From whiskey to spiders to product packaging, TCU is in the news.
INSTITUTIONAL
Nissan Heisman House returns for 13th season, opens doors to fans in new ways
Aug. 31, 2023
Business Wire
The Nissan Heisman House − the House built for Heisman Trophy winners − returns with
a brand-new campaign featuring television spots, influencer collaborations and digital
experiences that connect college football fans with their favorite players. Once again,
the Nissan Heisman House Tour will travel to campuses across the country for some
of the biggest college football matchups of the year. The tour gives fans the chance
to explore the House, strike a pose with the Heisman Trophy, meet college football
legends, and experience game day like a Heisman winner. On Oct. 14th, the Heisman
House will be at TCU.
‘Aunt for all of Como:’ Fort Worth leader provides support to students
Aug. 31, 2023
Fort Worth Report
Operation Progress is a nonprofit that aims to serve students in underserved communities
and provide them mentorship from Fort Worth Police Department officers in an effort
to improve community relations. The Fort Worth version of the organization was created
by Johnny Nahn, criminal justice professor and associate dean of graduate studies, and Neil Noakes MS ’19, Fort Worth chief of police.
American Writers Museum Podcast Episode 32: Phillis Wheatley Peters
Aug. 30, 2023
American Writers Museum
At the age of 20, Phillis Wheatley Peters became the first published African-American
author with Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773). The AddRan College of Liberal Arts and the University of Georgia are midway through
a year-long collaborative project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the publication of Phillis Wheatley Peters’ book of poems. Sarah Ruffing Robbins, the Lorraine Sherley Chair in Literature, and Mona Narain, professor of English, were featured on a recent podcast to talk about the project.
Robinhood Money Drills Partners with Texas Christian
Aug. 29, 2023
GlobeNewswire
Robinhood Markets Inc. is partnering with TCU to provide financial education coursework
for the university’s student-athletes through its signature Robinhood Money Drills
program. Robinhood will provide funding to support course sections of personal finance
classes at the university, within the TCU Neeley School of Business and its dedicated Neeley NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) curriculum housed within
its Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “We are proud to join our Neeley
NIL program in partnering with Robinhood to create this outstanding financial educational
opportunity for our student-athletes,” said Jeremiah Donati, director of intercollegiate athletics. “Robinhood is an industry leader and will
be a trusted resource for our student-athletes in preparing for their lives after
TCU.”
A Tenacious Trailblazer’s Legacy
Aug. 21, 2023
360 West Magazine
Every inch of the Margo Dean School of Ballet is painted in various shades of purple.
Margo Dean herself is dressed in the royal hue from head to toe. When asked if it’s
her favorite color, she replies with a smile, “It’s my only color.” It’s not an exaggeration
to say that without Margo Dean, many of Fort Worth’s foremost ballet institutions
would not exist today. At her suggestion, TCU became the first college in the nation to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet.
“I knew the director of fine arts,” she says. “And I told him, ‘I think you need a
ballet department.’” She recommended her friend David Preston to teach a class at
the school, and he served as the department’s first chair for the next 14 years.
TCU’s first attempt at a medical school wasn’t as successful as today’s Burnett school
Aug. 19, 2023
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Burnett School of Medicine at TCU wasn’t the university’s first attempt at a medical school. In June 1911 – shortly
after TCU moved to Fort Worth from Waco – the university would take over the 17-year-old
Fort Worth Medical College. This was at a time when medical tuition was $50 a semester.
In 1918, the medical school affiliated with TCU closed and transferred its records
and students to Baylor in Dallas. It would be over 100 years before another student
studied in Fort Worth for a Doctor of Medicine degree.
FACULTY
How does thermal generation affect ERCOT conservation requests?
Aug. 30, 2023
KRLD-AM
ERCOT has issued repeated conservation appeals. They say there were problems with
“thermal generation outages.” But what does that actually mean? “When they talk about
‘thermal’ they’re talking about the power plants fueled by natural gas, or coal and
lignite,” said Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice in the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute.
Think about the temperatures that we’ve had this summer, and you’re running those
things day in and day out. Something has to give.”
5 crazy and surprising college courses your tuition is paying for: Taylor Swift, aliens
and more
Aug. 29, 2023
Fox News
Students enrolled in TCU’s “whiskey school” are prepared to learn the history and
science behind brown liquor. Eric Simanek, Robert A. Welch Chair of Chemistry, who’s taught the program for more than seven
years, explained how the class evolved from exploring the science of whiskey to the
way alcohol has shaped global culture and American history. “Whiskey turns out to
be a great lens to look at the world around us, not only the science that’s happening
but also current events,” he said. “The advantage to looking at events in the past
through the lens of whiskey is that we can avoid that knee-jerk response and approach
them safely and in a way that’s detached from our own prejudices.”
When less is more
Aug. 23, 2023
uga.edu
Why do consumers value simplicity in product packaging? “Imagine there is a box of
crackers with simple packaging,” said Lan Anh Ton, assistant professor of marketing. “When consumers view this product, the simplicity
in the product packaging prompts them to assume the product has few ingredients. This
perception of few ingredients leads consumers to infer the product’s core component,
such as wheat flour in the case of crackers, is not mixed with other ingredients.
