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One Bear Place #97116
Waco, Texas 76798
1-888-710-1859
Phone: (254) 710-1121
Fax: (254) 710-1096 |
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The Sesquicentennial CampaignIncreasing membership and establishing a permanent endowment for the Baylor Alumni Association's key programs will lay a foundation for greater service to Baylor.
Make a gift online to the Sesquicentennial Campaign.
 In just one year, the Baylor Alumni Association will celebrate its sesquicentennial, marking 150 years of dedicated service to Baylor University and Baylor alumni. Approaching this remarkable milestone offers the association's members and all those in the extended Baylor family an opportunity to celebrate past accomplishments and embrace exciting possibilities.
Times have certainly changed since the Baylor Alumni Association was created in 1859. Back then, in the town of Independence, there were only forty-two Baylor alumni; today more than 130,000 graduates and former students are flinging their "green and gold afar" in communities across America and around the world. One constant, however, has been the Baylor Alumni Association's mission of strengthening Baylor University and furthering the interests of our alma mater, so that the life-changing education we experienced can be shared with Baylor students of today and tomorrow.
Governed by a board of alumni volunteers and incorporated as a separate nonprofit organization since 1978--when Baylor's president at the time, Judge Abner V. McCall, recommended such independence--the Baylor Alumni Association has been uniquely empowered to act with unwavering integrity and responsible boldness. The association's commitment to keeping Baylor strong is well documented. It's a charge taken up by each new generation of graduates out of a sense of pride, privilege, and responsibility.
But how can we best extend this tradition of service? The Baylor Alumni Association's Board of Directors has answered that question by initiating the Sesquicentennial Campaign to increase the association's permanent endowment and membership levels with the goal of achieving an unprecedented level of resources--enough to assure the association of complete financial self-sufficiency for the years ahead.
Every great university needs the support of an equally great alumni association. The following goals of the Sesquicentennial Campaign, if met, will enable us to further augment our standing as an alumni organization that dramatically reflects the greatness of our alma mater:
• Create an endowment of $20 million to produce an annual income of $1 million. Today, the association's endowment stands at $4.1 million.
• Increase annual memberships. Today, the association's annual membership stands at approximately 7,100 members.
• Increase life memberships by at least 150 each year. Today, the association has approximately 11,300 life members.
• Increase Torchbearers Society members to two hundred each year. Last year, ninety-five alumni and friends--many of whom were already life members--joined the Torchbearers Society with their annual gifts of $1,000.
How will these endowment gifts and membership revenues be put to work? Good question. Lend us a few minutes, and we'll share our story of service to Baylor. It's a story told in three parts, with an emphasis on the key programs and services that the Sesquicentennial Campaign seeks to endow through special gifts and named endowments.
We hope that, after learning about the association's many areas of activity, you'll become part of an even greater story of service by making a gift to your Baylor Alumni Association through this special opportunity.
Trusted Communicators
In October 1946, Baylor alumni received the first issue of the Baylor Line. The new magazine's name derived from the title of the school song, referring to "that good old Baylor line" of graduates marching "forever down the years." Since that time, the Line has achieved a remarkable record of success in supporting Baylor University by strengthening the bonds between alumni and their alma mater.
When the age of the Internet dawned, the Baylor Alumni Association soon began to add an online component to its alumni communications.
In July 2001, the association launched the first general-interest online newsletter for Baylor alumni. Aptly named Between the Lines, the monthly newsletter quickly demonstrated its value, bringing alumni timely news of fellow grads affected by 9/11 and chronicling the saga of alumnae Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry when they were held as prisoners by the Taliban in Afghanistan and eventually rescued by American troops.
In January 2006, the association developed another online publication--the Briefly@Baylor e-mail update. Produced twice a month, Briefly@Baylor gained an avid readership among association members with its lively mixture of campus news and alumni achievements. Now redesigned as Baylor Line News, this regular e-mail update continues to give members an insight into the Baylor campus and the alumni association.
Baylor Line magazine
Endowment goal: $7.2 million
Named one of the nation's top alumni magazines in 2001 and long considered a flagship program of the Baylor Alumni Association, the Baylor Line has been proudly telling the Baylor story for more than sixty years.
Entertaining and informative feature stories about professors, students, alumni, and important events have earned the Line a spot on alumni coffee tables. Whether it's the truth about Willie Nelson's days as a Baylor student or a behind-the-scenes account of the building of a Homecoming float, the Line offers its readers stories that bring the world of Baylor to life.
The magazine's balanced news reporting, covering both sides of the issues when significant controversies arise, has earned the trust of alumni and served Baylor's best interests through sometimes-troubled waters.
And the Line's signature "Down the Years" class notes section, keeping alumni in touch with one another for more than half a century, has earned the Line its highest honor--a permanent place in the hearts of Baylor alumni.
