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The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Lariat sparked Sing conversations throughout decades - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Nearly 75 years ago, Baylor’s All-University Sing had little the pomp and circumstance it does today. On a rainy spring night in April 1953, a meager 13 souls gathered into Waco Hall to watch just eight groups perform after the weather had relocated them from their original location at the SUB Bowl.
There, amongst rows and rows of empty seats, a handful of Lariat staffers sat pen to paper, who had no idea they were covering the start of one of Bayl...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Jeffrey Epstein visited Ken Starr on Baylor’s campus in 2012 - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Former Baylor President Kenneth Starr invited disgraced New York financier Jeffrey Epstein to visit Baylor’s campus in July 2012, according to newly released files.
The initial visit took place on July 30, 2012, inside Pat Neff Hall and was organized by Starr’s then-assistant Jennifer Jarvis and Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff. Epstein was picked up from the Texas State Technical College-Waco airport by two assistants — Jeff Wittekiend and Angela Gr...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

New AD Doug McNamee to leave ‘no stone unturned’ in athletics reassessment - The Baylor Lariat

Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
It was standing room only in the Mark and Paula Hurd Ballroom Monday evening as President Linda Livingstone officially introduced Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Doug McNamee to the Baylor-Waco community.
McNamee is a Baylor graduate who worked in the athletics office from 2012-2017, serving as the president of Magnolia for four years before joining the online publication Field and Stream in 2022. He succeeds Mack Rhoades, who...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Newly released files show relationship between Ken Starr, Jeffrey Epstein - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Newly released files by the House Oversight Committee detail the email relationship between former Baylor President Ken Starr and infamous New York financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The emails reflect a cordial friendship between the two, with Starr expressing his interest in visiting Epstein in New York City and Florida, discussing current events and even exchanging information about the sexual assault scandal implicating Baylor football and Starr in 2016...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

1980 Playboy controversy halted publishing for first time in Lariat history - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
For 125 years, The Baylor Lariat has been the constant, steady voice for Baylor students, by Baylor students. As administrations changed and the world carried on, Baylor’s student journalists published the news, wrote opinion columns, covered athletic events and analyzed the arts.
But in the spring of 1980, the lights went out in the newsroom. Students still went to class, and Fountain Mall still hummed with springtime chatter — but the newsstands...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Oddest homecoming traditions include barricade kissing, snake dancing, skits - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Half a century ago, Baylor Homecoming celebrations included barricade kissing, snake dancing and “Hawny Frog” skits, trading elaborate floats for simple wagons and buggies. Today, much like 1909, the bonfire still burns bright, a pep rally flings green and gold afar, the parade bridges downtown Waco and campus and, of course, the football game is a staple. Decades of Baylor Homecoming shine brightly in their similarities, with some crown jewels fadin...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Baylor Annual Fire Safety and Security Report shows increase in burglary, stalking - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
The Baylor Annual Fire Safety and Security Report saw an increase in burglary, motor vehicle theft and stalking reports from 2023 to 2024, including incidents on the main Waco campus and branch campus locations.
The Clery Act requires institutions to cite reports of Clery-reportable incidents, so the numbers in the 2025 report may include more than one statistic for each reported incident.
This report is required to be published and distributed ev...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Dean of social work steps down - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Baylor announced Thursday that Dr. Jon Singletary, dean of the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, will step down effective October 15. According to Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Singletary plans to return to the faculty to “focus on interdisciplinary research.”
“As many of you are aware, these are incredibly difficult times for professionals in the field of social work, and Jon felt the need to step away to take better care of himself, as well to d...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Women’s empowerment luncheon talks trailblazing, leadership - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
In its 173 years of history, Baylor appointed Dr. Linda Livingstone as the first female president of the university in 2017. At the time, Livingstone didn’t want her gender to matter as much as her qualifications. But she found that as a woman, leading the university out of an infamous scandal meant more to her community than she’d realized.
“I had alumni come up to me — older women that were alumni — in tears saying they never thought in their life...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Baylor students join in prayer for Charlie Kirk, unity in country - The Baylor Lariat

