From a beloved Trustee to women choreographers and from the measles to the carnivore
diet, media are coming to TCU for news and thought leadership.
INSTITUTIONAL
TCU Board of Trustees member, former football standout Ron Parker dies
Feb. 26, 2025
WFAA.com
Ron Parker, a TCU Board of Trustees member and former football player for the Horned Frogs,
has died, according to the university. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Trustee
Ronald C. Parker ’76, who led with compassion and profoundly impacted TCU,” the university
wrote. “As a former Horned Frog football captain, Ron’s leadership at TCU continued
far past his time as a student. He served as a Trustee and was co-chair of our $1
billion Lead On campaign. Ron will be remembered for his generosity, integrity and
sincere concern for others. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this
difficult time.”
A glimpse inside TCU’s campus expansion plan
Feb. 25, 2025
Fox4News.com
If you are familiar with West Berry Street as it leads to the TCU campus, get ready
for some big changes — the campus expansion is on the way. The expansion includes
two newly-constructed residence halls, complete with convertible indoor/outdoor features,
connected by a bright, open dining facility. Jason Soileau, assistant vice chancellor of planning, design and construction, says “TCU has a
very powerful brand right now, we’re attracting very high-qualified students across
a diverse range of backgrounds, and it’s important that the facilities enable the
students to grow and develop.”
Say YES to Recess
Feb. 24, 2025
Clarksville Online
A group of parents of Clarksville Montgomery County Schools’ students is working together
to positively impact the educational experience of all children throughout the state
of Tennessee by increasing the amount of time allotted for recess. The research backs
up their argument, with many schools that have markedly increased physical activity
time showing not only improved test scores to measure academic success, but also reports
by educators of numerous positive outcomes, including children’s increased ability
to focus and reduced disciplinary issues overall. The LiiNK Project: Center for Healthy
Play is a program focused on bridging the gap between academics and the whole child.
Sponsored by TCU, the program conducts ongoing research to develop implementation strategies for PreK-12
schools to impact positive mental and physical health as well as character development
in children.
TCU is starting a major campus expansion. Here’s what it includes.
Feb. 20, 2025
WFAA
TCU is preparing to start construction on two major housing projects with included retail
space as the Fort Worth school expands its campus. The first project, at 2900 West
Berry St., will include 587 beds for student housing and about 14,200 square feet
of ground-floor retail. The second project, at 3024 Cockrell Ave., will include 192
beds and 5,600 square feet of ground-floor retail. The new developments are part of
the university’s expansion of its 302-acre campus. TCU is planning 35 developments,
including activating the area around Berry Street, a new athletics district, student
housing and new academic buildings.
TCU campus expansion begins in Fort Worth with housing developments
Feb. 20, 2025
Dallas Business Journal
TCU is rushing to expand so it can keep up with demand. The university plans dozens of
new developments, starting with these new buildings along Berry Street. “We’re leaving
a lot of capable talent on the table, disappointing prospective students and their
families who are increasingly excited about a TCU education,” President Daniel Pullin says.
The Last Word: TCU’s Chief University Strategy and Innovation Officer Puts Down Roots
Feb. 19, 2025
Dallas Innovates
Last May, TCU named Tom Wavering its first chief university strategy and innovation officer. The former executive director
of the Tom Love Innovation Hub and entrepreneurship faculty member at the University
of Oklahoma took up his post in July. But in order to advance TCU’s mission and vision
— focusing on fostering innovation and academic excellence — he wanted to put down
roots of his own. He has since done that, with a home that already had its Fort Worth
sense of place literally set in stone. “Higher education is changing, but TCU’s mission,
vision and values are everlasting,” Wavering said in a statement last May. “With that
at our core and our position in the vibrant powerhouse that is the Fort Worth community,
we’re poised to achieve our goals and more.”
2025 USA TODAY Ad Meter Marketing Spotlight: TCU’s top 5 and bottom 5
Feb. 17, 2025
USA Today
For the second straight year, USA TODAY Ad Meter has welcomed creative minds and future marketing and business management
maestros from universities and colleges to weigh in on the national Super Bowl commercials.
It’s a debut for TCU, and the inaugural panelists didn’t disappoint. The school had students from the
Bob Schieffer College of Communication and Neeley School of Business rate this year’s
Super Bowl commercials, creating a mix of opinions that produced some of the most
comprehensive breakdowns of the Big Game spots. For example, Sophia Richards had this to say about the “When Sally Met Hellmann’s” TV spot: “Great target reach
for Gen X and Millennials who have seen ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ while still connecting
with Gen Z by featuring Sydney Sweeney.”
25 most beautiful U.S. college campuses
Feb. 15, 2025
My Central Jersey
U.S. News & World Report, known for its academic ranking of college campuses, recently considered the aesthetics
and identified 25 colleges “known for beautiful campuses with attributes such as stunning
architecture, picturesque settings or spectacular landscaping.” Two Texas schools,
noted for their impressive campuses, are Baylor University and TCU.
