From the growth and impact of the TCU campus to multiple Harris College faculty sharing their research on the national airwaves, TCU and its faculty, alumni and students are in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
Aug. 29, 2024
Fort Worth Inc.
TCU鈥檚 new 20,000-square-foot football facility, scheduled to open in July, has a name.
The Harrison Family Football Performance Center is being named in honor of Mike and Brenda Harrison of Midland, according to a press
release. 鈥淲e are proud to support the health and wellness of our TCU student-athletes,鈥
Brenda and Mike Harrison 鈥64, said in a joint statement. 鈥淭his capital project will empower them to excel at the
highest levels of competition within the Big 12 Conference and beyond. The cutting-edge
facilities ensure that TCU athletics remains a leader in collegiate sports on a national
scale.鈥 The Harrisons鈥 ties to TCU date to 1932, when Mike鈥檚 father W.O. Harrison graduated with the first of three degrees. Nine other relatives, including two of
his and Brenda鈥檚 four children, Michael Harrison Jr. 鈥91 and Christina Pittman 鈥94, are also Horned Frogs.
Aug. 27, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Football coach Sonny Dykes and his wife Kate are making a major financial investment into TCU athletics. The
Dykes family donated $1 million to the program, which will be split between honoring
former TCU offensive lineman Jamal Powell with his name on the weight room in the new Harrison Family Football Performance
Center as well as recognizing Shirley Enis, late wife of TCU Trustee Hunter Enis 鈥59, with an endowment in her name to support women鈥檚 athletics at TCU. 鈥淪hirley has
made a huge impact on us. She went out of her way to be so kind to Kate and I when
we came over here to TCU. There鈥檚 nobody that鈥檚 given TCU more than Hunter Enis and
his family,鈥 Dykes said. 鈥淲e wanted to do something for women鈥檚 athletics, with the
changing world today it鈥檚 going to be important for all of us to recognize if we want
to keep the current model to provide scholarships and opportunity for women, we鈥檙e
going to have to fundraise, and we felt strongly about preserving and enhancing women鈥檚
programs.鈥
Aug. 25, 2024
Fort Worth Report
Dick Lowe and his partner, Hunter Enis, were both former football players who had landed in the energy business and searched
all over the world for oil and gas. Enis, a former Horned Frogs quarterback and one
of the partners at Four Sevens, said the company鈥檚 ties to TCU and football in particular,
were key to securing the leases. The football players and athletes they hired had
a good work ethic and knew how to work together, Enis told the 2024 Global Energy
Symposium at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute. 鈥淭he collateral benefit of us drilling wells was a lot of employment. If you do
it right or make a lot of money, you give people a lot of jobs.鈥 The combination of
sports, engineering and being unafraid of drilling in an urban environment worked
well for Four Sevens. It also worked well for TCU. The school created an energy institute
in 2007 in response to the drilling.
Aug. 22, 2024
Dallas Innovates
TCU鈥檚 future campus master plan aims to propel the university鈥檚 Fort Worth campus
into its next phase of strategic growth. And some of that growth is on track for completion
in January. 鈥淔ollowing a year of celebrating TCU鈥檚 Sesquicentennial and our storied
history, we鈥檙e excited that the campus community is engaged in our future and positioning
TCU for the next 150 years,鈥 Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., said in a statement last month. 鈥淧lanning for our campus is critically important
as we also continue our collaborative strategic planning process. Together, these
two efforts will ensure that TCU is ready to achieve our mission and purpose on an
even larger scale.鈥
Aug. 22, 2024
CBSNews.com
School鈥檚 in session for TCU and its new plan to keep up with record enrollment. Thousands of students started
a new semester with a front-row seat to campus expansion. University President Daniel Pullin says this construction is a preview of what鈥檚 to come over the next decade. To keep
up with demand, TCU plans to double the current campus square footage. 鈥淲e think it
will be a catalyst for the community from an economic development perspective,鈥 said
Pullin.
