From police pursuits to religious traditions and the First Amendment, TCU and its faculty, alumni and students are in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
Burnett Foundation spent $1 billion on Fort Worth. Will next generation of philanthropists
step up?
Jan. 28, 2024
Fort Worth Report
When Fort Worth’s population was no more than 400,000, Anne Marion was about to receive
so much money that, at first, she didn’t know what to do with it. Marion inherited
in 1980 the Burnett family ranching estate from her mother, Anne Valliant Burnett
Tandy, who received an estate valued at over $28.4 million from her husband, Charles
David Tandy, in 1978. With both estates, Marion helped found the Anne Burnett and
Charles D. Tandy Foundation, known today as The Burnett Foundation. Today, throughout
Fort Worth, the Burnett-Tandy-Marion name is seemingly everywhere. This year, a new
building will sprout bearing the family name. The Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU is set for completion in 2024.
Robert Sturns, Director of Economic Development, City of Fort Worth
Jan. 26, 2024
Capital Analytics
Several exciting business initiatives are taking off in the city of Fort Worth, including
a new $80 million distribution facility, and projects promising hundreds of new jobs
in the aerospace sector. Robert Sturns ’97 MBA, director of economic development in the city of Fort Worth, said the secret sauce
is a great team working together to push things forward. “We have a great business-friendly
environment. Our mayor and council are aggressive in working to get deals moving.
We have a great team that is passionate about the work that they do, and we have great
partnerships with our real estate community. I think all those things come together
and are underpinned by the hard work of the team. That’s our secret sauce, to make
sure the region has the right workforce to keep pace with all that growth,” Sturns
said, “We work very closely with the Neeley School of Business on developing some of those pipelines to ensure that students graduate with the right
skills, want to stay in the area and have the right job opportunities.”
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Land Man’ to cast Fort Worth, TCU track athletes as background
actors
Jan. 22, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Taylor Sheridan’s latest production, “Land Man,” is looking for students to cast for
an on-campus scene being filmed in February. Local agency Legacy Casting announced
this week that “Land Man” is filming a track and field scene on the TCU campus Feb.
15. Legacy is looking to cast both TCU alumni and current students as background actors
when the show stops by Fort Worth. Show producers are opening the set to allow students
to shadow crew members as production rolls on campus.
Reel Religion: Fort Worth Christian churches, TCU celebrate film festival’s 20th year
Jan. 23, 2024
Fort Worth Report
The Reel Religion Film Festival is a two-day event co-sponsored by University Christian
Church, Broadway Baptist Church and TCU’s Extended Education. The late Kenneth Lawrence, who was a former chairman of TCU’s religion department
and professor emeritus of the university, used “Star Wars” films in his class to help
make connections to film and faith, said his wife, Carol Jane. Kenneth and Carol Jane
teamed up with others to create the first iteration of the festival in 2004 with 12
films. Two decades later, the festival has grown to include 17 films and four short
films — 21 films total. Carol Jane continues working to help put the festival in honor
of her husband, who passed away two years after the initiative started.
Texas Christian University dining team celebrates Dry Jan. with mocktail event
Jan. 3, 2024
FoodService Director
Students were treated to an immune-boosting mocktail event earlier this month. The
event was part of the school’s Healthy Frogs program and was led by Maddie Jacobs, campus dietician, and Connor Green, executive chef, inside the dining hall. Coinciding with Dry January, students could
try a variety of alcohol-free mixed drinks, including the Blueberry-Infused Nojito,
Cranberry Moscow Mock-mule, Espresso Martinot and Sparkling Grape Faux-mosa. Each
mocktail was made with immune-boosting ingredients.
Texas Christian University's Healthy Frogs program is meeting students where they
are
Jan. 3, 2024
FoodService Director
A student survey from last semester revealed that students have noted a significant
increase in satisfaction with dining options, education about nutrition and feeling
like they have access to healthy food on campus. How did the dining team do it? The
team cultivated a focus on nutrition education through its revamped Healthy Frogs
program. “When I stepped into this role, my main goal was that I wanted to utilize
campus partnerships and especially student involvement to make sure that this was
a truly student-led program that was made by the students for the students and would
help to benefit students in every area of wellness,” said Maddie Jacobs, campus dietitian at TCU. Jacobs was able to accomplish this goal by connecting with
various campus partners such as its mental health and campus recreation centers. “Getting
all these connections made sure that we were able to meet students where they were
in every area of wellness, and really make it a more comprehensive program than it’s
ever been,” said Jacobs.
