Breaking Ball

Focused on service, Brady Probasco veers off the predictable collegiate path

By Justin Walker

At the intersection of analytical thinking and possessing a servant’s heart, you will find Brady Probasco. The Plano, Texas, native enjoys analyzing a situation and solving problems but he also knows the joy of serving others when called upon.

In the spring of 2016, Probasco was preparing to graduate from Plano East High School, but unlike his friends, he did not plan to return to the classroom in the fall. Well, not in the fashion he was used to, that is.

“I did not want to go to college immediately,” Probasco said. “I felt like there were better ways for me to grow—a calling from God to take a year and do something bigger than myself.”

Brady Probasco, BBA ’21
Supply Chain Management/Management Information Systems
Plano, Texas

God’s calling led Probasco to Tees Valley Youth for Christ, an organization based in Northern England promoting youth activity in churches and community projects. Probasco volunteered as an assistant teacher, which consisted of many different roles. Tuesday through Thursday, he worked one-on-one with underperforming students. Wednesday and Friday nights—as well as all day Sunday—Probasco served with various youth groups ranging from sporty, well-groomed lads to the rough-around-the-edges crowd. Mondays were spent with the other volunteers training and going over the previous week in preparation to do it all again the next week.

Probasco worked roughly 40 to 45 hours each week with Tees Valley, not including any outside work he volunteered for. It was a jam-packed schedule, he said, but it was a valuable experience. He was able to serve others in a way he never thought possible while gaining a set of skills he did not possess prior to his trip across the pond.

“There were a lot of soft skills that I did not have before I arrived in England,” Probasco said. “Project management skills, the ability to control a room, being able to convince and persuade people—these are skill sets that grew within me.”

After his year with Tees Valley wrapped, Probasco was ready for the college experience. He had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to study, so it came down to where would be the best place to learn it.

Growing up, Probasco was always analytical in thinking. A self-described “big-picture guy,” he recognized how this mindset was helpful in supply chain management. With that in mind, Probasco began his search. It was limited—maybe five or six schools caught his attention—but it was really down to the University of Arkansas and Baylor University. Upon visiting campus, he knew where he would spend the next four years.

“Baylor gave me the best opportunity,” Probasco said. “That was the one thing I was sure about. The Supply Chain Management major presents a wide range of options upon graduation and that was important to me.”

Now in his senior year at Baylor, Probasco is starting to see how he is using the skills he attained in England throughout his journey in Waco. It is not just happening in the classroom but within the organizations he joined as well. He served as president of Baylor’s club baseball team as a sophomore and junior and now serves as senior officer to the team. When he is not on the diamond, he is running meetings as president of the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP).

Probasco’s involvement with AITP stems from his second major, Management Information Systems (MIS). He believes MIS and his supply chain curriculum are a perfect combination, setting him up to even more opportunities after graduating. It is the perfect one-two punch, he said.

As career opportunities begin to open up for Probasco, he is beginning to reflect on the lessons learned and the connections made while at Baylor.

“The true value is in the connection—with the professors and their knowledge, as well as the networking opportunities,” Probasco said. “I think college as a whole is a place to grow in maturity and network. It is possible to learn these skills elsewhere, but if you can get close to these people, that is where the ultimate value is.”