Baylor.
“We always love being out and around our students,” President Livingstone said. “We love to hear what they’re doing, where they’re going, what classes they’re in and then to encourage them as they start a new year and let them know that we’re here to support them, we’re praying for them and that we want everyone to have a really successful year.”
Sydney Barker, a sophomore corporate communications major from Victoria, and her three roommates learned about the breakfast offerings from the University’s Instagram account and decided that it was the perfect way to start the school year.
“We love Common Grounds, and breakfast tacos were just an added bonus,” Barker said. “We showed up, and we saw Dr. Livingstone, and we knew we had to get a picture, just to send it to all of our parents for our first-day-of-school pictures. She was very welcoming, very inviting and welcomed us back to campus for the first day. She was excited we were here and excited for our first day of class and our next year as sophomores.”
President Livingstone said events such as today’s helps students feel at home at the University and comfortable around her and the First Gent, who live on campus and are very active in the Baylor community.
“We thought ice cream would be a fun thing to do to encourage students toward the end of their first day and just let them know that, in many ways, the campus is our home, and we welcome students to the campus, just as we would welcome anyone into our home,” she said.
Interacting with Baylor leadership in an informal setting is an important and unique opportunity for students, said Reggie Singletary, B.B.A. (Marketing) ’18, who is serving this year as a special assistant to the provost.
“I think it’s an incredible opportunity to know and see the people who lead your campus, which probably a lot of schools, especially bigger schools, don’t have,” Singletary said. “It’s just amazing that you can meet the president on your first day just in a casual way in the SUB over breakfast tacos. I think that’s pretty cool within itself.”
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 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.