East Texas Baptist University students, faculty, and staff gathered in the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 23, for the annual See You at the Pole event, a global day of student-led prayer. The tradition that started in 1990 at a high school in Burleson, Texas, has since grown to see upwards of three million students in the United States and over 20 countries gather to pray at their school’s flagpole.

Two East Texas Baptist University students, senior Mylan Shed and junior Taylor Singleton, have been selected to receive scholarships provided by the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) Foundation and its national partner, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC).

In celebration of America’s hardworking people, East Texas Baptist University hosted Labor Day weekend events for ETBU students. A series of exciting and engaging student-life activities such as a concert from Curtis Grimes, fireworks, a barbeque lunch, and intramural activities provided students with additional options to safely fellowship with their peers, while remaining on campus during the holiday.

Despite the uncertainties of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, East Texas Baptist University is celebrating its highest recorded student enrollment in the University’s 108-year history with 1,714 total students, reflecting an 8% increase over Fall 2019, and an 84% undergraduate retention rate (3% higher than the five-year average). The total graduate enrollment exhibits the highest graduate enrollment in University history, up by 22% from last year.

On-campus student life is in full swing as East Texas Baptist University begins the 2020-2021 academic school year. The year kicked off with almost 400 students enrolled in the August Mini-Terms, which allow completion of the equivalent semester-long courses in one-week and two-week class offerings. Fall semester classes began on Monday, August 17. This fall on-campus student experience was eagerly anticipated, as students attended classes online since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.