Will Franks

Ph.D. Student

Advisor

Dr. Elesha J. Coffman

Education

M.A. in History, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

B.A. in English (Professional and Technical Writing) with a minor in English (Creative Writing), University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Academic Interests

I specialize in American religious history, particularly liberal religion, from the end of the Civil War to the modern day. I am fascinated by the role that class plays in shaping the religious lives of Americans, and I am interested in exploring how religion in the United States is experienced by individuals and written about by academics.

Why I Chose Baylor

I chose Baylor for its commitment to Christian identity in the world of higher education and for the History department’s growing focus on religious history.

Selected Publications

“A Social Gospel in Texas: The Texas Council of Churches and the Farm Worker’s Movement, 1953–1969.” Perspectives in Religious Studies 52, no. 4 (2025): 351–63.

Selected Activities

Awards

Paul Harvey Endowed History Scholarship, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Outstanding Graduate Student in History, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs