Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center

Located at the corner of I-35 and University Parks Drive in Waco, Texas, the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center serves as a front door to Baylor University, welcoming future students and parents, alumni, current students, faculty, staff, friends and guests into the vibrant life of our campus community.

Explore

About the Hurd Center

Home to Baylor’s campus visits program, McLane Family Alumni Center, Baylor Spirit Shop, Varsity Coffee and Soda and more, the Hurd Welcome Center is the front door to Baylor University.

About the Hurd Center

Our Story

The Baylor Family’s roots run deep, and within this community are the personal histories and family legacies that make Baylor special. Mark and Paula Hurd planted family roots here at Baylor, establishing a transformational legacy. The McLane Family’s legacy of connection and support for Baylor University has truly shaped the face of this institution.

Our Story

Event Space

A wide variety of event spaces are available in the Hurd Welcome Center for advanced reservation. From smaller spaces equipped with presentation technology for board meetings and discussion groups and medium spaces for interest group gatherings or club or organization meetings to larger spaces that accommodate events from 100 to 1000 individuals.

Event Space

Tours & Experience

As the front door to Baylor’s campus, the Hurd Welcome Center invites prospective students and families, alumni, current students and guests of all kinds into the life and mission of Baylor University. Learn more about touring and experiencing the Hurd Welcome Center.

Experience

News About the Hurd

Learn more about the development and construction of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center and the special features that welcome alumni, prospective students and families, current students, faculty, staff and friends.

All About the Hurd: Vaughn Construction

You may have read about the symbolism, the columns, and the other great spaces inside the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, and now you have a chance to hear how the one-of-a kind building was constructed by Vaughn Construction.

All About The Hurd: Populous Architectural Design

Populous executives Earl Santee (Senior Principal, Global Chair and Founder) and Andrea Bays (Principal and Senior Interior Designer) joined for a conversation about the new building’s striking design with nods to Baylor’s history.

Plan a Campus Visit

Prospective students and their families can schedule an in-person Visit Experience to tour campus and see what Baylor is all about. Customize your visit to maximize the day.

Faces of the Give Light Campaign

This fall, Baylor University will open the doors of the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, the newest addition to its growing Waco campus. The impressive, modern building with nods to Baylor’s historic architecture sits along University Parks Drive and Interstate 35, greeting visitors as an inviting threshold to more than just the physical campus – but to the traditions, faith and history that help to make Baylor so special.

Baylor Alumni

Are you interested in connecting with other Baylor alumni, parents and friends who understand what it means to bleed green and gold? Explore the many opportunities that exist for meaningful engagement and connection to fellow Baylor Bears.