FACULTY
Fort Worth leaders call for community support, funding to ensure future of local Black
art
Feb. 27, 2025
Fort Worth Report
A panel discussion moderated by Melondy Doddy-Muñoz, assistant director of operations, looked into the past, present and future of Black art. The leaders discussed how
Black art in Fort Worth has evolved over the decades before diving into what needs
to be done to sustain those present and future institutions that highlight diverse
voices in the community. As Doddy-Muñoz asked panelists what more local funders can
do, she added: “It is not a call out, but a call up.”
Why Tarrant County health officials want residents to be vigilant about measles
Feb. 26, 2025
Fort Worth Report
Tarrant County has not yet been affected by a measles outbreak in Texas. However,
Tarrant County health officials are advising residents to be vigilant and prepared
to take precautions. Tarrant County Public Health has been working with school systems,
day care centers and hospitals to monitor any signs of symptoms associated with the
disease. Young people and those who are unvaccinated are at greatest risk if exposed
to the virus, infectious disease specialist Dr. Nikhil Bhayani said. Measles symptoms include coughing, sneezing and red eyes and usually manifest
between seven and 21 days after exposure, said Bhayani, a professor at the Burnett
School of Medicine at TCU.
How energy giant BP went from eco poster child to possible takeover target
Feb. 26, 2025
Fortune
For decades, BP — the U.K.-based oil and gas giant that is No. 25 on the Fortune Global
500 — has tried to position itself as an energy company with the bigger picture in
mind. From an eight-year advertising campaign in which it branded itself as “Beyond
Petroleum,” to the extensive mea culpas following 2010’s Deepwater Horizon catastrophe
in the Gulf of Mexico, BP wore its environmental intentions on its sleeve. Those efforts
culminated in a February 2020 announcement from incoming CEO Bernard Looney that BP
intended to be a net-zero carbon emitter by 2050. Things certainly did change, but
not in the ways BP had anticipated. Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice at TCU after a 30-year career in the
energy industry, says that after years of supporting environmental, social and governance
(ESG) strategies, investors revolted. “Shareholders woke up and said, ‘No, no, we
have been bankrolling you for decades, and we want the returns we were promised,’”
Seng notes. “‘You are going to focus on free cash flow, share price and dividends.’”
North Texas doctor helps parents facing infant loss deal with the unimaginable
Feb. 25, 2025
CBSNews.com
After healthy pregnancies with her first two children, Yvette Ngo felt she knew what
to expect when she found out she was expecting her third. But a 20-week anatomy scan
revealed problems with Zoey’s heart and kidney, leading to further testing. Zoey had
Trisomy 13, a rare genetic condition that affects development of the heart, brain
and other organs. In most cases, it results in a miscarriage. When babies do survive
birth, it’s often not for long. After pressing for more help, the family met with
neonatologist and assistant professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, Dr. Terri Weinman. Her specialty is helping families navigate the unthinkable, providing palliative
care, or hospice, to the smallest of patients. “What I do is meet with families who
are pregnant with a child who has been diagnosed with a condition that is scary,”
Weinman said. “And I can help that family understand this might, in fact, be a life-limiting
diagnosis for your baby.”
As infant mortality rates rise, North Texas leaders work toward solutions
Feb. 25, 2025
CBSNews.com
Research has found that the highest infant death rate in the state is in Fort Worth
ZIP code 76104. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 29.3% of residents
in the 76104 ZIP code are uninsured, compared with 20.5% statewide and 10.2% nationwide.
“When you’re uninsured, you’ll have to find a place that will actually see you, and
the place they have to see you is the emergency room,” said Dr. Stuart Flynn, founding dean at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. Flynn said when moms show
up in the emergency room in labor, often it’s the first time they’ve interacted with
a health care provider during their pregnancy. At the point of labor, those mothers
have already missed out on possible interventions to address conditions like diabetes,
anemia and vitamin deficiencies that can reduce the risk of complications.
Cardiologists Warn That This Exercise Habit Could Be Bad for Your Heart
Feb. 22, 2025
Parade
People who are sedentary for more than 23 hours a week have a 37% greater risk of
cardiovascular disease. To keep your heart healthy, the American Heart Association
recommends engaging in at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical
activity a week. While exercising is generally good for heart health, cardiologists
warn people to be careful about high-intensity exercise, especially if they haven’t
worked out in a while. Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, a cardiologist and the chair of Internal Medicine at Burnett School of Medicine
at TCU, also says that high-intensity exercise can be dangerous if you don’t know
if you have any underlying health conditions. “Very high-intensity training puts a
significant strain on the heart. The younger we are, the more tolerable this may be.
However, as we age some of us can develop ‘silent’ cardiac disease, that when subjected
to these high stresses can lead to events,” he says.
The Surprising Source of Next-Gen Antibiotics: Oyster Blood
Feb. 22, 2025
Phamed.com
The search for a solution to antimicrobial resistance found something. And researchers
found it in a true “it’s always the last place you look” location. Australian oysters.