By Foster Nicholas | Editor-in-Chief, Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor & Marissa Muniz | Social Media Editor
In preparation to memorialize the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, hundreds of miniature American Flags surrounded more than 150 Baylor students gathered on Fountain Mall Wednesday night. With prayer and worship, students reflected on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, who was killed earlier in the day at a Utah Valley University event.
Castle Rock, Colo., sopho...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

‘It takes a village’: Inside Baylor’s record year for Fulbright recipients - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Baylor had only 23 applicants for the Fulbright U.S. Student Grant program in 2019. Six years later, Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning produced more than 23 winners.
As of this year’s success, Baylor now ranks No. 1 in the state of Texas for Fulbright recipients and continues to uphold its Top 20 national ranking.
Dr. Daniel Benyousky, Baylor’s newly appointed director of major fellowships and awards, highlighted that this is the third consecutiv...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Camp Mystic counselors return to Baylor, reflect on flooding tragedy - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
When Camp Mystic staff members found themselves trapped on the roof of “Cozy Cabin,” they weren’t listening to the roaring flood quickly inching upward or the thundering storm above — they listened to the faint singing of worship songs from the recreation hall and the whispered prayers of friends beside them.
These whispered prayers are what kept Vicksburg, Miss., sophomore Nancy Clement and her fellow counselors from giving up completely.
“We had n...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Does technology usage increase dementia risk? - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
“Brain-rot” is Oxford University Press’s term of the year, with the use of the term increasing by 230%. With this dramatic uptick, researchers start to wonder if our brains are actually “rotting” — and if it really is because of “those dang phones.”
In conjunction with the University of Texas’s Dell Medical School, Baylor neuroscience researchers have co-authored a study into the connection of an increased risk of dementia and technology use.
Dr. Michael K...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Goldwater Scholarship opens doors, inspires students - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
Four undergraduate STEM researchers have earned the Goldwater Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing STEM research.
Baylor ranks in U.S News top 30 for undergraduate research — an honor that is reflected by these Goldwater Scholars, according to Dr. Andrew P. Hogue, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Office of Engaged Learning.
“These Goldwater wins are evidence in support of thos...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Meet the 2025 candidates for student body president - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
Campaign season for Baylor’s next student body president kicked off Wednesday, with three experienced juniors vying for the title. These three candidates have each had extensive experience in different areas of student government, making for a close presidential race.
Landon Self
Pflugerville junior Landon Self is a political science major. He has been a part of Baylor student government since his freshman year when he first served as a student senator. In...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

No Small love: Engaged juniors reflect on past 6 years - The Baylor Lariat

Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
San Diego juniors Amelia Shelhamer and Brady Small had been dating for six years when Small finally popped the question over spring break last month.
“In the back of my mind, I always knew,” Small said.
Shelhamer and Small started dating their freshman year of high school when they went to their homecoming dance together.
“He asked me to freshman year homecoming, and then later that evening asked me to be his girlfriend, which at the time when we were 14, was...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Baylor to host events honoring Sexual Assault Awareness Month - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
In this year’s observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office is partnering with student government and several campus organizations to provide a schedule of events dedicated to recognizing sexual assault awareness.
Tulsa, Okla. junior and student senator Elle Kalcik said student government is currently working to pass legislation designating the month of April as Baylor’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“Studen...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Licensed psychologist, professor awarded Outstanding Faculty member - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
Dr. Sarah Mire is an associate professor in the department of psychology and a faculty affiliate with the Baylor Center for Disabilities. In addition to teaching, she is also a licensed psychologist in Texas, a nationally-certified school psychologist and a licensed professional in school psychology. She is among several other Baylor faculty members that were recognized as Outstanding Faculty Members for 2024-2025.
“That’s what I’m doing here — is training...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

