Baylor’s Notice of Termination
On May 31, 2013, Baylor University announced that this September, unless the Transition Agreement linked below was approved by the Baylor Alumni Association, it would unilaterally terminate several agreements between the BAA and the University. This notice of termination cannot become operative before September 8, 2013.

Transition Agreement
This Transition Agreement, executed by representatives of the BAA, the Baylor University Board of Regents, and President Ken Starr, sets forth the basic principles that would govern the relationships between the Baylor Line Corporation, the Baylor Alumni Advisory Board, and the University. By its terms, the Transition Agreement is “subject to approval” by the BAA “in accordance with the law and BAA’s governing documents” (page 7), following a due diligence period, and is not effective until that time.

Agreement to Vacate Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center
Baylor University owns, and has always owned, the land on which the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center sits, and the building itself.  By the terms of a 1994 Official Recognition and (Building) License, Baylor had, and has, the right to assert the need for the building and the property on which it is located. Baylor asserted that need for the purposes of connecting the new Baylor football stadium to the Baylor campus, to provide an on-campus football experience. BAA’s agreement to vacate the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center by July 3, 2013 was provided to avoid delaying the construction schedule of Baylor Stadium.

To view all Transition Documents, please visit:
BaylorAlumniAssociation.com/TransitionAgreement

By Meg Cullar

Photographs by Julie Copenhaver

Participants in the Baylor Alumni Association’s Lifelong Learning program toured Baylor’s BRIC (Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative) facility in April. More than thirty-five participants got to learn how Baylor professors and students are turning “science to gold” through Baylor’s research and entrepreneurship efforts at the facility.

Making research visible is what architects had in mind when they reimagined and renovated the 300,000-square-foot building, a long-shuttered tire plant, into the anchor for a scientific research and innovation park, said Bobby Cryns, MBA ’97, the facility’s director.

Just a few years ago, this building was literally a cavern of darkness, with every surface covered by a fine carbon dust left from its industrial days. Now light from above fills the building’s three stories, where architects bumped up the roof and added clerestory windows all around. The BRIC’s modern industrial style features open atriums but preserves elements of the original building, especially rough concrete columns and other sturdy supports that are still visible on each floor.

The BRIC, which houses engineering and physics research space for Baylor, is a collaborative effort that has received funds from the State of Texas, McLennan County, the City of Waco, the City of Bellmead, and the Cooper Foundation, in addition to the $30 million invested by Baylor. Major partners include Texas State Technical College, McLennan Community College, and the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

A key component to the success of the BRIC is the inclusion of Launch, an “innovative business accelerator” that is part of the Hankamer School of Business. Launch director Dr. Gregory Leman, a Hankamer professor, said that the business accelerator will help turn “science into gold” through solid business practices.

Scientists often have world-changing ideas, Leman said, but sometimes they have trouble moving from the laboratory to the marketplace. Launch is designed to propel new science-based businesses toward success and independence by helping them on several levels — from operational and distribution advice to marketing strategies.

“What we do here is work on those issues with companies so they can get from idea to changing the world,” Leman said.

That begins with articulating their vision, Leman said. “One of the biggest challenges is to help them tell their story in the right language,” he said.

Launch also trains business start-ups to anticipate obstacles. That’s important to success, Leman said, because, “No plan ever unfolds exactly the way you think it will.” Being able to navigate through the obstacles is a major key to success, he said.

Baylor students are learning by being involved in the process, Leman said. “We wanted students to experience what it takes by having them work with real companies.”

The accelerator program has been up and running as part of the Hankamer School of Business for more than six years, Leman said. Hankamer and Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science jointly offer a certificate program for undergraduate students in technology entrepreneurship. And there is a joint MBA-master of engineering program also, he said.

The Launch team moved to the BRIC in late January and now is an “outpost” of Hankamer. Over the years, Leman said, the success rate for businesses helped by the group has been about 75 percent. While it’s too early to measure the success rate as part of BRIC, Leman said, businesses are clamoring to get on board. “People are coming to us and saying, ‘We need help,’” he said.

Officials said that most of the BRIC’s fifty thousand square feet of space that is reserved for private industry is already spoken for. But future plans include expanding beyond the one building.

The Lifelong Learning group tour on April 22 was part of a four-part class series on the Baylor Entrepreneurship Program. During the other class sessions, Lifelong Learning members heard from Baylor professors about Hankamer’s venture creation and global programs and about the Baylor Angel Network.