Aug. 22, 2024
Food Service Director
TCU鈥檚 Healthy Frogs program offers students a well-rounded, holistic approach to health
and wellness. Since the program鈥檚 launch in 2020, it has grown to include several
events throughout the year that provide nutrition education and other resources to
help students lead their healthiest lives. 鈥淲hen I took over the program, my mission
was always that I wanted to provide students with the knowledge, skills and resources
to lead their healthiest lives,鈥 said campus dietitian and head of the Healthy Frogs program, Maddie Jacobs. 鈥淲hat that looks like with my events is that each event is tailored to one or more
of those three areas.鈥
Aug. 19, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Campus was bustling the first day of class. Construction on South University Drive
had finished just hours earlier, opening for students to use the new crosswalks. Elsewhere,
crews were continuing to work on new buildings and other major improvements. But that鈥檚
just the start of what TCU leaders are envisioning for their fast-growing campus.
The Star-Telegram toured TCU with President Daniel W. Pullin to learn more about the projects. The university also released extensive details
of its campus master plan for the first time. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working very hard to create an
environment where students can live, learn, work and play, all without having to leave
the ecosystem of TCU,鈥 Pullin said. If the entire master plan is built out, it would
add 25 new buildings, including academic spaces, dormitories, parking garages and
sports facilities.
Aug. 19, 2024
NBCDFW.com
President Daniel Pullin was pulling double duty as the Class of 2028 moved onto campus. He braved the August
heat to help some of the first-year students unload and get settled into their new
home away from home. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great for me to get a sense for the nature and quality
of our students, the ambitions of this class, what they鈥檙e thinking about, how I can
help them,鈥 he told NBC 5. 鈥淚t鈥檚 energizing to me because they鈥檙e coming into a big
new chapter in their life.鈥 Early numbers from the university show in the 2023 fiscal
year, TCU generated more than $2 billion nationally through job creation, spending
and tax benefits. More than half, $1.3 billion, benefited its hometown. TCU will release
more details from the 85-page report later this month, but Pullin said the early numbers
from consulting firm Tripp Umbach showed TCU is a partner in everyone鈥檚 success.
Aug. 15, 2024
mykukan.com
Moving to Fort Worth, Texas, is an exciting adventure filled with opportunities and
discoveries. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Fort Worth boasts a
rich history, a vibrant cultural scene and a welcoming community. Fort Worth offers
a wide array of educational opportunities that reflect the city鈥檚 commitment to academic
excellence. Higher education in Fort Worth is equally impressive, with institutions
like TCU leading the way. The TCU College of Education has been recognized for its contributions to the field, with initiatives like the
Excellence in Education Awards, celebrating outstanding educators and leaders. These
programs underscore the city鈥檚 dedication to fostering educational leadership and
excellence at all levels.
FACULTY
Aug. 31, 2024
Newsbreak.com
The ability to breathe properly is essential for everyone but is especially critical
for people with asthma. An asthma attack can be a life-threatening situation, and
asthma also puts you at a greater risk for other serious conditions. That鈥檚 why people
with asthma need to be alert when it comes to breathing-related symptoms and take
quick action if they experience any issues that may be cause for concern. 鈥淚f someone
is so short of breath that they can鈥檛 speak or walk even a few steps, they need to
call 911 immediately, no matter the ultimate cause,鈥 said Dr. Steven Davis, associate professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.
