Fall 2026 - Although health challenges prevented Barbara Brown Grisham’s mother from completing her degree, her experience as a music major and member of the Baylor Religious Hour Choir remained a cherished part of her story. When it came time for Barbara to choose a college, following in her mother’s footsteps felt natural.

After earning a B.A. in education in 1973, Barbara moved to Houston, where she met her future husband, Gary Grisham (ABC ’20), in the singles department at Second Baptist Church. Early in their marriage, Barbara worked in education and accounting before discovering her passion for serving as a wedding coordinator at two Houston churches.

Gary soon became immersed in Baylor traditions as well. He recalls attending football games with Barbara’s parents, Wayne and Dell Brown, and getting to know longtime Baylor supporters John and Eula Mae Baugh through Second Baptist. Those relationships introduced him to the deep sense of community and the enduring commitment to giving back that Baylor alumni hold dear.

Making a Difference

Today, Barbara and Gary are dedicated participants in that tradition of generosity. After relocating from Houston to the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, they began considering how best to steward their resources and leave a meaningful legacy for future generations of students.

Gary, a chemical engineering graduate of Tulane University with an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Houston, spent his career as an engineer and then a financial advisor. Through his work, he observed how planned giving — such as estate gifts and IRA rollovers — can serve both as a strategic financial tool and a meaningful way to support others. Since education was so important to him, Gary began looking for an institution to house their legacy. With its reputation for excellence in research and education, Baylor stood out as the ideal choice.

Gary was the first to establish an endowed scholarship at Baylor, creating the Gary and Barbara Grisham Endowed Scholarship Fund in Engineering and Computer Science. Inspired by his example, Barbara later created two additional endowed scholarships through her estate: the Barbara and Gary Grisham Endowed Scholarship Funds in Music and Interior Design.

Together, these funds reflect the couple’s shared desire to invest in students pursuing a Christian education and to honor the blessings they have received.

“I hope students can follow their passions — or their dreams,” Barbara said. “It’s about making a difference in someone’s life, even if we may never see the full impact, because we will have left something behind that helps someone else. We never could have imagined being able to do this. God has been good.”