2024-2025 Clark Society Scholars

Kassidy Allen

Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Major: Marketing and Entrepreneurship with a Leadership Emphasis

 
Kassidy Allen’s campus and extracurricular involvement includes participating in the Entrepreneurship Club, serving as the vice president of program development in the BNSF Neeley Leadership program and volunteering as a Young Life leader. She also is the founder and CEO/president of her own company, Krescent, which produces allergen-friendly meals for college students. Kassidy’s efforts were recognized by the Texas Business Hall of Fame in June 2024 through its annual statewide awards program. Her servant-minded business venture captured the interest of judges and earned her a $15,000 prize.

Of her future aspirations and the way that her time at TCU has shaped her, Kassidy says, “I plan to utilize the critical thinking, leadership, communication and ethical decision-making skills I developed at TCU to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around me. Whether mentoring youth to reach their potential or utilizing my entrepreneurial spirit to make a difference outside of TCU, I am committed to creating a better world for the next generation. TCU does more than produce engaged students — it shapes global citizens, like me, who are dedicated to human progress through understanding, compassion and collective achievement. I could not be prouder to call TCU my home.”

One of Kassidy’s nominators, Lance Bettencourt, academic director of the BNSF Neeley Leadership Program and professor of professional practice in the Neeley School of Business, says of her: “In class, Kassidy is all you could hope for in a student. Always present. Always focused. Always prepared. Always engaged. She is thoughtful and absolutely makes the classroom learning environment better for everyone. Each cohort in NLP has so many highly capable current and future leaders. Yet, Kassidy still stands out to me in so many ways. She has a caring attitude and positive regard for others that are palpable. When you are in her presence, you are always with someone who seeks to lift you up. You know she has your back. One of the best things I can say about Kassidy is that I trust her immensely. There is no need to worry about her integrity or her motives. She is a woman of extremely high character ... and she lives it.”

 

Jolie Bui

Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Majors: Business Information Systems; Finance

 
Jolie Bui serves as president of the TCU Vietnamese Student Association, as a peer advisor at the TCU Alcon Career Center, as vice president of finance for the TCU International Student Association, and as a Fellow in the Chancellor’s Leadership program. Her other campus involvement includes working as a resident assistant for TCU Housing and Residential Life and as an International Ambassador for the TCU Office of Admission.

“Long-term, I hope to leverage my business education and professional experience to establish a startup focused on improving education and mentorship for youth,” she says. “Having benefited from supportive mentors myself, I’m passionate about creating an organization that helps students explore their true interests and builds a strong foundation as they embark on their careers. My goal is to provide the guidance and resources I wish I had access to earlier. I want to empower students to pursue fulfilling paths aligned with their strengths and what brings them joy, rather than feeling limited by uncertainty or pressure. With the analytical and leadership skills I’ll develop over the next several years, I hope to make this vision a reality and create meaningful impact on future generations.” After graduation, Jolie plans to enter the workforce as a management consultant at Bain & Company and to pursue her MBA after gaining a few years of work experience.

Her nominator, Ethan Smith, a hall director for whom Jolie serves as an RA, shares, “I have seen how Jolie has constantly managed her care/motivation for her RA role, her excellence and rewarding work with her internships, and her dedication in her academics. While I have mostly seen her soft skills at work with residents and staff, she is able to balance this with strong administrative skillsets and an excellent academic rigor. Part of her leadership of her residents has been helping provide guidance to resources, tutoring and teaching. Her greatest exemplified attributes are her kindness, her motivation to serve, [her] adaptability and her resilience.”

 

Audrey Dolt

Hometown: Richardson, Texas
Major: Biology

 
Audrey Dolt serves as the president and vice president of social relations for the TCU Chemistry Club, a teaching assistant in biology and chemistry, an executive board member of Alpha Epsilon Delta (national pre-health honor society) and a co-founder and special events coordinator for LASSO (Leadership and Academics for STEM Students Organization). In addition, she also serves as a volunteer tutor for TCU engineering students and an Academy 4 mentor as well as an undergraduate research assistant in the Stewart Research Lab. She is also a recipient of the Pillar of University Leadership Award for the Class of 2025.

“After graduation, my goal is to turn my passion for helping others into a career by attending medical school. TCU has equipped me well for the next phase of my learning. My liberal arts education improved my critical thinking and communication skills, providing a more global perspective on just about everything. TCU has enabled me to develop as a scientist by providing opportunities for research and allowing me to help other developing scientists by serving as a teaching assistant for two different departments. I’ve also had the opportunity to gain experience and develop as a leader through my extracurricular involvement with TCU organizations and by serving others within the Fort Worth community. I’m grateful for how well my time at TCU has prepared me for my future,” Audrey says.

