Leaving a Legacy of Generosity

Barbara Brown Grisham (BA ’73) never imagined she and her husband, Gary (ABC ’20), would one day be able to establish three scholarships at Baylor. What began as Barbara’s quiet conviction—that God’s blessings in their lives should be passed forward—has become a legacy that will outlive them both. Their hope is simple: that future Baylor students, many they’ll never know by name, will have the chance to pursue their callings with the support of a scholarship. 

That hope is captured in the message she shares with her recipients:

“This scholarship was established to invest in the future—your future. Whether your path leads to innovation, service, or exploration, I believe in your capacity to make a meaningful impact in your chosen field and your community. … As you continue your studies, I pray this support affirms your path and reminds you that you are not alone—your efforts matter and they are being lifted up in prayer.” 

Across Baylor’s campus, more than 3,700 endowed scholarships tell similar stories—each one beginning with an individual or family choosing to open a door for the next generation.  

“I hope that they can follow their passions – or their dreams,” Barbara said of her scholarship recipients. ““It’s about making a difference in someone’s life, even if we may never see the full impact. We will have left something behind to help someone else. We never could have fathomed that we could do this – God has been good.” 

The Grishams’ three scholarships will be funded through their estates. The initial idea of leaving a lasting legacy through scholarships came from Barbara, who saw endowment as a way to pay forward God’s blessings she and Gary received, while encouraging other students in their pursuit of a Christian education. 

For Barbara, the Barbara and Gary Grisham Endowed Scholarship Funds in Music and in Interior Design reflect her family’s Baylor roots, as well as her own dreams from when she was a student. 

“My mom and dad were extreme Baylor fans,” Barbara said. “I went to my first Homecoming in 1952 when I was less than two years old. I learned That Good Old Baylor Line and the fight song when I was less than five years old. My mother went to Baylor. She was a piano major in the music department, and she sang in the Baylor Religious Hour Choir with Frank Boggs and Dick Baker.” 

Health issues forced Barbara’s mother to withdraw from the University, but the family continued in their love for Baylor, so that when the time came to pick a college, Barbara knew where she was going. 

“My passion has always been in design – I love design, but in 1969, there was no interior design department at Baylor,” Barbara said. “I played with several different options, but I ended up getting my degree in education.” 

After graduation, Barbara moved to Houston, where she met Gary in the singles department at Second Baptist Church. Early in their marriage, Barbara “wore a lot of hats,” with jobs in accounting and teaching until she discovered a way to fuel her passion as a wedding coordinator in Houston at two different churches.   

She hopes that the scholarships she has created, along with those Gary has established to support students in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, will inspire generations of Baylor students to pursue their dreams. 

It is this mix of gratitude and a genuine desire to meet students’ needs that comes through as Barbara speaks of their scholarships. It is this care that transforms their giving from a financial decision to a lasting legacy. They see these gifts for what they are:  a way to help generations of students, one scholarship at a time, as they follow their own callings. 

Their hopes are best summed up in the paperwork that documents Barbara’s endowed scholarship, the Barbara and Gary Grisham Endowed Scholarship Fund in Interior Design, where she included a short message to the scholarship recipient: 

“...Education has the power to transform lives, and I am honored to play a small role in supporting yours. I hope this award eases some financial burdens and affirms that others believe in your journey…” 

Theirs is a legacy of generosity, of faith, of enduring support for the generations of students who will follow in That Good Old Baylor Line. 

ABOUT THE EXTEND THE LINE SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVE

Barbara Grisham’s scholarships support the Extend the Line scholarship initiative, launched in 2025, which aims to provide $250 million in new scholarships for Baylor students by the end of 2030. By establishing a named scholarship or contributing to an existing pooled fund, the Baylor Family can help students thrive in Baylor’s Christ-centered community—ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of their educational goals and vocational callings to learn more, visit Baylor’s Extend the Line website.