FACULTY
Should Fort Worth police have pursued drive in West 7th chase? What the experts say
Jan. 30, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fort Worth Police Department’s internal affairs division may have to investigate
whether officers followed the department’s pursuit policy after a high-speed chase
ended with two pedestrians suffering serious injuries, according to law enforcement
policy experts. The officer’s decision to go against traffic was likely in line with
the department’s pursuit policy, according to Johnny Nhan, graduate program director and professor of criminology and criminal justice. Nhan
is also a reserve Fort Worth police officer and patrols about once a week. “Generally
speaking, if they’re just kind of following the person, they could probably follow
behind them,” he said in a phone interview. “Considering the totality of the circumstances,
I don’t see that as something that somebody would get in trouble for.” The pursuing
officer has lots of room to make decisions based on his or her analysis of the situation,
he said. “Once the lights and sirens are on, there’s a lot more leeway in how an officer
can drive.”
TCU coach Sonny Dykes steps up to champion reading in Fort Worth classrooms
Jan. 30, 2024
KXAS-TV (Fort Worth, TX)
Head football coach Sonny Dykes picked up a side hustle in the off season. He’s the chair of the 2024 NCAA Readers
Become Leaders program hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “I get to come
to some elementary schools and try to encourage young people to get involved in reading
and just to make sure they understand how important it is and what a difference it’s
going to make in their lives,” Dykes said. More than 37,000 students at 83 Fort Worth
ISD elementary schools will take part this year, making it the largest community outreach
program in NCAA history. “I think the biggest thing when you’re young is to find that
love for reading, you know, find the sweet spot and read things that you really enjoy
reading. And then, as you get older, you really read to learn instead of learning
to read,” Dykes said. “That’s what I would tell these young people is find things
that they can connect with and they identify with. Read as much as you can and then
you get to see things from a different perspective and learn about that as well.”
New Peer-Reviewed Journal on Literacy, 'The Sandbox,' Launched by U of A's Brown Chair
Jan. 29, 2024
University of Arkansas (News)
The Community Literacies Collaboratory, the signature program of the university’s
Brown Chair in English Literacy, today launches the publication of its new scholarly
peer-reviewed digital journal, The Sandbox: Short Papers, Big Ideas on Literacies and Learning. The journal will be published three times a year — in winter, summer and fall —
in both digital and print formats. The inaugural issue features four original essays
by literacy, rhetoric and composition scholars, including one by award-winning community
literacies scholar and longtime educator Carmen Kynard, professor and Lillian Radford Chair of Rhetoric and Composition, and a member of
the CLC's Advisory Board. Kynard's contribution was initially published on her popular
blog, Education, Liberation & Black Radical Traditions for the 21st Century.
Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth welcomes its first consecrated virgin in the faith
community
Jan. 27, 2024
Fort Worth Report
A local resident made history in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth by becoming its
first consecrated virgin. Although having a consecrated virgin is new to the Catholic
Diocese of Fort Worth, the form of religious life dates back to the early centuries
of the world, said Erik Estrada, assistant professor of religion. “In especially the third century in the West, you
find mentions of people who had consecrated or dedicated their lives to a celibate
lifestyle,” Estrada said. “They didn’t marry, they didn’t engage in any form of sexual
activity, but they used their time, instead, to engage in spiritual activities,” Estrada
said. “Within the ecclesial realm and the fullest spiritual sense, virginity is devotion
to God and commitment to God.”
