From equine photography to new coaches and expert voices on vaccines for teens, TCU Horned Frogs are in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
Colleges Offer COVID-19 Tests to Returning Students
Jan. 6, 2022
KXAS-TV
Many students are excited about getting back to their college campus after their winter
break. “I'm a youth advocacy and educational studies major and I’m in the class of
2024," TCU sophomore Brandon Nguyen said. He's glad to know TCU is offering COVID-19 testing for returning students.
“Stopping the spread of COVID-19 is definitely important,” Nguyen said. “As for social
life, there were definitely a couple of parties before leaving back home so getting
tested was definitely a necessary move.” According to the school’s website, the TCU
Health Center serves TCU students only. The Lot 6 site will serve TCU and the public. University
Urgent Care is also open to the public. “I really hope that the cases minimize as
people come back because we need to take precautions to prevent the spread,” Nguyen
said.
Fort Worth philanthropist, oilman Tex Moncrief dies at 101
Dec. 29, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
William Alvin “Tex” Moncrief, described as a “true legend” in the oil business and
a “great philanthropist” in Fort Worth, died in December at the age of 101. “Tex Moncrief
had a profound impact on Fort Worth. He made a positive difference in everything he
became involved in, especially education, health care and business,” TCU’s Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said. “Tex was generous, yet incredibly humble. His legacy will live on through his
family and the impact his philanthropy will continue to have on future generations.”
Inside the Effort to Save the Beloved Texas Horned Lizard
Dec. 23, 2021
Texas Highways
Biologists are working to breed lizards at zoos to replenish wild populations. In
2007, TCU researchers began studying the diet and genetics of the species. They discovered that
the North Texas and South Texas populations of horned lizards are genetically distinct.
Texas Christian University promotes from within for new CIO
Dec. 20, 2021
Pensions & Investments
Jason R. Safran was named chief investment officer at TCU where he will oversee its $2 billion endowment,
a news release said Friday. Mr. Safran was previously the endowment's senior asset
manager. He has been serving as interim CIO since the retirement of James R. Hille
on July 30. Mr. Hille joined TCU as its first CIO in May 2006 after previously serving
as CIO of the $196.1 billion Texas Teacher Retirement System, Austin.
FACULTY
Governor Greg Abbott kicks off re-election campaign in bid for third term
Jan. 10, 2022
KTVT-TV
Governor Greg Abbott launched a 60-campaign event blitz Saturday, Jan. 8, in his bid
to win a third term. Joanne Green, political science professor, said despite criticism from some grassroots conservatives
about Abbott’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Abbott shored up his
conservative policies. “The last year was a very smart year for him shoring up his
conservative base by shifting his policy focuses more to the right, particularly his
movement on guns, his movement on reproductive issues, particularly the abortion law.”
Record level of children under 5 are being hospitalized amid COVID surge
Jan. 8, 2022
Yahoo News
Nationally, COVID hospitalizations are up in 46 states, a 40% rise from the previous
week’s average. “It is so easy to transmit that there are lots of patients that have
it, but thanks to the vaccine are experiencing either no symptoms or very mild symptoms,”
said Dr. Jo Anna Leuck, assistant dean for curriculum at TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.
Many in hospital with COVID-19 went there for other reason
Jan. 7, 2022
KTVT-TV
The current surge in COVID-19 positive patients in North Texas hospitals is different
according to some doctors and industry professionals, who say a large percentage of
people included in hospitalization numbers were admitted to receive care for something
other than the virus. Dr. Jo Anna Leuck, assistant dean of curriculum with the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, said, “It’s
a different time. We have tools, the variant is a more mild variant, and panic is
not the right answer.”
Some MLK Day events postponed due to rising COVID-19 cases, some still on
Jan. 7, 2022
KXAS-TV
In the past year, many big events have returned after the pandemic put them on hold
but some are now starting to scale back again due to rising cases. Dr. Grant Fowler, department chair of family medicine at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, said
data shows the Omicron variant spreads faster but is generally less severe. “If we
had to pick one to spread more rapidly, it’s certainly great that it doesn’t seem
to be the one that causes as many severe respiratory problems,” he said.
The passing of Sen. Harry Reid, voting rights
Jan. 6, 2022
KRLD
“Harry Reid was kind of the first Democrat to embrace the partisan polarization that
we have in the United States, and he brought with him a bare-knuckles style of leadership,
and I think we’ve seen that kind of dominate the Senate in a way we never did before
he was majority leader,” said Jim Riddlesperger, political science professor at TCU.