Heidi Conrad, a chemistry and biology instructor in the College of Science & Engineering, says in her nomination: “Audrey is one of the most giving students I have met. She is also transparent with students, which helps and gives them an avenue of guidance. Audrey is academically advanced, but she works very hard on her studies. She has dysgraphia, a neurological disorder that affects someone’s ability to write, which can make things more difficult in her studies. She doesn’t shy away from this. She openly shares and helps others find ways to work within their abilities; I have referred multiple students to her for advice on how to handle the difficult coursework at TCU, and they’ve been grateful for her guidance. In addition, she has POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. She is very open with other students and many have felt more comfortable about their own medical issues. She is able to help them find resources and navigate TCU procedures and protocols.

 

“I believe Audrey demonstrates what a Clark Society Scholar represents — a strong academic student, a natural born leader, but someone who routinely pulls others up with her, instead of just rising to the top herself.”

 

Lawson Ewing

Hometown: Collierville, Tennessee
Major: Marketing with a Leadership Emphasis | Finance Minor | Sales Certificate | John V. Roach Honors College

 
Lawson Ewing is the president of the BNSF Neeley Leadership Program and the former president of TCU Sigma Nu. He is also the co-founder of RiffRamRead, a program dedicated to promoting literacy, and works as a sales coach. Additionally, Lawson contributes as a Frog Camp facilitator, helping to guide new students through their transition to university life. His commitment to community service is reflected in his volunteer work with the Humane Society of Fort Worth and Once Upon a Room.

Reflecting on the TCU mission statement, Lawson writes, “The TCU mission statement is a constant reminder to be a lifelong learner and to lead in every aspect of your life. It inspires students, like me, with confidence to vocalize and utilize their valuable perspective to positively impact their communities through leadership and experiential engagement. Through such experiences, students are equipped to exercise their values and impact organizations in the workplace, seeking constant growth through feedback, and improve the negativity in the world through the way they interact with peers. With the mission statement’s integrity and inspiration, it is an honor to live my life in service to others as a Horned Frog.”

Nominator, Lance Bettencourt, academic director of the BNSF Neeley Leadership Program and professor of professional practice in the Neeley School of Business, notes Lawson’s willingness to grow and learn from others is something that sets him apart from many. “Perhaps one of Lawson’s greatest strengths is that he is not done growing. He is very self-aware of both his leadership strengths and weaknesses, and is hungry for feedback on ways to improve. His project team peers in my class not only praised him for his diligence and focus on incorporating the views of others, but also for his ability to respond well to feedback of ways to collaborate even better. I have no doubt that Lawson already exemplifies exceptional leadership qualities in many ways. But I am fully confident that he will be an even better leader in the future, one who continues to positively impact the lives of others.”

 

Esra Ghanim

Hometown: Arlington, Texas
Majors: Political Science; Journalism

 
Esra Ghanim, a transfer student and Sumners Foundation Scholar, serves as the Bob Schieffer College of Communication representative in the TCU House of Representatives and the communications chair of the Muslim Student Association. She is also the Political Editor for TCU 360, TCU's student news organization. Additionally, Esra volunteers with the Give A Pencil organization.

“TCU will always be a community that I am tied to because of the shared experiences students, staff and faculty have here, despite our differences,” Esra says. “This is an aspect of my life that I hope to carry with me as I pursue a career in the legal field. At TCU, the sense of community goes beyond the fact that we all attend the same university. Community is a profound sense of belonging where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to engage in meaningful conversations and exchange perspectives. At its core, a thriving community is built upon a foundation of ethics and mutual respect. TCU has taught me the value of community and how a good one can help foster growth within individuals. TCU’s mission statement encourages students to take the values of the TCU community and apply them to the other communities we will find ourselves in across the globe. For this reason, the TCU community will always be with me.”

One of Esra’s nominators, political science instructor Brandy Jolliff Scott, shares, “I have known Esra for the past two years here at TCU and she embodies what it means to lead with compassion, knowledge and wisdom. She enrolled in my introductory International Relations class and thrived in a fast-paced, difficult course. Since then, I have known her in her capacity as a participant in the political science Student Summer Research Program, a highly selective program that awards high-achieving political science majors with the opportunity to conduct faculty-mentored, advanced research projects. Throughout my experiences with her, Esra has demonstrated all the qualities of a Clark Scholar. She is a leader in the classroom, unafraid to voice her opinions or to use her knowledge and wisdom to engage with the course material and other students, and never shies away from helping her peers when they need it.”

