Meet the OEL | Eliza Denley
The OEL team was proud to welcome Eliza Denley in July. For the upcoming year she will serve as coordinator of fellowships and awards, supporting applicants for all manner of award opportunities as she also invests in the Vardaman Scholars Program and coordinates many of the activities of the Baylor Community Garden. Enjoy getting to know Eliza in the Q&A below!
Q: Who is Eliza Denley? Where did you come from, and how did you make your way here?
Hello! I am Eliza and I made my way to Baylor from Louisville, Kentucky as an undergrad in 2022. I was a University Scholar and concentrated in English and Environmental Humanities. I have been involved with the OEL since spring of my freshman year when I was in the first ever Learning for the World cohort! Since then, my involvement has followed the typical OEL path of Vardaman Scholars (then Engaged Fellows) and ESL volunteering. I did get the unique opportunity to join the OEL as a teaching assistant for their study abroad semester in St. Andrews, Scotland, in Fall 2025. That was truly a highlight of my college experience. Since graduating in May 2026, I am incredibly honored and thrilled to be joining the team as a staff member. I am thrilled to be in a position where I can stay connected to the Baylor community and get to contribute to the incredible work of the OEL!
Q: What’s your role in the OEL? What do you spend your time on, and how does that matter for Baylor students?
I am a coordinator for major fellowships and awards! So, I work closely with Dr. Benyousky and Dr. Good, assisting students in the application processes for major awards like the Fulbright, the Marshall, the Churchill, etc. I think I bring a unique perspective as an awards advisor because I so recently applied for similar opportunities myself, so I really sympathize with struggling through the difficult and time-consuming application process and am eager to help however I can. Day-to-day, my job consists of a lot of writing, drafting endorsement letters and Fulbright campus committee evaluations, but I also get to meet one-on-one with students applying for the Fulbright to hear discuss their motivations for applying for their specific award. So far, my favorite part of this role (aside from hanging out with the incredible OEL team, of course) has been getting to hear from the amazing students at Baylor pursuing competitive but worthwhile opportunities. I am encouraged every day by getting to witness the incredible work, leadership, and service of Baylor’s students who I firmly believe will make a positive impact in the world.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside work?
Outside of work, I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time outside! I feel like, since graduation, I have had more opportunities to read for fun, and this has been a great joy. Traveling is a no brainer; I love going new places and having new experiences, often to places with beautiful natural scenery where I can hike or camp.
Q: Any favorites to share? Books, music, cities, foods? You name it.
I am notoriously horrible at picking favorites of things, so can I go with current favorites or fixations? At the time I am writing this, I am reading Circe by Madeline Miller and really enjoying its interpretation of Greek mythology, focusing in on a character that usually does not get a lot of attention. I’ve recently been listening to a lot of Sam Fender, particularly his People Watching album—highly recommend. I’ve been kind of obsessed with Greek food lately and have been enjoying basically anything with tzatziki on it. Like the true English major I am, I would have to say that my favorite movie is Dead Poet’s Society—basic, I know. And my favorite city would have to be Madrid, Spain. I studied abroad there in the spring of my junior year and absolutely fell in love!