Baylor University No. 1 Among Top Adoption-Friendly Workplaces in Education

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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As National Adoption Month gets underway in November, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has recognized Baylor University as No. 1 in the education industry for offering the best overall adoption benefits to employees. The recognition comes as part of the Foundation’s 2026 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces, an annual list that recognizes the organizations who strive to make adoption and foster care options supported for every working parent.

For the second year in a row, Baylor University earned the top spot in higher education for its adoption benefits, followed by the University of Notre Dame, University of Dayton, Emory University and Northwestern College. Outside of education, Baylor University was recognized among only 44 workplaces as an Adoption Advocate for offering financial employees’ financial reimbursement for adoption and paid leave for adoptive and foster parents.

In addition, Baylor earned two new certifications as one of 103 employers qualified as a Certified Adoption-Friendly Workplace and one of 66 that qualified as a Certified Foster-Friendly Workplace. Certified Adoption-Friendly Workplaces offer at least $5,000 in financial reimbursement and 6 weeks of paid leave, while Certified Foster-Friendly Workplaces offer at least 2 weeks of paid leave for foster parents.

“Being named the No. 1 higher education institution for adoption-friendly benefits for the second year in a row affirms Baylor University’s commitment to caring for our faculty, staff and their families,” said Baylor Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer Cheryl Gochis. “We are also proud to earn new certifications as a Certified Adoption-Friendly Workplace and a Certified Foster-Friendly Workplace. These recognitions reflect the intentional ways we walk alongside employees as they welcome children into their homes through adoption and foster care. Our benefits are more than policies. They express our Christian mission to foster belonging, strengthen families and help every member of our Baylor family flourish in each season of life.”

Supporting families to flourish

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. 

• Baylor University's paid parental leave policy provides eligible employees up to six weeks (240 hours) of paid leave following the birth of a child, adoption placement, or foster-care placement. Available immediately upon employment, the benefit gives parents time and flexibility to bond with their new child while supporting a healthy work-life balance.
• Baylor University's adoption assistance program provides eligible faculty and staff up to $10,000 in reimbursement for qualified adoption expenses for each eligible child, up to two children per calendar year. Employees become eligible after 12 continuous months of full-time employment.

“Baylor University's mission calls us to create a supportive work environment where individuals and families can flourish,” said President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “Our robust adoption assistance and parental leave benefits reflect that unwavering commitment by helping faculty and staff answer the call to provide loving, stable homes for children. We are honored that the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption continues to recognize Baylor's leadership in this important area and the ways we support members of our University’s caring Christian community as they grow their families.”

To assist faculty and staff with planning, Baylor Human Resources partners with local adoption and foster care providers to provide Baylor employees with information about the adoption and foster care processes and Baylor’s adoption assistance benefits.

“Filled with hope and gratitude”

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption partnered with RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, to survey employers across the United States and score 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.

“Year after year, we’re heartened to welcome new organizations to this list and recognize their leadership and support for adoption and foster care benefits in the workplace,” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “I am always filled with hope and gratitude when I see employers choosing to invest in their employees and the families they love.”

View the complete 2026 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces lists, certifications and by industry and size breakouts 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 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.