Illuminate | Illuminate Forward | Baylor University

Illuminate

Launched in 2018, Illuminate is Baylor's comprehensive strategic plan that has quickly transformed the University, culminating with Baylor being designated as an elite, R1 research university; surpassing its $1.1 billion fundraising goal in the Give Light campaign; and establishing 20 new endowed faculty chair positions.

Illuminate Forward continues the momentum of the initial five years of Illuminate, with key commitments that include hiring 100 additional faculty; improving the residential campus experience; creating a unified home for the Honors College; and completing capital projects for the men’s and women’s basketball and football programs.

Five Signature Academic Initiatives

Five interdisciplinary areas of focus will strengthen scholarship, deepen learning and improve teaching as Baylor continues to pursue excellence in undergraduate education and growth in graduate education.

Research and collaboration in this area will span all schools and colleges across the University as we focus on environmental determinants of health, family and community determinants of health, biomedical research, health policy, law, leadership and ethics, and undergraduate health and medical education.

Data Sciences is a rapidly advancing, interdisciplinary field that relies on techniques and theories drawn from machine learning, data mining, scalable data storage, and digital communication, as well as the disciplines of statistics, mathematics, and library sciences.

Materials Science

Materials Science is a cutting-edge field with high market demand for graduates and vast extramural funding. Investments in Materials Science will position Baylor University as a leader in technologies that make products faster, stronger, and lighter, providing solutions for enhanced quality of life.

Human Flourishing, Leadership and Ethics

Baylor University will be a recognized leader in understanding the conditions by which humans, communities, and societies flourish. To quote noted scholar John DelHousaye, “Human flourishing is not conjured from man-made programs, but emerges from image-bearers of God working creatively and interacting with others for the individual and common good.”

Baylor in Latin America

The Baylor in Latin America initiative reflects the University motto “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana” and provides the opportunity for engagement by Baylor faculty, students, staff, and alumni in multiple avenues of the Quality Enhancement Plan, Global Baylor.

Four Pillars That Are Foundational to Illuminate

Pillars - Christian Environment

Pillars - Transformational Education

Pillars - Research and Scholarship

Pillars - Arts and Athletics

Give Light is a $1.1 billion comprehensive campaign for the future of Baylor University. The campaign undergirds Illuminate, the University's Academic Strategic Plan, and will impact every aspect of campus life, from academics and athletics to student life and global engagement.

Learn More about Give Light