Giving to the Gilbert Scholarship in History

The Robert Gilbert Memorial 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 address 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, Rev. Gilbert 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.

This endowed scholarship was established by the department to support students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences 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. The scholarship will be the very first scholarship available to incoming first year students in our department, and it will be renewable for a second year.

Every faculty member in the Department of History has given to the Gilbert Scholarship over the past year, and we’ve been blessed with a few substantial donations by retired Baylor faculty and alums. We are very close to the minimum needed to begin awarding this scholarship. Please consider making a gift of any size to this endowed scholarship by following this link HERE.