As the final touches were being added to the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center and the McLane Family Alumni Center at the corner of University Parks Drive and I-35 on Baylor’s campus, the Baylor Campus was invited to learn more about the design, construction and dedication of the new facility.
Friday, September 8, 2023
On Friday, Sept. 8, Baylor University formally dedicated the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. Representatives from all constituents who will be served by the facility joined Paula Hurd and her family in cutting the ribbon to mark the occasion.
Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center Dedication
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Vaughn Construction’s Marco Guerrero and Alan Watts sat down with Jason Cook, Baylor’s Vice President for Marketing and Communications and Chief Marketing Officer, to discuss the nuances of this unique construction project that resulted in a new front door to Baylor University.
All About the Hurd: Vaughn Construction
Thursday, August 17, 2023
The Populous team shared details of the facility’s striking design with nods to Baylor’s history. Many design features are visible from outside the facility, but others shape a unique interior that welcomes prospective students and their families and serves as a vibrant connection point for alumni and friends.
All About the Hurd: Populous Architectural Design
Hurd Center News
WACO, Texas (Sept. 15, 2023) – The new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center officially opened less than a week ago, and Baylor’s new “front door” is already packed with events for the fall semester.
Baylor has a new front door — a touchpoint welcoming current students, prospective students and alumni
WACO, Texas (Aug. 21, 2023) – Baylor University will celebrate the dedication of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center – the University’s spectacular new “front door” to campus – with HOWDY at the Hurd, presented by Pi Beta Phi and Baylor University, a free students-only event at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, on the south lawn of the Hurd Center.
Since you’ve been away for the summer, we’ve made tons of progress on our extraordinary new “front door” to the University – the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. The building is already open for you to explore, and even though we are still finalizing some of the finishing touches, don’t let that stop you from stopping by and taking a look.
The Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center will soon offer a range of new gathering opportunities for Baylor faculty and staff in addition to prospective and current students and alumni.
After years of planning and construction, the Hurd Welcome Center is a reality at last, now open to welcome Bears of all ages — prospective students visiting Baylor, alumni returning to campus, and faculty/staff and students looking for a place to meet or study.
WACO, Texas (July 20, 2023) – Mark and Paula dreamed of creating a space where prospective and current students, alumni and visitors would be able to learn about the University, visit for homecoming and games, celebrate events and find top-notch Baylor gear, all in one location.
WACO, Texas (July 12, 2023) – One of the most striking features of Baylor University’s new Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center is the four massive columns that start on the interior floor of Carlton Hall and extend 96 feet high, stretching through the building’s roof and into the sky. The columns are more than a striking architectural feature, though; they represent a deep symbolic connection to Baylor’s history while providing a unique technology-rich and interactive experience for the entire Baylor Family.
WACO, Texas (July 6, 2023) – Numerous details throughout the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center honor Baylor's history while simultaneously pointing toward its bright future. Some details are subtle nods to the campus, while others shine the Baylor light for all to see.
This fall, Baylor University will open the doors of the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, the newest addition to its growing Waco campus. Many spaces, rooms and balconies of this show-stopping building carry with them the names of the alumni, parents and friends whose generous support of the Give Light Capital Fund fueled the construction and design of the many capital priorities of the Give Light Campaign.
WACO, Texas (June 6, 2023) – As the need for EV charging stations grows, Baylor University is getting ahead of the curve by bringing EV charging stations to campus, starting with installing a flagship charging station at the new Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center in time for its grand opening in September.
This fall, Baylor’s new Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center is set to open as a new “front door” to the Baylor campus. Located at the intersection of I-35 and University Parks Drive, the Center — generously funded by a gift from Mark (BBA ’79) and Paula Hurd — will be an obvious first stop for anyone visiting campus.
But it’s not just for prospective students; current students, alumni, and faculty/staff will also find a home at the Hurd. Here are just some of the ways the new facility will serve the Baylor Family: