Robbins College 2024 Year in Review

by Maxcey Blaylock

December 17, 2024

With the New Year in sight, it is time to reflect back on the significant developments and exciting happenings from the past year for Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. In no particular order, here are 10 highlights from Robbins College’s 2024 year in review:

1. First Robbins College Magazine

The first edition of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences magazine hit mailboxes this past spring. This new publication offers readers an inside look into the stories and happenings of the College, including uplifting student journeys, innovative faculty research, and inspiring alumni successes. You can read these stories and more through the online version of the magazine.

2. Research Awards

Robbins College faculty researchers hit the ground running this year, celebrating the receipt of several significant grant awards. These include:

Rebecca Jones-Antwi - $230,538 Career Development Award from the American Heart Association
Matt Asare - $201,823 National Institutes of Health Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health Award and $2.5 million National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Cooperative Agreement Award
Shane Koppenhaver and Laurel Proulx - $2.5 million Department of Defense Award
Cory Dungan and Michael Wiggs - $355,600 National Institutes of Health Exploratory/Developmental Research Award
Cory Smith - $149,000 Horses and Humans Research Foundation Award
Jason Carter - $1 million National Institute of Standards and Technology Award

Baylor's Matt Asare and the Research Team

3. New Certificate in Hybrid Teaching

Home to one of the premier hybrid doctor of occupational therapy programs in the country, the Baylor Department of Occupational Therapy launched the Certificate in Hybrid Teaching for the Occupational Therapy Practitioner to offer training and professional development in the specialized area of hybrid teaching and learning. The new certificate is a five course, nine-month program with courses offered exclusively online and with an opportunity to bridge to Baylor’s Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.

4. College & Departmental Leadership Transitions

Robbins College welcomed several new college-level and departmental leaders in 2024, including:

Brian Young as Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy
Nadine Welch as Associate Dean of Undergraduate and International Studies
Michael Dooley as Business Officer
Leigh Greathouse as Interim Chair of the Department of Public Health

5. 10th Anniversary Celebrations

Happy anniversary, Robbins College! In May 2014, the Baylor Board of Regents voted to establish a new college at the University by uniting several academic units around their shared health-related emphases, creating a forward-looking organizational structure rooted in collaboration. A decade later, Robbins College students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters celebrated the extraordinary growth and development of Baylor’s youngest of the 12 schools and colleges. In May, a celebratory dinner was hosted with the Board of Regents, and in November, the Baylor Family came together for an anniversary tailgate before the Baylor vs. TCU football game.

6. Piper Recognition as Certified Nature Explore Classroom

After four years in the making, Baylor's Piper Center for Family Studies and Child Development earned recognition as a Certified Nature Explore Classroom for its infant, toddler, and preschool outdoor classrooms. This initiative recognizes programs that have committed to providing an education that encourages children to use nature-based play as an intuitive way of learning. Recognized through Nature Explore, a nonprofit program of Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, the Piper Center joins membership to an ever-expanding network of more than 550 like-minded learning spaces.

7. DPT Partnership with Calvin University

In October, Baylor’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program and Calvin University of Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced a new partnership to provide physical therapy education opportunities at Baylor for Calvin University students. Through the agreement, two spots in each Baylor DPT cohort will be reserved for qualified Calvin University students who meet the program’s admissions requirements. Dean Jason Carter celebrated the collaboration: “This partnership will strengthen both Calvin and Baylor at a time when more collaboration within higher education is needed, and most importantly will benefit the students and the communities they will eventually serve as physical therapists.”

8. Applauding Student Successes

Robbins College students continue to demonstrate extraordinary success inside and outside the classroom. Check out just a few of the many student stories from the past year:

For the first time in university history, a Baylor team claimed the national championship for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting Student Bowl competition
Students from across Robbins College traveled around the world through study abroad programs offered in Summer 2024.
Amber Knoernschild, a Doctor of Physical Therapy student, traveled to Capitol Hill to promote critical healthcare issues.
As a sixth-generation Baylor Bear, freshman Caroline Gorham is blazing her own path while staying true to family tradition.
Health Science Studies senior Thomas Statz shares his experience as an undergraduate researcher in the Human & Environmental Physiology Laboratory.

9. Launch of Gold Standard Awards

Following the success of the Robbins College Pure Gold program, a “next level” faculty and staff recognition initiative launched in Fall 2024. Pure Gold award recipients became eligible for the Gold Standard award, an annual honor recognizing five exceptional faculty and staff members. The inaugural cohort of Gold Standard award recipients—honored during the Robbins College Faculty and Staff Christmas Party—are:

Outstanding Staff: Alexis Davidson
Outstanding Lecturer: Justin Adeyemi
Outstanding Clinical Faculty: Megan Flores
Outstanding Tenure-Track Faculty: Alison Prahl
Outstanding Tenured Faculty: Kelly Ylitalo

10. Inaugural Worship + Prayer Event

Songs of praise filled the Hurd Welcome Center ballroom during the Inaugural Robbins College Worship + Prayer event in November 2024. Students, faculty, and staff gathered together for a time of encouragement, refreshment, and support prior to the holidays and end of semester. Robbins College students led worship and shared Scripture, and Dean Carter offered a special message to attendees. Missed the event? A recording of Robbins College Worship + Prayer is available on YouTube.