Provost Honors Faculty Members as 2024-2025 Baylor Fellows

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Ten Baylor University faculty members have been selected by Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., to serve as 2024-2025 Baylor Fellows for their excellence in teaching and desire to advance Baylor’s commitment to transformational education.

The 2024-2025 Baylor Fellows are:

• Lauren Weber, M.F.A., M.M., senior lecturer of musical theatre/voice in theatre arts, College of Arts & Sciences, and the 2024-25 Senior Fellow
• David Corey, Ph.D., professor of political science in the Honors Program, Honors College
• Rebecca Flavin, Ph.D., senior lecturer in political science, College of Arts & Sciences
• Tara Foley, Ph.D., senior lecturer in English, College of Arts & Sciences
• Leah Witcher Jackson Teague, J.D., professor of law, Law School
• Jonathan Lawson, Ph.D., lecturer in biology, College of Arts & Sciences
• Kevin Magill, Ph.D., associate professor in curriculum & instruction, School of Education
• Michael Rodriguez, M.B.A., clinical assistant professor of accounting, Hankamer School of Business
• Janet Sanker, CCC-SLP, clinical associate professor in communication sciences & disorders, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
• Luke Winslow, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, College of Arts & Sciences

Facilitating civil discourse

Baylor’s Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL) launched the fellowship program in 2011 to recognize outstanding teachers across the disciplines and provide them the opportunity to implement new teaching approaches in Baylor courses. Selected faculty members receive an award of $1,845 in honor of the year of Baylor’s founding and the title of “Baylor Fellow.” This year’s theme is “Facilitating Civil Discourse in the Classroom.”

“I am very excited to engage with such a dynamic group of Baylor educators,” said Toby Brooks, Ph.D., ATL director and clinical professor in health and human performance at Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. “Given the oftentimes tumultuous world we live in, along with Baylor’s position of prominence as a Christian research university, the focus of this year’s Baylor Fellows is timely and necessary.

“Faculty can play a pivotal role in facilitating civil discourse in our society not only through how we teach and the strategies employed in our classrooms but also through modeling positive behaviors in our own lives and work,” Brooks said. “The 2024-25 Baylor Fellows will explore ways in which to support freedom of expression and constructive means through which to encounter differing points of view while at all times cultivating respect, dignity, and professionalism.”

“Incubator” courses

Baylor Fellows choose how to implement the theme in their teaching. Each Fellow identifies one course as an “incubator” or “lab” classroom, then develops activities and assignments to address the theme. In accord with the best practices of evidence-based scholarship in teaching and learning, the Fellows also develop means to assess their projects.

A secondary program goal is to provide a forum in which Baylor Fellows can share ideas, collaborate and forge interdisciplinary networks. Cohort discussions are held monthly alongside conversational events open to the University.

“Each year, the Baylor Fellows cohort is selected from across our campus based on each Fellow’s demonstrated excellence, commitment, and creativity in the classroom,” said J. Wesley (Wes) Null, Ph.D., vice provost for undergraduate education and academic affairs. “Baylor is full of highly accomplished and gifted teachers, which makes being selected as a Baylor Fellow a high honor.  I am excited to learn from these accomplished teachers.

“The University’s strategic plan, Illuminate, challenged us to continue our pursuit of educational experiences that transform students not only intellectually and morally, but also socially, physically, and spiritually. As Baylor’s new strategic plan is launched this semester, the University’s commitment to transformational education will only be strengthened,” Null added. “With this year’s Fellows theme, we once again reaffirm Baylor’s commitment to transformational education as we emphasize the importance of a passionate search for truth conducted with grace and charity.”

Nominating future Fellows

All full-time faculty members, regardless of rank, are eligible to serve as Baylor Fellows. Nominations are solicited from the deans of the Colleges and Schools, former Baylor Fellows, and the Academy for Teaching & Learning’s Advisory Council. The nominations are presented to the Provost’s Office for selection of the Fellows.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Baylor University’s Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL) has a two-fold mission: globally, to support and inspire a flourishing community of learning; and locally, to promote the integration of teaching, scholarship, collegiality and service in a Christian environment. This pursuit of wholeness reflects the University’s pursuit of personal and academic integrity: the integrated person in the integrated community.

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. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.