Identity-Based Resources
Being a first-generation college student is an amazing accomplishment and Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) wants to support you as you navigate your journey here. However, being a college student can be a challenge, especially if you are the first in your family to earn a college degree. Some of the issues specific to first-generation students may include the following:
Pressure to be academically successful not only for you, but for your family Uncertainties about social and academic expectations Imposter syndrome or doubting your abilities Possible concerns related to finances
Clinicians at BUCC can offer individual, couples, and group counseling to help decrease distress related to the challenges of university life. Additionally, clinicians can help you navigate the pressures of being a first-generation student and balancing academic, social, emotional, and family responsibilities.
Beyond counseling, Baylor University offers several services that may be useful for first-generation students:
First in Line is a network of staff and faculty who either were first-gen students themselves or have expressed interest in directly working with first-gen students. This department offers help to students in many different avenues of college life such as peer mentoring, academic mentoring, First-Gen specific scholarships, and opportunities to get involved in the First in Line Student Society.
First in Line also offers tips for parents looking to support their student.
The Multicultural Affairs Office can assist in fostering belonging and connecting students to multicultural organizations on campus.
Financial concerns can be addressed by the Financial Aid Office.
The Store is a food pantry on campus for students who do not have reliable access to nutritious foods.
For support in looking for internships and jobs, including help in writing cover letters and resumes, and preparing for interviews, please visit the Office of Career and Professional Development.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” or the Civil Rights Reporting Form .
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TITLE IX Office.
While being in a graduate program is an exciting endeavor as you further your education and career in your given passion, it can also be a stressful experience. Graduate students often hold additional roles in their lives that can increase demands on your life. Common issues for graduate students include the following:
Balancing a family with academic work Time management
The clinicians at Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) can offer individual, couples, and group counseling to graduate students to help promote success and stability while you are working on a graduate degree. The BUCC can help guide graduate students in dealing with academic pressures and relationship issues, through processing and increasing understanding into your unique experiences and gaining coping strategies and skills.
- Navigating relationships with supervisors and professors
- Starting and completing a thesis or dissertation
- Financing or finishing your degree
- Career changes or concerns
Beyond counseling, Baylor University has several services that are specific to graduate students.
For support in time management with academics, we encourage you to visit the Paul L. Foster Success Center .
To encourage success in managing professional relationships, we suggest seeking services through the Office of Career and Professional Development.
Support for the thesis and dissertation process can be found at the Graduate Writing Center.
Financial concerns can be addressed with the Office of Academic Scholarships and Financial Aid.
To navigate career concerns, seek guidance from the Office of Career and Professional Development.
To explore career options or obtain resources for career paths.
For concerns with language abilities, visit the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Course.
Workshops on graduate life can be found here.
Female graduate students can seek support from Women in the Academy.
To find ways to increase personal well-being.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through counseling, or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” or the Civil Rights Reporting Form .
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TIX Office https://www.baylor.edu/titleix/ .
Beginning college can be a time for transitions for any student, but especially for international students. Adjusting to a new country, culture, and academic system can be both exiting and demanding. Living in a new culture can present multiple challenges. Often the differences are interesting and even fun at first; but over time, it can become exhausting to have to adjust to so many new things at once. Some of the common issues that arise for international students include the following:
Adjusting to a new culture and academic system Missing home but not being able to go home often, or not wanting to go home Difficulty completing academic work in a foreign language Concerns about how your family may react to the choices you are making Immigration and visa concerns Not being understood when you express yourself in your usual manner Finding out that some people are prejudiced against others from different cultures Relationship concerns (dating, friendships, social isolation, roommate conflicts, difficulty making friends with students who do not identify as international, and difficulties interacting with professors, advisors, or employers). Difficulty obtaining help for physical illness due to differences in the U.S. medical system.
We recognize that while counseling is a common practice in the U.S. for people with emotional difficulties, individuals in your home country may not have the same views toward counseling. At Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC), we are respectful of those differences and want to collaborate with you on how to meet your needs and goals best. Our staff are trained in working with students from different cultural backgrounds and work to provide a safe, welcoming, and culturally sensitive environment.
Beyond counseling, BUCC encourages you to seek out other services offered by Baylor University that can be helpful to international students.
To find support while adjusting to a new culture, visit the Center for Global Engagement as well as the Global Friendship Programs .
Support in adjusting to a new educational system can be found through Academic Coaching .
Immigration and visa concerns can be addressed by International Student and Scholar Services and more information can be found here.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through the Office of Global Engagement, or counseling or through the Department of Multicultural Affairs or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” at or the Civil Rights Reporting Form.
If you feel isolated, we encourage you to get involved with multicultural student organizations or through student resources offered by Multicultural Affairs.
LGBTQIA+ Identified Students who identify as LGBTQIA+ may experience additional struggles on top of those already experienced by most college students. Research shows that compared to the general population, LGBTQIA+ identified individuals are more likely to:
Experience mental health issues, especially anxiety and depression (source: National Alliance on Mental Health) Experience suicidality (source: National Alliance on Mental Health) Have a higher prevalence of misusing substances (source: National Institute on Drug Abuse) Experience Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) (source: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) Experience violent victimization (source: National Crime Victimization Survey, 2017)
Clinicians at the Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status. The BUCC is committed to providing culturally informed and confidential services to students who identify as LGBTQIA+. BUCC seeks to be a space where everyone is treated with respect, justice, grace, and understanding as we strive to provide clinical services to all Baylor students.
Discrimination in any form has no place in Baylor’s caring community. If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through counseling or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint”.
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TITLE IX Office.
Experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and struggling with issues around identity in isolation often intensifies psychological distress. On the other hand, being cared for, connected, and supported by others is the top protective factor for LGBTQIA+ students’ mental health.
