News

Baylor University students and recent graduates continue to be awarded the most prestigious scholarships and fellowships at the national and international levels – winning Fulbright U.S. Student Grants and Rotary Global Grants.

Catch up on all the latest in and around the Office of Engaged Learning as you head into summer!

The full-day program introduces Waco-area high school students to STEM through immersive, hands-on learning experiences in Baylor's teaching laboratories.

The Office of Engaged Learning has named its newest cohort of Provost’s Scholars, comprised of 20 exceptional students from a diverse array of academic disciplines.

Students in Baylor University's Philanthropy & the Public Good course awarded grants totaling $100,000 to seven local nonprofit organizations, supporting work spanning maternal and child health, immigrant services, housing, healthcare access, child development, and services to teens experiencing homelessness.

Baylor University’s Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) honored students, faculty, staff, and community partners at its annual banquet April 30, celebrating a year of achievement in leadership, research, civic engagement, and global learning.

The Provost's Scholars fielded questions and responses from Provost Brickhouse related to their proposal, which was the culmination of their work this academic year. The proposal will be shared with relevant campus partners to aid the university's shared work.

WACO, Texas — Baylor University will honor eight students with four prestigious awards recognizing exceptional scholarship, citizenship, and leadership at this year’s Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) Banquet. For the first time, each of the four awards is being presented to two students — double the honorees of previous years — reflecting the extraordinary depth of engagement found within the graduating class of 2026. The eight recipients — Lucas Walther, Aliyah Ogden, Alizay Mohamed, Julianna Canas, Sahil Billakanti, Eliza Denley, and Mason Gregory — embody the values and legacy of the award namesakes through their work on campus, in Waco, and around the world.

Recipients of the Vardaman Awards, named in tribute to Professor Elizabeth Vardaman, are Baylor faculty members who go above and beyond in mentoring undergraduate students.

Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D., and Samuel S. Urlacher, Ph.D., have been elected to the rank of 2025 AAAS Fellow, a lifetime honor announced today by the Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Catch up on the latest news and opportunities from the Office of Engaged Learning! And if you're new, you can subscribe to our newsletter here!

For students interested in taking unique and innovative courses that introduce them to a range of different topics related to the common good and human flourishing and of local, national, and global importance, PPS 1100 is a perfect choice.

Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / CatchLight Local / Report for America

Ten full scholarships are available for students and nonprofit leaders to take the first of four modules in the Future Church Leadership Certificate, the Belonging course, which equips students to foster cultures of belonging.

The Office of Engaged Learning is pleased to welcome applications for the Provost's Scholars program for the 2026-2027 academic year. The Provost’s Scholars program provides select undergraduate students entering their final year an opportunity to work with university leadership in shaping Baylor's future. Applications are due on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Amanda Nowlin Martinez serves as the Assistant to the Associate Dean in the Office of Engaged Learning. This Q&A is the sixth installment in our "Get to Know the OEL" series.

The Office of Engaged Learning is excited to announce the renaming of Baylor Engage Fellows, its signature student leadership program, as the Vardaman Scholars program. Maintaining its purpose to foster a vibrant community of students integrating their scholarship, citizenship, and leadership in pursuit of the common good, the new name honors Dean Elizabeth Vardaman and offers a clearer year-by-year structure. Applications are now open through March 29 for the 2026-27 cohort.

The Future Communities Lab, formerly the Program for the Future Church, has relaunched as a university-wide effort housed within the Office of Engaged Learning and bearing a new name, which creates more space to explore a flourishing future for churches and communities together.

The new engaged learning requirement in the College of Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum is encouraging Baylor students to serve their communities.

Catch up on all the news and opportunities in the Office of Engaged Learning this month!

Waco VITA program brings together students from Baylor, University and La Vega high schools to prepare more than 1,500 tax returns for families across McLennan County.

Dr. Anne Jeffrey, Associate Professor of Philosophy, describes the transformation that occurred when she converted her tried and true course on contemporary moral ethics into an engaged learning course, partnering with Global Revive, an east Waco nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing our world through sustainable practices and community empowerment.

Biology major and Goldwater Scholar Ava Frescura is the only student from Texas selected for the 2026 undergraduate honor

The Fulbright Program today recognized Baylor University as one of the nation’s elite top 10 producers of students and recent alumni selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Catch up on what's happening in and around the OEL as we wrap up the year and look toward 2026!

