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Baylor BU Department of Sociology News News
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Baylor Students Win Boren, Critical Language, Fulbright UK Summer Institute Awards
May 7, 2025
Baylor students win awards

Baylor University students were awarded scholarships and fellowships, including Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarships and a Fulbright UK Summer Institutes award.

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Making it with the Menckens: A 35-year journey of love, learning, laughter
April 3, 2025
The Menckens

As they reflect on 35 years of marriage, Carson and Kimberly expressed immense gratitude for the journey they’ve shared.

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Baylor ranks among nation’s top 20 for most Fulbright student scholars
March 12, 2025
Baylor named top Fulbright university

Baylor among the top 20 colleges and universities nationally, earning BU recognition this spring as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the third straight year.

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Get to know Dr. Kevin Dougherty, one of Baylor’s newest Master Teachers
February 11, 2025
Kevin Dougherty headshot

Dougherty joins Baylor legends among the university’s 33 Master Teachers. In January, President Linda Livingstone announced the lifetime designation for this rare honor for four Baylor professors.

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Four Baylor Professors Designated Master Teachers
January 29, 2025
headshots of four Baylor faculty award recipients

Sociology's very own, Dr. Kevin Dougherty, is announced as one of four distinguished recipients of highest honor granted for sustained excellence in teaching. 

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Baylor Named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME
December 11, 2024
Baylor Students in Foster Campus

Baylor University has been named to TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders 2025, a ranking measuring universities that excel in nurturing some of the nation’s most highly influential leaders.

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Sociology Grad Student Earns Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2023-2024
November 20, 2024
Baylor graduate students holding awards

Ruiqian (Richi) Li has been awarded Baylor’s 2023-2024 Outstanding Dissertation Award in Social Sciences. Congratulations to Richi on this outstanding accomplishment, and to Paul Froese, his dissertation advisor.

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Student researchers uncover impacts of religion on campus
December 6, 2023
Multicultural Affairs hosts Kente Ceremony
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34 Baylor faculty members named among top 2% most cited in higher ed research
June 7, 2023
Dr. Annette von Jouanne and a student in an engineering lab

Stanford University recently compiled a database of the most cited researchers in higher ed history — specifically, those who ranked among the top 2% all-time. It’s an incredible undertaking — and one that found 34 Baylor professors among the honorees.

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Are College Students with Religious Tattoos More Religious? Yes and No
May 16, 2023
Religious Tattoos 1

WACO, Texas (May 16, 2023) – For most of U.S. history, tattoos have been associated with sailors and bikers, but not church-going people. As tattoos have become more popular, with nearly one-third of U.S. adults sporting at least one tattoo, religious-themed tattoos have also increased. A recent study examined the behaviors of college students with tattoos, including religious tattoos.

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Baylor profs’ books named among 2022’s best by Christianity Today & Englewood Review
January 13, 2023

The end of each year brings with it a series of lists that bibliophiles eagerly await — a rundown of the year’s best books. Baylor professors are often honored on these “best of” lists, on a wide variety of topics. For 2022, two books authored by Baylor faculty members earned recognition from Christianity Today and […]

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As Gen X and Boomers Age, They Confront Living Alone
December 12, 2022

Jay Miles has lived his 52 years without marriage or children, which has suited his creative ambitions as a videographer in Connecticut and, he said, his mix of “independence and stubbornness.” But he worries about who will take care of him as he gets older.

Donna Selman, a 55-year-old college professor in Illinois, is mostly grateful to be single, she said, because her mother and aunts never had the financial and emotional autonomy that she enjoys.

Mary Felder, 65, raised her children, now grown, in her row house in Philadelphia. Her home has plenty of space for one person, but upkeep is expensive on the century-old house.

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Smartphones Promise Satisfaction and Meaning, Deliver Only More Searching, Study Shows
September 26, 2022
Chris Peiper

WACO, Texas (Sept. 26, 2022) –Smartphone users will be disappointed if they expect their devices and social media to fill their need for purpose and meaning. In fact, it will probably do the opposite, researchers at Baylor and Campbell Universities found in a recently published study.

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Swiping for Answers
September 15, 2022

Professors from Campbell, Baylor say those who rely on smartphones for meaning, satisfaction in life are mostly findings disappointment.

