From elections in Fort Worth to elections in South Korea, and from raising a family to raising ranch animals, TCU and its faculty, alumni and students are being featured in the news. Check out the latest roundup of newsworthy Horned Frogs.
INSTITUTIONAL
Wayne County Cares event addresses trauma and community efforts to help
June 9, 2021
Palladium-Item
"[Trust-Based Relational Intervention®] is an attachment-based trauma informed framework for intervention based on the work from Texas Christian University. It was designed for children from hard places or who have experienced hard things," said one of the presenters. "The pillars of building resiliency with TBRI are felt safety, connection and self-regulation."
Program offers opportunities for young people interested in agricultural careers
June 4, 2021
Wyoming Livestock Roundup
Today there are many programs to help young people who hope to find work or a career in agriculture. Many colleges and universities offer courses in agriculture, animal science and ranch management. A unique program at TCU prepares young people for careers in ranch management.
FACULTY
Organizations assist Tarrant Co. older adults during pandemic
June 10, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Tarrant County organizations saw how the pandemic was impacting older adults in the area and resulted to reaching out to clients. Mary Twis, Master of Social Work program director and assistant professor, said there are many things that can lead to mental health problems, including social isolation. A person’s environment, experiences and trust in social institutions can also contribute to their overall mental health.
Fostering Trust
June 9, 2021
City Journal
The story of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® began about 20 years ago, when David Cross, psychology professor, developed a plan with his late colleague Karyn Purvis to help families struggling with kids whom they had adopted internationally. The children adopted out of orphanages in Eastern Europe, China and South America had varied stories, but many shared an almost complete lack of early attachment, as well as developmental issues associated with significant sensory deprivation.
New education nonprofit’s report reveals citywide school access inequity
June 8, 2021
Fort Worth Report
Where a student lives in Fort Worth can determine whether they have access to some of the best or worst performing schools in the city, according to a new report from a new education nonprofit. Inequities in education often break along socioeconomic lines, which are drawn along existing geographic boundaries, said Gabriel Huddleston, associate professor and director of TCU’s Center for Public Education.
Fort Worth TX voters endorse Price tenure by electing Parker
June 6, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth voters appear satisfied with the trajectory Mayor Betsy Price established over the past decade as they selected her former chief of staff, Mattie Parker, to lead the city. “A vote for Mattie would clearly be a vote for continuity in this election,” said political science professor James Riddlesperger. “One of the elements of that would be happiness with Betsy Price’s tenure as mayor.” However, growing voter turnout — more than 88,000 people voted — and the ouster of two council incumbents shows attitudes are shifting, said Emily Farris, associate professor. “Both of those signals to me a change in voters,” she said. “They are more and more interested and looking for alternatives to how the city is run.”
Trial of former police officer will test new mayor during her first days
June 5, 2021
Fort Worth Report
In her first days in office, Mattie Parker, Fort Worth’s mayor-elect said she will prepare for a high-stakes trial and get up to speed on the city budget. Emily Farris, political science associate professor, considers Parker a continuation of the Price-led City Hall. “Parker, obviously, would be, unless the council changes dramatically, much more of the same,” said Farris, who studies local politics. “She doesn’t exactly come in with that mandate of needing to have fresh ideas because she is seen as pretty much an extension of the status quo.”
Fort Worth early voting highest for mayor’s race in a decade
June 4, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Early voting turnout in Fort Worth was up 45% over the period before the May election and the highest for a mayor’s race in at least 10 years, with 48,082 voters casting ballots. Emily Farris, political science associate professor, said interest in Fort Worth potentially electing its first Black mayor and the attention to municipal policies and policing might lead to turnout exceeding expectations.
South Korea’s military is shrinking and some say women must answer the call of duty
June 3, 2021
The Wall Street Journal
South Korea’s presidential hopeful proposes scaled back service for men and women, sparking national debate as military needs evolve. "We think it’s all guts and glory and it’s not," said Kara Dixon Vuic, LCpl. Benjamin W. Schmidt Professor of War, Conflict, and Society in 20th-Century America, who is writing a book called Drafting Women.
2021's Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family
June 2, 2021
Patch
The personal finance website WalletHub released its report on the best and worst places to raise a family. "The city that a family lives in impacts a child's development," said Melodi Faris, lecturer in early childhood education. "If you look at the factors that influence a child's development as concentric circles with the child being the center, the family being the next circle, and the community being the outer circle, the city that the family lives in will affect the child's development.”
ALUMNI
SCHOLARSHIP: 2021 Distracted Driving Essay Contest
June 10, 2021
Legal Reader
New Braunfels personal injury attorney Troy Burch ’87 appreciates the value of higher education, and he knows from personal experience that many students need financial help to get the leg up they will need in life. Troy was able to attend TCU and Baylor University School of Law in part due to the generosity of local community scholarships. Now, he wants to pay it forward for the next generation and is launching an essay contest for scholarship.
Hutto hat shop owner creates custom pieces inspired by classic films
June 10, 2021
Community Impact Newspaper
In a blue house along East Live Oak Street in Hutto, a white yard sign with the words “Custom hat shop” sits outside of Jimmy Pierce Designs. Owner Jimmy Pierce ’03 established a physical location for his shop in April 2020, but he said he has had his own hat shop business since 2004 and has been making hats since 1998. While he was a freshman at TCU, Pierce said he walked into Peter Brothers Hats in Fort Worth looking for a hat to go with his three-piece suit and wingtips for a night of swing dancing.
Behind the deal that turned Roy Pope from a dying grocer to a foodie-friendly hotspot
June 8, 2021
Fort Worth, Texas Magazine
It’s a friendly, down-home-yet-upscale atmosphere that the West Fort Worth neighborhood has quickly embraced since the store reopened in May. Even owner-operator Chris Reale ’17 is surprised at how few purists — if any at all — have walked in and turned their noses up at the redesigned space.
How the unpredictability of life led to Katherine Morris' next adventure, Cherry Coffee
Shop
June 8, 2021
Fort Worth, Texas Magazine
Life has a way of never going the way you plan. Take it from Katherine Morris ’07, whose journey to opening the new Cherry Coffee Shop on Magnolia Avenue was anything but premeditated. Morris, a self-proclaimed former “Starbucks drinker,” had originally set out to pursue a career in corporate philanthropy. So the young, wide-eyed dreamer from Argyle came to Fort Worth, got a finance degree from TCU and later landed at nonprofit Lena Pope, where she’d work up to a position as donor relations manager.
Avery Kelly’s Message to You
Dallas Style and Design
A tour through the work of Avery Kelly ’11 illuminates the artist’s passion for animals, nature and vibrant expression. “My work centers on the beauty and energy of the natural world,” reads her artist statement. “I strive to convey a sense of joy and mystery and portray each animal as a distinct individual.” The Fort Worth native and resident earned, among other degrees, her bachelor of fine arts in painting from TCU.
Two Fort Worth incumbent council members defeated
June 7, 2021
WBAP-AM
Two incumbents lost their seats in the Fort Worth runoff election for city council. In the District 6 race, Jared Williams MS ’14, a science teacher, defeated incumbent Jungus Jordan – the longest serving Fort Worth council member – by 273 votes. Jordan assumed office in 2005.