By Meg Cullar

Photos by Julie Copenhaver

They came from Dallas, San Antonio, Jarrell, Ponderosa, Spring, Pooleville, Troy. Firefighters and EMTs drove more than three hundred fire and rescue vehicles slowly down University Parks Drive to Baylor’s Ferrell Center on April 25 as part of a procession honoring the first responders who died in the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas.

When the lone fire truck belonging to the city of West passed by, the crowd followed the lead of firefighters standing by and applauded. Three of the city’s fire trucks and one ambulance were destroyed in the explosion on April 17.

The procession preceded a memorial service in the Ferrell Center, where President Obama, Texas governor Rick Perry, and U. S. Senator John Cornyn were among those who came to grieve with the families of West. Fourteen people died in the blast, and twelve were honored as first responders. The Ferrell Center was filled to capacity with nearly ten thousand people.

Baylor students, staff, faculty, and others lined the streets for hours to pay respect to the people of West, a town of 2,800 just fifteen miles north of campus. Many standing along University Parks said they did not plan to go into the memorial service, because they felt the seats there should be reserved for the people of West and their families and friends.

The procession began with hundreds of motorcycles of the Patriot Guard, and it ended with more than 150 bagpipe and drum players from all over North America. Members of the West Volunteer Fire Department marched near the end, carrying the helmets of the fallen firefighters.

Click here to see BAA photos from the procession.

The City of West still needs your help. Find out how you can help by visiting these links:

Give to West through Baylor

Baylor Relief Fund for West

Baylor Supports West Facebook Page

Baylor alumni—Are you coming to Homecoming? Here’s what you need to know about the Baylor Alumni Association Homecoming events!

Friday, November 2

• 8 am – 7 pm: Homecoming Open House at the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center

• 3 pm: BAA Homecoming Kickoff at the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center:: Don’t miss this special event! Stop by the HDAC for door prizes and refreshments while you grab a Homecoming schedule, pick up your nametags for all pre-registered BAA events, and hear from BAA CEO and executive vice president Jeff Kilgore. We hope to see you there!
  

• 4 pm: Class of 1962 50th Reunion Dinner in the Barfield Drawing Room *Limited seating available. Registration required by October 26 or until seating is filled.*

• 5 pm: Heritage Club Reunion Dinner in the McMullen Faculty Center (Classes of 1937, 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957) *Registration is closed*

Saturday, November 3

• 8:30 am: Homecoming Parade begins from Downtown Waco to Baylor Campus

• After the parade — 11 am: Homecoming Open House at the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center. The HDAC will be open and available for alumni to stop in for coffee after the parade.

• Two and a half hours prior to kickoff: BAA Alumni Reunion Picnic at Dutton Avenue and 30th Street. Special designated areas for the 25th and 50th reunion classes, as well as classes ending in “2” and “7.” :: The meal is free and available to the first 1,300 attendees. You may pre-register for the picnic to receive a printed nametag and be expedited through the check-in line. Pre-registration does not guarantee a meal—please arrive early. *Click to pre-register*

• TBD: Baylor vs. Kansas Football Game at Floyd Casey Stadium

For more information, visit our Homecoming page. We hope to see everyone for a wonderful Homecoming weekend!

By Jena Howie

A Waco resident and Baylor fan has found a way to hold on to special memories without cluttering your closet with mementos- especially T-shirts. We wear T-shirts all the time to show support for various activities and for some reason, we tend to hold onto our T-shirts for way too long. They pile up in a drawer over the years, and then we can’t imagine tossing them because of the memories each one holds.

Barbara Hornburg has created a small business by taking old T-shirts and turning them into beautiful quilts. Each square in one of Hornburg’s quilts is the front of a T-shirt or the back of a jersey that the quilt recipient has deemed memorable or important.

“It started just as something I did for my family,” Hornburg said. “My grandsons played ice hockey in Colorado and wanted to somehow keep all of their old jerseys. Then my son was really into racing for a while, so I made him one, too.”

Since she started making quilts for her family, Hornburg has found that there is demand for her work elsewhere in the community. Just in the last year, she made more than twenty-one quilts for various people. Friend and Baylor alumna Betty Rogers Bryant ’58 asked her to make a quilt for the Baylor Alumni Association’s 2012 Spring Fling event by using shirts from past Baylor Alumni Association (BAA) tailgates. The theme for the 2012 Spring Fling was “Pieces of the Past, Fabrics of the Future,” and the event featured quilts made by alumni.

“Barbara is very artistic. She knows how to put things together and is very good in that way. She is really talented and does beautiful work,” Bryant said, who attends Sunday school with Hornburg.

The Baylor quilt Hornburg made for the alumni association is kept in the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center. It is often used as a decorative table topper at events and as a comforting office decoration for the staff members of the alumni association.

