Dr. Elise King, Interim Chair, Department of Human Sciences & Design; Associate Professor

There are many things I could highlight about Communio: the relationships built, the thoughtful speakers, and the rare opportunity to step away and reflect. 

I’ll focus on a particular moment that has stayed with me. One of the sessions was centered on communication as a craft. As I listened, my mind ran through the practical realities of university life—deadlines, competing responsibilities, and the pressure to produce—many of which seem at odds with the careful work and time that craft requires. What does craft look like in the contemporary university? And in a Christian university? 

Since that session, I’ve been thinking about how efficiency can either make space for craft or quietly crowd it out. I may not have answers, but Communio prompted me to ask the questions. I’ve begun reading Makoto Fujimura's Art and Faith: A Theology of Making. And over the summer, as a colleague and I consolidate two courses into one (efficiency), we are intentionally building in practices in the course that engage with students on the sacredness of craft—a direct outcome of that Communio moment.

For me, this is what Communio does so well: it gives us space to pause, think, and to grow in Christ. It’s been one of the most meaningful experiences of my time at Baylor, and I’m truly grateful.