From TCU’s upcoming mural in Sundance Square and Mr. Rogers to the Middle East, TCU is in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
2023 Tarrant County Veterans Day Parade
Oct. 27, 2023
KXAS-TV (Fort Worth, TX)
From the resounding beat of marching bands to the precision of military formations,
this year’s Celebrate Veterans Day parade will showcase Fort Worth and TCU’s patriotism.
“Saluting TCU Warriors” is the theme of the 2023 Tarrant County Veterans Day Parade.
This year marks Texas Christian University’s 150th anniversary. Tarrant County Veterans Council is saluting the university’s
military legacy, its Army, and Air Force ROTC programs, while honoring TCU alumnus
and Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Horace S. Carswell Jr.
TCU Gifts the City A 96-Foot Downtown Mural
Oct. 21, 2023
Fort Worth Magazine
A new mural measuring in at 96 feet in height and 90 feet in width is slated to reside
on the southeast corner of Throckmorton and 5th Street. This new art installation
is being gifted from TCU to the city of Fort Worth to commemorate the two entities historical and integral
relationship. The new art installation being created in the downtown area is being
headed up by Trevor Scott, a 2022 graduate of the graphic design program. The new mural Scott is working on
will showcase TCU campus icons including Frog Fountain and the SuperFrog, along with
the message “Fort Worth, Home of the Horned Frogs.” Other local images include Bass
Performance Hall, the West 7th Street bridge, and the downtown skyline. “As we set
our sights on the next 150 years, it's fitting to celebrate our deep connection with
our city that has done so much for and with TCU,” said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. “We are pleased to leave this tangible mark on downtown Fort Worth, just as Horned
Frogs leave a lasting positive impact in our community.”
University Christian Church celebrates 150 years of ministry affiliated with TCU
Oct. 16, 2023
Fort Worth Report
Congregants, clergy and Fort Worth leaders gathered Oct. 15 in the sanctuary of the
church to celebrate its founding 150 years ago as the place of worship for AddRan
College, now known as TCU. The total in-person attendance for the service was 1,100, with about 160 virtual
viewers. The service included special recognitions from other clergy, as well as TCU
President Daniel Pullin and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.
FACULTY & STAFF
Trust Your Gut: The Profound Implications of the Microbiome for Our Health
Oct. 30, 2023
ajnoffthecharts.com
“I’ve always considered the saying ‘trust your gut’ to be a directive to respond to
one’s innate instincts. However, as a gastroenterology clinical nurse specialist,
I now recognize there can be a literal meaning to that phrase with the recent discovery
of the microbiome and its implications for our health,” wrote Kathy A. Baker, professor of nursing. She shared that the microbiome has yielded significant recent research discoveries for health promotion
and has the potential to radically transform diagnosis and management of disease and
health disorders.
Legacy admissions lose visibility on campus
Oct. 30, 2023
The GW Hatchet
Officials still consider legacy status in admissions, but outreach to prospective
legacy students has lost visibility on campus over the last three years. Heath Einstein, dean of admission, said legacy students may be “more inclined” to attend their parent’s
alma mater because they hear stories about their college experience growing up. He
said indicators of an applicant’s interest in a university help admissions officers
avoid over-enrolling or under-enrolling a class. “When admission folks are trying
to admit or trying to manage the enrollment at their university, a lot of what we’re
doing at a very high level is trying to predict the behavior of 17- and 18-year-olds,
which can be very challenging,” Einstein said.
Mr. Rogers changed his life. Now he's bringing the TV icon to a Fort Worth stage
Oct. 25, 2023
KERA News (Dallas, TX)
Harry Parker, theater professor, is helping bring to the stage a story of friendship between a
writer and the childhood icon Mr. Rogers. “I went back and I read it again and I thought,
‘I think this is a play.’ … That’s what I do for a living is direct plays,” he said.
“I’ve never written a play — never ever. It was a humbling experience for me to find
out how difficult it is to write a play, even one that has great source material and
wonderful story and characters that are already laid out for you.”
ChatGPT is coming to your local government. How will Fort Worth put it to use?
Oct. 25, 2023
Fort Worth Report
Artificial intelligence saw a boom of interest after the introduction of ChatGPT in
November 2022. Employees in the local government are already using the technology,
exploring ways to make their jobs more efficient and how to use it ethically. Michael Sherrod, entrepreneur in residence at the TCU Neeley School of Business, predicts there is going to be a “tsunami of innovation”
at companies and organizations because of generative AI tools. There will also be
misinformation and other dangers. “This is going to create unbelievable confusion,
and you will have to engage your critical thinking skills,” Sherrod said. “Every time
you look at social media, every time you look at news feeds, you’re going to have
to figure out, is this real? What’s the agenda behind it? Who created it?”
Texas schools are suing over A-F ratings. How could the lawsuit shake out?
Oct. 23, 2023
Fort Worth Report
The TEA revised formulas and cutoffs for letter grades as part of an update to the
accountability system for schools as required by state law. A-F ratings were introduced
in 2017, and this year marks the first update. What outcome are school districts hoping
for as a result of the lawsuit? That everything stays how it was, said Jo Beth Jimerson, education professor. “I don’t really think anything changes, because they already
know that the standards are eventually raising,” she said. “So, the schools already
have targets and benchmarks they’ve been trying to reach.”
The Urgent Need For Marketing AI And Automation Education
Oct. 20, 2023
Forbes
AI and automation have left the realm of science fiction to become critical tools
in today's marketing arena. The demand for marketing AI and automation skills is soaring.
“Several universities and colleges, including Texas Christian University where I teach,
now offer marketing AI and automation courses,” says Elijah Clark, marketing instructor. “If you are a student, you may want to consider taking one
of these courses.”
President Biden makes pointed message to American public on Israel and Ukraine
Oct. 19, 2023
KARE-11 (NBC Minneapolis)
President Biden's speech was a plea to the American public to support military aid
to U.S. allies, but Congress and world leaders were also paying close attention. Guy Golan, strategic communication professor, said there is undoubtedly a political component
to Biden's Oval Office address. “By standing as a world leader, supporting Israel,
supporting the fight in Ukraine, President Biden is positioning himself as a world
leader, as a strong leader,” Golan said. “And the second thing he is doing is shifting
the agenda from economics, immigration and crime -- places where his public opinion
approval ratings are much lower -- and repositioning the conversation on international
politics.”
Oil prices rising amid Israel-Hamas conflict, gas prices continue to drop
Oct. 19, 2023
WFAA-TV (Dallas, TX)
Economists predict an increase of 2.6% in the consumer price index, year over year.
One big increase in prices last month was gas prices, which hit their highest point
of the year in September. Prices started to fall, but that could change as the Israel-Hamas
conflict intensifies. “We are as dependent on oil coming from that region, but the
idea is the entire world is dependent on oil, and if there's disruptions anywhere,
then the supply gets cut back, prices go up,” said Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice in the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute.
“That's… the scenario we're in. It is a global marketplace.”
Video Celebrating Ferrari Chancellor’s Award Winner Brad Thompson
Oct. 18, 2023
Sasatimes
Brad Thompson was awarded the Michael R. Ferrari Award for Distinguished University Service and
Leadership while serving as director of Student Activities, as well as project manager
and co-chair, special projects and initiatives, for TCU’s 150th. Thompson was honored
for his outstanding work in developing and promoting recreational and educational
programs for an unparalleled TCU student experience, and has been an integral part
of designing and implementing TCU’s Sesquicentennial celebrations. The Ferrari Award
was established by the TCU Board of Trustees to honor a former chancellor and recognize
outstanding leadership achievement over a career or position of aspiration by a faculty
or staff member. The Ferrari Award carries a $5,000 prize. Thompson is now the executive
director of university events and community projects.
