Baylor Announces Lead Gift from Mary Jo Robbins Naming New Building for Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations | 254-709-5959 | Lori_Fogleman@baylor.edu
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WACO, Texas (Nov. 9, 2026) – Baylor University today announced a lead gift from Mary Jo Robbins of Houston and her late husband, William K. “Bill” Robbins, to the University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, supporting the construction of the William K. and Mary Jo Robbins Academic Center, a new signature building to house research, teaching and community spaces for the health sciences. In coordination with today’s announcement, the University also announced the launch of a fundraising initiative for the new facility.
“We are truly grateful to Mary Jo Robbins for this generous gift that will transform interdisciplinary research and teaching within Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “We celebrate this exciting new chapter in Baylor’s history, and we give thanks for the opportunities this building will create for our faculty, staff and students, as well as the patients and communities who will benefit from the research and teaching made possible through this gift.”
The William K. and Mary Jo Robbins Academic Center will provide a modern, cutting-edge facilities for academic and research initiatives within Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, which itself was named in honor of Mary Jo and Bill to recognize a 2014 gift the couple made to support the newly formed academic unit. Their most recent gift was made through the Robbins Foundation of Texas, which Bill and Mary Jo established to support important causes throughout the world. The Robbins Foundation’s mission is to tell the world about Jesus, educate and heal the sick. They have supported organizations in the United States, Canada, India and other countries, ranging from youth programs to post-secondary education programs, healthcare initiatives, the arts, entertainment, music and science.
“Uncle Bill, aka, William K. Robbins, loved Baylor University!” said Mary Jo Robbins. “He would be so happy to know that this gift is supporting the growth and future of Robbins College. I hope and pray that all of you who also love Baylor University will come alongside with us to make this new Academic Center a reality. Together, we can change the world.”
At approximately 66,000 square feet, the Robbins Academic Center will provide critical classroom and laboratory space for the diverse programs and departments that make up Robbins College. A significant feature of the building will be the wet and dry lab research spaces, which will allow faculty and students to engage in interdisciplinary research. The Robbins Academic Center also will include observation and exam rooms for behavioral research, faculty and graduate student office space, as well as additional classroom spaces, a new anatomy and physiology teaching laboratory and exercise testing and prescription spaces.
“Over the past 12 years, Robbins College has witnessed extraordinary growth. Enrollment has more than doubled since the College’s inception. We’ve launched several new graduate healthcare degrees, including in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies, and external funding awarded to our researchers has reached an all-time high,” said Jason R. Carter, Ph.D., dean of Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. “This new facility will allow us to build upon this momentum and further our mission of improving health and quality of life for individuals and communities. We could not be more thankful for Mary Jo Robbins and her faithful support of Robbins College. I can’t imagine anything more fitting than this new space bearing and honoring the Robbins name.”
The Robbins Academic Center also will support Robbins College’s missional identity as a place where graduates are prepared not only as experts in their professions, but also as compassionate leaders who care for their clients and patients through the lens of Christ’s instruction to love and serve others. The Center will feature a Chapel, as well as common student areas and collaborative workspaces that will foster a stronger identity for the University’s fastest-growing academic unit.
“We are grateful for Mary Jo Robbins and the legacy that she and Bill have built at Baylor University,” said Jason Diffenderfer, vice president for University Advancement. “The Robbins’ are true champions of the remarkable work happening in Robbins College. They have sought to support our faculty and our students in significant and deeply affecting ways, always keeping their focus on the Christian mission of this institution. I am grateful for Mary Jo’s vision for the Robbins Academic Center and for her willingness to serve as a leader through this catalyzing gift. We give thanks for her encouragement of the Baylor Family to join her in creating a space where our students may thrive, where our faculty may innovate and promote human flourishing through their research, and where our Christian mission may impact lives beyond this campus. We are truly grateful for her and her transformational generosity.”
A Legacy of Impact
The William K. and Mary Jo Robbins Academic Center is yet another example of the steadfast commitment of Mary Jo and Bill Robbins to advancing Christian higher education and its intersection with healthcare. At Baylor, their philanthropy has supported everything from institutional initiatives to scholarships. In 2023, Robbins College opened the Mary Jo Robbins Clinic for Autism Research and Practice, named as part of a leadership gift by Bill in loving honor of his wife. The Robbins’ leadership gift in 2011 established the Robbins Institute for Health Policy and Leadership in the Hankamer School of Business, supporting teaching, external programming and health services research. A gift to the MBA Healthcare Program in 2010 helped to position Baylor and its students as internationally recognized leaders in the fields of health policy, research and education. In 2006, the Robbins’ provided the gift that supported construction of Robbins Chapel in Brooks Village, which provides students with a place for everyday prayer, meditation and worship. They also supported the preservation of the historic naming and renovation of Memorial Chapel during the Honors Residential College renovations in 2024.
Mary Jo Huey Robbins earned a BSN from the University of Texas in 1975, retiring this year after 51 years of nursing service. During her nursing career, she opened and managed 10 dialysis facilities in Texas. In 2003, Mary Jo was honored as a Baylor Alumni by Choice recipient, nominated by Bill due to her love and support of Baylor. She serves on the board of advocates for Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences and serves on the advisory board for the Robbins Institute for Health Policy and Leadership.
Bill earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and his Bachelor of Laws from Baylor University. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School. A veteran of the Korean War, Bill was founder and CEO of Houston-based North American Corp., which is engaged in consulting, finance, investments and oil and gas activities. He started his company with two mandates, “dare to be different” and “provide opportunities that people wouldn’t otherwise have.” He previously served as an officer and director for various international subsidiary companies of Union Carbide and as legal counsel for Humble Oil and Refining Co. (now Exxon).
While at Baylor, Bill was a member of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Society. Bill served on the board of advocates for the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, along with Mary Jo. He also served as a member of the Baylor Board of Regents and a member of the Hankamer School of Business Robbins Institute for Health Policy and Leadership advisory council. Bill and Mary Jo received the James Huckins, Pat Neff and President’s Medallions in recognition of their transformational giving to Baylor.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for nearly 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES
Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research and innovation. It includes seven academic departments – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Master of Physician Assistant Studies; and Public Health. Robbins College offers 11 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online and hybrid. For more information, visit the Robbins College website.