Aug. 30, 2024
The Academic Minute
Joshua Carr is an assistant professor and previous director of TCU鈥檚 Neuromuscular Physiology
Laboratory. 鈥淓xercise is critical for health and wellness. To this end, there is evidence
that exercise is medicine. But one size doesn鈥檛 fit all when it comes to the 鈥榚xercise
prescription,鈥 especially for men and women. New research reveals striking differences
in how the genders respond to resistance training. In a recent study, men and women
with resistance training experience performed four sets of bicep curls to failure
using a moderate weight,鈥 said Carr. 鈥淓vidence suggests that physiological sex differences
in muscle fatigue and endurance should be considered when designing resistance training
programs. Women may be able to grind longer on exercises like bicep curls before reaching
a failure point.鈥
Aug. 30, 2024
Wallethub
The best personal loans you can get with an individual taxpayer identification number
(ITIN) have attractive features like low interest rates, no fees, lots of funding
and long payoff periods. These loans are helpful to U.S. residents who do not have
a Social Security number, as they can use an ITIN to apply instead. Patrick L. Hopkins, assistant professor of accounting at the TCU Neeley School of Business, said, 鈥淲hen
obtaining a personal loan with an ITIN (or even a SSN), be sure to explore multiple
loan options and any associated terms. Loan options may include a bank, loan company
or private lender (friend or family member). Terms to pay close attention to include
associated fees, interest rates and repayment schedules. Fees and interest can add
up quickly, possibly resulting in paying more than double the original borrowed amount.
So, shop around before committing to a lender!鈥
Aug. 29, 2024
The Academic Minute
Sex trafficking survivors face a long and complex recovery. Mary Twis, master of social work program director and associate professor, determines what
brings about best outcomes. 鈥淢y research, alongside colleague insights, delves into
the nuanced challenges faced by sex trafficking survivors,鈥 Twis said. 鈥淚n our study,
鈥楧efiance and Strength,鈥 a colleague and I interviewed seven women who had successfully
survived trafficking and now work as advocates, helping others exit trafficking. Their
experiences reveal crucial insights into the barriers to permanent exit and the strategies
that can facilitate recovery."
Aug. 28, 2024
Huffington Post
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when you get bit by a
mosquito, the bug injects saliva into your body via its proboscis, the little needle-like
body part that sucks up your blood. The toxins in that saliva are thought to be what
makes their bites feel warm and itchy. It can be tempting to scratch mosquito bites
given how incredibly itchy they can get, but you really want to avoid doing so. 鈥淪cratching
can send mild pain signals to the brain, which can release serotonin and increase
the sensation of itching,鈥 said Pamela Frable, associate professor at the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences.
Aug. 28, 2024
Academic Minute
Social media and smartphones can harm body image, but A.I. could help. Robyn Trocchio, associate professor of kinesiology and the director of the sport and exercise psychology
lab, explains how. 鈥淲hen you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? Body image
refers to how you see, think and feel about your own body. Body image dissatisfaction
is when you have a negative view of your body, which affects millions of people,鈥
said Trocchio. 鈥淭his happens when there鈥檚 a difference between how individuals perceive
their bodies and their ideal body image. This dissatisfaction is linked to negative
self-worth, depression and eating disorders. Traditional methods to measure body image
are primarily reliant on questionnaires, but they have limitations.鈥
Aug. 27, 2024
Newsbreak.com
Snacking can be good for your heart. Even cardiologists snack throughout the day鈥攊f
they have time, that is. Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, a cardiologist and the chair of internal medicine at Burnett School of Medicine,
says that he integrates snacking into his days as part of following a heart-healthy
diet. 鈥淸I eat] smaller, traditional-timed meals, like breakfast, lunch and dinner
with controlled portion sizes, as well as frequent snacks in between meals,鈥 he said.
When it comes to his between-meal snacks, Sathyamoorthy says he prioritizes nuts and
healthy grains (like whole-grain bread or whole-grain crackers).
Aug. 27, 2024
Academic Minute
How do we empower Hispanic agricultural workers to get the health care they need?
Carol Howe, Paula R. and Ronald C. Parker Endowed Professor of Nursing and director of nursing
research and scholarship, delves into this. 鈥淗ispanics have the highest rate of diabetes
compared to non-Hispanic Blacks, Asians and whites. Hispanic agricultural workers
face systemic health barriers, economic challenges and lack of follow-up care, which
complicate diabetes self-management,鈥 Howe said. 鈥淣early 40% of agricultural workers
are unaware of their diabetes and often have limited access to health care services.
