News

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.  

Arvind Muruganantham is among 16 recipients of the prestigious STEM scholarship from the Winston Churchill Foundation

With the funding, Baylor sophomore Allie North leads effort to understand these mysterious silicic volcanoes on the surface of the Moon

University Scholar Lauren Jarvis will seek master’s degrees at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Exeter

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-709-5959
Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

Baylor phage hunters have published another bacteriophage genome!

Applications are now being accepted for the Shepherd Scholars internship program for the summer of 2023.

Grant applications for the spring URSA grants are due November 18, 2022. Proposals for 2023-24 are due January 27th. Student grants for travel, wages, and supplies are reviewed monthly.

The 2023 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.

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. 

Baylor students have set an incredible standard this year in the number of prestigious scholarships and fellowships received—Fulbright, Goldwater, Churchill and more. In this Baylor Connections, Andy Hogue, who serves as Associate Dean of Engaged Learning in the College of Arts & Sciences and directs Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning, highlights the meaning and impact of these honors and examines the reasons these numbers continue to grow.

This spring, a record-shattering number of Baylor University students and their faculty mentors have been honored with some of the most prestigious – and highly competitive – national and international scholarships and awards, reflecting the University's growing investment in the Office of Engaged Learning (OEL).

Baylor University students continue the momentum of a record-setting 2021-2022 academic year of attaining some of the most prestigious national and international scholarships and awards, including another Fulbright and two Boren Awards.

Three years ago, Baylor set a school record when seven Bears earned prestigious Fulbright scholarships — part of the nation’s flagship program for international graduate study and education. This year, Baylor students are blowing that record out of the water. An incredible 13 BU students have already been named Fulbright recipients for 2022 — a number likely to place Baylor among the top producers of Fulbright scholars nationwide, and a total that might still be growing.

University breaks its still-growing Fulbright record with 13 recipients, adds first Truman Scholar since 2007

Baylor has launched its Fulbright application process for the upcoming award cycle and is now working with students to apply for this life-changing award. Eligible applicants include undergraduates graduating next year, alumni, and graduate students.

Three Baylor University juniors—Eliana Stromberg, Veronica Penales, and Isha Thapar—have been named finalists for the Truman Scholarship, announced this month by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Awarded each year to recognize college juniors who demonstrate leadership, academic excellence, and a commitment to public service, the Truman Scholarship honors the legacy of President Harry S. Truman and offers $30,000 for graduate study to one student from each state.

Dr. Tammy Adair is a Senior Lecturer in biology and Director of course-based undergraduate research in biology, and director of Baylor’s Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement program (URSA). In this podcast episode, Dr. Adair discusses active and experiential learning in STEM education and undergraduate research at Baylor.

Each year, Baylor celebrates its undergraduates' research and discoveries during URSA Scholars Week. Students will have the opportunity to participate in events and presentations. This year, URSA Scholars Week is returning live. Abstract submissions for URSA Scholars Week are now open, and they close February 25.

Meeting the needs of today's undergraduate students who seek meaningful academic research as they select a university experience.

We are pleased to announce that the application for the 2022 Summer REU Internship Program at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is now available.

Students who wish to apply for this transformational summer internship opportunity should read these details and contact Dean Hogue for more information.

Competition for the 2022 Truman Scholarship is now underway! Interested juniors should contact Drs. Hogue and Benyousky for more information and declare intentions to apply by November 15.

This feature in the fall issue of A&S Magazine features Emily Schultz, a 2021 Baylor graduate who was named one of seventeen Churchill Scholarship recipients last year. The scholarship is funding Schultz's graduate work at Cambridge University, where she studies pathological impacts of the Zika virus. She became the first Baylor student to win this prestigious award.

This month, Layton Coker, a senior University Scholar from Waco, joined more than 75 Baylor students in submitting applications for nationally and internationally competitive fellowships and awards.

This year's Goldwater National Scholarship competition has begun. Baylor University can only nominate up to five students to the national competition, and we will be having an internal application process to help us select those students. To assist students with the application process, three workshops will be held.

What does it look like for law enforcement in our country to uphold and promote equal justice under the law for all Americans? Join us on September 23rd at 7:00 p.m. for an expert panel discussion on these issues.

One of America's top business magazines highlights the accomplishments of the 2022 class of Mitchell Scholars, including Baylor's own Jonathan Chew.

Third year in a row for two Baylor students to win the prestigious STEM undergraduate award

Three students and an alumnus named winners of prestigious Boren Award focused on public service

Register for the 16th Annual AACR Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition (USCPC)!

Baylor freshmen Sai Sagireddy and Mary Mersereau received 1st place at the Capital of Texas Research Conference on March 6th, 2021.