Baylor in the News – Sept. 15-21, 2024

Contact: Baylor University Media & Public Relations, 254-710-1961
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Note: The opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of the University.

Featured News

The Washington Times: Constitutional confusion: Americans struggle with basic civic knowledge as November election looms

Cultural historian Elesha Coffman, Ph.D., professor of history at Baylor, comments on an annual survey that found that most Americans know little about their constitutional rights ahead of November’s elections. Coffman noted the results show many voters “lack the basic knowledge required to understand major national news stories or gauge whether statements they encounter on social media are grounded in reality.”

National/International

Phys.org: Research highlights the unseen challenges, adaptations of adult daughters during COVID upheaval for families

Allison M. Alford, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of business communication at Baylor, is quoted about her new research on “daughtering” during the pandemic and how social upheavals can both challenge and reinforce the essential work that daughters do in their families.

WebMD: Dealing with Hot Flashes? Try Hypnosis

Gary Elkins, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory at Baylor, was interviewed for this article about treating menopause hot flashes with clinical hypnosis. “While sleep improves with the hypnotherapy intervention, it also involves general relaxation,” Elkins said. “As women practice self-hypnosis at night, they're entering a more calm and relaxed state, which also may facilitate good sleep or improve sleep duration and sleep quality.”

Bloomberg: As Drought Threat Grows, a ‘Dead Tree’ Emoji Is On the Way

Scott J. Varda, Ph.D., associate professor of communication at Baylor, is quoted in this article about new emojis coming to phones in 2025, including the leafless tree. Emojis reflect people’s need to communicate on issues, including the environment, Varda said.

ABC News: Facing a $2 billion decision, Trump says he will keep his Truth Social shares

Mike Stegemoller, Ph.D., The Harriette L. and Walter G. Lacy Jr. Chair of Banking and Finance at Baylor, is quoted in this article about how publicly traded corporations can be somewhat dependent on personalities. Dr. Stegemoller was quoted in a related story on CNN.

State/Local

Baptist Standard: Disability and Church: Building a culture of belonging

Jason Le Shana, Ph.D., program director of the Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability, spoke to attendees of a faith and disability workshop at Baylor, challenging them to build a culture of belonging for those impacted by disabilities. 

Baptist Standard: Conference focuses on leadership for the long haul

Author Tod Bolsinger stressed how true leaders not only build trust, but also draw upon trust to bring about transformation, during the “Leadership for the Long Haul” conference, sponsored by the Program for the Future Church at Baylor’s Truett Seminary and attended by church and nonprofit leaders. Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., also was one of the conference speakers.

Waco Tribune Herald: Air Force navigators remember foundation laid at Connally Air Base in Waco reunion

Baylor history professor Stephen Sloan, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Oral History, is quoted about the impact of Connally Air Force Base on the city of Waco, before its closure in 1968.

KCEN-TV (NBC/Waco): Interest Rates Drop: What It Means for Consumers

VIDEO: Mark C. Kelly, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of business at Baylor, was interviewed about the potential benefits – and the risks, particularly for consumer debt – after the Federal Reserve cut the federal interest rate by half a percentage point, marking the first reduction in four years. 

KYTX-TV (CBS/Tyler): Homecoming, traditional mums kicked off decades ago in Texas

VIDEO: Alan Lefever, Ph.D., lecturer at Baylor’s Truett Seminary and director of the Texas Baptist Historical Collection, was interviewed about the history of homecoming at Baylor, which is known as the first collegiate homecoming.

KWKT-TV (FOX/Waco): U.S. Air Force Celebrates 77th Birthday as a Separate Branch of Military

VIDEO: Lt. Col. Kenneth Sterling, commander of Baylor’s Detachment 810 Air and Space Force ROTC and chair of aerospace studies at Baylor, was interviewed about the transition of the Army Air Corps to a standalone U.S. Air Force, which he said “validated some of the early concepts of what air power could provide to national defense.”

ABOUT BAYLOR MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Baylor's Office of Media and Public Relations (M&PR) supports the University's Baylor in Deeds strategic plan as a premier Christian Research 1 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.