Baylor Named Among the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption also recognizes Baylor as No. 1 in education industry for best overall adoption benefits
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Baylor University has been named by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as one of the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces of 2025, an annual list that recognizes the organizations who strive to make adoption and foster care options supported for every working parent.
In industry-specific categories, Baylor moved up to No. 1 in the education industry for offering the best overall adoption benefits, ahead of the University of Notre Dame, Emory University, Northwestern College and Dordt University. Baylor also was among the 71 organizations highlighted for offering paid parental leave to foster parents.
“We are thrilled that Baylor University has been recognized by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as one of nation’s top 100 Adoption-Friendly Workplaces and additionally as the country’s top education institution for our comprehensive parental leave policy and adoption assistance program,” said Cheryl Gochis, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer at Baylor. “When we first introduced the program in 2017, we viewed it as an extension of Baylor’s benefit program and a tangible demonstration of our commitment as a caring Christian community. Since then, we have witnessed Baylor faculty and staff grow and support their families through adoption and foster care with confidence and peace of mind.”
Family flourishing
Baylor’s parental leave and adoption assistance benefits place the University at the forefront nationally and in Texas and enhance an already robust benefits plan for Baylor faculty and staff.
The University’s parental leave policy provides up to six weeks of paid leave for eligible employees who become parents through birth, adoption or foster care. The policy, which is available to staff immediately upon employment, gives parents time and flexibility to bond with their new child/children and to nurture a work-life balance that is vital to families’ capacity to flourish.
The University’s adoption assistance program provides up to $10,000 for reimbursement of eligible adoption expenses for each eligible child, maximum two (2) children, within one calendar year. Faculty and staff are eligible to participate in the program following one year of full-time employment with the University.
“Baylor’s parental leave and adoption assistance programs – including support for foster care – are deeply rooted in our Christian mission and reflect our unwavering commitment to flourishing families,” said President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has for years recognized Baylor’s robust adoption and foster care benefits and our ongoing commitment to create a supportive work environment that enriches the lives of our faculty, staff and their families.”
To assist faculty and staff with planning, Baylor Human Resources, along with local adoption and foster care providers, hosts an Adoption and Foster Seminar at least once per semester. The seminars are designed to provide Baylor employees with information about the adoption and foster care processes and Baylor’s adoption assistance benefits.
“Essential elements of a workplace”
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption partnered with RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, to survey employers across the United States and scores participants based on three criteria: financial reimbursement, paid leave and the percentage of employees eligible for those benefits. In addition to the 100 Best and Adoption Advocates lists, the Foundation ranks employers by size, industry, paid leave, foster care benefits and impact.
“We know that these benefits can play a role in a family’s decision to grow through foster care or adoption,” said Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “The organizations recognized this year demonstrate that these supports are not optional perks – they are essential elements of a workplace that values and strengthens families.”
View the complete 2025 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list and resources for employers at davethomasfoundation.org/AFW.
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.
ABOUT THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding permanent homes for the more than 140,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking.
More than 30 years ago, Dave Thomas led an initiative advocating for better adoption benefits in the workplace. The Foundation has carried that legacy forward through the Adoption-Friendly Workplace program. The Foundation recognizes organizations that offer best-in-class adoption and foster care benefits, offers a toolkit to help employers develop their policies and shares stories of impact. Learn more at davethomasfoundation.org/AFW.