Fall 2026 PPS Courses
Hunger and Punishment: Food Security and the American Carceral System (EHUM)
PPS 1100-01, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 11:15 AM-12:05 PM
Instructor: Tasha Roberts, Baylor Collaborative for Hunger and Poverty
Hunger and Punishment: Food Security and the American Carceral System explores the intersection of hunger and the American carceral system, examining how those interacting with prisons and detention centers experience hunger and food access. Students will investigate the experiences of food insecurity among populations impacted by incarceration, the ethical implications of federal and state policy, and the broader impact of punitive policies on public health and social justice. Through a variety of speakers, readings, and case studies, the course will address key issues such as food access disparities, nutritional inequities, and the role of food security in rehabilitation and punishment. Students will critically evaluate the relationship between food justice and the carceral state, exploring how race, class, and social support structures shape the experiences of those returning from prisons and jails. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate a deeper understanding of how systemic inequities in food access contribute to broader patterns of inequality and incarceration in the United States.
Community Data & Research
PPS 1100-02, 1 hour, Mondays, 5:30 PM-6:20 PM
Instructor: Jeremy Rhodes, Prosper Waco
Engaging and partnering with community members and entities in research, sometimes in the form of research practice partnership, can be a powerful mechanism for ensuring research and data is appropriately situated within the context and utilized for social change. Students will learn how to apply research methods and data analysis to local organizations focused on social impact. Partnering with Prosper Waco, students will implement a community-engaged research project.
Creative Economies in Waco
PPS 1100-03, 1 hour, Mondays, 2:30-3:20 PM
Instructor: Julie Cervantes, Creative Waco
In this hands-on seminar, students analyze how creative economies drive economic growth while fostering social cohesion and cultural identity. In partnership with Creative Waco, the course uses Día de los Muertos and Mexico’s cultural tourism models as a case study for arts-based community development. Open to all majors—business, marketing, education, arts, and beyond—volunteer hours may include assisting at the Levitt AMP music festival, Waco’s Day of the Dead Parade & Festival, community art workshops, civic dialogues, and City of Waco Council meetings. The course culminates in collaboratively creating a parade artwork inspired by this year's theme Talavera Poblana.
Habitat for Humanity & Affordable Housing
PPS 1100-04, 1 hour, Thursdays, 2:00-2:50 PM
Instructor: John Alexander, Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity & Affordable Housing is designed to introduce students to ideas and methods of community service in the specific area of residential housing/construction. Conceptual differences between public and private sector housing initiatives are discussed with emphasis on the historical development of Habitat for Humanity as an ecumenical Christian, non-governmental organization (NGO). The philosophy behind this organization and details of its history are discussed in depth. Students participate in Habitat projects and learn first-hand the importance of community service, contributing 20 total hours of work time during the semester.
Advocacy - Children & Families
PPS 1100-05, 1 hour, Fridays, 12:20-1:10 PM
Instructor: Kerry Burkley, Advocacy Center Waco
Students in this course discuss the specific impact of how trauma affects individuals and how a ministry of hope increases the likelihood of generating a “new normal” in which a family can survive and thrive.
Trauma Advocacy
PPS 1100-06, 1 hour, Fridays, 1:25-2:15 PM
Instructor: Kerry Burkley, Advocacy Center Waco
This course engages students in becoming informed leaders and community responders, and in becoming advocates for the protection of those affected by child abuse.
Poverty in Waco
PPS 1100-07, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 12:20-1:10 PM
Instructor: Josh Caballero, City of Waco
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty in Waco and determine ways students can become more civically engaged. Students will learn from a variety of experts and Waco specific studies about the impact of poverty and its intersection with the sectors of employment, education, health, and community development. Students will also get a firsthand glimpse into the challenges facing those experiencing poverty in Waco through 20 hours of volunteer service over the course of the semester.
Transforming Child Poverty: A Community Approach
PPS 1100-08, 1 hour, Mondays 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Sarah Pedrotti, Communities in Schools
This course explores child poverty through a community-centered lens, examining how systems, policies, and local conditions shape outcomes for children and families. Students move beyond individual explanations of poverty to analyze structural inequities and collective responses. Using Waco and the Heart of Texas as a living classroom, students conduct a community Windshield Survey to observe neighborhood assets, barriers, and opportunities impacting child well-being. Through readings, discussion, data analysis, and reflective assignments, the course examines education, health, housing, workforce development, and access to basic needs. Emphasis is placed on asset-based frameworks, mutuality, and community-level strategies that promote equity and shared responsibility.