In 2001, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) echoed the sentiments of Baylor alumni by awarding the Baylor Line a silver medal in the "College and University General Interest Magazines" category of its national Circle of Excellence Awards competition--one of only twelve magazines in the nation so honored and the Line's first national award for general excellence. Other magazines winning awards included those from Stanford, Cornell, Brown, and Dartmouth.
 Community Builders
The word "family" often pops up in conversations about the Baylor community, and for good reason--Baylor people are a close-knit bunch who welcome newcomers, seek out opportunities for fellowship, and take care of each other. The Baylor Alumni Association stands at the heart of this family, enabling alumni to stay connected or to re-connect with former classmates, former professors, and the university itself. The association also helps alumni make new connections through programs that allow them to meet Baylor grads they didn't know before.
These connections are fostered through a variety of programs that the association sponsors. In the spring and fall of each year, the Heritage Club brings together graduates of fifty years ago or more, and every other spring a special two-day gathering of female graduates called Fling takes place.
The association also helps keep the Baylor spirit strong through clubs and regional networks as well as travel opportunities and Lifelong Learning courses that bring together Baylor grads and friends--from twenty-somethings to retirees--for pleasure, adventure, and intellectual stimulation. For current Baylor students, the alumni association and Baylor's student government collaborate on the Alumni Mentor Program that connects aspiring young men and women with professionals in their prospective career fields.
No honor is greater than one bestowed by peers, and such are the honors given by the Baylor Alumni Association. With nominations from alumni and selections by committees of alumni volunteers, the association's awards have developed a reputation of prestige that is second to none. At the top is the Distinguished Alumni Award, with other honors including the First Families of Baylor Award and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.
Heritage Club
Endowment goal: $750,000
Established in 1977, the Heritage Club honors those who attended Baylor fifty years ago or more. All alumni are eligible, even if they didn't graduate from Baylor.
Members are honored with a Heritage Club celebration held on campus each spring that typically attracts more than five hundred participants. Much like a Homecoming designed especially for older graduates, the spring gathering includes interesting programs, campus tours, and plenty of opportunities for good, old-fashioned visiting. The highlight of the three-day event is a banquet and the presentation of "Golden Anniversary" diplomas or certificates to the fifty-year class and "Diamond Anniversary" diplomas or certificates to members of the seventy-five-year class.
In addition, the Heritage Club has a special reunion during Homecoming, and regional Heritage Clubs are supported by the alumni association in some areas of Texas.
Clubs and Regional Networks
Endowment goal: $800,000
Baylor alumni are well known for their inclination to gather for fellowship, to share memories about their alma mater, and to develop ideas for supporting Baylor through gifts and service in their communities.
The first known Baylor Club meeting occurred at the dawn of the twentieth century in Lancaster, Texas. That same year, in 1900, a club meeting was held in Temple. By 1986, the Baylor Alumni Association supported more than fifty-five active Baylor Clubs in cities across the state, as well as thirty-six in other states and seven abroad.
Today the Baylor Alumni Association supports the activities of chapters in several Texas cities and regions, such as the East Texas Baylor Club, and special-interest groups, such as the Central Texas Baylor Women's Club and the Baylor Black Alumni Club, and is finalizing plans to significantly widen the scope of its work in this area. We hope to draw alumni together for meaningful activities and fellowship and to energize them to serve as ambassadors for Baylor in their communities.
Fling
Endowment goal: $50,000
Every other spring a special two-day gathering of female graduates called Fling takes place. Billed as a "Baylor event for women," Fling reconnects Baylor alumnae to each other and to the university. In 2008, the event marks its twenty-fifth anniversary.
Over the course of two relaxing days, Fling provides plenty of opportunities for fond reminiscing and catching up on the life of Baylor, with on-campus events including seminar presentations, guided tours, and piano recitals enjoyed while sipping Dr Pepper floats.
Alumni by Choice
Endowment goal: $100,000
The Baylor Alumni Association provides a unique opportunity for alumni to honor their friends and family members who love and support Baylor even though they didn't attend the university--designating them as an alumnus or alumna "by choice." Nominees are honored at a fall event, where the Baylor Alumni Association and Baylor's president present them with official "Alumni by Choice" diplomas as family members and friends look on.
Begun by the alumni association in 1986, the Alumni by Choice program has now welcomed thousands of longtime, green-and-gold-wearing Baylor fans into the Baylor family.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Endowment goal: $500,000
The Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented every January at the Distinguished Alumni Banquet and honor Baylor graduates that have distinguished themselves in their own professions and vocations. First given in 1965, the award has been bestowed upon such figures as former Texas governors Mark White and Ann Richards, scientist John Paul Stapp, educators Linda Bunnell and John Lilley, author Robert Fulghum, football legend Mike Singletary, and business leaders Marjorie Scardino and Drayton McLane.
