Sarah Walden, Ph.D., Appointed Director of University Scholars

Baylor University’s Honors College is proud to welcome Sarah Walden, Ph.D., as the new Director of the University Scholars program. A Baylor alumna and long-serving faculty member in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC), where she is Associate Professor of Rhetorical Criticism and Theory, Walden brings a rich background in interdisciplinary teaching and a deep personal connection to the program she now leads.

“For more than 50 years, the University Scholars major has appealed to some of the brightest, highest aspiring undergraduates in America and beyond,” Honors College Dean Douglas Henry, Ph.D., said. “This flagship program’s successes largely reflect student access to superb professors, among whom the Director has always numbered. We have found in Sarah Walden a worthy successor to those who have gone before, and we anticipate new milestones for the program under her capable leadership.”

Walden said she is honored to return to the program that helped shape her own academic path and is eager to guide a new generation of University Scholars.

“I was a University Scholar before there was an Honors College,” she said. “The program played a significant role in shaping the way I thought about my academic path, encouraging me to draw connections across fields and pursue a flexible but rigorous course of study.”

Walden earned her undergraduate degree from Baylor in 2003 and earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Mississippi before returning to Baylor in 2010. She taught courses in both English and the BIC before joining the latter’s faculty full time in 2013. Most recently, she served as Associate Director of the BIC. Walden is also the author of Tasteful Domesticity: Women’s Rhetoric and the American Cookbook, 1790-1940.

Her interdisciplinary work and student-centered approach make her a natural fit to lead the University Scholars program, which allows students to craft individualized concentrations across multiple academic fields.

“Sarah unites a spirit of inquiry, palpable enthusiasm for learning, and tireless advocacy for students,” Dean Henry noted. “Current and future University Scholars will quickly recognize her as a champion of education in the liberal arts and sciences, and of them as individuals, always with an eye on the bold Christian mission we serve at Baylor.” 

Beyond a small, required curriculum, University Scholars have wide-ranging freedom to take courses across Baylor’s extensive undergraduate catalog. “As a former Scholar myself, I know the value of this kind of academic freedom,” Walden said. “But I also understand the challenges that come with it, particularly the need to create community among students whose paths are highly individualized. One of my goals as director is to strengthen the cohort experience and make sure every Scholar feels supported both academically and personally.”

Walden said she hopes to collaborate with colleagues across the Honors College and campus to build stronger support networks for students. She also wants to help Scholars think more intentionally about the skills they are developing through their academic concentrations and how those can be applied in a variety of professional contexts.

“A University Scholars graduate is equipped to do so many things,” she said. “I want students to see those possibilities and feel confident in whatever they choose to pursue.”

Dean Henry extends his sincere thanks to the search committee for their valuable time and service: Drs. Ginger Hanchey, Thomas McGrath, William Weaver, and Davide Zori.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Walden and welcoming her into this new leadership position.