Bridging the Gap and the Baylor Bridgebuilding Fellows program
The Bridging the Gap initiative prepares students, faculty, and staff to become Bridgebuilding Fellows. Bridging the Gap (BTG) is a grant-funded curriculum through Interfaith America that equips participants with the skills and knowledge to better engage across deep divides in polarized contexts. Participants who successfully complete the BTG curriculum are invited to join the Bridgebuilding Fellows program, serving as role models and equipping others in our campus community toward making a positive difference in how we relate to one another through bridging events. They do this through employing and teaching the skills of deep listening, story sharing, and navigating tension constructively. If you are interested in partnering to host a bridging event, email intercultural@baylor.edu.
Bridgebuilding Fellow Program Leaders
Dr. Kevin Villegas, Dean of Intercultural Engagement and Division Initiatives
Dr. David Justice, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow
Andre Baesa, Lead Coordinator of Intercultural Engagement and Student Life Initiatives
Kathy Ottenad, Senior Coordinator for Student Development
Karly Shepherd, Student Employee, Senior majoring in University Scholars
Faculty Fellows
Candi Cann, Associate Professor of Religion in the BIC
Joanne Cumming, Adjunct Professor of Political Science
Samantha Dvorak, Associate Chair for Residential Academic Programs Undergraduate Program Director, Clinical Associate Professor
Rebecca Flavin, Senior Lecturer of Political Science
Aric Gooch, Lecturer of Political Science
Luci Hoppe, Clinical Associate Professor and BSW Program Director
Lisa Jones, Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Programs and Clinical Associate Professor
Scott Moore, UNSC Associate Director, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Great Texts
Jon Singletary, Dean, The Diana R. Garland Endowed Chair of Child and Family Studies, Professor
Lauren Weber, Lecturer of Theatre in Musical Theatre (Voice)
Melody Zuniga, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Clinical Associate Professor
Student Fellows
Spring 2024 Cohort
Divine Agada, Sophomore majoring in Psychology
Jamie Atadero, Graduate Student majoring in Epidemiology
Sadie Bryant, Sophomore majoring in Business & Professional Writing and Rhetoric/Pre-Law
Jack Costello, Senior majoring in Economics
Siya Dang, Sophomore majoring in Biology
Emily Demieri, Junior majoring in Geosciences
Ashley Gibbins, Junior majoring in Theatre Design & Technology
JW LaStrape, Junior majoring in History
Kristen Mathson, Junior majoring in Accounting
Alexa Moldenhauer, Sophomore majoring in University Scholars/ Pre-Med Track
Emily Nguyen, Sophomore majoring in Science Research Fellows
Twyla Penn, Sophomore majoring in Biology
Jonathan Perkins, Senior majoring in University Scholars & Philosophy
Christopher Pham, Senior majoring in Engineering
Jessica Phillips, Junior majoring in Neuroscience/ Pre-Med
Christian Romero, Senior majoring in Medical Humanities
Jacob Saflar, Senior majoring in Accounting
Layla Shafiq, Sophomore majoring in University Scholars
Hailey Vogt, Senior majoring in Supply Chain & Risk Management and Insurance
Danish Wadhwani, Senior majoring in Communication
Zenith Warfel, Sophomore majoring in Biology
Sarah Wilburn, Sophomore majoring in Business Accounting & Human Resource Management/ Pre-Law
Fall 2024 Cohort
Nouran Abdelrahman, Sophomore majoring in Political Science
Isabella Alcala, Freshman majoring in Theatre Performance
Ava Bohling, Senior majoring in Communication
Kaitlynn Clint, Sophomore majoring in University Scholars
Raghav Edara, Junior majoring in Biology
Susan Ismail, Sophomore majoring in Health & Science Studies
Zach Magno, Junior majoring in Psychology
Katherine Mickelson, Sophomore majoring in Political Science
Theodora John Milton, Senior majoring in Communication
Matthew Nguyen, Junior – Undecided
Kim Paniagua, Junior majoring in Middle Grades Mathematics
Myah Pontak, Junior majoring in Accounting, Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation
Angel Tran, Junior majoring in University Scholars
Thomas Trabue, Junior majoring in Human Resources Management
Chante Zenda, Sophomore majoring in Biology