Baylor junior Mary Holmes Phillips (left) and her exchange partner, Willow Salam, make a new friend at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Queensland, Australia
In addition to attracting students from around the world who choose to attend Baylor as boarding students, Upper School students (day and boarding) who are accepted as exchange students can travel to English-speaking countries for the cultural exchange or advance their world language abilities on an immersive language exchange.
Senior Ella Grace Lazenby said her exchange at the Waikato Diocesan School in Hamilton, New Zealand last spring, was impactful in many ways. Not only did she broaden her knowledge of the world around her, but she also appreciated the opportunity to observe her own country from a different perspective. “Additionally, the significant independence I gained from this experience has prepared me for the future. The Exchange Program has brought me life-long friends, new ideas, and unique experiences that have made a permanent impact on the person I am today,” said Ella Grace.
In its current form, Baylor’s exchange program has been in operation since the spring of 2009 when two students were selected for an exchange to Australia. Prior to 2009, Baylor exchanged with other schools as a member of the Round Square Program. If selected, students have the opportunity to participate in a one-on-one cultural exchange from one of nine partner schools located in different regions of Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, and Spain. They attend classes and live with host families abroad the summer between their sophomore and junior years and then host their partner at Baylor during their junior year. This fall, Baylor will host nine exchange students with the largest cohort attending classes in September and October.
“Growth happens when we are challenged to step outside of our comfort zone,” says history instructor Natalie Rodriguez-Nelson, who coordinates the program. “Very few high schools offer one-to-one exchanges where students benefit from the experience of traveling and hosting. It’s a unique program to the area.”
Partnering Language Exchange Schools
Saint Benoit, Angers, France
Saint-Denis International School, Loches, France
Otto-Hahn Gymnasium, Dinslaken, Germany
Collegio San Fernando, Aviles, Spain
Sacred Heart School, Pamplona, Spain
Partnering Cultural Exchange Schools
St. Hilda's School, Gold Coast, Australia
The Southport School, Gold Coast, Australia
Waikato Diocesan School, Hamilton, New Zealand
Herschel Girls School, Cape Town South Africa
Durban Girls College, Durban, South Africa
The Clifton School, Durban, South Africa
Pictured above, front row, from left, juniors Rigdon King-Anderson, Anna Stoddard, Mary Holmes Phillips, Milly Rainero, Olivia Williams, and Yulissa Gerard; back row, from left, William Hubbard, Wyatt McDaniel, Karis Kimrey, Pippa Hill, and Ezra Sixto (not pictured, Hartley Workman).