Podcast Points: VP and Chief Marketing Officer on What’s Ahead for Baylor

As the start of an academic year beckons, Baylor University will be full of new: new additions to the Baylor campus, a new strategic plan, new national rankings, new fellow Big 12 Conference members and more. 

For Jason Cook, who has served Baylor for nearly eight years as vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer, there’s much to celebrate and anticipate at Baylor, which he shared on the weekly Baylor Connections podcast.

Podcast Points with Baylor CMO Jason Cook

Campus Highlights: From Serene Spots to Architectural Marvels

• Cook’s favorite campus locations include the tranquil stream between the Baylor Sciences Building and the McLane Student Life Center, and the newly constructed Hurd Welcome Center, where he played a role in the design and storytelling elements of Baylor’s spectacular new “front door to the university.”
• Cook also praised Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library, calling it "a hidden gem on our campus" with its stunning architecture and significant collections of materials related to Victorian poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Favorite Traditions: Jason’s Top Picks

• Favorite athletic tradition: The Baylor Line is at the top of Cook’s pick for favorite athletic tradition. “It really brings together the freshmen class, but there's so much pride in it,” noted Cook.
• Favorite academic tradition: It’s a tie between Mass Meeting and Line Camp as Cook’s favorite academic tradition for the way each honors Baylor’s history and brings the community together in a meaningful way. 

New Additions: Motto, Big 12

• Cook discussed the addition of Pro Mundo (for the world) to Baylor’s motto, reflecting its expanding global influence as a Christian Research 1 university.
• On the athletics side, with new conference members Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah, "The Big 12 has really become a national conference," Cook said, highlighting the expanded geographic footprint and increased visibility for Baylor.

Baylor Distinctives: The Student Experience

• As one of the few R1 institutions that have a big research portfolio, play big-time athletics and still have a strong connection to their religious mission, Baylor is distinct in its position in the marketplace. But what ties everything together is Baylor’s nationally ranked student experience, Cook said.
• “Our student life components of the institution, really bringing students in and making them feel a part of the Baylor family and feel a part of something special, that's something bigger of themselves, than themselves, we really excel at that,” Cook said.

Looking Ahead: A Season of Promise

• As Baylor concludes its transformational Give Light philanthropic campaign and its five-year Illuminate strategic plan, expect to see the new strategic plan debut this September.
• Cook is most excited to “see our students back on campus and the energy they bring,” especially the incoming class of 2028 and their participation in Baylor traditions like the Baylor Line.

LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION

• Listen to the full conversation with Jason Cook on the Baylor Connections podcast.

ABOUT BAYLOR CONNECTIONS

Baylor Connections with host Derek Smith goes in depth each week with Baylor leaders, professors and more, discussing important topics in higher education, research and student life. Baylor Connections airs on Fridays at 11 a.m. CT on KWBU 103.3FM in Waco. The podcast also is available online or by subscribing to Baylor Connections on iTunes.

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.