Editor: In honor of Women’s History Month, we are featuring interviews with local women leaders. These pieces were written by Baylor University students from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media.

By Emma Ethridge

Thousands of students move from the homes they grew up in to attend Baylor University year after year. How often is it that after four years, once the diploma is in hand, they remain in Waco for their next steps in life, striving to make a difference in the community? 

Caitlyn Remson, assistant vice president with Central National Bank Waco, is a Baylor alumna who is doing just that. She is an active member of the Waco community who is passionate about making a difference through her involvement at CNB, the Junior League of Waco, and Harris Creek Baptist Church in McGregor. 

Remson graduated from Baylor with a degree in finance and then became a part of local banking. Remson also is the president-elect for Junior League of Waco, a nonprofit organization of women “committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”

“Growing up in Dallas I didn’t know anything different than being in a big city,” Remson said. “Now that I live in Waco, I much prefer a mid-size city. I feel like there is more time in my day that I am not spending driving a long commute to work and to my first grader’s school; it really is a great medium,” Remson said.

Remson said that even though Waco is smaller than Dallas, there is still a lot to do between the parks, zoo, and the unique things that only Waco has. 

Revival Eastside Eatery is “a family favorite” where Remson said she eats every Friday. Remson has learned a lot about Waco outside of the “Baylor bubble” since she graduated in 2011. 

“There is a lot of industry here that I did not realize,” she said. “Historically there is a lot of business here, organizationally there are so many nonprofits and for-profit businesses that work together to make our community a better place. I feel like that has to be rare, that we would all have our individual interests but still want to serve the community as a whole, meeting the greater needs together.”

Waco is populated by about 138,000 people, a portion of that number being a part of the Baylor community.

“Through COVID-19 I fear that some of the collaboration is going to suffer,” Remson said. “The way a community thrives is through the connections within it, despite the differences in our community. There is always going to be a disparity of wealth, but I feel like before COVID-19 we were really on a track to work together really well. I hope to see organizations and school systems continue to find ways to evolve and address issues such as inequity. I want to see us continue to thrive while taking care of each other.”

Waco has rapidly grown since 2014, despite the economic challenges that have occurred in the last 20 years, such as the financial crisis of 2008.

“There is so much growth that has happened here in terms of new shops and restaurants,” Remson said. “I even have peers that have gotten to put down roots and grow small businesses to help the community. I hope to see Waco continue to grow into the great city I know it can be.”

Emma Ethridge is a Baylor student studying public relations. She is from Austin.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].