Barriers include cost, language challenges, lack of health insurance, migratory lifestyles
and fear of law and immigration enforcement."
Aug. 26, 2024
The Academic Minute
Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may have a different relationship to language
than other children. Emily Lund, associate professor at the Davies School of Communication Sciences & Disorders,
examines how to help bridge the gap. 鈥淥ur findings suggest that children who are learning
spoken language through a hearing aid or cochlear implant may struggle to recognize
the semantic relationships between words,鈥 said Lund. 鈥淭his insight contributes to
our understanding of additional speech and language therapy needs for children with
cochlear implants and hearing aids: providing access to sound is a necessary first
but not sufficient step for learning spoken language on the same trajectory as children
with typical hearing.鈥
Aug. 23, 2024
Oil & Gas Journal
鈥淎 downwardly revised jobs report kept last week鈥檚 bearish market going into this
week until Friday,鈥 said Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute.
鈥淗owever, oil prices rebounded on technical buying and rate cut optimism after hitting
lows not seen since January. The continuing concerns over lessening demand and ceasefire
talks overshadowed a large, unexpected draw in inventories. The U.S. remains well
ahead of the five-year average for total natural gas in storage and continuing injections
are expected until widespread cold weather sets in in late fall. In the near term,
temperatures remain seasonal and above normal in some areas. However, a shift to cooler
temperatures is expected the first week in September.鈥
Aug. 23, 2024
Forbes
The average borrowing cost of $32,000 for a bachelor鈥檚 degree is a significant issue
impacting millions of Americans. As talk of a potential Harris-Walz administration
gains traction, the question arises: What would their approach to student loans look
like if they win the White House? While predicting exact policies is impossible, political
analysts and experts can make educated guesses by looking at how the Biden-Harris
administration has dealt with student loans and the broader Democratic stance on higher
education and debt relief. 鈥淲hat Harris will do with student loans is pretty straightforward,鈥
says Keith Gaddie, Hoffman Chair of the American Ideal and political science professor. 鈥淚f you look
at the Biden Administration鈥檚 consistent efforts to delay or forgive student debts,
you can expect a Harris administration to continue that approach.鈥
Aug. 23, 2024
NBCDFW.com
Recently, Canada鈥檚 two biggest railroads locked out more than 9,000 workers, causing
their rail networks to shut down for the first time ever and ushering in potentially
鈥渄evastating鈥 consequences for both the Canadian and American economies. Canadian
National Railway, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference
union 鈥 which represents more than 10,000 workers 鈥 failed to come to an agreement
after months of labor talks. The companies and union blamed each other for the stoppage.
Patti Jordan, professor in supply chain management, predicted that the lockout could last up to
two weeks, she told NBC DFW. Anything beyond that could push the Canadian economy
to the brink.
Aug. 21, 2024
Marketscale
James Hill, director of the Center for Real Estate, shared his insights on the evolution of
TCU鈥檚 real estate program, the strategic importance of practical industry experience
for students and the critical role of water management in supporting North Texas鈥
rapid growth. With a focus on practical learning, Hill highlights the importance of
industry collaboration to provide students with hands-on experience. 鈥淩eal estate
is a practicum industry,鈥 Hill said. 鈥淭he value proposition of college today is not
just learning from books but from real-world professionals who bring the classroom
to life.鈥
Aug. 21, 2024
The Burning Platform
Gold has embarrassed quite a number of analysts in the past few days, rocketing to
another all-time high to $2,509.71 on Aug. 16. Economics professor John Harvey says it鈥檚 silly for a national currency to be tethered to a finite and scarce resource.
Limiting the supply of money means limiting growth, he claims. That fallacy is precisely
the kind of nonsense that passes for economic thinking these days, he said.
