Connected Campus: TCU to be Home Sweet Home to More Students

There is, truly, no place like home. Housing & Residence Life wants first- and second-year Horned Frogs to call campus home, even if just for a couple of years. And with six more residence halls under construction, TCU is making a major investment in building its on-campus community. 

A dorm at TCU is much more than a place to sleep, study and socialize. It’s where students connect, engage and build community, according to Rachel Anne Hopper, director of Housing & Residence Life.  

“As students build community and take ownership of it, they become more engaged and empowered,” she said. 

On-campus housing has also proven to increase retention, GPAs and graduation rates, one of the many reasons TCU is invested in its two-year living requirement for most students. In 2027, the university plans to open a 550-bed hall in Worth Hills and, on the east side of campus, three first-year halls totaling 1,350-beds, a 450-bed hall for sophomores and a 120-bed townhome and apartment community for upperclassmen.  

Over the years, the Housing & Residence staff has refined best practices and ways for students to build community, starting with creating comfortable and safe spaces along with opportunities to engage. 

“There are multiple connecting points when students live on campus that build community and promote student-centered growth, one of TCU’s core pillars,” Hopper said. “They’re also learning life lessons, like being a good neighbor and taking on responsibilities, as well as learning to appreciate others’ perspectives.”

Senior Carter Moore, who now lives off campus, sees in hindsight how those on-campus experiences helped her build relationships. 

“The activities that TCU residence life (resident assistants and hall directors) planned for us brought residents together in an amazing community,” she said. “From this experience, I learned how important it was to surround myself with a community of people who will have your back through the ups and downs of college.” 

Many of those experiences are shaped through Housing & Residence Life’s KCE – Knowing, Connecting and Empowering – model, Hopper said.  

“We create a welcoming and inclusive environment, where students form connections and a strong sense of belonging,” she added. That connection begins day one for first-year students who are in a “season of unknowns.”  

“Our staff is very systematic and intentional when we welcome them to campus,” she said. “It’s a new home and environment for them, but we mean it when we tell them and their parents that we’re going to take care of them. It’s adulting with a safety net.” 

Alex Dam, a senior and RA, said he strives to make the campus feel like home while making a memorable college experience.  

“I draw from my internship with the Department of Justice, which strengthened my leadership and communication skills, to guide students through challenges, foster inclusion and help them thrive academically, socially and personally,” he said. 

TCU’s residence halls – the nation’s sixth best (on the campus that’s No. 1 for Happiest Students, No. 2 for Best Quality of Life and No. 3 for Best-Run Colleges), according to the most recent rankings by The Princeton Review – are a critical part of TCU’s Campus Master Plan.  

The new facilities are designed meticulously. Most of the rooms for first-year students will be double-occupancy so they can learn to live with others. There will be pod-style bathrooms, common area lounges, community kitchens and laundry rooms near the activity spaces. 

“Because they’ll be larger buildings, it’s important to have larger and comfortable meeting spaces that provide a social dynamic, especially for first-year students,” Hopper said. “These lounges will be where we host get-to-know-you opportunities.” 

Sophomore living will offer private bedroom suites with kitchenettes and outdoor firepits, along with smaller lounge space, more study zones, community kitchens and laundry rooms.  

“These spaces will be more apartment-like to help these students in their transition to off-campus life and community,” Hopper said. “By their junior and senior years, they will have more life skills.”  

The new upperclassmen facility will be a townhome and apartment community in private two- and four-bedroom configurations with en suite baths. There will also be on-site surface parking and limited private garages. Another new planned development, Morado on Berry, near the southern edge of campus, will feature 780 luxury apartment-style beds for upper-division and graduate students. 

“What’s most exciting is that we have the opportunity to care for many more students within our residential experience,” Hopper said. “As residential growth happens, we will be ready to care for them, create moments for them to feel connected and empower them to do great things.” 

–Susan Green