Students of color are a vital part of the Baylor community. We hope that while you are a student here, you experience affirmation, refuge, community, and empowerment.
While the Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) welcomes and values you, we also acknowledge the historical oppression, violence, and dehumanization against people of color has morphed into present-day structural, institutional, and individual racism. Despite some progress made over the years, racism continues to have an impact on the mental health of people of color.
Staff at BUCC invites you to talk about your experiences - especially those related to your identity - and mental health concerns, in the therapy space. Our staff is committed to our own ongoing growth and development in our ability to be interculturally effective. We seek to integrate culturally bound values and practices in the work that we do and invite you to reach out to us when needed.
Beyond counseling, BUCC encourages you to seek the support of resources on campus that can be helpful to students of color.
To find support as a student of color at Baylor, visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
To join a multicultural student organization visit here.
Campus Communities - Women and men of color can gather together to experience encouragement and connectedness.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through counseling, or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” at or the Civil Rights Reporting Form.
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TITE IX Office .
Our clinicians offer a safe and welcoming environment for students with chronic illnesses and disabilities to share their experiences or talk about concerns including emotions, relationships, and academics. BUCC recognizes that a chronic illness or disability may influence a student’s life but does not define them.
Some common concerns that may arise for students with chronic illnesses or disabilities include:
- Navigating the accommodations process and arranging support services
- Experiencing discrimination
- Locating and utilizing accessible housing and transportation
- Knowing your rights
- The “visibility” or “invisibility” of an illness unpredictable symptoms
- Social Stigma or feeling singled out
If you are a student with a chronic illness or disability, see the resources below for help navigating support at Baylor:
The Office of Access and Learning Accommodation (OALA) provides services and accommodations to meet the varying needs of students with disabilities at Baylor in both academic and non-academic programs and services. Accommodations can include any changes, modifications, equipment, or services requested by students because of their disability—that includes classroom, housing, meal plan or mobility needs.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through OALA or counseling, or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” or the Civil Rights Reporting Form.
Baylor University Health Center provides medical care and patient education to Baylor Students.
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the Title IX Office .
Hello! We are glad you chose to come to Baylor! You may be coming from a large or small school; and either way there are many new things for you to see and become familiar with at Baylor. It is completely normal if you are feeling stressed, excited, or overwhelmed by the transition of coming to a new campus. Below are some specific concerns that often relate to transfer students:
Feeling overwhelmed or stressed about the unfamiliarity of Baylor Not knowing how to get connected with other students Homesickness Not knowing how to find support on campus Adjusting to a new academic system and a new cultural environment Financial challenges Balancing academics, personal, and work duties.
The staff at Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) recognize that transitioning to a new place can be overwhelming. Oftentimes, so many changes at once can lead to stress, depression, or feelings of fear. We support transfer students by helping them cope with thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to your adjustment to Baylor.
In addition, the Office of Transfer Student Success offers multiple resources and avenues of support specific to transfer students. This office can help you address “transfer shock,” help you become more socially involved on campus, and offer specific housing support.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through the Office of Transfer Student Success or through counseling, or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” at or the Civil Rights Reporting Form.
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TITLE IX Office.
Student veterans bring diversity to Baylor campus through their unique strengths and experiences. Student veterans are often positioned for academic achievement and success due to military training, personal characteristics, work ethic, and commitment.
However, some veterans face challenges when beginning or returning to college. Combat veterans who pursue higher education are at increased risk of mental health difficulties as compared to their non-veteran counterparts. Research has suggested that student veterans compared with their non-veteran peers:
- Have lower GPAs
- Have less social support
- More likely to experience anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and hypervigilance
Clinicians at Baylor University Counseling Center BUCC promote the personal wellbeing and the academic success of student veterans by providing therapeutic services. BUCC provides a confidential environment where veterans can openly examine and discuss concerns. Some of the services we provide include individual, couples, and group therapy, psychiatry referrals and on-campus and community referrals.
In addition, Veteran Educational and Transition Services (VETS) offers programs to maximize your success, tools and resources specific to veteran students, support from other veteran students, as well as financial and academic support.
If you are faced with issues of prejudice, we recommend that you seek support through VETS or through counseling, or you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” at or the Civil Rights Reporting Form.
To seek support if you or someone you know has experienced an incident(s) of sexual and gender-based harassment and/or interpersonal violence you can contact the TITLE IX Office.
As a historically Baptist university, Baylor often welcomes students who identify within the Christian religion. And due to university opportunities, values and academics, many students who do not identity as Christian are also drawn to Baylor. The BUCC recognizes that there are students at Baylor who are interested or questioning faith and spirituality, and students who identify as non-religious. Being at a predominately Christian university can feel challenging for students who do not identity as Christian. At the BUCC, we recognize the importance and impact of one’s religious identity, regardless of the identification. Further, we recognize that students may benefit from having the opportunity to process their orientation around faith and spirituality.
At the BUCC, we support students process their unique experiences related to their faith and spirituality. Further, we accept and honor existing values and beliefs, as well as ones in question. If you find yourself interested to explore faith and spirituality in any regard with a trained professional at the BUCC, we would be honored to support you.
Beyond counseling, Baylor University has several resources that are specific religiously diverse students:
Spiritual Life at Baylor offers a space for students of varying religious and non-religious backgrounds to engage in conversation. Schedule a meeting with a Chaplain regarding any aspect of faith and spirituality.
Join or learn more about non-Christian faith communities in Waco.
If you are faced with issues of religious prejudice, you can report your concern anonymously on “EthicsPoint” at or use the Civil Rights Reporting Form .