 

Joe Laterza

Hometown: Barrington, Illinois
Major: Marketing

 
Joe Laterza is the founder and president of the TCU Scholastic Bowl Club, a member of the TCU Football team, and a guest host for the “Frogs Today” broadcast. A student with a variety of interests, his additional activities include membership in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Coding Club and the Italian Club, as well as the creation of his own food review website. 

Joe says that his time at TCU has helped him channel his natural leadership skills. He wrote, “TCU and all its wonderful faculty and staff have helped empower me to understand HOW and WHY to use my leadership abilities for a purpose. My desired path will lead me to help empower socially and environmentally conscious initiatives in the business world. With the leadership direction and abilities that TCU has given me, I will be able to Lead On throughout my career and make a lasting impact on the world of sustainable business.”

In her nomination of Joe, Virginia Traweek, assistant professor of finance, shares how he is an engaged learner and leader. “His greatest leadership demonstration, in my opinion, is not his athletics or all of his community service. What I think makes him a leader is that he always ‘shows up’ for class. He’s not just physically present. Joe always participates in class, asks good questions and cares about the subject and the material. He helps the other students gain a better understanding of the material because he’s consistently transforming the lecture into a wider discussion.”

 

Megan Lorch

Hometown: Paducah, Kentucky
Majors: Biology; Sociology

 
Megan Lorch is a TCU Scholar and has been on the Dean’s List each semester at TCU. She serves as a resident assistant, dean of students assistant, a sociology peer advisor, and as the vice president of the TCU Sociological Society. She has volunteered with Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, Texas Oncology Cancer Care Services, the TCU Service Dog Organization, and Students for a Dementia Friendly TCU. 

Of how her time at TCU has helped prepare her for the future, Megan writes, “My experiences and education at TCU strengthen my drive to provide for a greater community as a medical doctor. I am passionate about understanding biological systems to reinforce scientific aspects of medicine and also find great interest in understanding sociology, specifically understanding more about aspects of society that affect people most, especially in a health care setting, and about the complexities of the human condition. By enrolling in coursework designed to prepare me for a career in medicine, and working as a clinical assistant and Pre-Medical Academy intern, I am able to recognize the need for continued academic and personal development in my mission of lifelong learning, mentorship and healing of others. I aim to use the skills of ethical leadership and global awareness to provide for underprivileged communities, specifically in rural areas, and continue to enhance my global understanding through partaking in opportunities to further my cultural and global education, such as studying abroad. I find most fulfillment in enacting my education through humanistic-centered medicine and providing comfort, compassion and empathy in my patient care experiences, now and in the future. Being a doctor moves beyond providing remedies to heal; a physician’s care emulates the spirit of servant leadership, cultural humility and preserving human dignity, all of which are skills I refined throughout my time at TCU.”

Carol Y. Thompson, one of Megan’s nominators and professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, writes, “Megan’s intellectual pursuits are not separate from her everyday life. She has a commitment to doing good in the world — perhaps the trait that most defines her sociological nature and desire to practice medicine. She has a deeply instilled care ethic that motivates her to work with people and drives her love for and care of animals. Even as a young girl, Megan felt a call toward social responsibility and living her values holistically. Toward this end, Megan is exceptionally kind and humble in her dealings with others and brings a sensitivity to issues of equity and belonging to the TCU student community. This is evident in her work as a resident assistant, where she provides support and connects students to resources on campus. In this position, she is also a key person entrusted with providing meaningful connection for students in her charge. Megan’s maturity is evident in this and other high-trust positions she has been awarded on campus.”

 

Alexis Peck

Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
Majors: Economics; Political Science | John V. Roach Honors College

 
Alexis Peck is the president of the TCU Economics Club, the lead student assistant in the John V. Roach Honors College, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta’s bylaws committee, and an AddRan Ambassador. She has volunteered with TCU Special Olympics and as a UNLF (Intro to University Life) peer guide, and served as a Rho Gamma (a recruitment counselor who serves the new members of the Panhellenic community.)  

Reflecting on the TCU mission statement and her campus experiences, Alexis writes, “The combination of my in-the-classroom and out-of-the classroom learning experiences has prepared me to continue to follow TCU’s mission statement when I graduate. These experiences have prompted me to pursue a career in public interest law to help people who cannot advocate for themselves. This is because although my story has not been the easiest, I have learned that I am still extremely lucky and blessed for this life that I live and its opportunities. My time at TCU has given me experiences I never could have dreamed of, helped me overcome incredible obstacles, and pointed out a path in life that I want to partake in after learning more about the world around me. No matter what obstacles await me, I will forever be grateful for TCU, and know that I will persevere.”