Aug. 20, 2024
The Oklahoman
A recent conflict in Oklahoma caused some to complain that the state impeachment process
had become political and was being guided by political decisions. Many believe, however,
that politics is built into the impeachment process. Keith Gaddie, the Hoffman Chair of the American Ideal, said impeachment is and will always be
political. 鈥淣o less an authority than former Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist,
who wrote the book on impeachment, said impeachment is a political process,鈥 Gaddie
said. 鈥淵ou can be impeached and removed from office for politics. You have to be impeached
and removed from office by politics because you were put in office by politics. That鈥檚
why impeachment exists."
Aug. 18, 2024
Washington Post
The last four years have upended the entertainment industry, but Cinemark has emerged
as a relative success story. The third-largest U.S. theater chain, often seen as a
cautious little brother to AMC and Regal, has gained market share since lockdown and
its stock is at its highest level since early 2020 after gaining more than 80 percent
so far this year. 鈥淭he strike after Covid has just really been a one-two punch for
all aspects of the industry,鈥 said Kimberly Owczarski, associate professor of film, television and digital media. Analysts expect every
theater chain will benefit from more releases in 2025 as strike delays subside.
Aug. 17, 2024
Zordo News
There鈥檚 a 鈥渓ipstick鈥 theory of business cycles. It says during times of economic recession,
the sale of cosmetics surges. Berkshire Hathaway鈥檚 Warren Buffett is the bellwether
of investing, and he has done something that should worry investors - buying stakes
in a cosmetic company called Ulta Beauty Inc. 鈥淲omen鈥檚 psychologies may have been
shaped to respond to economic resource scarcity by allocating more effort into securing
a financially secure mate in an environment where such mates are scarce,鈥 said Sarah Hill, psychology professor, in a discussion posted on the TCU website.
Aug. 15, 2024
Fort Worth Report
Fort Worth ISD is 鈥渄isappointed鈥 over not being able to showcase progress made between
the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years due to another delay in the release of the Texas
Education Agency鈥檚 annual school ratings, the district said in a recent statement.
The final outcome Fort Worth ISD awaits could be months away, professor Matthew Montgomery said. 鈥淚 imagine partisan judges in Travis County helped with this decision,鈥 Montgomery
said.
Aug. 15, 2024
Wallethub
The best installment loans for bad credit offer competitive APRs and fees, plus a
wide range of dollar amounts and payoff periods. Regular payments are the single most
impactful thing you could do for your credit score, according to Paul Irvine, professor and Kleinheinz Endowed Chair in International Finance and Investments at
the Neeley School of Business. 鈥淗owever, many of the providers that bad credit folks
can access for an installment loan are not exactly offering the best terms. I have
heard some ridiculous interest rates out there, like $900 for a $600 Christmas loan,
due in a couple of months!鈥
STUDENTS
Aug. 29, 2024
Merit Street
When it comes to generation of young adults and teenagers, many claim they are suffering
from record high levels of anxiety. Morris Mims, broadcast journalism student, discussed on a recent talk show, Dr. Phil, how social media can heighten anxiety through unrealistic expectations, comparisons
and negative news. 鈥淢ost of my anxiety comes from social media, mainly just when I鈥檓
scrolling through social media 鈥 I鈥檓 comparing myself to others and comparing the
highlights of their life to the trials and errors of my life,鈥 says Mims. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚
kind of hard to remind yourself that social media is not real."
Aug. 25, 2024
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Olympic medalist Hailey Van Lith captured attention after throwing out the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners game.
Van Lith, who is from Washington, maintained a silver medal at the Paris Olympics
in the 3x3 women鈥檚 basketball tournament. The pitch was crisp. She looked like she鈥檚
been there and done that before. Julio Rodriguez hardly had to move his glove.
