Today’s Baylor Bear

I am not a writer, a journalist, and I’d consider myself barely competent enough to articulate my thoughts on paper. However, I wanted to take this time to take a step back on this magical ride that Baylor is enjoying the last few college football season. Yes, last FEW seasons! Baylor has, at this point, become more than just one statical outlier, with one “year of the bear” not only as an athletic program but more importantly a university.

In the world of sports some people love us, some people annoyed, and some even hate us. This week Baylor was ranked as the 2nd best team in the nation, its highest in program history. Before this ride is over, we may reach our ultimate goal, or just as easily peak and fall to a trough and be “disappointed”. But I hope alumni, fans, and more importantly people first looking at Baylor come to appreciate how Baylor has gotten to this point, and what Baylor looks like today.

I came to Baylor in the summer of 2008, however my early admissions process started in the fall of 2007. I was writing a letter to the admissions committee, thinking on what to write for my prompts as I had no family connections (close or extended), or friends that went to Baylor. I was a first generation college student, but something about the environment, the people, and how I loved Baylor for what it was and the vision it had with “Baylor 2012”. By the time I was writing my essay, many of the goals were only budding and starting to come to fruition by 2007. I remember talking about my eagerness and looking forward to being at ever Baylor game. I wanted the opportunity to love all Baylor sports, in particular football atmosphere. I can only imagine that the admissions office was laughing by the time they read my essay, because a few weeks after I submitted it, the former head coach, Guy Morris, was fired. I didn’t care how good Baylor was, it was my Baylor, a place to make a name for myself, and to get an education in an environment I loved.

My first Baylor football game, was the first for new Baylor Head Coach Art Briles, and Robert Griffin III (RG3). It was against ranked Wake Forest, and even though the game was long lost, I remember RG3 running down the sideline stopping on a dime as a defender goes flying on an empty a tackle. I knew we had a magical player to match a magical coach. Even though Baylor went 4–8 in my first two years, you could see glimpses of whats ahead.

I had the privilege of seeing Baylor’s transformation from an academic and athletic perspective. I became a Tutor for the Athletic Department in December of 2009, and was grateful for every minute of it until I was finally pushed out the door (graduating with my masters) in May of 2015. In just over 5 years with the Athletic Department, I was able to see the department transform and have it reflect on our student athletes. It give credence and appreciation of how having the right people and the right environment can do for an entire university and athletic department. I watched students athletes grow from freshman to working class responsible adults. I can not stress how thankful I am to all the coaches, and counselors that helped guide these athletes. The attitude, enthusiasm, passion, and character of our student athletes leaves no doubt they can be stewards for wherever their next journey will lead them. A transformation like that doesn’t always show on the field but I’m glad our coaches, administration and athletic director can get that external validation.

I want to give thanks to President Ken Starr, Ian McCaw, Art Briles, Scott Drew, Kim Mulkey, and all the coaches for privilege of tutoring your athletes. A personal thanks to dozens of mentors and faculty that transformed my life into the person I am today. I entered Baylor when all it had was vision on paper, to now leave with what most would consider a golden age. I am extremely proud to be a Baylor Bear, not for where its ranked, but to know Baylor, as a university, is better today than it was when I arrived on campus in the summer of 2008.

Kevin Rushin

Baylor ’15 M.S.

Baylor ’12 B.S.