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From a deadly superbug and the Olympics to cross country cycling and labor shortages, TCU and its faculty and alumni have been featured in the news. Check out the latest roundup of newsworthy Horned Frogs.

INSTITUTIONAL

Women hospitalists and the pandemic
July 22, 2021
Today’s Hospitalist

Part of Dr. Ijeoma Carol Nwelue’s new job is planning a residency program at Baylor Medical Center Fort Worth in association with a new medical school, TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, which admitted its first class just before COVID struck. In recent one-on-one discussions with the hospitalists in her program, she says, “I have been surprised at the number of people—more women than men, actually—who want to get more involved and see this as an opportunity right now.”

FACULTY

Mayor Mattie Parker says it’s time to re-evaluate controversial street name: The history and future of White Settlement Road
July 29, 2021
Fort Worth Report

A new name may be ahead for White Settlement Road, which surfaces difficult conversations for a booming metropolitan city trying to promote its diversity.

The story begins in 1841 when Gen. Edward H. Tarrant, for whom Tarrant County is named, organized the Texas militia to attack Native American settlements on Village Creek. Capt. John B. Denton, the namesake of Denton, died in the attack. The attack was a part of what the then-president of Texas Mirabeau B. Lamar called an “exterminating war” against the Native American inhabitants aimed at “their total extinction or total expulsion,” according to Scott Langston, a faculty member at Texas Christian University’s religion department.

Two Republicans Race To Replace The Only Member Of Congress To Die After Contracting COVID
July 26, 2021
KERA News

Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at TCU, called Wright and Ellzey “virtual ideological twinsies.” 

Critical race theory debate is tearing apart the Christian church, Fort Worth pastors say
July 23, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

This tangling up of religion and politics is neither new nor shocking, said James Riddlesperger, a political science professor at TCU. Riddlesperger pointed to the civil rights movement, which largely stemmed from Black churches. 

Collin County reports 4 deaths from untreatable, deadly 'superbug' fungus this year
July 23, 2021
KDFW-TV

"Those hospitals know who they are, and believe me, they're taking those precautions to contain it and to keep you from where it needs to be. And all the other hospitals now know that there's something in the area. They're taking precautions," said Floyd Wormley, associate provost for research at TCU. 

How Will Texas' Weatherization Laws Impact the Energy Industry?
July 21, 2021
D Magazine

New weatherizing laws won’t have a significant financial impact on Texas’s oil and gas industry, said Ann Bluntzer, TCU’s Energy Institute director. In what may surprise some who follow the industry, regulations received the support of most of the state’s energy companies in the wake of the grid’s failure this winter. 

Exhibit blurs the line between dimensions
July 21, 2021
The Foothills Sun-Gazette

Kalee Appleton is a photography-based artist and assistant professor of photography at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Hobbs, N.M., she attended Texas Tech University and received a BFA in photography in 2005. Shortly after graduation she worked as a commercial corporate and aviation photographer before attending Texas Woman’s University, where she received an MFA in photography in 2014. 

McDonald's, Uber, Lyft forced to get creative to lure workers amid the labor crunch
July 19, 2021
Yahoo Finance

The current landscape underscores how companies are “trying to move from the bonus situation to a perk, because just offering bonuses and higher pay is not sustainable,” Michael Sherrod, an instructor at Texas Christian University’s Neeley School of Business, said in an interview.

COVID-19 disrupted training for Fort Worth TX’s new teachers
July 19, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“We cannot afford to let this new cohort of teachers in Texas leave the profession,” said Frank Hernandez, dean of  Texas Christian University’s College of Education. 

Tarrant County’s Controversial ICE Contract Is Here To Stay. This Is What To Know About The Program.
July 15, 2021
KERA News 

Emily Farris is a political science professor at TCU who studies county sheriffs. She said instituting the program in Tarrant County was a political move on the sheriff’s part. Waybourn has aligned himself with former president Trump’s hardline stance on immigration. 

STUDENTS

Two TCU Students Spending Their Summer Cycling Across the Country to Raise Money for Charity 
July 20, 2021
NBC 5, KXAS-TV

TCU students Clayton Rogers and Asher Smith are cycling from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., to raise money for The Ability Experience.

ALUMNI

Families of North Texas Olympians Prepare to Cheer From Afar  
July 23, 2021
NBC 5, KXAS-TV

Texas Christian University track and field Olympian  Ronnie Baker ’16’s wife is taking it all in stride. “We had already actually rented a house in Tokyo that we had to give away or relinquish back to the owner and so we were going to be there,” said Mikaela Baker. “But I’m excited for this. It’s definitely a unique experience that hopefully doesn’t ever have to happen again.”

“Massage Allows Me to Perform at the Highest Level”  
July 22, 2021
massagemag.com

On his way to Tokyo to compete in the Olympic Games, Ronnie Baker spoke with MASSAGE Magazine about the role massage therapy plays in his athletic accomplishments. When the track-and-field events begin in Tokyo, Japan, at the XXXII Olympic Games, Ronnie Baker, 27, will be competing for Team USA in the men’s 100-meter race. At the last competition before Tokyo, the Diamond League event held July 9 in Monaco, Baker claimed first place in the 100-meter race with a time of 9.91 seconds. 

Houston Museum of African American Culture Appoints Christopher Blay as Chief Curator 
July 21, 2021
Glasstire

Today the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) announced the appointment of artist and Glasstire News Editor, Christopher Blay ’03, as its new  chief curator. He begins his full-time post on Sept. 1. “Christopher Blay was the first, best and most exciting choice to emerge from our selection process,” states Barnes in the announcement. “His skills and varied experiences will find a welcoming home at HMAAC and will enhance our cultural community beyond measure.” And Ragbir states: “We were all impressed with Blay’s extensive curatorial, artistic, writing and educational experience. His understanding of how Texas fits into the larger cultural landscape will help take the HMAAC to the next level.” Christopher Blay is an artist, writer and curator with a B.F.A. from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. 

Ex-TCU sprinter Doc Patton talks Olympics, Usain Bolt’s record and Ronnie Baker
7/21/2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Doc Patton was the last TCU sprinter to make Team USA for the Olympics in the 100-meter dash. He competed in the 2008 Games, best known for being Usain Bolt’s breakout party. Bolt pulled away from the field and started pounding his chest before crossing the finish line. Patton reached the finals but finished eighth. Now it’s anyone’s guess as to who will succeed Bolt. Maybe it’s Ronnie Baker ’16, a TCU product who now follows Patton as alums to qualify for Team USA in the 100-meter dash.

Liz Lambert Remade Texas Hospitality. What Will Her Next Act Bring?
July 15, 2021
Texas Monthly

Melancholy is seldom the expected outcome when one receives a free cup of decent coffee first thing in the morning. But as Liz Lambert ’82 accepted hers, from the young female barista behind the counter at Jo’s, which Lambert founded 20 years ago, she said in a reflective voice, “It’s one of the saddest things for me.”

ATHLETICS

Former TCU football coach, Dallas Cowboys QB coach has died
July 14, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Former TCU running back Jim Shofner ’60 was an All-Southwest Conference player in 1957. He died at the age of 85 on July 17. Shofner was a standout athlete at Fort Worth North Side before going to TCU as a two-sport athlete in football and baseball. 

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