Or, more specifically, Australian oyster blood. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides
(AMPPs) “are an exciting area with a lot of potential,” said Shauna McGillivray, professor of biology at TCU with an emphasis on host-pathogen interactions. “[They]
are by themselves very potent but, as has been noted in multiple studies, they can
also synergize with existing antibiotics, thereby improving efficacy of antibiotics,
even in some cases to antibiotics to which there are high levels of resistance.”
Texas Ballet Theater debuts first commission of women choreographers in 20 years
Feb. 20, 2025
KERA News
For the first time in Texas Ballet Theater’s more than 60-year history, the company
is presenting a mixed-repertoire production solely choreographed by women. The program,
International Woman, contains pieces from six women, and also marks the company’s
first newly commissioned works by women in at least 20 years. Across the U.S., fewer
than one-third of dances performed by the 150 largest professional classical and ballet
companies in the 2023-2024 season were choreographed by women, according to the Dance
Data Project. “Rarely are choreographers brilliant out of the gate. Finding a way
to create opportunities to make those initial dances and keep practicing making dances
and providing pathways for that to happen is the way to nurture choreographers. And
typically, that has not been where the professional ballet world turns its attention
or its resources,” explains Elizabeth Gillaspy, professor of classical and contemporary dance.
Cardiologists Can’t Stand This One Popular Diet
Feb. 20, 2025
Parade
If one of your health goals is to support your cardiovascular health, you’re likely
familiar with the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and DASH diet. Both eating plans
have a wealth of scientific research showing that they support heart health (as well
as the rest of the body, for that matter). In addition to avoiding a diet high in
ultra-processed foods, Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, a cardiologist and the chair of internal medicine at Burnett School of Medicine
at TCU, says that people with cardiovascular disease or who have had a heart attack
or stroke in the past should avoid the carnivore diet, an eating plan that only allows
consumption of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood and some dairy products. He says that
the foods that make up this eating plan are known to lead to very high cholesterol
levels and inflammation.
The power of emotions: February mingles love, politics and history
Feb. 15, 2025
Tallahassee Democrat
Emotions are high this week as we continue to learn about potential changes in our
lives and in the lives of others that may stem from the executive orders being signed
daily by the president. According to Michele Meitl, associate professor of criminal law at TCU, “an executive order is a directive issued
by the president of the United States to take some specific action within the federal
government.” But legally, she explains, the orders cannot override constitutional
rights or federal laws and may be challenged by those involved to determine legality.
Federal judges, for example, can temporarily block orders to allow time to assess
legality. The scope of these potential changes is broad and deep, and for many elicits
a range of emotions that no matter our political position, we need to learn to manage
effectively.
STUDENTS
Divine Nine in South Dallas help underprivileged students access college
Feb. 27, 2025
Dallas Free Press
For Tatum Carter, 19, the historic Greek alumni houses on MLK Jr. Boulevard in South Dallas represent
the foundation for her dreams. The DeSoto High School graduate and current college
freshman attended meetings for the Alpha Omicron’s Sigma Gamma Rho Rhoer Club, which
has met regularly at the houses in South Dallas since the 1920s to discuss leadership
skills, college preparation and community service. These gatherings for young women
aged 12-18 are more than extracurricular activities. In fact, they prepared Carter
for life. “I’ve learned everything from résumé writing to how to carry myself with
confidence,” Carter says. “It’s because of this group that I feel ready to take on
college and everything after that.” This year, Carter’s readiness paid off. She’s
now a freshman at TCU, studying nursing on a full scholarship, an achievement she
attributes to the guidance she received from the Rhoer Club and Sigma Gamma Rho mentors.
Elon University Truitt Center hosts Ripple Conference, fosters interfaith connection
Feb. 24, 2025
Elon News Network
With an estimated 150 attendees hailing from over 10 universities, the Ripple Conference,
held from Feb. 21 to 23, showcased the importance of interfaith dialogue on college
campuses. Jonah Morgan, a third-year at TCU, said having multifaith spaces is especially important on campuses
that are religiously affiliated, as not every student practices that specific religion.
“If we didn’t have those spaces, especially at a Christian university, they wouldn’t
feel comfortable to be here, they wouldn’t come to our campus, and then I feel like
campus would be a sadder place if everyone was just the same denomination,” Morgan
said.
Graduate students showcase work in Dallas Contemporary’s exhibition
Feb. 21, 2025
North Texas Daily
Launched in August 2024, the Dallas Contemporary North Texas Graduate Student Program
is a five-year initiative that aims to bridge the gap between emerging artists and
the professional art world, providing a platform for final-year Master of Fine Arts
students from across six North Texas universities, including TCU, to showcase their
work. The program awards an annual $8,000 prize to one artist and offers a curatorial fellowship
for a master’s student pursuing a degree in contemporary art history. TCU’s Elijah Ruhala was selected as the winner during the opening weekend.