Law & Public Service
PPS 1100-09, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 2:30-3:20 PM
Instructor: Kent McKeever, Greater Waco Legal Services
In addition to one weekly classroom hour devoted to the public service aspect of the legal profession, students will engage the local legal community and various manifestations of law and public service outside the classroom. Whether students are considering a career in law or not, all those interested in how the legal profession partners with those working in other public service roles and intersects with other vital social systems and professional endeavors will find this course engaging, edifying, and equipping. Students will hone and develop thinking, collaboration, and advocacy skills through their work inside and outside the classroom.
Money, Power, and Impact: The Ethics of Social Welfare Funding
PPS 1100-10, 1 hour, Tuesdays, 11:00-11:50 AM
Instructor: Emily Morrow Loachamin, La Puerta
How do social services get funded, and who controls the money? This course explores the history, policies, and ethics of social welfare funding. Students will work with a local agency to track funding sources and analyze real-world challenges in nonprofit finance, ethics, and impact-driven decision-making, and reflection.
Accompanying the Migrant in Waco
PPS 1100-11, 1 hour, Tuesdays 3:30-4:20 PM
Instructor: Israel Loachamin, La Puerta
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the journey of a Spanish-speaking person in Waco to develop an awareness of the unique and rich community that the U.S. has. Students will explore the journey of a Spanish-speaking person through reading, journaling, volunteering with La Puerta, and class discussions.
Child Poverty Policy & Action: From Science to Solutions
PPS 1100-12, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Robin McDurham, Transformation Waco
Explore how poverty reshapes children’s brains, communities, and futures in this immersive course blending neuroscience, policy analysis, and advocacy. Examine programs such as the Child Tax Credit through poverty simulations and legislative role-play, and discover how data mapping, storytelling, and trauma-informed strategies translate research into meaningful action. The course features a service-learning project with four to five hours off-campus and a 5-hour advocacy project, such as creating a podcast, that can be completed on campus. Ideal for aspiring educators, policymakers, and health professionals. No prerequisites are required—only a passion for justice and ending child poverty.
Christian Social Ministries
PPS 1100-13, 1 hour, Thursdays, 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
Instructor: Jimmy Dorrell, Mission Waco
Students in this class will be exposed to the rich opportunities to participate in Christian Social Ministries in the Waco area. In this course students will learn both appropriate ways to serve in meaningful ways and be afforded hands-on opportunities for engagement in the local Waco community. Students will be introduced to several local non-profits in Waco which serve the homeless, poor, marginalized, children, youth and adults where they may choose to serve for approximately 20 hours during the semester.
Food and Sustainability (EHUM)
PPS 1100-14, 1 hour, Mondays, 10:10-11:00 AM
Instructor: Sky Toney, Noble Research Institute
This course explores how the food we eat and the systems that produce it shape human health, environmental quality, and social justice. Drawing on the expertise of Noble Research Institute, the course analyzes how regenerative agriculture works with natural processes to restore soil and ecosystems while producing food that is both ethical and economically sustainable. Gain firsthand insight into agricultural systems and discover how everyday choices and academic pursuits can be leveraged to advance a food system that strengthens communities, supports economic vitality, enhances environmental health, and promotes the public good.
Wellness in Waco (EHUM)
PPS 1100-15, 1 hour, Mondays, 11:15 AM - 12:05 PM
Instructor: April Strickland
Through class discussions we will explore how collaboration with area nonprofits focused on food access, health, environmental sustainability and other wellness initiatives has planted seeds of hope. This section will explore how meaningful partnerships with local nonprofits can spark real, lasting change in our community. Students will gain firsthand insight into what community engagement looks like in action across non-profit sectors including schools, churches, grassroots organizations etc. This course equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to lead ethically and effectively within their communities. Join us as we examine how small acts of service can grow into sustainable impact for the common good.