Felise Bressler, a 2024-25 Provost's Scholar, presented her work at the Society for Neuroscience 2025 Annual Meeting, the world's largest neuroscience conference with over 20,000 scientists and physicians attending from across the globe.

Molly Simpson serves as Assistant Director for Service in both the Office of Engaged Learning and the Office of Spiritual Life. This Q&A is the fifth installment in our "Get to Know the OEL" series.

As you head into the holidays, enjoy these recommendations as members of the OEL team reflect on their favorites of 2025 in literature, film, television, podcasts, music, and journalism. 

Baylor's Future Church Leadership Certificate provides practical tools for ministry leaders and faith communities to navigate the challenges of ministry in a changing world.

Only a relative handful of schools nationwide rank among U.S. News‘ top 40 for both undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research. That short list is filled with schools like Duke, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Yale — and Baylor.

For the seventh straight year, U.S. News‘ rankings placed Baylor right alongside such prestigious peers, as BU was ranked No. 27 nationally for undergraduate teaching and No. 40 for undergraduate research/creative projects. No other Big 12 schools (and only one other Texas school: Rice) made the top 40 in both categories.

Emily O'Kief (B.A. '24, University Scholars major and French minor) shares her experience on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to Serbia from 2024-2025.

Check out the important news and items of note from the OEL and our partners for November 2025!

25 students from Waco ISD's AVID program came to Baylor's campus last week to sit in on two college class lectures and attend a seminar given by the Baylor Millennium Fellows on their individual academic journeys. The visit was part of the Baylor Millennium Fellows' semester-long project mentoring AVID students, which addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 Target 4.3 – Equal Access to Affordable Technical, Vocational, and Higher Education.

Mark Richards serves as Associate Director for Operations, Innovation, and Programs in the Office of Engaged Learning. This Q&A is the fourth installment in our "Get to Know the OEL" series.

The Waco Bridge profiled one of the OEL's Philanthropy and Public Service (PPS) courses, Creative Economies in Waco, taught by Julie Cervantes of Creative Waco, in which students built a puppet for the Dia de los Muertos parade and in doing so learned firsthand about the impact of the festival on the community.

"Four students in the Creative Economies elective class had four hours to conceptualize and build a puppet for the parade, using basic materials and limited design experience…Julie Cervantes of Creative Waco, an organizer of the parade, taught the class exploring the connections among arts, cultural heritage and economic development. It’s one of several one-credit classes in the Philanthropy and Public Service Program, which fulfills new requirements for community engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences."

Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / CatchLight Local / Report for America

Madelene Do (B.S. '24, health science studies major and biochemistry minor) shares her experience on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to Vietnam.

"For those considering applying for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant, I cannot recommend it enough. The experience challenges you in ways that foster both professional and personal growth. It allows you to engage with a new culture, develop meaningful relationships, and expand your understanding of the world. While the professional benefits are undeniable, the most rewarding aspects of the grant lie in the relationships you build and the personal discoveries you make along the way."

Catch up on the latest OEL news and events in our October newsletter.

Eliza Denley (B.A. '26, University Scholars and English double-major) shares a dispatch from St. Andrews, Scotland, where's she is part of the OEL's study away program centered on the theme of migration and the plight of refugees.

Isabelle Ford (B.S. '24, Biochemistry major and Medical Humanities minor) shares her experience on a Fulbright study award to the Netherlands.

Baylor launches the fall 2025 application processes for the Truman, Goldwater, Boren, and Critical Language Scholarships. 

The Waco Bridge featured Derek Ross, the Office of Engaged Learning's Indigenous Scholar in Residence, in its article on the Mayborn Museum's upcoming 2026 exhibit entitled "Cultural Crossroads." The exhibit will include a full-scale, authentic Wichita grass house, the kind built and inhabited by members of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Waco's indigenous community. Derek is leading the construction of the grass house, a project he notes "is important to Wichita people…because it says something about who we are, says something about family…says something about community, says something about togetherness.”

Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / Catchlight / Report for America

Please join us to celebrate the summer internships and research experiences of the Baylor Summer Fellows.

Catch up on the latest OEL news and events in our September newsletter.

Baylor University has adopted ForagerOne, a leading software platform that facilitates undergraduate student engagement in research and interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty.

Olivia Gorrell (B.M. '22, piano and German major) shares her experience on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to Germany from 2022-2023. 