A quilt from Hornburg typically costs around $250, that reflects the hard work and careful consideration that goes into each one. Each quilt has a different story, different shirts, and a different meaning to the person who receives it.

“I do it because I love seeing the joy in a person’s face when they receive one of my quilts,” Hornburg says.

Hornburg also makes baby blankets, pillows, unique jean quilts, and memory quilts for deceased loved ones. If you are interested in purchasing a quilt, contact Barbara Hornburg by phone at (254) 644-6801 or by e-mail at granniesquilts@msn.com.

The BAA Tailgate Tradition Continues!

Baylor Bear football season is right around the corner, and the Baylor Alumni Association will be hosting alumni tailgates again two and a half hours before each home game. Mark your calendars with these dates:

September 2, vs. SMU
tailgate at 3 p.m., game at 5:30 p.m.

September 15, vs. Sam Houston State
tailgate at 3:30 p.m., game at 6 p.m.

October 13, vs. TCU (Parent & Family Weekend)
game time TBD

November 3, vs. Kansas (Homecoming)
BAA Reunion Picnic time and game time TBD

November 17, vs. Kansas State
game time TBD

December 1, vs. Oklahoma State
game time TBD

Click on image for full map and visit our TAILGATE PAGE for more info:

New BAA board president seeks constructive dialogue

By Daniel Houston
Photo by Rod Aydelotte

The Baylor Alumni Association recently spoke with Elizabeth Coker, 2012-13 president of the BAA Board of Directors and Texas 258th District Court judge. Coker ‘89, JD ‘92, talked about her Baylor education, law background, and priorities for the BAA in the coming year.

BAA: You’re a second-generation Baylor graduate and a third-generation Texas judge. How much did your upbringing influence your education and career choices?

Coker: One-hundred percent. All my life I’ve been around judges and lawyers. After Sunday dinner after church, instead of conversing with the women, I would go into the living room and talk with my dad and my uncle—who were both Baylor grads—and my grandfather about their cases and the law. I cannot think of a time in my life that I did not want to be a lawyer, and when the opportunity was presented for me to run for the [judge] position I have now, there was not a moment’s hesitation to do that.

BAA: You’ve spoken with us in the past about how you were raised in a pro-Baylor family. When did you decide for yourself you wanted to study at Baylor?

Coker: Actually, I transferred in my sophomore year [from Sam Houston State University] even though Baylor was the university I always wanted to go to. I guess you could say it took me about a year to come to my senses and get on up to Waco.

I had a wonderful experience and was able to go on to Baylor Law School from there. Each of those steps contributed to and built on the path that led me to where I am now.

BAA: How did you get involved with the BAA Board of Directors?

Coker: BAA board member Si Ragsdale contacted me toward the end of 2009 to see if I’d be interested in serving on the board — I was a lifetime member. They were seeking diversity among the alumni and asked if I’d be interested in becoming a board member.

Now, why they made me president, I have no idea. [Laughter]

BAA: It sounds like being selected as president of the board took you by surprise.

Coker: It did. I had only been on the board a year when I was asked to accept the position as president-elect. I was overwhelmed, honored, and was hopeful that I could fulfill those duties. They’re big shoes to fill with a lot of wonderful Baylor alumni who have served in that capacity.

BAA: Does your background in law inform your approach and the judgments you make as the board’s president? If so, how?

Coker: I suppose, being a judge, I try to fully analyze every side of an issue before making a decision. You prepare for what issues there might be, you understand the issues, and then ultimately you make a decision that you feel is in the best interests of the association. You never want to have a knee-jerk reaction.

BAA: What challenges face the BAA in the upcoming year, and how do you think the organization can address them constructively?

Coker: What’s paramount to us right now is maintaining and establishing a working relationship with our university. That is the common denominator for any Baylor alum: it is our love for our university, and our alumni engage in many different ways with Baylor.

I have chosen — as many others have — to engage through our independent Baylor Alumni Association, and I believe it is very important that the many attributes the BAA brings to enhance Baylor be recognized and appreciated.

BAA: And how does the BAA go about improving that relationship?

Coker: By opening up constructive dialogue with those at the university. I believe there have been lines of communication that have opened, and I’m hopeful that will continue.

The Annual Meeting of the Baylor Alumni Association’s membership will be at the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center on Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m. At the meeting, association members will elect officers and directors for the 2012-13 year.

Members chose Elizabeth Coker ’89, JD ’92, judge of the 258th District Court of Texas, as president-elect last year, and she will take office as president of the BAA Board of Directors on June 1.

