Baylor in the News – Oct. 8-14, 2023

October 15, 2023
Ring of Fire Eclipse

Contact: Baylor University Media & Public Relations, 254-710-1961
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WACO, Texas (Oct. 15, 2023) – Baylor University researchers and faculty experts were featured in national and local media stories about the grand reopening of The Store food pantry on the Baylor campus, the influence of Black gospel music on other genres and Baylor research about how taking a short mid-morning break during the workday helps lessen stress, fatigue and burnout.

Oct. 8, 2023

Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY): These two Rochester women share a terrible tragedy. How does grief bonding connect them?

(Subscription required) Bill Hoy, D.Min., clinical professor of Medical Humanities at Baylor and a widely regarded expert on the role of social support in death, dying and bereavement, was interviewed for this article about two women, both parents, who have been drawn together by trauma, one played out in a high-profile courtroom proceeding.

Oct. 9, 2023

KCEN-TV (NBC/Waco): Verify | Was Christopher Columbus the first European to discover America?

VIDEO: Leslie Harkema, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish and division director of Spanish & Portuguese at Baylor, was interviewed about the history of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas and the observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day to honor the culture and history of the people living in the Americas both before and after Columbus's arrival.

KCEN-TV (NBC/Waco): Israel-Hamas War | Examining both sides of the conflict

VIDEO: Former U.S. diplomat and Baylor Middle East studies professor Joanne Cummings was interviewed about the war between Israel and Hamas. Professor Cummings also appeared on KWKT-TV (FOX/Waco).

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): Wacoans with ties to Israel speak on the Israeli conflict

VIDEO: Christian Van Gorder, Ph.D., associate professor of religion who teaches world religions at Baylor, was interviewed about the war between Israel and Hamas.

Oct. 11, 2023

KXXV-TV (ABC/Waco): 'The Store' Grant Reopening

VIDEO: Baylor celebrated the grand reopening of The Store, a campus food pantry serving students on the first floor of the Paul L. Foster Success Center. The new space hosts more than just The Store, making possible an integrated, holistic, wrap-around support for students with high financial need. Interviewed is Store Operations Manager Maddie Whitmore. Additional coverage aired on KWKT-TV (FOX/Waco).

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): Specialists comment on Annular ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse coming Saturday

VIDEO: Baylor astrophysicist Barbara Castanheira Endl, Ph.D., was interviewed for this story about the annular “Ring of Fire” eclipse and also discussed the importance of using proper eye protection.

Oct. 12, 2023

KCEN-TV (NBC/Waco): Low water levels at Lake Belton concerning for wildlife, potential silver lining for community

VIDEO: Melinda Coogan, Ph.D., lecturer in environmental science at Baylor, University, was interviewed for this story about the impact of low Lake Belton water levels on local wildlife and their habitat, saying that nutrients and human chemicals that condense because of lower levels in lake systems could cause issues.

Religion News Service: In new book, James Baldwin emerges as a prophet for our time

Q&A with Greg Garrett, Ph.D., professor of English and The Carole Ann McDaniel Hanks Chair of Literature & Culture at Baylor, about his new book, “The Gospel According to James Baldwin: What America’s Great Prophet Can Teach Us About Life, Love, and Identity.” Garrett wants to introduce a new generation of readers to Baldwin, the writer of short stories, novels and plays who believed America can do better.

Southeast Texas Record: Renowned Yale Law Professor Akhil Reed Amar Explores “The Founding Fathers and the Importance of Civil Discourse” in Captivating Baylor Law Lecture

Baylor Law hosted acclaimed Constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar, The Sterling Professor of Law at Yale Law School, for a compelling lecture on “The Founding Fathers and the Importance of Civil Discourse” as part of the Starr Federalist Papers Lecture Series on Sept. 8 at Baylor Law.

Oct. 13, 2023

Baylor Connections: Kallie Kobold, Baylor Counseling Center

AUDIO: The Baylor Counseling Center offers a wide array of services and resources to meet the mental health needs of Baylor students. Kallie Kobold is a psychologist and coordinator of outreach in the Counseling Center. In this Baylor Connections, she shares insights from serving students, examines student approaches to mental health and explains how Baylor outreach encourages students to consider their own needs and breaks down stigmas surrounding mental health challenges.

Baptist News Global: Around the world and back: The enduring influence of Black gospel music

Stephen Newby, the inaugural Lev H. Prichard III Chair in the Study of Black Worship at Baylor, is quoted in this article about how the influence of Black gospel music on other genres makes it ripe for study, understanding and appreciation. Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Preservation Program is collecting and preserving this music for future generations through its archive of 5,000 vinyl records and 48,000 digital tracks.

KWKT-TV (FOX/Waco): Baylor: What to know about the annular solar eclipse

Baylor astrophysicist Barbara Castanheira Endl, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics, was interviewed for this story about the annular solar eclipse, saying that conditions must be perfect for this natural phenomenon to occur.

Oct. 14, 2023

First for Women: The ‘Three Good Things’ Approach Is the Simple Balm You Need If You’re Burned Out

This article about simple, effective ways to beat burnout cites Baylor research by management professors Emily Hunter, Ph.D., and Cindy Wu, Ph.D., who studied the benefits of taking a 10-minute workday break between 10 and 11 a.m., which helps you experience less on-the-job stress, fatigue and burnout than if you wait till lunch to take your first break of the day.

Waco Tribune-Herald: Skywatchers view partial solar eclipse from Waco

Baylor’s Mayborn Museum was one of the locations for skywatchers and science enthusiasts to view the partial solar eclipse from Waco. Several Baylor faculty and staff were interviewed, including Baylor astrophysicist Barbara Castanheira Endl, Ph.D., Mayborn Museum spokesperson Molly Noah and Alan Wang, Ph.D., The Mearse Chair in Biological and Biomedical Engineering at Baylor. A total solar eclipse will be visible from Waco on April 8, 2024.

The Dallas Morning News: October’s transitions and the necessity of change

Emeritus Professor of Journalism Robert Darden writes about how October is the best month to celebrate transition, not just because it is the demarcation between seasons, but because it provides us with the backdrop and impetus to face what is ahead.

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): Congressman Pete Sessions attends community field day supporting disability community members

VIDEO: Congressman Pete Sessions was at McLane Stadium Saturday to take part in a community field day for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The National Down Syndrome Society along with Baylor University held the event.

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.