Josh Browder

Being part of the Honors College exposed me to a wide range of formative experiences that taught me to approach my Baylor education through a worldview grounded in the love of God, love of neighbor, and love of learning. Through Great Texts courses, Honors College lectures, and meaningful mentorship from faculty, I learned to engage deeply with thinkers in theology and philosophy while also reflecting more thoughtfully on my own participation in God’s creation.

The Getterman Scholars program gave me the freedom and support to pursue my interests in meaningful ways. College is an important time of discernment, and I came to see discernment not as searching for a single answer, but as faithfully pursuing the gifts and interests God has given us. Through the program, I had opportunities to learn and travel across Waco, Washington, D.C., Japan, Greece, and Turkey alongside faculty and peers who continually encouraged both my intellectual and spiritual growth.

Some of the most influential parts of my Baylor experience were the Honors Residential College and the William Carey Crane Scholars Program. A close friend once shared with me a line from Simone Weil: “Nothing among human things is as powerful for maintaining our gaze, applied ever more intensely on God, than fellowship with the friends of God.” That captures much of what the Honors College meant to me. The friendships, conversations, and shared pursuit of faith and learning profoundly shaped my personal and spiritual formation.

One of the greatest surprises of being a Getterman Scholar was discovering that my value within this community was never tied to achievement. I quickly realized that faculty and fellow students cared about me not for my accomplishments, but because I was a person made in the image of God. That freedom allowed me to devote myself fully to friendships, learning, leadership, and service without feeling the need to constantly prove myself.

If I could offer one piece of advice to future Getterman Scholars, it would be to invest deeply in the Honors College community. A Baylor Honors education is an extraordinary gift, and one of the best ways to steward that gift is through leadership, friendship, and service to others.

After graduation, I will join Sendero Consulting in Dallas as an Associate Consultant. I remain deeply grateful for the people, opportunities, and formation that shaped my time in the Honors College and the Getterman Scholars program.