Herbert H. Reynolds Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Endowment goal: $50,000
The Herbert H. Reynolds Outstanding Young Alumni Awards are given at the first Pigskin performance at Homecoming to honor alumni under forty years of age who have distinguished themselves in their fields early in their careers.
First Families of Baylor Award
Endowment goal: $50,000
The First Families of Baylor Award is an annual honor recognizing families whose names are inextricably linked to Baylor University--families that have sent several generations of students to Baylor and whose members often have been university leaders. Created in 1980, the award is presented each year at After Dark during Parents Weekend and has honored such clans as the Abner V. McCall family, the J. M. Dawson family, and the Samuel Palmer Brooks family.
Herbert H. Reynolds Retired Faculty and Administrators Award
Endowment goal: $50,000
The Herbert H. Reynolds Retired Faculty and Administrators Awards honor retired members of the Baylor faculty or administration for professional excellence during their years of university service. Given annually since 1981, the award's recipient list reads like a "who's who" of Baylor professors and administrators, starting with Guy B. Harrison and P. D. Browne and including Ralph Lynn, Ann Miller, and Virginia Crump.
George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award
Endowment goal: $25,000
This award, given annually since 1990, recognizes alumni, current or former members of the Baylor faculty or administration, or individuals closely associated with Baylor who exemplify the life and career of the late church leader George W. Truett and reflect the true meaning of Baylor's official motto, "Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana."
Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award
Endowment goal: $25,000
Named after former Texas Governor Price Daniel, this award honors alumni, current or former members of the Baylor faculty or administration, or individuals closely associated with Baylor whose records in an elected or appointed local, state, or national office exemplify the spirit of selfless dedication to public service represented by the life and career of Gov. Daniel and reflect the true meaning of the motto, "Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana."
W. R. White Meritorious Service Award
Endowment goal: $25,000
Created in 1977, the W. R. White Meritorious Service Award is presented at the Baylor Alumni Association's annual meeting at Homecoming to individuals who have rendered outstanding service to Baylor University. The recipients do not have to be former students or graduates of Baylor.
Abner V. McCall Humanitarian Award
Endowment goal: $25,000
Created in 1998, this award recognizes alumni who have exhibited a Christian response to situations and people around them in ways exemplified by the life of former Baylor President Abner V. McCall.
Abner V. McCall Religious Liberty Award
Endowment goal: $25,000
This award honors alumni or friends of Baylor who, by their lives and actions, have exemplified the courage and dedication of former Baylor President Abner V. McCall to the belief in and commitment to religious liberty.
 Tradition Keepers
At the Baylor Alumni Association, we believe that traditions matter. They form the bedrock upon which we build the future of our alma mater.
In 1909, the Baylor Alumni Association was a sponsor of the first Baylor Homecoming. The granddaddy of all Baylor traditions, Homecoming has been supported by the alumni association for many years with festivities and class reunions during Homecoming weekend each fall.
Throughout its history, the association has helped foster the tradition of direct support of Baylor and Baylor students by alumni. During the last sixty years, the group has helped raise millions of dollars needed for campus improvements, such as the Student Union Building and the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center. In 2006, the Baylor Alumni Association and Baylor co-sponsored the "Brooks Bricks for Scholarships" initiative to raise funds for student scholarships through the sale of bricks from the old Brooks Hall. In addition, since 2004 the alumni association has funded more than $5 million in educational loans to more than seventeen hundred Baylor students through its student loan program in partnership with Brazos Higher Education Service Center.
In 1996 the alumni association helped launch the official Class Ring program, a new Baylor tradition. Students who purchase the official ring may participate in a ring ceremony with Baylor's president, during which the symbols on the ring are explained. Each ring provides a tangible reminder of the impact Baylor makes on every student's life. More than six thousand alumni have purchased the official Class Ring since its introduction.
When new students begin their Baylor experience, they can learn about all of Baylor's great traditions--from the story behind the bear mascot to the wild and crazy Freshman Follies--during the Baylor Alumni Association's traditions education program at summer orientation. Once on campus, they can visit the memorial to the Immortal Ten, which the alumni association helped fund.
Homecoming
Endowment goal: $800,000
As a Homecoming sponsor, the Baylor Alumni Association hosts reunion dinners and offers first-pick Pigskin seats to association members. One of the primary reasons most alums come home to Baylor, of course, is to reconnect and reminisce with old friends and former classmates.
Reunions begin the Friday of Homecoming with special dinners for the twenty-five-year and fifty-year classes, and they don't stop until Sunday morning, when the Homecoming Worship Service concludes the weekend's activities.
Homecoming reunion picnics and class meetings for each five-year class, sponsored by the alumni association, are held on Saturday after the parade and before the game in tents near Floyd Casey Stadium's Touchdown Alley. In 2007, more than one thousand alumni and friends attended the picnics. There is plenty of good food, and each reunion class is assigned a separate tent where class members can hold a meeting or just sit around and catch up with old friends.
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