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Baylor Celebrates Champions of Change, Solid Gold Neighbor Community Honorees and SGN Research Fellows
June 2, 2022
Champions of Change

WACO, Texas (June 2, 2022) – Baylor University celebrated its 2022 Champions of Change, Solid Gold Neighbor (SGN) Community honorees for their outstanding community engagement and SGN Research Fellows during a May 25 recognition ceremony, hosted by Baylor’s Office of External Affairs.

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Education Surges When Students Learn Together
May 25, 2022

When a class becomes a community, students change from being passive to active learners, write Neil Garg and Kevin D. Dougherty, who offer suggestions for how to create such an environment.

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Record-setting 13 Fulbright recipients top list of student scholar honors for 2022 — so far
May 4, 2022

Three years ago, Baylor set a school record when seven Bears earned prestigious Fulbright scholarships -- part of the nation's flagship program for international graduate study and education.

This year, Baylor students are blowing that record out of the water. An incredible 13 BU students have already been named Fulbright recipients for 2022 -- a number likely to place Baylor among the top producers of Fulbright scholars nationwide, and a total that might still be growing.

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2022 Summer Dissertation Fellows
May 4, 2022

In an effort to support students working to complete their dissertation, the Graduate School offers a select number of Summer Dissertation Fellowships intended to enable students to work on their projects without seeking summer employment.

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In the Push for Racial Justice, There’s a Middle Path Between Passivity and Aggression
June 22, 2021

Baylor sociology professor George Yancey, Ph.D., writes that to understand the path to ending racial alienation, it is valuable to understand first about using reason, power and moral suasion to affect others’ actions.

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Baylor survey finds line blurring between politics, religion
June 19, 2021

Sociology professor Paul Froese, Ph.D., director of the Baylor Religion Surveys, was interviewed about the latest survey conducted in the volatile months of early 2021, which found the lines between political and religious identity blurring even more as Americans increasingly self-identify in groups.

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COVID-19 has been much harder on those who already had anxiety and financial issues
April 12, 2021

Laura Upenieks, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology at Baylor, was among a team of researchers who studied the financial stress during the first several months of pandemic on Canadians and found that it was not the same for all citizens.

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Contrary to what you’ve heard, study finds churches thrive with racial diversity
April 7, 2021

Having a racially diverse congregation offers a path toward church growth, according to a comprehensive national study of The United Methodist Church led by Kevin Dougherty, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology at Baylor.

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Baylor Sociology Ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Edition of Best Graduate Schools
March 31, 2021

Several Baylor University graduate and professional programs were among those nationally ranked in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, released March 30.

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People Who Feel Their Lives Are Threatened Are More Likely to Experience Miracles
August 17, 2020
Miracles

WACO, Texas (Aug. 17, 2020) – People who experience threats to their existence — which these days may well be economic and political instability — are more likely to experience miracles, according to a Baylor University study.

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Women More Likely to Believe the Bible Is Literally True, But Study Finds this May Have More to Do with Intimacy than Gender
February 18, 2019
Biblical

WACO, Texas (Feb. 18, 2019) — Women are more likely than men to believe the Bible is literally true, but a recent Baylor University study finds this may have more to do with how people relate to God than it does gender. Both men and women who report high levels of closeness to God take the Bible more literally – and this confidence grows stronger as they seek closeness to God through prayer and Bible study.

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Oversimplifying Beliefs About Causes of Mental Illness May Hinder Social Acceptance
January 9, 2018
mentally ill 2

WACO, Texas (Jan. 9, 2018) — Belief that mental illness is biological has increased among both health experts and the public in recent years. But campaigns to treat it as a disease and remove stigma may be lacking because other factors, such as bad character and upbringing, still are viewed as playing a role, a Baylor University study has found.

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Good Relationships with Parents May Benefit Children’s Health Decades Later
September 20, 2016
Matthew Andersson

WACO, Texas (Sept. 20, 2016) — Growing up in a well-off home can benefit a child’s physical health even decades later — but a lack of parent-child warmth, or the presence of abuse, may eliminate the health advantage of a privileged background, according to a Baylor University study.

