Baylor University Celebrates Moody School of Education Sign Unveiling
Celebration honors Moody Foundation, largest gift in the School’s 107-year history
(L to R): Moody School of Education Dean Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D., Moody Foundation CEO Frances Moody-Dahlberg and Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., celebrated the unveiling of the official Moody School of Education sign, recognizing the Moody Foundation's transformational $30 million gift to Baylor’s School of Education. (Matthew Minard/Baylor University)
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During a ceremonial sign unveiling, Baylor University today celebrated the naming of the Moody School of Education, made possible by a transformational $30 million gift from the Moody Foundation of Galveston, Texas, announced last January. The official unveiling of the Moody School of Education sign recognizes the impact of the largest single gift to Baylor’s School of Education, which supports scholarships, expands faculty research and provides resources to grow academic programs.
“Today is a significant moment in the 107-year history of Baylor University’s Moody School of Education,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “We celebrate the Moody Foundation’s profound commitment to transforming education in Texas, and we are humbled and honored to be recipients of such support. For more than 100 years, Baylor’s School of Education has formed world-class educators and experts who serve as advocates and catalysts for research-driven innovation in teaching, curriculum and leadership. The Moody Foundation’s transformational gift enables Baylor to take bold steps in shaping statewide and national conversations around making education more accessible for everyone and advancing the quality of education across primary, secondary and postsecondary levels.”
President Livingstone and university administrators celebrated the sign unveiling alongside Moody Foundation representatives, who also participated in a special open house featuring many of the academic programs benefited by the Moody Foundation’s historic gift.
"The Moody Foundation’s transformational gift enables Baylor to take bold steps in shaping statewide and national conversations around making education more accessible for everyone and advancing the quality of education across primary, secondary and postsecondary levels.” - Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
“We are proud to mark this historic moment in the life of the Moody School of Education,” said Dean Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D. “We are grateful to the Moody Foundation and their representatives for joining us on this special occasion, as we celebrate the impact of their transformational gift, both on the Moody School’s current faculty, staff and students and on future generations who will follow in their footsteps.”
Enduring support
The Moody Foundation’s gift provides enduring support for the Moody School of Education at Baylor through five endowments supporting scholarships, a professorship for school psychology and program funds for the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, Gifted Education & Talent Development and the Baylor Center for School Leadership.
“The impact of this gift extends far beyond Baylor’s campus,” said Frances Moody-Dahlberg, trustee and Chief Executive Officer of the Moody Foundation. “By supporting scholarships, faculty, research and programs that strengthen teaching and educational leadership, we are empowering the people who will shape classrooms and communities across Texas for generations. That kind of lasting, multiplier effect is exactly what we hope to achieve through our education giving.”
The Moody School of Education gift is part of the Moody Foundation’s $1 billion pledge to transform education in Texas by 2035. By focusing on early learning and postsecondary success through grants to institutions and nonprofits, the pledge is exemplified by major gifts and initiatives like the “M-Pact” Fund to support student experiences. This historic commitment builds on the Moody Foundation’s past giving, aiming to create long-term opportunities and address educational needs across the state.
Baylor’s Moody School of Education is one of the University’s oldest academic units, established in 1919 at the same time as the College of Arts & Sciences. Today, the School is home to four academic units – the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, the Department of Educational Leadership, the Department of Educational Psychology and Professional Online Learning. These departments offer a range of education degrees for undergraduate and graduate populations, including online graduate programs designed for working professionals from a range of industries.
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 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 BAYLOR MOODY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
For more than 100 years, the Moody School of Education has advanced Baylor University’s mission across the globe while preparing students for a range of careers focused on education, leadership and human development. With more than 70 full-time faculty members, the School’s growing research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation. Likewise, the Moody School of Education’s graduate programs have attained national recognition for their exemplary preparation of research scholars, educational leaders, innovators and clinicians. Visit the Moody School of Education website to learn more.
ABOUT MOODY FOUNDATION
The Moody Foundation was established by W.L. Moody, Jr. and Libbie Shearn Moody in 1942 to share their good fortune and make a difference in the lives of the people of Texas. Since then, the Foundation has pledged and awarded more than $2.5 billion in grants throughout the state to organizations that have educated, healed, nurtured and inspired generations of Texans. The Moody Foundation continues with a board of three trustees: Frances Moody-Dahlberg, Ross Moody and Elizabeth “Elle” Moody.