SCOTUS is ‘most powerful court in history,’ says author, poli sci professor - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
In the final session of Baylor Libraries’ Readers Meet the Authors Series, political science and law come together with one common idea: the U.S. Supreme Court is the most powerful court in history, and it is the only institution that will protect minority rights.
Dr. David Bridge is an associate professor of political science, and his recent book titled, “Pushback: The Political Fallout of Unpopular Supreme Court Decisions” examines the importance of civil...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Baylor reflects on Title IX history, looks to future policy - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
For a decade, sexual assault cases and Title IX lawsuits created a dark chapter in Baylor’s story.
In 2015, then-Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr asked a Baylor law professor to do an internal inquiry into how the university handled a string of allegations: a student who faced sexual assault charges in 2011, a football player’s arrest for physical assault and two players being named in a sexual assault police report in 2013, a football player convic...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

$4.71 million grant dedicated to researching patience of parents - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
The future is looking bright for Baylor research with a $4.71 million grant dedicated to the study of patience.
The Baylor Research in Growth and Human Thriving Science Center is a multidisciplinary research center housed in the College of Arts and Sciences focused on the study of human flourishing. A part of the BRIGHTS center, a team of interdisciplinary researchers from several different institutions have received a $4.71 million grant from Templeton Reli...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Livingstone addresses future of DEI at Baylor - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
President Linda Livingstone met with state legislators on Monday in Austin to evaluate the future of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Baylor after a wave of state-wide bans swept the state of Texas in recent weeks.
“You will see us continue to lean into supporting students and faculty from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences,” Livingstone said.
State legislators passed Senate Bill 17 last spring, a law prohibiting DEI offices and initiativ...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Board of Regents approves tuition increase, scholarship initiative, 2 academic degrees - The Baylor Lariat

By MacKenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
At their regular February meeting, the Baylor Board of Regents took major steps towards its five-year strategic plan, including approving a tuition increase for the 2025-26 school year, a new scholarship initiative and the addition of two new academic degrees.
“The regents took several steps to ensure we’re laying a foundation for the aggressive implementation of our new strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds,” President Linda Livingstone said.
One of these steps...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

What explains the downward trend in Baptist students on campus? - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
In 1844, the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned the Texas Congress to charter a Baptist university. 180 years later, Baptists are slowly becoming a minority at Baylor.
The percentage continues to drop every year, hitting 17.3% in 2024, according to the Baylor Office of Institutional Research — a decline from 26.5% in 2018.
Dr. Barry Hankins is a resident scholar of religion and American culture in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion. Authorin...
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Columns & Editorials

The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

New places are hard; it’s OK to move back home - The Baylor Lariat

By The Editorial Board
There’s no place like home. The streetlights outside your college house don’t quite buzz like the ones by your childhood home, your mom’s recipes never turn out the same when you attempt them by yourself and suddenly, you’re closer to 30 than being a kid yourself.
Sometimes, college can feel in-between. You get used to living on your own, and then, four months later, you’re suddenly back in your childhood bedroom, at home yet living out of a suitcase.
At some point, many o...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Religion does not give you a platform to spread hate - The Baylor Lariat

By The Editorial Board
Love thy neighbor.
Christian or not, you’ve heard these words. While the Bible might be full of confusing parables and themes open to interpretation, “love thy neighbor” is a simple, universal phrase.
The word “love” appears in the Bible over 300 times, and the exact phrase “love one another” is mentioned 14 times — twice by Jesus himself. In fact, “love thy neighbor” is the second “great commandment” outlined in the Bible, second only to loving God.
If you consider yo...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Trump, Tylenol and the distraction pulled over our eyes - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
In the last few months, President Donald Trump delivered medical advice to the pregnant women of America. At the same time, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lectured the American people on the inefficacy of vaccines.
Neither Trump nor Kennedy Jr. is a licensed medical professional, and neither has advanced degrees or any degree in a science-related field.
Authority does not always equal accuracy, but unfortunately, it has fo...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Sports take: Tight end Michael Trigg leads Baylor offense - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
A shadow loomed dark over the Kansas State defense Saturday. As they gazed up into the bright afternoon sun, there was a blur of gold. By the time they saw the man in the No. 1 jersey reaching up to the heavens, it was too late.
It’s not a bird, it’s not a plane — it’s not even the shadow cast by looming Big 12 conference rankings.
Here comes the reckoning.
Redshirt senior tight end Michael Trigg boasted a standout performance in the Bears’ 35-34 win...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

