Baylor Connections

Myles Olenski and Anna Webb

For many Baylor students, Monday nights at 9pm represent an opportunity to join in worship at a weekly service held by Vertical Ministries. This year, Vertical Ministries celebrates its 15^th anniversary. Executive Director Myles Olenski and Associate Director Anna Webb share Vertical’s story, explain why Vertical stays focused on Monday services and discuss the organization’s purpose in serving Baylor students.

Charlie Baylis

When the U.S. Senate needed an expert to testify about the future of America’s spectrum communications, they called on Baylor professor Charlie Baylis. Baylis leads SMART Hub, a Baylor-led Department of Defense innovation center providing groundbreaking wireless communications research for the benefit of men and women in uniform and civilians alike. He takes listeners inside a new paradigm to address overcrowding in wireless communication and unpacks the honor of speaking in the seat of U.S. government.

Ade Oyedijo

When Ade Oyedijo studies the supply chain, his approach is to focus on people. Oyedijo joined Baylor in 2024 after teaching and researching in the United Kingdom for over a decade.  Through his work in World Economic Forum, Oyedijo applies research to important global discussions on the supply chain and its impact. He shares insights on supply chain ethics and the path that led him to Baylor.

Karenna Malavanti

What is it like to live with your family in community with hundreds of college students? How do living-learning communities (LLC) at Baylor support students as they strive for excellence in pursuit of their calling? Karenna Malavanti, senior lecturer in psychology and neuroscience at Baylor, is also faculty-in-residence at Earle Hall, where she leads the Science & Health LLC. She takes listeners inside Baylor’s nationally recognized learning communities and describes the joys of intentional life on campus.

Renée Umstattd Meyer

Renée Umstattd Meyer, a public health professor at Baylor, has built a nationally recognized reputation through helping communities better support the health of their residents. With a focus on active living, she walks alongside communities as they strive to encourage walking, exercise, play and more. Learn how her research connects with practical pathways for children and adults to engage in activities that are healthy and fun.

Stephen Sloan

From a distinct Christian mission to a history of innovation, Baylor has long served as a light in higher education—as its motto says, Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo. February 2025 marks the University’s 180^th birthday. Stephen Sloan, Professor of History and Director of Baylor’s Institute for Oral History, takes listeners inside a few of the threads that connect Baylor through the decades.

Blair Browning

Many in the Baylor Family know Blair Browning as the longtime host of All University Sing! and Pigskin Revue, but not everyone knows how deep his Baylor roots run. A 2012 Collins Outstanding Professor honoree, he serves as professor and chair of the Department of Communication. Browning takes listeners inside the Sing experience and shares why he loves teaching Baylor students.

Wiff Rudd

Master Teacher is the highest designation awarded to Baylor faculty for sustained excellence in teaching. Wiff Rudd, Professor of Trumpet in the Baylor School of Music, was recently named Master Teacher along with three other colleagues across campus. A longtime educator and performer, Rudd shares how the two threads of his career intertwine and why the role of teacher has represented a high calling in his life.