One of the great joys of working in the OEL is that every ounce of our work is rooted in partnerships. With campus partners like the Center for Global Engagement, the Office of Missions, Service, & Public Life, Intercultural Engagement, and others, we are privileged to search for collaboration, dream up new programs, and work together to enhance the Baylor experience. With our community partners, like the dozens of nonprofits with which we are grateful to share common cause, we are privileged to build pathways to service for our students that inspire their commitment to the work of the common good. And in our partnerships with students, we get to learn and serve and discover and reflect, always striving in our shared efforts to make the world better. The greatest joys of all occur when these networks of partnerships overlap, when, for example, students in Prof. Emily Loachamin’s PPS 1100 class, in partnership with La Puerta and other local nonprofits, learn about poverty reduction programs, then spring immediately into action when SNAP benefits disappeared for limited-income neighbors this month. Working with other students and campus partners in the Division of Student Life, Daniela O'Neill (above) rallied to enlist every Greek organization on campus to contribute food, finances, time, and energy to serve our neighbors, culminating in a food distribution event at the South Waco Community Center last Saturday. Events like this don’t just happen; they are the products of work rooted in Baylor’s mission to prepare our students for worldwide leadership and service, work we are privileged to participate in alongside the partners we cherish in the OEL. In this month of thanksgiving, we want to say a special word to our many partners: thank you! You inspire us, and you enrich the world, every single day.
Cheers,
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Andrew P. Hogue, PhD
Associate Dean
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| OEL Team Profile: Mark Richards |
Mark Richards serves as Associate Director for Operations, Innovation, and Programs in the Office of Engaged Learning. This Q&A is the fourth installment in our "Get to Know the OEL" series.
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Baylor’s 2025 Millennium Fellows Host Waco ISD AVID Students for “A Day in the Life of a College Student" |
25 students from Waco ISD's AVID program came to Baylor's campus last week to sit in on two college class lectures and attend a seminar given by the Baylor Millennium Fellows on their individual academic journeys. The visit was part of the Baylor Millennium Fellows' semester-long project mentoring AVID students, which addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 Target 4.3 – Equal Access to Affordable Technical, Vocational, and Higher Education.
Photo credit: Michael Anderson, Jr., Waco ISD
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2025-2026 Emerging URSA Project Grant Recipients Announced |
The first round of recipients of the 2025-2026 Emerging URSA Project Grants have been announced. With undergraduate student researchers representing chemistry, marketing, anthropology, environmental science, music, theatre arts, and more disciplines, this group represents one of the most diverse in URSA grant history.
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Waco Bridge: Derek Ross Leads Waco Indian Grass House Replica Build |
The Waco Bridge featured Derek Ross, the OEL's Indigenous Scholar in Residence, in its article on the Mayborn Museum's upcoming 2026 exhibit "Cultural Crossroads," which will include a full-scale, authentic Wichita grass house, the kind built and inhabited by members of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Waco's indigenous community.
Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / Catchlight / Report for America
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Take a PPS Course This Spring! |
As registration for spring classes begins, we want to point your attention to the 25 Philanthropy and Public Service (PPS) courses on offer this spring, many of which are only 1 credit hour and are taught by local community leaders. With options as wide-ranging as Community Gardening, Law and Public Service, Community Tax Prep, Poverty in Waco, Christian Social Innovation, and many more, you're bound to find a class that meets your interest!
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Waco Bridge: Baylor PPS Class Gets a Dia de Los Muertos Assignment – Build a Puppet |
The Waco Bridge profiled one of the OEL's Philanthropy and Public Service (PPS) courses, Creative Economies in Waco, taught by Julie Cervantes of Creative Waco, in which students built a puppet for the Dia de los Muertos parade and in doing so learned firsthand about the impact of the festival on the community.
Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / CatchLight Local / Report for America
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Fulbright Dispatch: Madeline Do ('24) |
Madelene Do (Health Science Studies, '24) shares her experience on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to Vietnam.
"For those considering applying for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant, I cannot recommend it enough. The experience challenges you in ways that foster both professional and personal growth. It allows you to engage with a new culture, develop meaningful relationships, and expand your understanding of the world. While the professional benefits are undeniable, the most rewarding aspects of the grant lie in the relationships you build and the personal discoveries you make along the way."
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Baylor’s 2025 Millennium Fellows Host Waco ISD AVID Students for “A Day in the Life of a College Student" |
25 students from Waco ISD's AVID program came to Baylor's campus last week to sit in on two college class lectures and attend a seminar given by the Baylor Millennium Fellows on their individual academic journeys. The visit was part of the Baylor Millennium Fellows' semester-long project mentoring AVID students, which addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 Target 4.3 – Equal Access to Affordable Technical, Vocational, and Higher Education.
Photo credit: Michael Anderson, Jr., Waco ISD
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Take a PPS Course This Spring! |
As registration for spring classes begins, we want to point your attention to the 25 Philanthropy and Public Service (PPS) courses on offer this spring, many of which are only 1 credit hour and are taught by local community leaders. With options as wide-ranging as Community Gardening, Law and Public Service, Community Tax Prep, Poverty in Waco, Christian Social Innovation, and many more, you're bound to find a class that meets your interest!
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2025-2026 Emerging URSA Project Grant Recipients Announced |
The first round of recipients of the 2025-2026 Emerging URSA Project Grants have been announced. With undergraduate student researchers representing chemistry, marketing, anthropology, environmental science, music, theatre arts, and more disciplines, this group represents one of the most diverse in URSA grant history.