Fort-Worth produced documentary follows TCU students through four years of college
Oct. 17, 2023
Fort Worth Report
At the beginning of the 2019 fall semester, the chancellor’s office commissioned Red
Productions, owned by Red Sanders ’04, to create a documentary focused on freshmen, knowing they would graduate as TCU’s
150th graduating class in 2023. No one knew then what those four years would bring.
A global pandemic and a surprise trip to the college football national championship
were shocks to the TCU community. “We wanted to document that as a snapshot of TCU
during this time for all Horned Frogs to enjoy now and document for future generations,”
said Brad Thompson, then-director of student activities. “It’s really about the students, and what they’re
walking away from.” Red Productions followed class of 2023 students Thien An Nguyen,
Olivia Fannon and John Freeny through their challenges and successes for all four
years of their undergraduate experience. “These students have really showcased the
TCU experience well but also showed the challenges our students face as they grow
and develop,” Thompson said.
ERCOT to hold board meeting about electric grid amid colder temperatures
Oct. 17, 2023
KXAS-TV (Fort Worth, TX)
Today, the agency that manages the state's electric grid is coming together to talk
about it. After a record-breaking summer, there will be much to prepare for ahead
of winter. The ERCOT Board meeting is a sort of a post-mortem of this last summer
which broke 10 records for ERCOT. “We look at the country's reserves of natural gas
that are being stored—just like squirrels putting nuts away for winter,” said Tom Seng, professor of professional practice at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute. “We're stacking
up natural gas in the ground so that we have that for home heating and power generation.”
Seng says the heat has put a delay on crucial maintenance that power plants have needed
after running 24/7 all summer.
US Supreme Court sets early November date to hear Arlington case
Oct. 16, 2023
Fort Worth Report
United States v. Rahimi questions the constitutionality of a federal law prohibiting
the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic violence protective orders.
The Supreme Court will now determine whether the firearm possession ban under a protective
order is a violation of Second Amendment rights — and could strike down the existing
law or keep it in place. Political science professor Rachael Houston expects justices to rule in favor of Rahimi with the 6-3 conservative majority seen
in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, the Second Amendment case
that drove the 5th Circuit’s decision to reverse Rahimi’s conviction. “I think they’re
going to look at the time of the founding, the creation of the Second Amendment in
1791 and the 14th Amendment, as well, in 1868,” she said. “They’ll see if there were
restrictions in place to prohibit people subjected to domestic violence restraining
orders from owning a firearm.”
STUDENTS
‘We are paving the way” — Miss Dallas Latina 2023 talks inspiring change and leading
by Example
Oct. 16, 2023
KDAF-TV (Dallas, TX)
“You’re capable of so much,” Emilee Sanchez said with passion in her voice, as she talked about her journey and what led her
to where she is today. From being an activist in her community to being a student
at TCU where she is part of the Sigma Lambda Alpha Chapter and now, she can place
holding title of Miss Dallas Latina 2023 on her list. “I believe my inspirement at
first came from just coming across this one post on Instagram. That said, do you want
to be the next model? But not just a model, a role model in your community,” she continued.
“I felt like that resonated with me so much given that I am in a Latina-based sorority,
Sigma Lambda Alpha.” Emilee says that seeing the work that her sorority had put in
who represented Fort Worth last year, really inspired her to want to join the pageant.
And, so she did. “Given the fact that I’m also a leader, and I feel like a leader
for my community. Here in Dallas…. it just felt like it was given.”
ALUMNI
How layoff, lifelong dream led this North Texan to buy a trailer business - Dallas
Business Journal
Oct. 29, 2023
Dallas Business Journal
CEO and owner Shane Ehrsam ’09, didn’t have any trailer industry expertise when he purchased North Texas Trailers
LLC in June 2022 — but he realized it would be the perfect way to fulfill a lifelong
dream. Ehrsam, who graduated in with a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurial management
and marketing, said, “With my time horizon, being in my mid-30s, planning to own this
business for many years and buying it from owners that were ready for retirement,
I felt like there's a lot of runway to professionalize and create better internal
processes and structure, both in our services and particularly in our sales. I also
felt like there's room to expand, both in locations and in the way that we go to market.”
