TCU Magazine Confronts Grief, Resilience, the Science of Aging
The spring 2026 issue of TCU Magazine began as a celebration of serious, sustained research into aging — and became something more.
“Our cover story, Care, Compassion, Cures, examines research on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia, pairing the science with the lived experience of patients and caregivers,” editor Caroline Collier said. “It is a story about what TCU can do at its best: move knowledge closer to human need.”
The work was championed by Christopher R. Watts, the Marilyn and Morgan Davies Dean of Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences, who died before the issue went to press. Another major voice in these pages also did not live to see them published.
“We came to this issue expecting to celebrate research,” Collier said. “We didn’t expect it to meet us where we were. Loss has a way of sharpening what matters and collapsing the distance between the scientific and the deeply personal. The researchers in these pages already understand that. Reporting their work reminded us.”
Several features also confront the aftermath of the July 4, 2025, floods that claimed more than 130 lives in the Texas Hill Country. Austin Dickson ’03 has led fundraising and recovery efforts that have surpassed $100 million — stable leadership in a moment when steadiness mattered.
Elsewhere, the magazine traveled with a TCU Alumni Association group to Southern Africa, where a safari across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia became a study in abundance, interdependence and the resilience of both ecosystems and communities. In Collin County, Texas, two alumni judges have built an award-winning mental health court that clears criminal records and offers people experiencing mental illness a genuine second chance — justice shaped by restoration rather than punishment.
More from this edition:
Student Research Grants: The TCU Science & Engineering Research Center profiles students who have secured funding to pursue passion projects, from Alzheimer’s treatments to food insecurity solutions.
Patagonia’s Environmental Enforcer: Kim Drenner ’08, head of environmental impact at Patagonia, is driving supply chain decarbonization and pushing the outdoor apparel industry toward net zero.
Hell’s Half Acre, Still Selling: Fort Worth historian Richard Selcer ’80 Ph.D. has written 15 books about this city — and TCU Press’s all-time best-seller is still drawing readers to the stories hiding in plain sight.
Bobby Francis, 25 Years In: The director of bands and 86th president of the American Bandmasters Association reflects on building a culture of musical excellence and mutual respect at TCU.
Retirees Remember: Six longtime TCU faculty and staff share their favorite moments from decades of service. Every memory, without exception, centers on students.
Sawyer Strosnider: After leading the nation in triples and earning Freshman Hitter of the Year honors, TCU Baseball’s rising star is eyeing Omaha in year two.
Dublin Food Guide: A curated pairings guide for Horned Frog fans making the trip to Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic this August.
