From the Provost
Greetings from Baylor University!
It is an honor to introduce you to the inaugural edition of the annual magazine of Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. Since its establishment in 2014, Robbins College has doubled its enrollment (from 1,679 to 3,635 students). It continues to expand the University’s capacity to meet the growing demand for health and human sciences professionals and pursue impact-focused research in these critical fields. Many of Baylor’s students experience a vocational calling to serve God by serving others. Robbins College plays a pivotal role in enabling Baylor to prepare these students to respond to this calling.
As the College celebrates its tenth anniversary, we are excited to showcase many of its trailblazing activities. In this inaugural edition, you will meet faculty researchers studying food insecurity mitigation, models of care for pediatric rehabilitation, the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, and the impact of family-based experiences on human development. You will read about Robbins College alums who are making an impact in their communities, a language and literacy intervention program that is changing lives, teachers who are integrating technology and pedagogical expertise to optimize their students’ learning experience, and much more.
Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is an integral piece of the Baylor University puzzle. As the University launches its new strategic plan, health will continue to be a key element of Baylor’s overall strategy. Similarly, the research aims of Robbins College align with and contribute to Baylor’s status as a Christian research university. I am grateful to Dean Jason R. Carter for his leadership of our fastest-growing academic unit, and I am deeply appreciative of the faculty, staff, and students who make Robbins College the rising star it is.
I hope you enjoy reading the inaugural edition of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences magazine. Sic ’em!
NANCY BRICKHOUSE, PhD
Provost
Baylor University
As Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences celebrates its 10-year anniversary, take a look back at its programs' histories, learn more about modern growth, and hear about the future of one of Baylor University’s fastest growing academic unit.
Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences Dean Jason R. Carter, PhD, is leading the way, both at Baylor and beyond, as an academic leader who conducts and leads high-level research while leaning into his relationship with Christ. Through his own research, his approach to mentorship, and his commitment to resourcing and fostering collaboration, Carter is defining what it means to be a Christian research dean.
Mike and Micki Maris have sown bountifully. They have sown with their time, with their prayers, and with their gifts—to benefit the growth and flourishing of their beloved Baylor University. Most recently, the Marises have directed their generosity toward Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences through the Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Student Research.
Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences established a set of high-level research initiatives to inform the prioritization of resources, including faculty hiring, infrastructure enhancements, and fundraising efforts. Here, we introduce the Robbins College Signature Research Initiatives to you by showcasing a current research project within each initiative.
Twenty years ago, Camp Success was just an idea that originated from research. It has since evolved into a “life-changing experience.” Launched in 2003 with support from the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Waco, this language and literacy intervention summer program has impacted the lives of 1,413 children to date.
Since it was established in 2018, Baylor University’s Department of Occupational Therapy has successfully offered a hybrid program with virtual classes and in-person labs. As a result of this commitment to both innovation and excellence, Baylor has quickly become one of the prominent occupational therapy programs in the United States.
Anjelica Elizondo, who is on track to becoming a Baylor University graduate three times over, looks back on her life and her time at Baylor, reflecting on what swayed her choice to remain a Baylor Bear over the past eight years. She believes the answer lies with the people she has met along the way, both professors and peers within Baylor's Department of Public Health.
Alumni of Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences are striving to improve health access and quality of life within their communities. While their professions differ, they all lead with a desire to “love thy neighbor” and to make an impact for those in need.