News

Baylor University’s success for highly competitive fellowships and awards continues to skyrocket as a record 20 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.

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

The Office of Engaged Learning will lead the Baylor in St. Andrews program in Fall 2025, working with partners at the University of St. Andrews and across the UK to understand and address global migration issues and the plight of refugees. Students in any major are invited to join our team at the top-ranked university in the UK for the experience of a lifetime!

Fall 2024 marks ten years and more than $1.2 million in grants awarded by Baylor students through PPS 4310, Philanthropy & the Public Good.

Senior Stephen Phillips is an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Leila Romero’s group who has earned a year-long URSA grant to study a series of reactions to, “expand chemistry’s toolbox.”

Madison Andrews is a Science Research Fellow who earned 2nd place in the recent ACS SWRM 2024 Undergraduate Poster Symposium for her research on refining Activity-Based Protein Profiling under Dr. Aaron Wright.

On November 8th 2024, Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science & Technology (BURST) hosted its annual Research & Internship Day symposium at the Hurd Welcome Center.

Baylor University senior Isabella Zárate, an international studies and environmental studies double major from Katy, Texas, has been awarded the highly competitive Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University.

Baylor experts offer practical advice for first-time donors and seasoned givers to align their resources, values and impact.

Aron Basurto, a standout senior in Medical Humanities and a Provost’s Scholar at Baylor University, has been recognized with an URSA Mini Research Grant for Fall 2024.

In the midst of Native American Heritage Month, Baylor is holding many events that honor the history of the Wichita and Affiliated tribes. Derek Ross is involved year-round to ensure their history is preserved.

Baylor University’s student chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) has been honored by the national organization with an Outstanding Chapter award in the category of Celebrating Culture. Students and faculty representing SACNAS at Baylor received the award Oct. 31 while attending the National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) conference in Phoenix.

Baylor's Office of Engaged Learning leads a group of higher education leaders in exploration of how universities can form students for the work of the common good.

Baylor University has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) to drive transformative local initiatives aimed at bolstering food security, advancing sustainable agriculture and enhancing climate resilience in Waco’s underserved communities.

Along with three other Baylor faculty members, Dr. Flavin participated in an online webinar on the topic “Discovering Christian civility in the midst of political hostility” held on October 17, 2024.

At the recent AAC&U Conference on Global Learning in Washington, DC, Baylor University faculty showcased their innovative course, “Learning for the World,” during a panel discussion.

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science will be in Waco!  This is a great opportunity for undergrads (and grads!) to make presentations – posters and orals in ALL disciplines.  

Greg Zaharas was awarded the URSA grant to support his microbiology research with the mentorship of Dr. Leigh Greathouse.

Berkley Ponce was awarded a 2024-2025 URSA Research Grant to further her research on the role of social apps in political polarization under the guidance of Dr. Patrick Flavin.

Baylor students can gain skills and new perspectives through on-the-job experience. Internships give students the chance to test out an industry or profession to see if it’s a good fit for them, and can give them ideas about the kind of jobs they might or might not want to pursue.

The American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) South Regional Meeting is an APSA-sponsored conference designed to facilitate mentorship and collaboration for those interested in physician scientist careers. 

Research Internship Day in The Hurd- Friday November 8. 3:00-8:00

Nick Storti received a 2024-2025 URSA Grant, "AC Induction Motor with Superconducting Windings," to support his research with Dr. Emmanuel Agamloh, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is currently accepting applications through December 6 for its SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program for STEM students completing high school, college undergrad, grad, and doctoral degrees at: https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart/en

University Scholar, Felise Bressler, received the URSA Travel Mini-Grant to attend a Weill-Cornell Summer Internship program. She conducted research in the Pleil lab and investigated the neural circuitry of reward.

The Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) is celebrating the selection of a Baylor team for the prestigious Council on Undergraduate Research’s advocacy program - Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR). 

Paced by more than 100 Fulbright applications, more students and alumni than ever before have applied for major fellowships and awards.

BURST is hosting RID at The Hurd on November 8, 2024.