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Chubby Chums vs. Petite Pals: Heavy People More at Ease Socializing with Stocky Folks, but It Can Hinder Weight Loss, Study Finds
August 16, 2016
Chubby Chums

WACO, Texas (Aug. 16, 2016) — People trying to shed pounds — but who hang out with heavier pals regularly — are more likely to lose weight if they include thinner people in their social lives, according to a study by a Baylor University researcher.

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United States Parents Not as Happy as Those without Children, Baylor University Researcher Says
June 22, 2016
unhappy parents 1

WACO, Texas (June 23, 2016) — Parents in the United States generally are not as happy as those who aren’t parents. Not only that, the U.S. has the largest “happiness gap” among parents compared to nonparents in 22 industrialized countries, according to a report by researchers at Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin and Wake Forest University.

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Divisional Dean Robyn Driskell Named Executive Director and President’s Chief of Staff
June 10, 2016
Robyn Driskell

WACO, Texas (June 10, 2016) — Robyn L. Driskell, Ph.D., Divisional Dean for Humanities and Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been named Executive Director and President’s Chief of Staff by Baylor University Interim President David Garland, Ph.D. In this role, Driskell will be responsible for strategic communications from the President’s Office, collaboration on leadership initiatives, coordination of Board relations and representing the President in a variety of official capacities.

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Congregations Striving for Racial and Ethnic Diversity May Shrink, Baylor University Study Finds
May 9, 2016
decline

WACO, Texas (May 9, 2016) — Congregations attempting to boost their racial and ethnic diversity may end up with fewer people in the seats, according to a Baylor University study.

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Racial Attitudes of Blacks in Multiracial Congregations Resemble Those of Whites, Study Finds
August 17, 2015
Multiracial congregations

WACO, Texas (Aug. 17, 2015) — Troubling questions about multiracial congregations’ potential to address racial inequality are raised by a new national study done by researchers at Baylor University, the University of Southern California and the University of Chicago.

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Tests vs. Fests: Students in “Learning Celebrations” Rather than Exams Scored Higher and Enjoyed Themselves, Baylor Sociologist Says
June 26, 2015
learning celebrations

WACO, Texas (June 26, 2015) — A Baylor sociologist who reshaped “test day” in his class — transforming it with balloons, streamers, treats and music — found that students in “learning celebrations” scored higher than students who took standard-style exams in previous semesters.

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Portly Pastors Widespread, but Sabbaticals and Peer Support Can Help Fight Fat, Baylor Study Finds
January 12, 2015
todd

WACO, Texas (Jan. 12, 2015) — More than a third of American clergy members are obese, with stress, longer hours, being underpaid and lack of self-care among the reasons, according to a Baylor University study. But the pastoral profession has some built-in prevention methods that can help clergy be healthier if they take advantage of them.

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Baylor Sociologist Earns Award from Gerontological Society of America for Her Research on Older Adults
January 7, 2015
Lindsay Wilkinson

WACO, Texas (Jan. 8, 2015) — Lindsay R. Wilkinson, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of sociology in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, has won the 2014 Senior Service America Junior Scholar Award from the Gerontological Society of America.

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Surprising Number of Older Adults Weathered ‘The Great Recession’ Without Financial Strain, Baylor Study Finds
August 18, 2014
Great Recession

WACO, Texas (Aug. 18, 2014) — The “Great Recession” may have put a dent in many older adults’ pocketbooks, but a new study by Baylor University found that more than 40 percent reported a decrease in “financial strain” between 2006 and 2010.

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Anxiety and Amen: Prayer Doesn’t Ease Symptoms of Anxiety-Related Disorders for Everyone, Baylor Study Finds
August 11, 2014
Prayer and anxiety

WACO, Texas (Aug. 12, 2014) — Whether the problem is health, enemies, poverty or difficulty with aging, “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there,” suggested the late gospel musician Charles A. Tindley. But when it comes to easing symptoms of anxiety-related disorders, prayer doesn’t have the same effect for everybody, according to a Baylor University researcher.

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Small Businesses in Rural Areas Must Hustle for Loans from Far-Off Banks, Baylor Study Shows
February 25, 2014
small biz and rural loans

WACO, Texas (Feb. 25, 2014) -- To better their survival chances, entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses in rural areas must successfully pitch their ventures to "faraway, unknown banking officials" rather than relying on local lenders as in the past, according to a Baylor University study.

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Southerners Are Less Trusting, but People Who Trust Are More Likely to Cooperate to Save the Environment, Baylor Study Shows
July 30, 2013
Trust and Southerners

WACO, Texas (July 30, 2013) -- Southerners are generally not as trusting as people who live in other parts of the country, but trusting people are more likely to cooperate in recycling, buying green products and conserving water, a new Baylor University study on environmental protection shows.

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"Big Givers" Get Punished for Being Nonconformists, Baylor Research Shows
June 27, 2013
Big Givers 1

WACO, Texas (June 27, 2013) -- People punish generous group members by rejecting them socially -- even when the generosity benefits everyone -- because the "big givers" are nonconformists, according to a Baylor University study.

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"Spiritual" Young People Are More Likely to Commit Crimes than "Religious" Ones, Baylor Study Finds
June 12, 2013
Spiritual and crime

WACO, Texas (June 12, 2013) -- Young adults who deem themselves "spiritual but not religious" are more likely to commit property crimes -- and to a lesser extent, violent ones -- than those who identify themselves as either "religious and spiritual" or "religious but not spiritual," according to Baylor University researchers.

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Grown Children of Divorced Parents Are More Likely to Switch Religions or Pull Away from Organized Religion
March 5, 2013
divorce and religion

WACO, Texas (March 5, 2013) -- Adults whose parents were divorced are more likely to switch religions or disassociate themselves from institutional religions altogether -- but growing up in a single-parent family does not have any effect on private religious life, including praying, according to a study by a Baylor University sociologist.

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Going Along Means Getting Along -- and That's Not Always Good, Baylor Study Finds
February 6, 2013
Conformity

WACO, Texas (Feb. 6, 2013) -- Caving in to social pressure -- such as saying that you love a movie because friends do -- makes for good vibes about being part of a group and can produce more of the same conduct, according to a Baylor University sociological study. The finding has implications for people ranging from philanthropists to gangs, researchers said.

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Survey Finds Community Satisfaction Relatively High Among Waco-Area Residents
October 19, 2012

WACO, Texas (Oct. 19, 2012) - Waco-area residents are reporting relatively high levels of satisfaction with their community as a great place to live, according to a survey conducted and analyzed by Baylor University's Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD).

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Graduate student receives grants for research
July 31, 2012

WACO, Texas (July 18, 2012)- Baylor sociology Ph.D. student Jenna Griebel was awarded with nearly $10,000 in grants for research this summer.

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Baylor Sociology Graduate Student Awarded National Science Foundation Grant
April 23, 2012

WACO, Texas (April 23, 2012) - Sam Stroope, doctoral candidate in the department of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Baylor University, has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support his dissertation on community context, gender and health in India.

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Baylor University Research Finds Eagle Scouts Have Positive, Lasting Influence on American Society
April 10, 2012
Merit Beyond the Badge - ISR Study

WACO, Texas (April 10, 2012) - One hundred years after Arthur Eldred of New York earned the first Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America, researchers with Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) and Program on Prosocial Behavior have released findings from a nationwide, scientific survey that demonstrates the significant, positive impact Eagle Scouts have on society - from holding leadership positions in their workplace and neighborhood to voting and volunteering to protecting the environment and being prepared for emergencies.

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Getting Pious with a Little Help From Our Friends: Social Networks at Church Influence Beliefs, Behavior
February 1, 2012

Friendships forged at church seem to play a major role in people's religious activities and beliefs -- even when it comes to their views about how exclusive heaven is, according to a national study by a Baylor University sociology researcher.

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Baylor Religion Survey Researcher Biographies
September 20, 2011
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Baylor Sociology Student Wins Award for Research Showing that How You Read the Bible is Linked to Whether Your Fellow Worshippers Went to College
August 11, 2011

Baylor University doctoral student Samuel Stroope, a researcher in the department of sociology, has been named recipient of a prestigious award given by the Association for the Sociology of Religion for outstanding student paper.
His research explored the interplay of congregation members' educational backgrounds.

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