History Alumni
Our Baylor history network is growing! Our alumni are working in a variety of fields and developing professionally and personally. Stay connected, keep up-to-date on our events, and learn about ways to be involved with our Department of History and the Baylor alumni community below.
Stay Connected
- Update your contact information on the Baylor Alumni Update Form
- Follow the Department of History on social media:
- Subscribe here to receive our department newsletter and other department updates
- Check out the Baylor Event Calendar
- If you are around campus, feel free to stop by and say hello--our professors and staff look forward to talking with you! Our department is located in the Tidwell Bible Building, suites 104 and 205.
Share Your Story
We want to hear your stories and stay in touch! Tell us about your achievements, career journey, historical areas of interest and what you've been learning recently, where you've traveled, and other news that you would like to share. We’ll share these stories via social media and feature them in our newsletter! Send stories, news, and photos to our Administrative Associate, Tasha Rich, at Tasha_Rich@Baylor.edu.
Guittard Book Award for Historical Scholarship
This award is open to any graduate holding a degree in History from Baylor (bachelor’s, master's, or doctoral) and any Department of History faculty who has written a book of original historical scholarship in the given year. The 2022 Guittard Book Award results are in! Congratulations go to Dr. Daniel Watkins for his book Berruyer’s Bible: Public Opinion and the Politics of Enlightenment Catholicism in France!
Give Back
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The Robert Gilbert Endowed Scholarship In History was established in 2021. This scholarship recognizes the importance of diversity at Baylor University by honoring Robert L. Gilbert. At a commencement ceremony on June 2, 1967, Robert Gilbert became Baylor's first black graduate. Robert Gilbert came to Baylor as a transfer student from Paul Quinn College, initially looking to get his law degree in order to change the injustices around him. After graduating from Baylor with a degree in History, he spent three years as the first African American teacher at a Waco-area middle school before realizing he felt a calling to ministry. Despite severe health challenges, Robert pastored at churches throughout Waco and the surrounding area and was well known as a local civil rights leader. He passed away in 1992 at age 50. The Department of History and its faculty want to continue to honor Reverend Gilbert’s legacy by supporting History students who are trailblazers in their own right.
About This Scholarship
This endowed scholarship was established to support students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences, with preference given to underrepresented students, who are pursuing a major in history, and come from diverse communities and backgrounds historically underrepresented at Baylor University, including low-income and first generation.
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The History Excellence Fund provides opportunities for our majors, minors, faculty, and other students at Baylor. These opportunities include a) conference travel for our history students to present their research; b) bringing nationally-known historians and guests to campus; and c) a reception for our Guittard Book Award for Historical Scholarship recipient and for recognition of our Guittard Graduate Fellows and Undergraduate Scholarship Winners.
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The James Vardaman Endowed Scholarship Fund and Professorship Funds honor Prof. James Vardaman, who taught history at Baylor for over 30 years. Contributions to the Scholarship Fund supports a history major participating in a study abroad program; contributions to the Professorship Fund supports the James Vardaman Endowed Professor in History (currently Dr. Beth Allison Barr) which may include salary, research needs, scholarship and travel expenses.
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The Robert L Reid Trust Fund honors one of Baylor University's great ambassadors, Robert Reid. He taught History for Baylor from 1948 until his retirement in 1992, including 25 years as the chair of the department. He received many honors throughout his time as a fourth-generation Bear while his Distinguished Lecture Series and Awards for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching in the Humanities leave his legacy in the minds of many as they continue to pass the torch of excellence.
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The Jenice and Crawford Long Endowed Scholarship Fund is a merit and need-based scholarship open to History majors. A student's desire to teach history after graduation is taken into consideration when deciding between students otherwise qualified. This scholarship was established by Carol Jenice and E. Crawford Long of Waco, Texas. Crawford Long received his B.A. degree in 1970 and his J.D. degree in 1973 from Baylor University. Crawford retired in 2010 as Assistant District Attorney with the McLennan County District Attorney's Office. Jenice Long received her B.A. degree magna cum laude from Baylor University in 1995. Crawford and Jenice are members of the Bear Foundation and the Endowed Scholarship Society.
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The Guittard-Verlander_Voegtle Endowed Scholarship Fund is a merit-based scholarship open to undergraduate History majors with a preference given to those with a desire to teach history or take an advanced degree in history. This scholarship fund was established in 2016 by Charles F. Guittard and Patricia Verlander Guittard, Henry J. and Mary Guittard Voegtle, and John R. and Jo H. Guittard in memory of their grandfather, Dr. Francis G. Guittard, the first chair of the history department at Baylor, their step-grandmother Josephine Glenn Guittard ("Mama Josie"), and their parents, Chief Justice Clarence A. Guittard and Mary Louise Kee Guittard, both of whom graduated from Baylor.
Graduate Program
Check out our Recent Ph.D. and M.A. Placements page for information about our recent graduates!