Baylor in the News – Dec. 10-16, 2023 

Contact: Baylor University Media & Public Relations, 254-710-1961 
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WACO, Texas (Dec. 17, 2023) – Baylor University researchers and faculty experts were featured in national and local media stories about artificial intelligence opening a world of opportunities for software engineers, the relevance of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and its message of hope and human connection in response to today’s divisive culture and twins walk the Baylor Commencement stage to receive their degrees...at age 17.

Dec. 11, 2023 

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): Baylor fraternity raises thousands to benefit local group that helps Special Olympics Texas

VIDEO: Baylor fraternity Pi Kappa Phi hosted a basketball tournament for people with disabilities while donating thousands of dollars to support a student-led campus organization, Special Olympics Unified at Baylor, that supports Special Olympics Texas and connects Baylor students and athletes to those with disabilities to develop a more accepting and accessible community.

Dec. 12, 2023 

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): 17-year-old Twins Each Earn Dual Degrees from Baylor

VIDEO: On Saturday twin brothers Francis and Patrick Boyle from Hewitt are set to become some of Baylor’s youngest graduates: at just 17. The two brothers will be the 4th and 5th Baylor grads in their family, graduating with double majors in math and computer science.

The Chronicle of Higher Education: Transitions: Jackson State U. Names New President

Jeremy Counseller, J.D., The Abner V. McCall Chair of Evidence Law at Baylor, has been selected as dean of the University’s nationally ranked Baylor Law School. His appointment is effective July 1, 2024.

American Family Radio: Dr. Nurse Mama: Dr. Peck PNP talks with Dr. Holly Oxhandler, Author and Associate Professor at Baylor University

AUDIO: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jessica Peck, D.N.P., clinical professor at Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing known as Dr. Nurse Mama on her AFR podcast, interviews Holly Oxhandler, Ph.D., associate dean for research and faculty development and associate professor of social work at Baylor, about her research about the integration of religion and spirituality in social work practice, as well as her book, “The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others.”

USA TODAY: Cheating Sports: Michigan Football's Latest Scandal

John White, Ph.D., associate professor of practical theology who created the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor’s Truett Seminary, is quoted in this article about cheating in sports, which White said is a window into the soul: Is the nature of sports a test between people and their skills, or is it a test of who can deceive and manipulate the best? White also is The Harold and Dottie Riley Director of the Sports Chaplaincy/Ministry Program at Truett Seminary.

The Wall Street Journal: Fentanyl: The Silent Killer of American Youth

In this Future View column, Molly Jenkins, an entrepreneurship major at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, is among university students from throughout the country who discuss the causes of the opioid crisis and how to combat it.

Dec. 13, 2023 

Techopedia: How Much Should Coders and Software Developers Fear The Rise of AI?

Pablo Rivas, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science at Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, is quoted in this article about AI’s integration into software development. “The future of AI is promising,” Rivas said, foreseeing its further integration into everyday aspects of our lives, from healthcare to transportation, making our daily routines more efficient and opening a world of opportunities for software engineers.

The Skimm: How Eldest Daughters Can Start Putting Themselves First — Now

Alison Alford, Ph.D., a clinical associate professor of business communication at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, is quoted in this article about the role of eldest daughters within a family unit. Alford actively researches adult daughters and their “invisible labor” in maintaining the unity of a family.

PR Newswire: Academic Influence Ranks the Colleges with the Most Cheerful Christmas Traditions

AcademicInfluence.com showcases the best Christmas traditions and festivities on college campuses around the country, ranking Baylor University at No. 3 for its beloved Christmas tradition, Christmas on Fifth Street. Read more about the top university Christmas traditions on the Academic Influence website.

Baptist Standard: Around the State

Following a nationwide search, Baylor University selected Kevin Sanders, D.M.A., director of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis, as dean of the Baylor School of Music, effective July 1, 2024.

National Jurist: Baylor Law creates new family law clinic for empowering litigants who self-represent

Baylor University School of Law announced the creation of a Family Law Clinic that will open in Fall 2024.  The clinic, its seventh, will focus on serving clients who will represent themselves in court. 

Dec. 14, 2023 

Deseret News: Where the love light gleams

In this article about history of Bing Crosby’s Christmas classic, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Michael Foley, Ph.D., professor of patristics at Baylor’s Honors College and author of a book on Christmas traditions, said songs like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” from the 1940s placed newfound emphasis on seasonal values of family and home.

Baptist Standard: Faith-based Groups Urge Support for Nutrition Programs

The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and Fellowship Southwest are among more than 250 faith-based organizations in Texas that urged Congress to pass a robust Farm Bill that includes strong support for nutrition programs.

Dec. 15, 2023

Canadian Mortgage Trends: The importance of effective listening to your success as a broker

Effective listening is among the best soft skills a mortgage broker can have to facilitate open and transparent communication with clients to build a lasting business relationship. A report from researchers with the Keller Center for Research at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, acknowledged the importance of effective listening as it relates to empathy and trust.

Dec. 16, 2023 

Baylor Connections: President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.

AUDIO: As 2023 draws to a close, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., reviews an exciting year on campus and looks ahead to 2024. In this Baylor Connections, she highlights some of her favorite moments of the past year, discusses the opening of the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion, analyzes new honors for Baylor and shares Christmas wishes for the Baylor Family.

The Dallas Morning News: This Christmas movie is really about suicide, mental health and … hope

Thomas S. Hibbs, Ph.D., The J. Newton Rayzor Sr. Professor of Philosophy and Dean Emeritus at Baylor University, writes about the film, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and its relevance to our current cultural moment of political division and personal loneliness. But, Hibbs writes, it's also about hope and human connection.

KWKT-TV (FOX/Waco): Baylor Winter Commencement

VIDEO: Baylor University graduates walked across the Ferrell Center stage as they look forward to the next step in their professional careers, just a few years after a worldwide pandemic and in the wake of international conflict.

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 focusing on faculty research and expert opinions, innovative teaching, major awards and recognition, and community involvement. Through its media training workshops, the Baylor M&PR team develops faculty experts to effectively communicate the impact of their research or speak as subject-matter experts into national trends and conversations with media outlets, through Hot Topics and on the Baylor Connections podcast. Our faculty expert directory is available on the M&PR website. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 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 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.