(Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of Head of School Chris Angel’s ’89 commencement remarks to the Class of 2026.)
Each August, I ring the bell that once belonged to our first Headmaster, John Roy Baylor, to signal a new year. Today I will ring it one final time for you, marking the close of your time as students and your beginning as Baylor alumni.
Between your first day as a student at Baylor and now your first day as an alum, you have built friendships, met challenges, discovered passions, and have become the people you are today. Those moments have shaped you, and they will serve you well in the years ahead.
And speaking of what happened between these bells, we should acknowledge that Baylor is a school that loves our traditions. We sing the alma mater…we ring John Roy Baylor’s Bell. We celebrate Founder’s Day and honor the values upon which this school was built. We wear our red blazers.
Traditions matter because they connect us to one another. They remind us that we are part of something larger than ourselves, and that each generation leaves its own mark on Baylor.
…these values are not simply Baylor values. They are the building blocks of magnanimitas.
Each Friday morning this year, I listened to your senior speeches. Week after week, your speeches reminded me that while a Baylor education is built upon academic excellence, it is ultimately grounded in something deeper… our values of respect, honor, academics, character, spirituality, individuality, and leadership. But those values are not the destination. They are the pathway. So, Class of 2026, as you leave Baylor, carry these values with you:
Carry respect for every person you meet.
Carry honor that is grounded in truth.
Carry a love of learning.
Carry character that perseveres.
Carry a spirit grounded in something greater than yourself.
Carry the courage to be authentically you.
Carry leadership that serves rather than seeks to be served.
And carry gratitude, for the people who helped you become who you are and for the opportunities that lie ahead. Because these values are not simply Baylor values. They are the building blocks of magnanimitas.
And now, it is time to ring the bell one final time. To celebrate everything you have become and everything that is still to come…. go show the world what Baylor alumni can do!
Thank You and GO BIG RED!
Chris Angel ’89, Head of School
