From TCU’s newly appointed president to the psychology of kicking a field goal, TCU and its faculty, students and alumni are in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
Texas Christian University picks Daniel Pullin as new president
Dec. 20, 2022
The Dallas Morning News
TCU announced that it has found its new president. Daniel Pullin, the John V. Roach Dean of TCU’s Neeley School of Business, will serve as the Fort Worth-based university’s president
starting in February. “Four years ago, this community welcomed me and my family with
the kindness and generosity that only Horned Frogs can offer,” Pullin said. “I’m grateful
for the opportunity to serve TCU in a greater capacity, as I’ve seen firsthand the
transformational power of what a TCU education can provide.”
TCU names Daniel Pullin as new president
Dec. 20, 2022
KTVT-TV
TCU has named Daniel Pullin as president of the university, a newly created position that will report to the
school's chancellor. Pullin previously served as head of TCU's Neeley School of Business. He will take on the
president's job Feb. 1. “Daniel is an inspiring leader and cares deeply about our
community,” Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said. “For the past four years he has been passionate about his role as John V. Roach
Dean of the Neeley School of Business, and he will use that same energy and expansive
vision to make an impact as TCU's president.”
FACULTY
A look at the sports psychology behind Cowboys kicker Brett Maher and his missed extra
points
Jan. 17, 2023
WFAA
Sports psychologists call it paradoxical performance, but to everyone else it’s called
choking. On Jan. 16, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher missed four extra points in
the team’s playoff win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the most ever in an NFL game.
Robyn Trocchio, sports psychology professor, said that, under stress, muscles can tighten and change kicking mechanics. “Body language
changed. You could start seeing him thinking a lot,” she said. “I was watching and
wanting him to believe in himself and wanting him to get that confidence back.”
Some experts, community residents call for stronger Fort Worth school board conflict-of-interest
policy
Jan. 16, 2023
Fort Worth Report
Twelve years have passed since a Fort Worth ISD trustee last filed a conflict-of-interest
disclosure. A conflict-of-interest policy is essential to a school board operating
ethically, experts agree. Everyone should understand both what conflict of interest
is and how it plays into the decisions the school board makes, Miriam Ezzani, associate professor of education leadership, said. “Conflict of interest, in a nutshell,
means that they would benefit privately from actions that are made as a board member,” she
said. “And, if they know that they’re going to benefit privately, then they need to
claim it.”
Police Have Had Enough
Jan. 13, 2023
Frontpage Mag
Last year was a rough year for people who lived in New York City, San Diego and Chicago.
Crime rose dramatically in these cities last year, and when the politicians in charge
turned to the police to prevent this, the police weren’t there. Low morale, poor pay
and lack of support from those they were trying to help led to police officers resigning
or moving. “Patrol officers these days feel like they’re not getting the support that
they once got by the public,” Johnny Nhan, criminal justice professor, said. “It’s anything from apathy to hostility that they’re
facing. They’re afraid of accusations of being racist or being brutal, they’re filmed
all the time, so that does something to the officers. They’re feeling like, ‘Hey,
there’s a lot of legal risk being a cop these days.’”
‘You’re their heart for a moment’: A glossary of skills that can save a life.
Jan. 12, 2023
Fort Worth Report
After NFL safety Damar Hamlin's collapse during a recent game, recovery began within
minutes and medical personnel administered first CPR and then defibrillation to keep
blood and oxygen flowing through Hamlin’s body. Interest in these life-saving skills
is a good thing, and anyone can learn them. “Life-saving courses can provide the repetition
that leads to confidence,” Robyn Trocchio, assistant professor in kinesiology, said. That confidence can lead to composure
amid a stressful situation, she said, like the one Hamlin’s medical team faced as
millions of onlookers watched his rescue unfold. “Having that confidence is critical,
and the more you practice, the more you train, the more confident you are in doing
it — just like on the sports fields.”
Eric Harris: The Power of the Employer Brand
Jan. 12, 2023
HR Gazette
Eric Harris, CEO of MindHandle and communications professor at TCU Neeley School for Executive Education, was featured on HRchat show to discuss the
role of employer branding in 2023. “A year ago today, everybody's biggest challenge
was ‘how do we communicate well enough with potential employee candidates to see why
they should join our team?’ Now, you can ask 10 different HR professionals and they'd
probably tell you our biggest challenge is reminding the best people why you should
stay,” Harris said.
Over 40 and taking antibiotics? Here's what you need to know about your gut
Jan. 12, 2023
Yahoo Style Singapore
We've all taken antibiotics at some point. It saved many millions of lives since the
pills were developed in the 1940s and helped countless others with troubling infections.
But a study released this week is now suggesting that taking antibiotics might actually
be detrimental to the health of people in midlife. Elisa Marroquín, assistant professor at TCU, last year co-authored a study showing that taking probiotics
– which usually come in capsules – could prevent or lessen some antibiotic-induced
changes to the gut microbiome. “When participants take antibiotics, we see several
consistent changes in some bacterial species,” she said. “But when treatment was combined
with probiotics, the majority of those changes were less pronounced and some changes
were completely prevented.”
