Celebrating a Decade—and Beyond—of Innovation and Growth

While Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences was formed in 2014, its history stretches back even further with many programs claiming a much earlier inception. Today, Robbins College is the only academic unit at Baylor that has seen consistent enrollment growth at both the undergraduate and graduate levels every year for the past 10 years, and nearly a quarter of all graduate students at Baylor study within Robbins College. 

May 15, 2024
Robbins College 10th Anniversary Baylor Campus

“Baylor’s name has been synonymous with excellence in healthcare for decades. The creation of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor represents an important step forward strengthening our position in health and wellness-related education, research, and community engagement, within the context of Baylor’s commitment to integrate faith and academic excellence.”

These were the words shared by then Baylor University Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth B. Davis, PhD, upon the May 2014 announcement that the Baylor Board of Regents had voted to establish a new college at the University. Several academic units were to be united around their shared health-related emphases to create a forward-looking organizational structure rooted in collaboration. 

Now, 10 years later, these initial hopes and dreams for advances in Baylor’s commitments to health education and research are being realized.  

DEEP ROOTS 

While Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences as an academic unit was formed in 2014, its history stretches back even further with many programs claiming a much earlier inception. The Department of Human Sciences and Design (HSD) originated as the Department of Home Economics in 1933 with a focus on using science and technology to better innovate the home. Degrees were offered in general home economics, general economic education, and fashion merchandising. 

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) emerged from the Department of Speech and Radio, with a course in “technique of speech correction” focused on the “diagnosis and therapy of speech disorders” offered as early as 1947. Courses related to “speech and hearing therapy” were offered in the School of Education by 1960. The Baylor Speech Clinic (now the Baylor Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic) opened its doors in 1955, and in 1979, an independent communication disorders department was formed within the College of Arts & Sciences offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

With its roots in the realm of physical education, the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation (HHPR) can trace its origins even deeper in Baylor history. In the September/November 1909 Report of the President and Trustees of Baylor University, new measures were established to prioritize the physical health of Baylor students. Enoch J. Mills, Director of the Department of Physical Education, reported that, “The University authorities have taken direct and full control, financially and otherwise, of all physical training thereby dignifying it in the estimation of the students…” 

Physical Education Class at Baylor University.

By the early 1940s, the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation provided health services, instruction, training in health and physical education, recreation, intramurals, and programming to meet the physical education requirements for students set by the University. Students also could pursue a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education through the College of Arts & Sciences. In 1972, the Department transitioned into the School of Education, where degrees were offered in physical and health education, health education, and recreation.

MODERN HISTORY

The deep roots of the anchor academic units of Robbins College laid the groundwork for the College’s eventual formation. These departments—located across the Baylor campus—were united by a focus on health and quality of life, and bringing them together highlighted the University’s commitments to education and research in these fields.   

The launch of the College was not an overnight decision. Prior to that May 2014 Board of Regents meeting, more than three years of evaluation and input from numerous stakeholders took place. These conversations included Regents, the Provost’s Office, deans, faculty and staff, external healthcare partners, and the national consulting firm Grant Thornton.

Deaf children particpate in group therapy at Baylor University.

While the ramp-up was an intentionally slow and deliberate process, it didn’t take long for Robbins College to begin to prove itself as one of Baylor’s most innovative and forward-thinking units. In 2015, CSD received an anonymous $10 million gift that most visibly led to the relocation of the Baylor Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic to Cashion Academic Center, significantly increasing the Department’s ability to provide clinical services, grow research productivity, and upgrade the educational experiences of its students.

Momentum only grew from there. A new Doctor of Physical Therapy program was announced in 2017, and in 2018, the development of Entry-level and Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degrees was approved. That same year, Public Health, historically a program within HHPR, was established as a department in its own right. The physical therapy and occupational therapy programs were both designed to be hybrid in format with students engaging in online didactic instruction, in-person lab immersions, and on-site clinical placements. The hybrid nature of these programs was, and still is, a pioneering delivery method within both fields. 

With each development over the past 10 years, Robbins College has demonstrated a commitment to building. While the foundational pieces of the College are deeply rooted in the University’s history, Robbins College is not stagnant. Through advances in research, program innovations, and an unrelenting focus on health and quality of life, the College is building for the future, focused on excellence, disrupting the status quo, and making a transformational impact on campus and beyond.

“We’re focused on the Christian foundation and the pursuit of excellence—to show others that it can be done,” Carter said. “In the next five to 10 years, I look forward to doubling down on that mission in Robbins College.” 

Dean Jason R. Carter, PhD

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 

Today, Robbins College is the only academic unit at Baylor that has seen consistent enrollment growth at both the undergraduate and graduate levels every year for the past 10 years. Nearly a quarter of all graduate students at Baylor study within Robbins College. At the May 2023 Board of Regents meeting, a new hybrid Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree was approved, which will only continue to strengthen these trends.

Jason R. Carter, PhD, joined Robbins College as its new dean in Fall 2022. As he reflects back on the history of the College and all its programs, he offers his appreciation for the visioning and implementation that took place to bring Robbins College to where it is today.

“Even before Robbins was officially established at the Board of Regents meeting, there were steps that had to be taken and a willingness for people to collaborate and work together. There were ups and downs throughout the process, but people continued to believe in the vision,” Carter said. “I have a lot of respect and gratitude for the people who stayed the course and continued to elevate the health sciences, health professions, and our programs connected to human flourishing here at Baylor University.”

Members of Baylor Public Health interact with Waco community during outreach session.

Looking forward to the next 10 years and beyond, Carter references Baylor’s mission to integrate academic excellence and Christian service.

“We’re focused on the Christian foundation and the pursuit of excellence—to show others that it can be done,” Carter said. “In the next five to 10 years, I look forward to doubling down on that mission in Robbins College.”

In true Robbins College fashion, Carter’s outlook over the next decade is both an affirmation of historical commitments and a constant bend towards innovation. He acknowledges the endless fluctuations and evolutions in the world of higher education and within the health sciences. 

“I want to see Robbins College lean into those challenges, innovate, and continue to press forward,” Carter said. “I think people who are attracted to health or human sciences expect to face challenges. I like that. It’s exciting! And as long as we lean into that—and do it collaboratively and collectively together—then I think the next 10 years are going to be some of the most exciting years our faculty and staff will ever see here in Robbins College.”


BILL AND MARY JO ROBBINS 

Portrait of Bill and Mary Jo Robbins, namesake to Baylor University's Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.

At its annual Homecoming meeting in October 2014, the Baylor University Board of Regents announced that the newly established College of Health and Human Sciences would be named in honor of William K. (Bill) and Mary Jo Robbins, longtime supporters of the University.

With a deep sense of commitment to Christian missions, education, and healthcare, the Robbinses have supported important causes throughout the world, both personally and through The Robbins Foundation. The Mary Jo Robbins Clinic for Autism Research and Practice in the Baylor Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic was named as part of a gift by Bill to honor his wife.

Baylor continues to mourn the April 2023 passing of Bill Robbins. As Dean Jason R. Carter, PhD, shared at the time of his passing:

“Bill’s commitment to supporting our faculty has left an enduring impact. We are proud to carry forward his name, honoring his legacy through our research, teaching, and mentoring of Robbins College students.”


ARMY-BAYLOR PROGRAMS

A student enrolled in the Army-Baylor program practices use of prosthetics during lab.

For decades, a partnership between Baylor University and the United States Army has educated thousands of Army officers and federal health officials. Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences houses nine of these Army-Baylor programs in collaboration with the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence at Fort Sam Houston.