‘Baby fever’ is trending, but preparedness isn’t - The Baylor Lariat

By The Editorial Board
Despite declining birth rates nationwide, people talk about babies nonstop. The “baby-fever” hashtag has 4.2 million posts on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok. Our culture loves babies, and whether you have one or not, you’ve most definitely experienced one.
They’re on our screens, too. A cute video of a baby doing absolutely nothing can garner millions of likes simply because it’s a baby. However, what’s rarely talked about is the emotional competency and stability...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Paper straws will not save us — or the turtles - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
A $10 tip later, you’re sipping on your iced oat milk latte through a paper straw. Sip after sip, you choke back that chalky paper taste, reminding yourself of all the turtles you’ve saved by your brave sacrifice.
We are saving the turtles, right?
In theory, yes. Plastics do pose a significant threat to sea-life, according to the Sea Turtle Conservatory. By now, everyone has seen the viral video in 2015 of that poor sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged up...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Don’t forget their names — Title IX and Baylor women - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
When you think Title IX at Baylor, most are immediately transported back to 2016, where a sexual assault scandal rocked a football team up to the office of the president.
The blatant mishandling of sexual misconduct and Title IX complaints during that time is a whole issue itself. But too often, we forget the catalysts behind it all — the brave women that spoke up against an institution with endless resources.
This is about them. Title IX is about uplifting...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Bots vs. brains: How to balance your AI use this semester - The Baylor Lariat

By The Editorial Board
With another whirlwind of a fall semester already underway, some of you might have already hit that all-too-familiar wall. Opening up Canvas and seeing a list of assignments longer than the SUB Chick-fil-A line at lunchtime is enough to send anyone into a panic.
College is a lot. You’re attempting to navigate independence while juggling the overwhelming fear of falling behind. Multiple classes, jobs, clubs and organizations – sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough ho...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Political extremism is out; it’s OK to meet in the middle - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
American politics are messy. It’s almost a self-fulfilling prophecy when you combine that much money, power and influence. But now, Americans are looking down the barrel of a completely different monster, and it’s not liberal versus conservative — it’s much more extreme than that.
We’re living in a world where a figure involved with the new administration does a Nazi salute at the presidential inauguration, books about government censorship are being banned b...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Navigating the holidays, from a child of divorce - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
“I know it’s sad, but now you’ll get two of everything.”
I heard this sentence at least 100 times when my parents first got divorced. Two Thanksgivings, two Christmases, two birthdays — these things might sound exciting from the outside, but it’s not what kids from split families want to hear.
A double Christmas means nothing when it’s traded for a happy, present family. The holiday season is often a painful reminder for many, and the empty chairs at the di...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Networking is non-negotiable - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
Enjoying college life is absolutely a necessity. These four years are so special and they truly go by quickly. But when you’re finally walking across that stage at graduation and all the celebrations die down, you’re faced with a harsh reality: “now what?”
Early on in our education, we’re taught to continuously prepare for the future. By middle school, we’re told to prepare for high school, and then we spend all of high school working hard to get into colleg...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Greek life stereotypes are unfair, mostly for women - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
“Paying for your friends” has been a phrase we hear all too well during sorority rush season. Greek life serves as an opportunity for community amongst like-minded individuals, but too often it is diminished into a shallow process, a criticism that is disproportionally targeted towards young women.
More often than not, young women bear the brunt of Greek life stereotypes and negativity. From TikTok OOTDs to YikYak opinions, it seems like women are consiste...
The Baylor Lariat - The official student news sour •

Fleetwood Mac went their own way, remain iconic - The Baylor Lariat

By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
There are very few bands that survive the passage of time. From The Beatles to One Direction, pressure in the music industry and fame itself proves to be too much for many to handle.
Some artists release a few hit songs and fade into irrelevance as time goes on. Others might create a brand for themselves and use that brand to build an empire that withstands the test of time and inevitable band breakups. Fleetwood Mac is one of those bands.
One of the major a...

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