Baylor Connections

Frank Newport and Byron Johnson

In over three decades at the Gallup organization, Frank Newport has spent his career studying objective data about American attitudes on religion, politics, social issues and more. Newport, a Baylor graduate, is co-host of the podcast Objective Religion, launched earlier this year by Baylor’s Institute for the Studies of Religion. In this Baylor Connections, Newport, senior scientist at Gallup after a long tenure as editor-in-chief, and Byron Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Social Sciences and Baylor ISR founding director, discuss religion’s impact on America today and analyze topics at the intersection of faith and data-driven social science.

Mark Rountree

As Chair of the Board of Regents, Mark Rountree works closely with President Livingstone and Baylor leadership. This year, he assumed the role of Chair as the University navigated a global pandemic and addressed important social issues. In this Baylor Connections, Rountree examines leadership amidst rapidly-changing conditions, sharing how the university worked towards an in-person semester and pursues racial healing and justice as an expression of Christian faith.

Nancy Brickhouse

For Baylor faculty members, the monumental efforts to deliver interactive, engaging classes amidst the COVID-19 public health crisis necessitate learning new technologies and methods of class content delivery. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Nancy Brickhouse, Baylor University Provost, breaks down resources to enhance class instruction both virtually and in-person and shares how the University is continuing to advance meaningful research goals to address critical challenges.

Gary Carini

Terms like face-to-face, virtual learning and hybrid classes have rapidly become commonplace throughout higher education. Baylor has invested time and resources to equip professors to engage students at the highest levels in both traditional and non-traditional classrooms. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Gary Carini, vice provost for institutional research and professional education and professor of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, shares how Baylor is proactively supporting professors in this environment and casts a vision for Baylor as a recognized leader in these new models.

Michelle Cohenour

Student Success Initiatives at Baylor University walks alongside students to help them successfully navigate the incumbent challenges of the collegiate journey. In this Baylor Connections, Michelle Cohenour, Student Success Initiatives director, shares how SSI helps students from a variety of backgrounds be their best self, in and out of class, so they can find holistic success and make the most of their time at Baylor.

President Linda Livingstone

Months of preparations for an in-person fall semester have led to the arrival of Baylor students on campus for the start of classes Monday, August 24. In this Baylor Connections, President Linda Livingstone goes deep inside the process of welcoming students back to campus safely, preparing meaningful modes of class instruction both virtually and in-person, readying Baylor's physical spaces for students and more.

Kirk Wakefield

The world of sports has been squarely in the news in recent weeks, as teams, leagues and players grapple with the implications of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Dr. Kirk Wakefield, the Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing and executive director of Sports Strategy & Sales in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business is a nationally-recognized researcher and sports business expert. In this Baylor Connections, he analyzes how teams at both the professional and collegiate levels navigate change, engage fans and work to make the best of uncertain times.

Gail Offringa

Every parent wants to support their student through the unique joys and challenges of the college years. As Baylor University’s director of parent engagement, Gail Offringa and her team serve parents as they become a part of the Baylor Family and help them navigate questions that arise. In this Baylor Connections, she shares tips for parents to best support their students and anticipate adjustments throughout the college journey, and addresses common questions heading into the new school year.