Coach Tim Byers to give “Last Lecture” on Oct. 5

Tim Byers, director of cross country and track and field at Baker University, will deliver a Last Lecture, “Sometimes You Have to Leave to be Home,” at 9 p.m., Oct. 5, 2020, at Rice Auditorium. Capacity in Rice Auditorium is limited to 70.  Masks are required. The event will also be livestreamed via Zoom at https://bakeru.zoom.us/j/98855012607.

Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Byers graduated from Lawrence High School in 1986. He earned an associate degree from Johnson County Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from Park College (now Park University). He earned a  master’s in human performance and biomechanics from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

A coach for 24 years, Byers served as the head track and field coach at Simpson College in Iowa and at Ottawa University in Kansas before joining the staff at Baker in 2014 as an assistant coach for track and cross country. He later became the director of both programs and the head cross country coach. In addition to coaching, he teaches physical education courses. Byers is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in Operation Desert Storm.

Byers hopes students come away from his lecture ready to take on new opportunities.

“If you don’t take the chance, someone else will,” Byers said. “If there’s something out there telling you ‘you should do this,’ take that chance. Move where you need to in order to take those opportunities. To make it back home, I suggest you take those chances.”

The Last Lecture is free and open to the public as part of a series hosted by Baker’s Student Activities Council.

The safety of our attendees is our top priority. Capacity of Rice Auditorium is limited to 70 audience members. Seats are sanitized before attendees enter and after they depart. Entrance spots are marked on the ground 6 feet apart, and doors are always open for air circulation. Mask are required.