Baylor Connections

October is one of the busiest times of year for university counseling centers across the nation. Beginning next week, be on the lookout for a series of communications and engagement opportunities to practice mental health wellbeing and learn more about the mental health resources available to our students, faculty and staff. Students, if you are struggling with mental health concerns, please contact the Counseling Center at 254-710-2467. Faculty and staff also have many resources available through our employee assistance program. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of these learning opportunities and resources and hope the coming weeks will help us all adopt best practices to stay well spiritually, physically and mentally.

Mentorship is a driving force for John Wood in research that could eventually lead to cancer drugs. Wood serves as the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Co-Director of the Baylor Synthesis & Drug-Lead Discovery Lab. Since coming to Baylor in 2013 after serving at Yale and Colorado State, he has continued to build a nationally recognized research portfolio while focusing on the next generation of researchers who come through his laboratory.

Goals as big as R1 require a team effort to accomplish. Baylor’s research administrators in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) play a significant role in advancing Baylor research as they support faculty throughout the grant process. In this Baylor Connections, Kevin Chambliss, Baylor’s Vice Provost for Research, and Susan Stearsman, Associate Vice Provost for Research, share how OVPR administrators help elevate Baylor’s research enterprise.

Baylor’s Office of External Affairs leads, engages, supports and celebrates the collective impact of Waco and Baylor. Jeremy Vickers serves as associate vice president for external affairs and Krista Brinser serves as director of community relations. In this Baylor Connections, they discuss community growth, describe the strength of Baylor and Waco’s relationship, and share upcoming programs and outreach efforts.

As a new academic year finds its stride, there is much to celebrate and anticipate at Baylor. In this Baylor Connections, President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., shares insights on a variety of topics: national trust in Baylor, enrollment, spiritual formation, leadership in higher education and college athletics, future growth and more.

Baylor’s Department of Public Safety consists of five divisions aligned to protect Baylor students, faculty, staff and guests. Mark Childers is a 26-year federal law enforcement veteran, including 18 years in the U.S Secret Service, who serves as Baylor’s associate vice president for public safety. In this Baylor Connections, he shares how Baylor police and DPS personnel build relationships with students, utilize technology and create new resources to protect students and promote a safe campus community.

The 2022-23 Baylor sports season is underway, and as fans return to campus for their favorite fall sports and traditions, they can impact the game visually as well as vocally. Erin Bean serves as Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Marketing and Fan Engagement and Courtney Scrivano serves as Director of Licensing in Baylor Athletics. In this Baylor Connections, they take listeners inside the Go Gold campaign and share new ways fans can support the program and go gold for the Bears at upcoming games.

As a college student, Jeffry Archer was drawn to the role libraries play in connecting people with the information they needed for research, scholarship and learning. Today, as Dean of University Libraries, he leads Baylor’s libraries, special collections, centers and library technology efforts. In this Baylor Connections, he takes listeners inside the modern library, shares University Libraries’ role in supporting Baylor’s R1 research endeavors and more.