This summer, we were privileged to welcome Dr. Dustin Benac, Mr. Nathan Gibbs, and Dr. Rory Jones to the OEL team in new roles that will expand our work and enhance our existing offerings. We think you'll enjoy getting to know these new colleagues as much as we have.

Here are some of the books, shows, songs, and podcasts that have occupied our attention this summer. Enjoy!

Sahil Adtani has served this summer as a researcher at the National School of Tropical Medicine through the Tropical Disease Research Internship Program (TDRIP). Here he reflects on his research and its contributions to improving global health.

Steven Podczerwinksi has served this summer in the Trakselis Lab at Baylor through the BTRUE program. Here he reflects on the important community contributions of research in a chemistry lab.

In the next installment of our Summer Dispatch series, Baylor Summer Fellow McKenzie Webb, a BTRUE participant, explores who holds the power in research, what that might mean, and how we might pursue scientific inquiry that prizes impact over income or prestige.

Baylor Summer Fellow Isabel Miles has served this summer through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty at CrossOver Healthcare Ministries in Richmond, Virginia. Here, she reflects on the challenges of serving well in a temporary position.

In the first edition of our Summer Dispatch series, Baylor Summer Fellow Ian Stahl, a BTRUE participant in Dr. Simmons's lab, reflects on the question, "whom do I serve with my research?".

Alumna Dr. Jade Connor Eruchalu, B.S. ’17, is making an impact on the world through geriatric memory care.

Thirty-four Baylor students and recent alumni have received some of the most prestigious awards for STEM research, public policy/diplomacy, critical language study and more. 

Baylor University, The Congregational Collective and Harvard Medical School partner to innovate equipping congregations to become community hubs for mental health engagement.

Baylor University’s success for highly competitive fellowships and awards continues to skyrocket as a record 24 Baylor students and recent alumni have been selected for 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Student Grants. 

Our final newsletter of the school year is chock full news: student scientists sharing their love of science with local high schoolers; student researchers presenting at URSA Scholars Week; student winners of major awards like the Goldwater, Boren, Pickering, and CLS; and this year's OEL Award winners Karly Shepherd, Sarah Beno, John Austin DeLozier, and Isabella Zárate. Enjoy reading about this, and so much more, by clicking here.

The Office of Engaged Learning has named its newest cohort of Provost’s Scholars, comprised of 16 exceptional students from a diverse array of academic disciplines.

Four students were honored at the 2025 OEL Banquet with the Myles Horton, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Madeline Albright Awards.

Abigail Pitts, a senior Medical Humanities major, won the Best Poster Award at the 14th Annual Activity-Based Protein Profiling Conference in London, England for her research on the health benefits of Brassica vegetables. Her project, supported by a Spring 2025 URSA Grant, uses innovative chemoproteomics techniques and has significant implications for drug discovery and public health. 

Students in Baylor University’s Philanthropy & the Public Good course awarded grants to six local nonprofit organizations, supporting work to mentor and advocate for young people, accompany migrants and refugees, resource small business entrepreneurs, and assist persons experiencing homelessness. 

One of the first stops for Baylor campus visitors is the Williams Bear Habitat, home of bear mascots Indy and Belle. The La Vega High School students visiting campus last week for the first-ever Baylor CityLab were no different; the Bear Habitat was tops on their tour agenda — and where their interactive science journey began.

As soon as the tour was over, Baylor students involved in CityLab set up the scenario. They drank from a stray water bottle, began “acting” strange, and soon developed zombie-like symptoms. Now it was up to the high school students to use real-world scientific methods — including DNA analysis and forensics — to determine what was causing this strange behavior and what exactly was in the water bottle.

Camille Watson, B.A. ’22, has won the prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship – one of the U.S. State Department’s flagship initiatives for recruiting top-tier talent for Foreign Service careers. 

Baylor University students were awarded scholarships and fellowships, including Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarships and a Fulbright UK Summer Institutes award.

The Baylor Lariat highlights Baylor's four recent Goldwater Scholars, along with Baylor's growing success in undergraduate research.

Baylor undergraduate STEM researchers have kicked off the spring major fellowships and awards season by earning a record four Goldwater Scholarships, the preeminent undergraduate award that supports outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing STEM research careers.

Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activities (URSA) Scholars Week 2025 highlighted the exceptional work of Baylor students, showcasing a diverse array of research projects across various disciplines.

Catch up on the latest OEL news and events in our March newsletter.