‘We can't be scared to talk:’ TCU, Fort Worth Report event to focus on community listening
Jan. 11, 2023
Fort Worth Report
For the past year, the Fort Worth Report has invited community members to monthly
Candid Conversations where Fort Worth leaders have addressed some of the most pressing
issues the community faces. With guidance from TCU’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication,
the Report is inviting members of the public to discuss issues that matter to them.
“The event hopes to create a space for listening free from the incivility of other
forums for conversation,” Ashley English, TCU professor and one of the event organizers, said. The event is tied to research
conducted by English and fellow TCU communication professors Jacqueline Lambiase and Julie O’Neil. “One of the most important elements of effective listening is laying down power and
control,” Lambiase said. “People who are in power don’t want to do that.”
Listen: TCU leader sees benefits from championship run both on and off the field
Jan. 5, 2023
Fort Worth Report
Daniel Pullin, current John V. Roach Dean of the TCU Neeley School of Business and soon-to-be university president, discusses the impact
of the TCU football season that will see the team in the National Championship game. “There are
a lot of eyeballs paying attention to TCU, and we’re excited to be able to tell the
story. As proud as we are of the football team, we’re really, really proud of what’s
going on academically and otherwise at this institution. And this moment’s giving
us a chance to let the rest of the world know how special a place this is to be a
student, to be a faculty member, to be on staff or to be a proud alumnus,” Pullin said.
Cops fled 6 major Democrat-led cities in droves in 2022. Here's why
Dec. 31, 2022
WND
Droves of officers left at least six Democrat-led major cities’ police forces in 2022,
with many moving to different departments. Scores of officers resigned from police
departments amid low morale, a continuing violent crime wave and higher-paying police
jobs in other places. “Low morale has become a major problem in many police departments,”
Johnny Nhan, associate dean of graduate studies and criminal justice professor, said. “Patrol officers
these days feel like they’re not getting the support that they once got from the public.”
Explainer: Texas lawmakers want to expand school choice. What you need to know about
vouchers, savings accounts and tax credits.
Dec. 27, 2022
Fort Worth Report
The debate over whether Texas should expand private school choice with taxpayer-funded
programs is likely to dominate the next session of the Legislature. School choice
advocates think the right type of program could transform the trajectory of students
from low-income families in Fort Worth and the state. However, traditional public
education supporters disagree and say vouchers or voucher-like programs would shrink
an already tight pot of funding for schools. “What lawmakers will debate is whether
they should tap taxpayer funds to allow parents to send their children to a private
school,” Gabriel Huddleston, associate professor of education, said. “You only have a choice as much as there
are options.”
Silicon Valley is coming for your gut biome
Dec. 23, 2022
NBC News
Where can a savvy tech investor turn these days in search of the next big idea? Two
words: dietary supplements. “The science around the new wave of supplements is still
new but at least some tech startups seem to be on the right track,” Elisa Marroquín, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, said. She doesn’t have a financial relationship with any startups, although she has
spoken with them about obtaining samples for research. “We’re still very early in
the understanding of these bacterial species,” said Marroquín, who co-wrote a review
of the science this year. She said future probiotic supplements have promise compared
with supplements that have been available for decades.
Want to get to slow climate change and help poor nations? This energy option is a
must
Dec. 21, 2022
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Michael Slattery, director of the Institute for Environmental Studies, and Ann Bluntzer, executive director of the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute, discussed climate change and energy solutions when they co-authored a column. “Prices
at the pump are lower than a year ago, thanks to a reduction in global energy demand.
With cold winter weather on the way and holiday travel surging, prices may rise again.
However, temporary fluctuations in prices should not distract from fundamental issues
in the energy industry as the world moves towards renewables. Climate change is a
worldwide problem. But not every country has the resources and infrastructure to address
these issues quickly,” they wrote.
STUDENTS
90th Texas Rose Festival Queen Laura Bryan to be ‘ambassador for Tyler’
Jan. 5, 2023
Tyler Morning Telegraph
TCU student Laura Elaine Bryan was announced as the 90th Texas Rose Festival Queen during the Winter Gala benefit
for the Tyler, Texas, Rose Museum. “I am looking forward to being an ambassador for
Tyler and sharing our mission of promoting the pride of our community, our hospitality,
and the history of the rose industry,” she said.
ALUMNI
Puppets, dance and video games: Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming season mixes
standards with surprises
Jan. 12, 2023
Fort Worth Report
When Kevin Day ’19 was growing up, he wasn’t sure if he would become a composer, let alone have a professional
orchestra perform his works. After growing up in Arlington and graduating from TCU’s School
of Music, he is now writing an original piece that will debut during the Fort Worth
Symphony Orchestra’s 2023-2024 season. “I never could have imagined that’s where life
would have gone,” he said. “I’m very, very honored to get to work with this group.”
TCU safety Deshawn McCuin returned to his elementary school for a surprise welcome
in Jacksonville
Jan. 12, 2023
KYTX-TV (Tyler, TX)
TCU safety Deshawn McCuin ’22 returned home in Jacksonville, Texas, and surprised his elementary school. “It's surreal.
I'm very blessed to be a part of east Texas. I have a lot of former teachers here.
It's been a wonderful experience seeing all these kids making all these posters, it
makes me wanna cry a little bit. The end result is always gonna be the end result.
I think the journey is the best for me, just living it out with my teammates and being
there for four years, and graduating. It's been an unreal experience for sure,” McCuin said.