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Waco Bridge: Baylor PPS Class Gets a Dia de Los Muertos Assignment – Build a Puppet |
The Waco Bridge profiled one of the OEL's Philanthropy and Public Service (PPS) courses, Creative Economies in Waco, taught by Julie Cervantes of Creative Waco, in which students built a puppet for the Dia de los Muertos parade and in doing so learned firsthand about the impact of the festival on the community.
Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / CatchLight Local / Report for America
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Waco Bridge: Derek Ross Leads Waco Indian Grass House Replica Build |
The Waco Bridge featured Derek Ross, the OEL's Indigenous Scholar in Residence, in its article on the Mayborn Museum's upcoming 2026 exhibit "Cultural Crossroads," which will include a full-scale, authentic Wichita grass house, the kind built and inhabited by members of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Waco's indigenous community.
Photo credit: Justin Hamel, The Waco Bridge / Catchlight / Report for America
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Fulbright Dispatch: Madeline Do ('24) |
Madelene Do (Health Science Studies, '24) shares her experience on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to Vietnam.
"For those considering applying for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant, I cannot recommend it enough. The experience challenges you in ways that foster both professional and personal growth. It allows you to engage with a new culture, develop meaningful relationships, and expand your understanding of the world. While the professional benefits are undeniable, the most rewarding aspects of the grant lie in the relationships you build and the personal discoveries you make along the way."
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Opportunities of Interest |
We think these opportunities may be of particular interest to students and campus partners in our network.
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International Education Week (IEW) | Nov. 10-14 |
International Education Week (IEW) is in full swing this week! Our dear friends and partners in the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) are hosting a number of exciting events. We hope you've already enjoyed some of them, but if not, grab some Native American food for lunch at Penland today from 11-2, and consider attending one of the following events tonight!
Public Deliberation Initiative: Facilitated Discussion on Immigration // 6-7:30pm tonight in Cashion 502
Story Exchange // 7-8:30pm tonight in North Russell
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Shape the Future of Church Innovation in a New PPS Course |
Register for a brand new PPS course and help shape the future of church innovation! PPS 3V9R Contextual Research Hub (also THEO 7V99), taught by Dustin Benac, will meet on Wednesdays from 12-3pm in the spring.
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| Land, Legacy, and Learning: Native Voices and Visibility | Nov. 17 |
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, join Multicultural Affairs for a lunch and learn on Monday, November 17 at 12-1pm in Moody 104 led by Derek Ross, member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Waco's indigenous community. Explore how Native communities are thriving today in art, education, politics, and activism, challenging outdated stereotypes and celebrating modern Native identity.
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McNair Scholars Now Accepting Applications | Due Dec. 1st
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The McNair Scholars Program is now accepting applications for the upcoming cohort of undergraduate researchers. This nationally recognized initiative prepares high-achieving, first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students for doctoral study through research experiences, faculty mentorship, and professional development. Applications are due by Monday, December 1st.
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| "Things We Don't Talk About at Dinner: Civil Discourse and Disagreement in Politics and at Church," with John Inazu and Tish Harrison Warren | Dec. 4 |
Legal scholar, professor, and author John Inazu will join Anglican priest and writer Tish Harrison Warren on Thursday, December 4th at 4-5:15pm in Kayser Auditorium for an evening of candid, hopeful conversation on how to navigate hard topics with conviction and empathy. Come for practical wisdom you can use at church, in public life—even at the dinner table.
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International Education Week (IEW) | Nov. 10-14 |
International Education Week (IEW) is in full swing this week! Our dear friends and partners in the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) are hosting a number of exciting events. We hope you've already enjoyed some of them, but if not, grab some Native American food for lunch at Penland today from 11-2, and consider attending one of the following events tonight!
Public Deliberation Initiative: Facilitated Discussion on Immigration // 6-7:30pm tonight in Cashion 502
Story Exchange // 7-8:30pm tonight in North Russell
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Land, Legacy, and Learning: Native Voices and Visibility | Nov. 17 |
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, join Multicultural Affairs for a lunch and learn on Monday, November 17 at 12-1pm in Moody 104 led by Derek Ross, member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Waco's indigenous community. Explore how Native communities are thriving today in art, education, politics, and activism, challenging outdated stereotypes and celebrating modern Native identity.
|
Shape the Future of Church Innovation in a New PPS Course |
Register for a brand new PPS course and help shape the future of church innovation! PPS 3V9R Contextual Research Hub (also THEO 7V99), taught by Dustin Benac, will meet on Wednesdays from 12-3pm in the spring.
|
McNair Scholars Now Accepting Applications | Due Dec. 1st |
The McNair Scholars Program is now accepting applications for the upcoming cohort of undergraduate researchers. This nationally recognized initiative prepares high-achieving, first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students for doctoral study through research experiences, faculty mentorship, and professional development. Applications are due by Monday, December 1st.
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"Things We Don't Talk About at Dinner: Civil Discourse and Disagreement in Politics and at Church," with John Inazu and Tish Harrison Warren | Dec. 4
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Legal scholar, professor, and author John Inazu will join Anglican priest and writer Tish Harrison Warren on Thursday, December 4th at 4-5:15pm in Kayser Auditorium for an evening of candid, hopeful conversation on how to navigate hard topics with conviction and empathy. Come for practical wisdom you can use at church, in public life—even at the dinner table.
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Marshall Scholar Lauren Jarvis (BA '23, right) visited Fulbright winner Tori Jones (BA '25, left) in Taiwan, where Tori currently serves as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA).
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Marshall Scholar Lauren Jarvis (BA '23, right) visited Fulbright winner Tori Jones (BA '25, left) in Vietnam, where Tori currently serves as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA).
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