The Social Sciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is offering a limited number of grants, up to $400 each.

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students.

The summer of 2024 proved to be a transformative time for over 50 Baylor University students participating in the Office of Engaged Learning’s Baylor Summer Fellows Program. These undergraduate students worked in a variety of internships and research experiences, cultivating scholarly interests and addressing community needs. 

As the spring 2024 semester concludes, Baylor University is celebrating a phenomenal year for Baylor students and recent alumni earning prestigious and highly competitive fellowships and awards, including a record-extending 18th Fulbright Scholarship.

The first time Auldynn Chambers heard someone suggest he consider pursuing his doctorate after graduating from Baylor, his immediate thought was, “Only really smart people get Ph.D.s. I’m not smart enough to do that.”

Soon, Chambers will be doing just that, and pursuing a passion he discovered at Baylor — artificial organ development.

Baylor University students continue to earn highly competitive major fellowships and awards during a record-setting year in which they have earned the Fulbright, Goldwater, Critical Language and Churchill scholarships. Now students can add a Boren Scholarship, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (NSF GRF) and the GEM Fellowship to the list.

A record 16 Baylor University students and recent alumni have been selected for Fulbright U.S. Student Grants from the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program that offers students grants to pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad.

After a three-year hiatus after the pandemic, the Baylor Community Garden is back and thriving through the collaborative efforts of more than 700 students, faculty and staff, the garden has blossomed into a “site of transdisciplinary environmental discovery, creativity and community health."

Alagu Subramanian, B.A. ’23, a University Scholar with concentrations in biology, medical humanities and business administration, is Baylor University's fourth consecutive Churchill Scholar, an unprecedented achievement for the prestigious and highly selective scholarship in science, mathematics and engineering.

Guided by their faculty mentors and supported by the Office of Engaged Learning, Baylor University undergraduates are off to a record-breaking pace for attaining some of the most prestigious and highly competitive fellowships and awards at the national and international level.

Baylor University will celebrate its first Fulbright Day on February 27th, 2024 at 3:30pm in Cashion 506. 

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recognized Baylor University as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Thirty-four finalists for the U.S. Government's flagship international exchange program far surpasses Baylor's previous high. 

Baylor graduate Lauren Jarvis won a prestigious Marshall Scholarship last year. Here she reflects on her experiences in London so far, including videos that show a bit about what it's like to live in the city and attend the London School of Economics.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 31, 2024) – The Center for Public Justice has awarded its prestigious 2024 Hatfield Prize to Baylor University senior mechanical engineering major Jackson Boone and Colby Humphrey, Ph.D., lecturer in political science at Baylor.

How might you grow as a researcher? What research possibilities are on offer for you through the Office of Engaged Learning?

WACO, Texas (Jan. 18, 2024) – Dr. Andrew Hogue, associate dean for engaged learning in the Baylor University College of Arts & Sciences, has received the 2024 Churchill Adviser Award from the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States.

The list of schools to make U.S. News‘ top 25 for both undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research is a short (and impressive one), filled with schools like Duke, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Yale — and Baylor.

In a post for the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty titled "Listening is Advocacy," Baylor Engaged Fellow John Austin DeLozier describes his work with the Kanawha County Public Defender.

The 2024 Truman Scholarship application process is now underway. The Truman Scholarship is a competitive award for current juniors that offers generous funding for graduate study in public service.

Kent McKeever, long-time instructor of the OEL's Law & Public Service course, wins a distinguished honor from the George Barrett Social Justice Program at Vanderbilt Law School.

Baylor’s investment in supporting outstanding students in their pursuits of elite international scholarships has led to the development of leaders across numerous fields around the world. We tracked down many of these individuals to see where their careers took them after these experiences. Ross Natividad is one such alumnus.

REU position open for this summer 2023!

Alexandra Tyra and Patrick Leech recently won Fulbright awards. We sat down with these two PhD students and their dissertation directors to discuss why a Fulbright is such a life-changing, career-altering opportunity.