The Judges Who Ruled Against La Gordiloca Are Criminalizing Watchdog Journalism
Jan. 24, 2024
The Texas Observer
In a blow to First Amendment advocates, a majority of the judges on the U.S. Fifth
Circuit Court of Appeals decided not just to throw out a lawsuit by the Laredo citizen
journalist and provocateur who goes by the name La Gordiloca, but to endorse an expansive
view of government power that permits police to arrest reporters for seeking basic
information through backchannels. “Any law enforcement agency basically has a green
light right now to go out and arrest and threaten or detain journalists who publish
documents that are leaked from the government,” said Daxton “Chip” Stewart, professor and assistant provost for research compliance journalism, in an interview
about the ruling. “And … if that journalist spends a night in jail, they don’t have
a remedy and can’t sue for a civil rights violation.”
Hall of Fame awards dinner slated
Jan. 19, 2024
The Sand Mountain Reporter
The Albertville High School Alumni Hall of Fame will honor four new inductees and
their contributions in the fields of social work, civil service, education and health
care, including Gene Allen Smith, author, history professor and director of the Center for Texas Studies at TCU.
STUDENTS
A documentary produced by a TCU student showcases a North Texas nonprofit dedicated
to assisting individuals with intellectual differences
Jan. 30, 2024
The Jago Times
Students enrolled in a documentary production class in the Department of Film, Television,
and Digital Media were tasked with creating a narrative about a nonprofit organization,
and subject became Austin Underwood, an individual living with Down syndrome. “Underdawg”
premiered at TCU and will subsequently be featured in the local film festival circuit
before becoming publicly accessible. Brie Elecktra, the film director and a TCU student, said, “I believe people will be surprised to
witness how adaptable anyone can be if you meet them where they are.”
'All hail queen Camille' who will stand beside Drew Brees at the 2024 Washington Mardi
Gras
Jan. 24, 2024
The Advocate
Camille Elizabeth Morrison, a sophomore finance and management major, is the queen of this year’s Washington
Mardi Gras. Washington Mardi Gras is an annual event where Louisiana lawmakers, lobbyists
and business executives, friends and families meet in the nation’s capital for intense
Mardi Gras celebrations, balls and more parties than any one person can attend. “Finding
out I was this year’s queen was not something I ever expected. My family did a good
job of keeping it a secret from me and surprised me on Good Friday by handing me a
cookie cake with “All hail queen Camille” on it in front of my entire extended family,”
said Morrison.
Al Moro: Texas Christian University's Annual Pop-Up Pasta Delight
Jan. 18, 2024
Patch
TCU’s Dining’s annual pop-up restaurant is Al Moro – “to the toad.” Dining Services
collaborated closely with the Student Government Association Dining Committee to determine
the concept for this year’s pop-up restaurant. A brief survey was conducted to gauge
student preferences, and pasta emerged as the clear winner, securing over 3% more
votes than the other contenders. Irene Nacif, a graphic design/design studies and marketing major, took the reins of designing
the visual identity for Al Moro. As the graphic design intern for the project, Nacif
curated all the designs, giving life to the chosen pasta concept.
ALUMNI
Boyd named director of community impact at North Texas Community Foundation
Jan. 31, 2024
Fort Worth Report
North Texas Community Foundation welcomes Whitnee Boyd Ed.D. ’17, as the director of community impact. In her role, Boyd will oversee the direction
and implementation of the foundation’s grant cycles to create positive outcomes for
North Texas. “Working alongside the community is where I find joy and purpose. I see
this role as an opportunity to continue this important work of driving transformative
impact. I look forward to working collaboratively with the team at the North Texas
Community Foundation and our partners to make a lasting impact on the communities
we serve.”
TCU alum, Emmy award-winning editor of ‘The Last of Us’ visits campus
Jan. 28, 2024
Fort Worth Report
Emily Mendez ’13 brought home the Emmy for her work as an editor on “The Last of Us” and recently
shared her success story with current Horned Frogs. The video game that the HBO series
is based on was first released in 2013, the same year that Mendez graduated from the
film, television and digital media department at TCU. Mendez knew early on that she
wanted to pursue editing as a career, but as a player of the video game she would
have never predicted that someday she’d work on a series based on its storyline. “I
felt like I already knew the characters because of the game, and that was helpful
for me,” she told a room full of students gathered on the TCU campus.
TCU Alum Among Founders of National Chamber Music Collective
Jan. 22, 2024
FW Inc.