Non-Profit Sports Ministry
PPS 1100-16, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 8:00-8:50 AM
Instructor: Jennifer Martinsen, Molly Martinsen Foundation
This course will give you a first-hand look into the grass-roots efforts of building a sports ministry from the ground up. Learn from, develop, and help grow a non-profit sports ministry. Volley for Molly was founded in 2013 as a way to honor Molly’s life, her love of Jesus, and her passion for volleyball. Molly Grace Martinsen passed away from brain cancer in 2012, when she was only 11 years old. This annual tournament is the foundation’s only fundraiser, and all the money raised is donated to families, individuals, grief nonprofits, Christian ministries, and brain cancer research. The course will include guest speakers currently involved in sports ministry to enable students to receive a first-hand look into different sports ministries to see how each is uniquely structured yet with the same goal of spreading the Gospel.
Theatre and the Promotion of Human Welfare
PPS 1100-17, 1 hour, Mondays, 8:00-8:50 AM
Instructor: Kelly MacGregor, Waco Civic Theatre
This course explores the power of performance as a catalyst for community engagement and social impact. Designed for both theatre and non-theatre majors, this experiential course invites students to produce and perform Radium Girls—a historical drama that illuminates issues of labor rights, corporate responsibility, and women’s health. Students will partner with local non-profit organizations working in the areas of health, law, and the arts, learning how storytelling can amplify real-world causes, advocate for social change, and strengthen community relationships. Classwork emphasizes interdisciplinary learning in performance, civic engagement, marketing, and social advocacy. Students will gain hands-on experience in project management, event planning, and public relations while producing a public performance that benefits partner organizations.
Community Gardening (EHUM)
PPS 1100-18, Tuesdays, 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
Instructor: Grant Hall, World Hunger Relief Farm
In this course students learn the value of community gardens in schools and urban areas. Through volunteerism, students will learn how community gardens provide fresh produce as well as neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment.
Introduction to Community Dentistry
PPS 1100-20, Mondays, 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Dr. Kelsey Thompson, Waco Family Medicine
This course provides hands-on experience in community dentistry for students interested in dental and other health professions. Students will engage in dental outreach through schools and community settings, as well as at Waco Family Medicine clinics, supporting preventive care and oral health education for underserved populations. The course introduces health equity, social determinants of health, and the role of dental professionals in improving community health.
Community Family Medicine
PPS 1100-21, Wednesdays, 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Rube, Waco Family Medicine
Students in this course learn about primary care (family medicine) with interactive engagement in various settings across the Waco community. Students will have experiential time volunteering/shadowing regularly in local clinics and ancillary health facilities to learn more intimately the inner workings of the outpatient healthcare network.
Learning for the World
PPS 1101-01, PPS 1101-02, and PPS 1101-03 1 hour, Tuesdays, 3:30-4:20 PM
Instructors: Jennifer Good, Baylor Office of Engaged Learning, Guilherme Almedia de Feitosa, Baylor Theatre, and Mona Choucair, Baylor Office of Engaged Learning
Focuses on pathways to excellence in scholarship and citizenship for students, enabling them to connect their transformational work in the classroom to opportunities for immersion, application, and engagement. Students will work with local nonprofits to learn how to address persistent community needs and challenges. Instructor permission required. Must apply to and be accepted as a Baylor Engage Fellow to enroll.
Community Law Enforcement
PPS 1102, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 10:10-11:00 AM
Instructor: Robert Lanning
This course provides students an opportunity to interact with and listen to federal, state, county, and municipal government officials and understand how they function. The students are exposed to 12-14 guest lectures from all areas mentioned. The focus is on management and law enforcement and class discussions are held on hot topics such as racial profiling, use of force, etc. The course involves guest speakers such as federal agents, district attorney representatives, state police, municipal police, county police, S.W.A.T. teams and crime scene experts.
Leadership and Social Change
PPS 2301, 3 hours, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 AM
Instructor: Leia Duncan
This course illuminates the theory and practice of leading groups toward positive social change locally and globally, emphasizing issues such as poverty, public education, and systemic inequality. All students will learn from community engagement projects and activities on best practices for leading change. The primary goal for this course is for each student to think about their role as a contributing global citizen.
Future Communities Lab
PPS 3V94
Instructor: Dustin Benac
This independent study course invites students to participate in the work of the Future Communities Lab (formerly called the Program for the Future Church) through mentored research. To enroll, contact Dr. Dustin Benac.
Christian Social Innovation
PPS 4303, 3 hours, Wednesdays, 12:20-3:05 PM
Instructor: Dustin Benac
Examines historical, theological, and theoretical frameworks, along with strategies that encourage Christians to build, renew, and transform institutions. Students spend time outside class working with institutions throughout the community to promote human flourishing.