Other officers will be elected at the meeting. Collin Cox ’97, an attorney in Houston, will be nominated as president-elect, while Si Ragsdale ’75, a Childress insurance agent, will be nominated as treasurer and Jackie Baugh Moore ’86, vice president of the Baugh Foundation, as secretary.

Members will vote on a slate of proposed board members for positions representing various regions and key constituent groups.

The nominees for regional directors are: Carroll Dawson ’60 (Houston), Kyle Gilley ’94 (Fort Worth), Tiffany Holmes-White ’94 (Leander), David Hudson ’77 (Dallas), Robert Morales ’93 (Beeville), Blake Sieker ’85 (Greenwood Village, Colorado), Keith Starr ’83 (Tyler), David Vanderhider ’06 (San Antonio), Gary Baxter ’03 (Tyler), Tyrone Smith ’95 (Katy), and Bob Pemberton ’89 (Austin).

Key constituent directors who will be nominated are: Meredith Pinson-Creasey ’84 of Houston (representing Texas Baptists), David Lacy ’79 of Waco (letter winners), Marie Brown of Aubrey (Baylor Black Alumni Club), and Dr. Bill Hillis of Waco (faculty).

On Tuesday, April 24, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. the Baylor Alumni Association (BAA) will throw a Senior Send-Off party for all 2012 graduates. We hope you will help welcome the seniors as they reach a milestone in their lives.

“I appreciate our members, board, and Alumni Council whose support enables us to celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors and welcome them into the alumni family,” said Jeff Kilgore, executive vice president and CEO of the BAA. “We encourage any BAA members and friends to come out and help welcome these seniors into a lifelong relationship with Baylor University and the alumni association.”

The day will be packed with festivities for seniors — free food, free T-shirts, free memberships, live music, games, photo opportunities, and drawings every fifteen minutes. Local businesses, organizations, and BAA board members have shown their support by donating a variety of gifts: coupons, merchandise, numerous cash prizes, and grand finale prizes of an Official Baylor Class Ring, $500 cash, and a new Apple iPad!

Please feel free to come on out and help us serve our seniors or simply mingle and help congratulate the class of 2012.

SENIOR SEND-OFF
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Front lawn of the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center
1212 South University Parks Drive,
Waco, TX 76706

Share the event on Facebook!

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please contact Jan Dodd at 254/710-1204 or Jan@BaylorAlumniAssociation.com.

If you think “nobody’s perfect,” then you haven’t met our Baylor Lady Bears, crowned last night as the 2012 NCAA National Women’s Basketball Champions. In addition to winning Baylor’s second national title in women’s basketball, the team posted a historic 40-0 record for the season. That’s never been done before in NCAA history by any team, men’s or women’s.

Baylor beat Notre Dame 80-61 to claim the national title, after defeating Stanford 59-47 on Sunday in the first game of the Final Four in Denver’s Pepsi Center.

After the game — as the band played “That Good Old Baylor Line” in the background — Lady Bear post Brittney Griner told ESPN, “Everybody was a part of this win. Everybody did what they needed to do. The unfinished business is done. I’m glad it’s coming home to Baylor.”

The Lady Bears were ranked No. 1 in the country starting in the preseason, and they never moved off that perch. Living with those expectations made this team different from Baylor’s 2005 championship team, Coach Kim Mulkey said. “From day one, the expectations were placed on us — we embraced it, and we lived up to it,” she said. “Truthfully, we’re pretty special.”

Mulkey and several players brought home individual honors. Mulkey was named Russell Athletic/WBCA Coach of the Year, the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year, and Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Griner won the Naismith Trophy and the Wade Trophy and was named the 2012 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year. She was Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and a unanimous AP All-American, among other honors.

Point guard Odyssey Sims joined Griner on the All-Tournament Final Four team and All American teams and was a Wade finalist.

Additionally, senior guard Lindsay Palmer received the NCAA’s Elite 89 Award, recognizing the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the Final Four. Palmer won it in 2010 also. Her GPA is 3.985.

Despite the individual honors, Mulkey has always said the team’s success belongs to the whole team.

Asked after the Stanford win if she was surprised her team could win with only three field goals from Griner, Mulkey said, “Not at all — this is not the Brittney Griner show.”

The Baylor Alumni Association offers congratulations to the Lady Bears and encourages alumni to relish the moment!

BAA Executive Vice President and CEO Jeff Kilgore said, “The Lady Bears’ heart and determination has been an inspiration to the entire Baylor family. Congratulations, Coach Kim and all the Lady Bears.”

Fans can relive the season through photos and video at Baylor’s athletic website.