Aug. 21, 2024
Fox 4 News
Sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Young Women鈥檚 Leadership Academy in Fort Worth
learned an eye-opening lesson on Wednesday. Ethan Vieira, a fourth-year student from the Burnett School of Medicine, shared the emergency
room realities behind vaping. The students learned about kids with collapsed lungs,
chronic coughing, shortness of breath, even anxiety and depression. 鈥淚 try to include
a lot of pictures and videos that really show to students what can happen and a lot
of it is more common than we realize,鈥 Vieira said. 鈥淪ome people may think they鈥檙e
too young in middle school to be talking about these types of things, but it鈥檚 all
over social media. These influencers are getting sponsors from these products, and
it鈥檚 unfortunate, and they鈥檙e sharing it online and they鈥檙e making it look cool.鈥
ALUMNI
August 31, 2024
Fort Worth Report
A friend had a dying wish: a concert in her own home with 12 distinct performers,
each with sentimental value for her and her husband. They turned to the only person
they knew who could pull it off. Enter J. Mack Slaughter 鈥09, a TCU graduate and Fort Worth emergency room doctor with over 1 million followers on social
media. Slaughter鈥檚 mission: Showcase social media鈥檚 power to do good. 鈥淚 turned to
the internet and begged for help. I told them, 鈥楳y friend is dying, this is her dying
wish, and I can鈥檛 help them, can you help me?鈥欌 Slaughter said. His plea caught the
attention of 10 of the dozen artists named. Some came to the home. Others left a private
link to a YouTube video or set up a Zoom call. One group even reunited for the cause.
鈥淭here is huge power for good for taking thousands of people and aligning them together
on one important goal,鈥 Slaughter said.
Aug. 23, 2024
Houston Chronicle
The journey for Anna Menon 鈥08 to outer space as a member of the Polaris Dawn mission started at Barbara Bush Elementary
School. She was a fourth-grader when her class went on a memorable field trip to NASA鈥檚
Johnson Space Center. Her teacher was the daughter of Michael J. Smith, the pilot
of the Space Shuttle Challenger, and that opened some special doors on the trip. The
class simulated missions, Menon remembers, alternating between working in Mission
Control and flying into space. 鈥淚 just fell in love with this industry doing that,鈥
Menon said. 鈥淚 loved the dynamic nature of the problems that you have to solve together,
how it requires working together as a team of all different types of people to really
ultimately have a successful mission. I also was just inspired by this pursuit of
space and understanding of this thing that鈥檚 so much bigger than us.鈥 Polaris Dawn
is working to launch their SpaceX journey soon.
Aug. 22, 2024
MSN.com
Rafael Nasr 鈥14, knew he wanted to riff on the Lone Star State鈥檚 beloved Tex-Mex for his first national
television appearance on the Food Network show 鈥淎lex vs. America.鈥 Since Nasr鈥檚 days
running a food truck nearly a dozen years ago as a student at TCU, he has been cooking
what he calls 鈥淭ex-Med,鈥 or Texas-Mediterranean. 鈥淚t鈥檚 this idea of, 鈥榃hat do Texans
like more than anything?鈥 We are a taco culture,鈥 Nasr said. 鈥淭hat goes hand-in-hand
with what Lebanese and Middle Eastern people like. We just put it in a pita.鈥 Nasr
didn鈥檛 get a chance to cook either dish in the showdown against celebrity chef Alex
Guarnaschelli and two other competitors, but his blend of globally inspired cooking
nearly propelled him to a win the $10,000 prize.
ATHLETICS
Aug. 28, 2024
247sports.com
With major impending changes to the inherent structure of college athletics barreling
down the road, athletics directors and their staffs across the country are scrambling
to find a solution, despite not having all the details. Jeremiah Donati, director of intercollegiate athletics, met with the media to discuss how his team
is approaching these changes to ensure that TCU is best positioned for the future.
Donati made it clear that TCU鈥檚 priority would be maximizing revenue-sharing opportunities
with student-athletes at the expense of adding scholarships. 鈥淭he plan is not to add
new scholarships. It鈥檚 potentially reallocating that,鈥 Donati said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to
be focused primarily on putting that $21 million of rev share in the hands of the
players, in the hands of the student-athletes.鈥