Ron Pitcock, Wassenich Family Dean of the John V. Roach Honors College, nominated Alexis, writing, “To help pay for her education and supplement the Dean’s scholarship, Alexis works or has worked multiple jobs around campus (including the TCU Post Office) and in Fort Worth (at a local law firm). Alexis never complains; she puts her nose to the grindstone, works hard, and achieves excellence over and over. She is the role model students need, the role model who demonstrates the value of hard work, dedication, reliance and positivity.

 

“Alexis wants to pursue law school after graduation. In whatever she chooses to do, she will excel because she possesses the mature vision needed to formulate meaningful action, the thoughtfulness to connect people strategically, and the calm demeanor needed to solve society’s most complex problems. She is one of TCU’s best, kindest and most deserving.”

 

 

Emma Sullivan

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Major: Biology | John V. Roach Honors College 

 
Emma Sullivan is the president of TCU’s Food Recovery Network, vice president of United Against Inequities in Disease and a team leader in the TCU Aquatic Ecology Lab. Her additional involvement includes serving as a Pre-Health Ambassador and volunteering with the I-HEAL (Improving Health Equity Among Low-Income Adults) research project. 

Of her future plans and how her time at TCU has helped shape them, Emma writes, “After graduating from TCU, I hope to attend medical school and eventually be a practicing physician. In this role, I will have to serve as a leader for the health of my community. The education and experience I have received at TCU will help me practice and provide ethical care. Additionally, TCU has instilled within me the value of acting as a responsible global citizen. After graduation, I hope to continue my volunteer work and forge new relationships, connections and friendships while maintaining the ones I have already made. I am excited for my future and grateful for the way TCU has prepared me to enter the global community as an ethical leader and responsible citizen.”

In nominating Emma for this honor, Matt Chumchal, professor of biology, shares how she has been an indispensable leader in his lab, co-authoring a presentation at an international research conference as well as a forthcoming manuscript. He also discussed her extensive service in a number of clinical and health-related activities, working with individuals facing food insecurity or lacking health care insurance, noting that she has also maintained an outstanding academic record. “She is a model student and an engaged leader with a heart for service. She will represent TCU and the Clark Society very well,” he writes.

Dominic Mendlik

Hometown: Valley, Nebraska
Majors: Economics; Political Science | John V. Roach Honors College

 
Dominic Mendlik is the TCU student body president, a founding member of the AddRan Dean’s Advisory Council, the vice president of scholarship for Phi Gamma Delta’s Tau Chi TCU Chapter, a student committee member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, and a campus ambassador with the Mary Wright Admission Center. He is also a member of the Pre-Law Society and Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish honors society).

Dominic plans to attend law school after graduation and return to his home state of Nebraska to practice law and pursue a future in public service. He notes how TCU and its mission have helped prepare him to pursue this important work: “In politics today, we need more ethical and responsible leaders who understand their global impact. As I hope to be one of those leaders, more reflection and growth will be needed to live the mission more fully. One thing, however, is certain: I am forever indebted to TCU and the mission-driven people here who have helped start me down that path.”

In his nomination of Dominic, Michael Butler, associate professor of economics, lists Dominic’s extensive involvement and impressive academic record while also highlighting his preparedness and engagement in his fall 2024 Intermediate Microeconomics course. “All told, it is difficult for me to imagine any student being more deserving of this scholarship,” Butler writes.

 

Caleb Pryor

Hometown: Cody, Wyoming
Major: Biology | John V. Roach Honors College

 
Caleb Pryor is a TCU Chancellor’s Scholar, the president of TCU Young Life, a research assistant in the Neurobiology of Aging Lab, a peer mentor in the Pre-Health Program, and a teaching assistant in the organic chemistry and biology labs. He has served on the recruitment team and judiciary committee of Beta Theta Pi, as a Chancellor’s Scholar peer mentor and as an executive member of the Bingo in the Park organization.

Caleb plans to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician after graduation. He shares that, in developing into an ethical leader at TCU, he has looked for ways to serve both the campus and the greater community. “Through my experience in TCU’s campus community, I found platforms through Young Life and the College of Science & Engineering to serve others and help shape our campus culture. As I plan my journey beyond TCU, I will use the gift of my education to give back to the global community. Coming from rural Wyoming, TCU presented a larger platform for me to grow into a more compassionate, cognizant and enlightened citizen and as I extend my journey beyond TCU’s campus, I will embrace the University’s mission as I strive to make a difference wherever my journey takes me.”

In his nomination of Caleb, Michael Chumley, professor of immunology, shares that Caleb has stood out in a short time as a research assistant in Chumley’s lab, demonstrating the intelligence, persistence and focus needed for this work. “Caleb is a shining example of the best that TCU has to offer, and is a worthy recipient of the Clark Society Endowed Scholarship,” Chumley writes.