Inaugural Social, Nonprofit & Public Leadership Cohort Gathers in Waco for First Intensive
Until September, the members of the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work's first Social, Nonprofit and Public Leadership (SNPL) degree cohort had known each other only through a screen. Then they came to Waco.
The Garland School recently welcomed its inaugural group of SNPL students to campus for the program's first intensive—held Sept. 16-19. Over the course of the week, these students sat in class together, met the faculty and partners behind the program, and began building the network they will carry through the degree and into their work.
A Waco welcome
The intensive opened at the new Waco Welcome Center, where students gathered for introductions, class and lunch. The group also shared dinner at The Brasserie at Hotel 1928 in downtown Waco, where conversations that began in class carried on around the table.
From there, the schedule moved between the classroom and campus. Students toured the Garland School, visited the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center and McLane Stadium as part of a main campus tour, took professional headshots and even attended a tailgate at Saturday's football game!
The introductions mattered as much as the itinerary. The SNPL program is offered in partnership with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty (BCHP), and the intensive gave students their first chance to meet, face-to-face, the Garland School and BCHP faculty and collaborators who teach and support the program. Students had in-person class with each of their professors, learned about the mentorship options open to them and spent unhurried time networking with faculty, staff and one another.
"We welcomed an incredibly talented and committed group of students in our first cohort," Sarah Dorrel Ritter, clinical associate professor, said. "The fall intensive experience was filled with so many meaningful moments and connections, from a class focused on the intersection of faith and social change, to discovering each person's 'why' over shared meals. This first cohort is paving the way to become leaders and change agents in their communities!"
Leaders already at work
Many of these students arrived with careers well underway, already doing meaningful work in their current roles. They came to the SNPL program to widen that work, expand their influence and find new ways to make a lasting difference in their communities and in the lives of the people they serve.
For example: Carolina Lasso is a chief authority officer, supporting Dallas County residents, individuals and their families in accessing publicly funded services for intellectual and developmental disabilities. She shared her commitment to her work and to developing her skills as a servant leader.
"Leadership is not just a position; it’s a responsibility, and I want to keep developing the skills that help me show up well for others," SNPL student Carolina Lasso said.
"This work is deeply meaningful to me because I get to help people navigate systems that can feel overwhelming, and I’m able to support them in moments when guidance and compassion truly matter," Lasso said. "I chose the SNPL program because I’m always striving to grow as a leader. I want to strengthen my ability to support employees, advance our mission, and improve the experience of the individuals and families we serve. Leadership is not just a position; it’s a responsibility, and I want to keep developing the skills that help me show up well for others."
The program is built for that kind of student. Offered online in a small-cohort model, the master's degree in Social, Nonprofit & Public Leadership gives emerging leaders focused training in organizational leadership and policy development, and it can be completed in as little as 12 months.
The students have since returned to their homes, their jobs and their online coursework. They log on now to classmates and professors they have sat beside, and to a school that knows them by name ... and that's the Baylor difference!
Applications for the Spring 2027 certificate and the Fall 2027 certificate and degree program are all open. Interested? Fill out this information form to stay up to date on deadlines, financial aid and more. The Admissions team stands ready to come alongside you on your educational journey!