A look at growing neighborhood diversity, and continued segregation, in the 21st century
United States
Jan. 5, 2022
Medium
“I provide an analysis with my own spin on how to think about segregation and neighborhood-level
diversity. All figures here are based off Census Redistricting data, accessed via tidycensus,
an API created by TCU Professor Kyle Walker. I’ll be showing two main types of figures. Both are based on partitioning the population
into four race/ethnicity categories (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian), and looking at
how these groups are distributed across census tracts (areas of around 3,000 to 5,000
people).”
Doctor answers questions about booster shots for teens
Jan. 4, 2022
KDFW-TV
It looks like more young people will soon be eligible for COVID-19 booster shots. Dr. Grant Fowler, the department chair of family medicine at TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, joins
Good Day to talk about why parents should think about giving their teens booster shots. “The
goal of getting the kids vaccinated is we’ve got to shut the pandemic down — that’s
a good way to do it — and it also makes our kids safe to be around our older folks
and the community too,” he said.
Supply Chain Issues: How We Got Here and What Needs to Change
Dec. 22, 2021
KXAS-TV
Experts at TCU’s Supply Chain Innovation Center have been observing the pandemic’s disruption while teaching future leaders in the
industry. “The fragility has always been there and we’ve always had somewhat major
disruption, even more so in the last couple of decades. But they’ve usually been pretty
localized to one region of the world,” said Morgan Swink, a professor and executive director of the center. “This is the first time in a long
time, maybe ever, that we’ve had such a massive global disruption to supply chains.”
ALUMNI
'Come From Away' captures compassion, community and dreams
Jan. 9, 2022
Star Tribune
History-making pilot Beverly Bass ’74 inspired a character in the Broadway musical set during the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The
pioneering pilot has had the rare experience of watching someone portray a part of her life onstage.
She’s an inspiration for one of the characters in “Come From Away,” the Broadway musical
about kindness and community that lands Tuesday at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.
“The first time I saw the show, I was gasping for air,” Bass said.
Cooking is art and Lou Lambert is an artist - Stories with Soul welcomes a restaurant
trailblazer
Jan. 3, 2022
Fort Worth Business Press
When you grow up in a family that’s been ranching in West Texas for seven generations,
expectations are inevitable. For Lou Lambert ’81, that meant following the trail blazed by his father and grandfather to TCU, and
also dedicating himself to working hard wherever he ended up. While attending TCU,
Lou discovered that a love of cooking paired well with his willingness to work hard.
Behind The Camera: Kirstie Marie Jones
Jan. 1, 2022
COWGIRL Magazine
Kirstie Marie Jones ’12 is one of the most well-known equine portrait photographers in the United States.
Her work is stamped by her bright and airy style that produces a pastel color scheme
with romantic sun-drenched aesthetics. For college, Kirstie attended Texas Christian
University, where she was recruited to show for them and ride on the women’s equestrian
team. “I knew I wanted to be in Texas where all of the biggest horse shows and horse
trainers were.” However, it wasn’t until her senior year of college at TCU when she
started her photography path.
Meet the Dallas 500: Barclay Berdan
Dec. 22, 2021
D Magazine
As the leader of a 20-hospital system with more than 26,000 employees and $4.9 billion
in operating revenue, Texas Health Resources CEO Barclay Berdan ’76 has guided the health system through nearly two years of the new normal that is post-pandemic
life. The last two years have been full of unprecedented challenges, innovation and
collaboration.
ATHLETICS
College Football Playoff won’t expand as talks stall
Jan. 10, 2022
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The College Football Playoff doesn’t appear to be expanding anytime soon. The news
didn’t sit well with TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati. He responded with a one-word text when asked his reaction, simply saying: “Disappointing.”
TCU football’s Sonny Dykes comes from a coaching family, and he married into one,
too
Jan. 2, 2022
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
March Madness always provides memorable moments in college basketball, and nobody
liked seeing Abilene Christian upset Texas last March more than new TCU football coach
Sonny Dykes. Why? Dykes’ brother-in-law is Joe Golding, who was Abilene Christian’s coach. Golding
has since moved on to take over UTEP’s program.
TCU hires Baylor assistant coach to lead volleyball program
Dec. 20, 2021
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Longtime Baylor assistant Jason Williams has been named TCU’s new volleyball coach. “We have seen firsthand the impact he
has had on Baylor’s success as well as in recruiting the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
and the state of Texas,” TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati said in a release. “We were very impressed with Jason’s focus on the student-athlete
experience, especially in their development on and off the court.”