Gov. Greg Abbott bestows Yellow Rose of Texas honor to this former local history teacher
Oct. 25, 2023
beneaththesurfacenews.com
Stephenville resident and former seventh grade history teacher Nancy Crouch ’58, has been commissioned as a Yellow Rose of Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott. The award is
an honorary commission that recognizes outstanding Texas women for their significant
contributions to their community and preservation of Texas history. She began her
teaching career in 1960. Following time off to start a family, she began teaching
at Stephenville ISD in 1974. During this time, she received numerous awards in teaching
excellence.
ATHLETICS
Weatherford's Deary becomes NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider
Oct. 27, 2023
Cleburne Times-Review
Fans of reining and members of the National Reining Horse Association alike have seen
NRHA Professional Casey Deary holding a top spot among leaderboards this past year, which led to his latest accomplishment,
becoming an NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider. Deary, of Weatherford, passed this milestone
just over one year after becoming an NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider. Not only does
Deary find himself at the top of his game inside the show pen, but he also found time
outside of the show pen to become the Equestrian Team’s newest assistant coach, showing his commitment to the future of reining.
Jacob climbs the ladder
Oct. 23, 2023
The Edinburgh Reporter
Jacob Fearnley, 22, from Dalkeith, claimed what was undoubtedly the biggest scalp of his fledgling
pro tennis career when he defeated former world No 14 and 2018 Australian Open semi-finalist
Kyle Edmund 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the Edgbaston Priory, Birmingham, $25,000 ITF
tournament. Adding to the feat Jacob had to come through qualifying for the event
and won a total of 11 matches on his way to the title. Later, he made it a double
when he partnered Paisley’s Connor Thomson to win the men’s doubles, the pair having
forged a partnership at tournaments including Wimbledon this year. Jacob, who trained
at the Merchiston Castle tennis academy before heading Stateside, is hoping to carry
his fine form over into a similar tournament in Glasgow’s Scotstoun sports centre
this week.
Despite achieving a historic honor, TCU forward Emanuel Miller is still hungry for
more
Oct. 18, 2023
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
He didn’t know it at the time, but when Emanuel Miller decided to return to TCU, he set in motion him joining an elite club of former Horned
Frogs. Last week, Miller became one of just four TCU players to have been named preseason
All-Big 12 joining former stars like Desmond Bane, Mike Miles Jr. and Vladimir Brodziansky to have earned such an honor. “It means a lot, but it’s also humbling,” Miller said.
“Just knowing the guys that also have been picked as a preseason All-Big 12 player.
It’s a great accomplishment, I’m honored to be recognized for my talent, but I’m more
excited to get things going with my guys.”
Sleepovers, group chats and breaking down the offense: Inside the Chargers' TCU brotherhood
Oct. 16, 2023
ESPN
It was the day before the Chargers' first regular-season practice, and Max Duggan didn't have a place to stay. The rookie seventh-round pick's apartment wouldn't be
ready for him to move in until the following day, so instead of booking a hotel, Duggan
reached out to receiver Derius Davis, the Chargers' fourth-round pick. Duggan and Davis were teammates who played in the
national title game a few months earlier, and Duggan was hoping he could stay with
his friend for the night. It was prescient of what the offseason would become for
Duggan, Davis and receiver Quentin Johnston, the team's first-round pick. The trio spent three seasons together being drafted
by the Chargers in April, marking the first time a team drafted a quarterback and
multiple skill position players from the same school in a single draft. “It don't
usually work out like this, so it was really a blessing,” Johnston told ESPN. “We
came in not really knowing anybody, but we had each other. We already had a tight
bond, we already had chemistry, so it's been big for us.”