For students interested in taking unique and innovative courses that introduce them to a range of different topics related to the common good and human flourishing and of local, national, and global importance, PPS 1100 is a perfect choice.

Dr. Rebecca Flavin, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, serves as the Director of Engaged Learning Curriculum in the Office of Engaged Learning. She also directs Baylor's Model UN program and serves as Associate Director of Baylor in Washington. 

Scholars Week 2025 begins next Monday, Mar. 31 and runs through Wednesday, Apr. 2, and we're looking for faculty and graduate student judges to help us evaluate student presentations. Undergraduate students from across the university will deliver over 100 poster presentations in the BSB and over 35 oral presentations in the SUB. 

Applications have opened for the Baylor Engage Fellows and Provost's Scholars programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Engage Fellows applications are due on Monday, March 31, 2025, and Provost's Scholars applications are due on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

Recipients of the Vardaman Awards, named in tribute to Professor Elizabeth Vardaman, are Baylor faculty members who go above and beyond in mentoring undergraduate students.

The Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) recently hosted the Students Transforming Research (STR) conference, bringing together over 100 student advocates from across the nation, including representatives from seven Texas schools. The conference aimed to highlight the critical role of undergraduate research in higher education and advocate for continued federal support.

Read about Emily Wicker's first 100 days on her Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to Colombia. 

Read about Kaley Birchfield's experiences in Spain on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award. 

Catch up on the latest OEL news and events in our February newsletter.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recognized Baylor as one of only 56 doctoral universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

The OEL is home to a diverse team with a range of interests. Here are a few of the things some of us are reading these days, along with an invitation: pick some of these books or articles to read yourself and invite us to coffee (we'll pay!) so we can ponder over ideas together.

Dr. Dwayne Simmons, the Cornelia Marschall Smith Endowed Professor in the Department of Biology, serves as Senior Director of STEM Initiatives in the Office of Engaged Learning. This Q&A is the first installment in a new series we call "Get To Know the OEL."

Baylor launches its Fulbright application process for the upcoming year with information sessions and workshops.

Research by first-year biology students has the potential to advance the scientific understanding of bacteriophages and their role in combating antibiotic-resistant infections.

Abstract submission is open through March 17th for URSA Scholars Week.

The Baylor Lariat profiles Learning for the World, the OEL's signature engaged learning course for first- and second-year students.

Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., announced that the lifetime designation of Master Teacher – the highest honor granted to Baylor faculty for sustained excellence in teaching – has been conferred on four Baylor faculty members.

Catch up on the latest OEL news and events in our January newsletter.

Forty-eight undergraduates, graduate students, and Baylor alumni have been named semi-finalists for the the prestigious Fulbright Award, a University record.

The Office of Engaged Learning is excited to announce the Baylor Summer Fellows Program for 2025, offering funded opportunities for Baylor undergraduate students to engage in internships and research experiences that promote the public good.

This fall, students in Dr. Annie Ginty’s PSY/NSC 4312 Behavioral Medicine class worked with eight nonprofit organizations to develop resources, conduct research, create videos, and propose tangible solutions to community challenges.

Abstract submission form for the Baylor Engagement and Research Symposium that will take place on March 27th & 28th, 2025 is now available. This is a collaborative effort between Anthropology, Biology, Environmental, Geological, and Statistical Sciences graduate programs at Baylor University. Undergraduates are invited to join in!

We are excited to announce the Spring 2025 URSA Award winners: Abigail Pitts, Anna Pinchen, and Lily Lobo. Their innovative research proposals explore diverse topics including health benefits of Brassica vegetables, resilience in WWII evacuees, and Athenian greed in Plato's dialogues.

John Austin DeLozier was a recipient of a 2024-25 URSA grant for his interdisciplinary humanities research. As a senior University Scholar with concentrations in Political Science, Great Texts, and Sociology, and a minor in Greek, he is exploring a career in journalism, research, or teaching. His research, titled “Advocacy as Solidarity: Liberation Theology & Pro-Democracy Movements in Haiti during the 1980s,” examines the relationship between the Haitian pro-democracy movement and Catholic social teaching. 

Leah Kalinoff, a senior neuroscience major at Baylor University, combines her passion for science and sustainability as an aquaponics research assistant at Urban REAP in Waco. Contributing to the organization’s mission of “Loving our neighbor by loving our earth,” she helps grow plants for community sale, researches fish well-being, and inspires others to adopt sustainable practices.