Founded by four core members who met at a summer music program in Taos, New Mexico,
more than nine years ago, ensemble132 includes Sahun Sam Hong ’11 on piano. The name might ring a bell because he was only 16 years old when he graduated
magna cum laude with a double major in math and piano performance from TCU. Born in
South Korea in 1994, his family moved to Fort Worth in 2002 from Orlando so his father
could continue his schooling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. John Owings, a pianist teaching at TCU, became Hong’s teacher. Owings retired in August after
33 years with TCU’s School of Music. He received the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished
Creative Activity in 1993 for his performances of the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas.
Since graduating, Hong has been busy living his dream playing live music with trusted
friends/musicians who share the same artistic vision. “We started playing as a trio
in 2015, which lasted about four years,” Hong says. “But in 2019, we decided to do
a new kind of project.”
TCU standout on PGA Tour uses daughter’s story to help others facing rare genetic
condition
Jan. 24, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Like any competitor, Hayden Springer ’19 dreams of success as he embarks on the Professional Golf Association Tour. However,
he would give it all up if his young daughter Sage could have survived the genetic
condition trisomy 18. Sage died in November. Hayden and his wife Emma of Trophy Club
are now helping other families facing the challenge of trisomy conditions through
their nonprofit organization Extra to Love, based out of Justin. Hayden was a standout
golfer at TCU from 2017 to 2019 and won the Big 12 Conference championship in 2019.
“Having a daughter with this diagnosis and walking this journey with her gave me a
lot of perspective. Golf is important, and I care a lot about it, but at the end of
the day, I know that my family and my faith are what really matters,” Hayden said.
Ritter Communications Promotes Heath Simpson to CEO
Jan. 22, 2024
Arkansas Business
Heath Simpson ’95 (MBA ’01) was promoted to chief executive officer at Ritter Communications of Jonesboro. He
joined the communications company as chief financial officer in 2020. “I am humbled
by the opportunity to transition into the CEO role, and I am eager to leverage my
skills and dedication for the collective success of Ritter Communications,” Simpson
said.
Governor Stitt Taps Allie Friesen as Mental Health Commissioner
Jan. 22, 2024
oklahoma.gov
Today, Governor Kevin Stitt announced Allie Friesen ’11, as the new commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Services. Friesen has worked as the director of Clinical Programs in Behavioral
Health at INTEGRIS since 2020, developing effective and evidence-based practices across
their healthcare system. “The incidence of mental health disorders across our nation
and across our great state continues to climb,” Friesen said. “There is outstanding
work taking place across Oklahoma to address the existing crisis, and to prevent potential
suffering for generations to come. I am passionate about transforming systems of care
to optimize access to high quality services and it is time for solutions to be accelerated.”
Made in Tarrant: Nurse practitioner focuses on ‘treating the root’ to help clients
live healthily
Jan. 20, 2024
FortWorth Report
Julie Kennedy MBA ’03 (DNP ’22) is the owner and founder of Seed Wellness Co. Launched in 2023, her business offers
individual health coaching, functional medicine and nurse practitioner services. When
she was 19, she was diagnosed with discoid lupus, which is an autoimmune issue, while
in undergraduate nursing school. “I started taking medication and I got really sick
— I started to lose my hair and I was dizzy all the time,” Kennedy said. “When I was
at the doctor’s office, I thought to myself: ‘This can’t be my life. I am 19. Where
is this going to go from here?’ That’s when I started researching and integrating
functional approaches to my health.”
Unspoken language: Baile folklórico keeps culture alive
Jan. 19, 2024
The Shorthorn
Behind bright dresses that flow through the air and heels that ring through the crowd
are various generations sharing their culture and traditions through dance. Baile
folklórico is a traditional Mexican dance that can be traced back to the Aztecs. For
Anastasia Flores ’21 director of Anastasia Flores Dance Co., keeping the tradition alive helps her dancers
understand who they are and where they came from. “Everybody has their own specific
culture, the way they wear their costumes, their hair, their makeup, everything,”
Flores said. “But then when it comes back down to it, everybody’s able to communicate
through dance together. It’s just so beautiful.”