Baylor BSM to hold ribbon-cutting ceremony for grand opening of new building

On August 19, Texas Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony in partnership with the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation (TBMF) for the grand opening of the new BSM building at Baylor University.

Construction of the new building began in September 2025 with a groundbreaking ceremony, following TBMF’s announcement that the fundraising requirements for the Mabee Foundation Grant, awarded in July 2024, had been met. In February, TBMF hosted a beam signing ceremony for the new building. 

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. with a welcome from Bill Noe, associate director for the Center for Collegiate Ministry at Texas Baptists. Then, BSM Director Will Bowden will share a word on stepping to the next chapter of BSM at Baylor, followed by the ribbon cutting. Attendees will hear from Baylor University President Linda Livingstone and special recognitions from TBMF President Jerry Carlisle and TBMF Vice President Eric Wyatt for the building dedication. Mark Jones, director of the Center for Collegiate Ministry at Texas Baptists, and Julio Guarneri, executive director of Texas Baptists, will also give remarks.

Jones said along with being a space for students to worship, pray and be trained for missions and discipleship, the new BSM building also will be a place for collaborative work. 

“At our best, BSM works in great partnership with Texas Baptists churches that are involved, and that's what's happened at Baylor,” Jones said. 

He said the new building also helps reinforce Baylor BSM’s identity on Baylor’s campus. He said he is grateful for the generous donors and Baylor’s partnership in giving land, which made the construction of the building possible. 

“We've seen God work in incredible ways through the BSM at Baylor. The ministry has entered a new chapter of growth, fueled in part through student involvement in the Pathway discipleship program. This current mix of visionary local leadership and sacrificial giving from individuals, groups, and churches allows us to look ahead to an exciting new season of developing Christian leaders at Baylor,” Jones said.

Carlisle said the new building acts as a sacred place for God to work through his people to share the gospel, make disciples and equip leaders to be sent around the world. 

“This beautiful building is not a monument to human achievement; it is not a museum to remind us of the past. It reflects the movement of God's Spirit in the hearts of His people to give generously and to serve sacrificially,” Carlisle said. 

The $7 million building project has been fully funded by generous donors. TBMF is working to raise an additional $2 million endowment fund to support the new building and on-going ministry. This new endowment is named in honor of George Loutherback, who served as BSU Director at Baylor from 1979-1993.

To learn more and make a gift toward the George Loutherback building endowment, visit baylorbsm.com/bsm-building. 

Texas Baptists Collegiate Ministry engages 1.6 million Texas college students to follow Christ and transform the world. Texas BSM currently has a presence on more than 135 campuses around the state.