Reshaping the Baylor Campus
The Give Light campaign has led to advancements across all areas of Baylor’s programs and operations, from academics and athletics to student life and global engagement. Among its most visible impacts is a series of remarkable capital projects reshaping the Baylor campus. These facilities provide essential spaces for classrooms, faculty offices and collaboration areas, campus hospitality, and athletics programs, fostering a dynamic and connected community.
Through the Give Light Capital Fund, Baylor’s campus has expanded to create meaningful opportunities for alumni, students, and the broader Baylor Family to connect and strengthen their shared ties. Priority projects funded through the campaign include the Fudge Football Development Center, the Honors Residential College, the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, the Paul & Alejandra Foster Pavilion, and the Tidwell Bible Building.
Fudge Football Development Center
Located next to the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center and the Beauchamp Athletic Nutrition Center, the Fudge Football Development Center features a 14,460-square-foot expansion of the Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Practice Facility, including a full-size field, new entry, second-level bridge access, and new offices for the football program's coaching staff. The facility includes a state-of-the-art weight room, virtual walk-thru room, hydrotherapy spaces, a fueling station, a team auditorium, meeting rooms, and student-athlete spaces like a high-tech locker room, players’ lounge, and terrace overlooking McLane Stadium and the Brazos River. This cutting-edge facility provides the football program with unparalleled resources to develop talent, foster teamwork, and elevate success on and off the field.
Honors Residential College
Memorial and Alexander residence halls, home to Baylor’s Honors Residential College, have been updated to blend the best of the halls’ history and tradition with modern enhancements, reopening to welcome a new class of Bears. The most visible addition is the Carona Family Commons, which connects the halls and provides improved access to dining, study areas, and community spaces. These improvements will enrich the student experience for years to come, fostering a stronger sense of community and collaboration among future residents.
Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center
Located at the corner of I-35 and University Parks Drive in Waco, Texas, the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center serves as a front door to Baylor University, welcoming future students and parents, alumni, current students, faculty, staff, friends and guests into the vibrant life of our campus community.
Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion
Located along the banks of the Brazos River on the west side of Interstate 35, the Paul & Alejandra Foster Pavilion enhances our home court advantage with seating for 7,000+ fans. Since opening for games in January 2024, the Foster Pavilion has elevated the experiences of our fans and created a more engaged and energized atmosphere.
Tidwell Bible Building
The Give Light Campaign has already funded the renovation of Baylor’s iconic Tidwell Bible Building. Reopened in the fall of 2021, Tidwell now houses faculty offices for the religion, history and sociology departments and features renovated technology-enabled classrooms for the thousands of students who walk the halls each day.