In essence, they assume the simple box of crackers is pure and are thus willing to
pay more for this product.”
Key Findings from TCU’s Working Capital Report
Aug. 23, 2023
Supply Chain Now
Are we getting back to normal? According to the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index,
the level of disruptions in supply chains is moderating. While the current trend suggests
lowered levels of volatility, most supply chain managers believe that some shortages
and serious disruptions will continue throughout 2023. Are you prepared for what’s
to come? Morgan Swink, executive director, Center for Supply Chain Innovation, said, “We just published
a paper earlier this year that looked at AP and the effect of AP policy, accounts
payable policy on supplier relationships, basically. And that’s really where I come
at this whole thing from.”
Why is Chat GPT controversial in the classroom?
Aug. 23, 2023
KTVT-TV (Ft. Worth, TX)
Chat GPT is controversial in the classroom. School districts in New York and Seattle
banned the artificial intelligence on school devices but local schools have chosen
to embrace it. According to Beata Jones, professor of business and information systems practice, “It’s on the faculty to
eliminate the opportunities for students to respond to their assignments with simply
cut-and-paste. The worst thing people can do it ignore the existence of this technology.”
With the power grid holding, what’s next for ERCOT?
Aug. 23, 2023
KRLD-AM (Dallas, TX)
Despite the heat, ERCOT has not ordered an “Energy Emergency Alert.” ERCOT, the Electric
Reliability Council of Texas, has issued several “Voluntary Conservation Notices,”
urging individuals to take steps to reduce power use and asking local governments
to implement programs to cut usage. “On the one hand, the more times there are these
alerts and requests by ERCOT to conserve energy, people may become numb,” said Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute.
“I would hope it’s almost the other way: habitually, this is what’s good for the entire
state and the entire grid.”
Dru Riddle Begins Term as President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
Aug. 24, 2023
aana.com
Dru Riddle, associate professor of professional practice in nurse anesthesia, took office as
the 2023-2024 president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. “As president
of the AANA, I am honored to continue to serve the profession of nurse anesthesiology
and look forward to working alongside the 10 other board members, the incredible staff,
and our fantastic members,” said Riddle.
Extreme heat leaves DFW ranch owners dealing with early hay feeding due to dead grass
Aug. 21, 2023
WFAA-TV
The triple-digit days we’re having here in North Texas are having a direct impact
on livestock owners, especially those needing hay, to keep their livestock healthy.
Matt Garcia oversees the Ranch Management program at TCU. They teach students livestock care,
including heat management. “You can see heat stress on those animals, heat stroke
on those animals,” said Garcia. “And you can even see animals that if they if they
get too stressed to the heat will actually die.”
Can spiders help keep our food safe from toxins? This TCU researcher thinks so.
Aug. 17, 2023
The Dallas Morning News
Matt Chumchal, biology professor, says spiders can help keep our food safe. He and
his team think spiders pose some advantages as test subjects and could make mercury
monitoring easier and cheaper. “You don’t have to get in the water,” Chumchal said.
He says it only takes about 10 minutes to collect and analyze a spider for toxins
to flag any potential issues.
Considering buying solar panels in North Texas? Here’s what to know
Aug. 16, 2023
The Dallas Morning News
Solar power has helped keep the ERCOT grid intact this summer, at times offsetting
the record-breaking energy demand that is met by natural gas plants, coal plants and
more. Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute, said solar companies can design a system suited to your position and needs. Typically,
companies will aim for a system that would cover 80% of your electricity usage for
the year. “It’s never going to be 100%, because the sun doesn’t always shine.”
Yes, Trump can win again, even with another indictment. It’s even easier than 2016
Aug. 15, 2023
Yahoo
About 90%-95% of Republicans will eagerly vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 election,
more if he’s in jail. But about 5%-10% absolutely will not, no matter what. Trump
can’t win without that 5%-10%, even against a lackluster Democratic ticket. But this
election might not be that simple, even with Trump facing four criminal cases. “I
think he [Trump] could win,” wrote Jim Riddlesperger, political science professor, by email.
ALUMNI
How a TCU Alum Found Business Success in Coffee Innovation
Aug. 29, 2023
FW Inc.
What started out as a semester-long assignment for a TCU business course has blossomed
into a growing North Texas coffee company. Whiskey Morning Coffee, based in Tolar,
has gained a successful word-of-mouth following over the past five years because of
its unique flavor profiles and smoking technique, which sets it apart, according to
co-founder Evan Sledge ’19, who, along with two cohorts, started this company during a class from Michael Sherrod, William M. Dickey Entrepreneur in Residence at TCU’s Neeley School of Business. “I
liked this class a lot,” Sledge said.
Justin Lucero Named Artistic Director Of Theater Latte Da
Aug. 22, 2023
BroadwayWorld.com
Theater Latté Da announced today that it has chosen Justin Lucero ’03 as its next artistic director. “It is with true enthusiasm that I accept this position
and join this inspiring organization and vibrant community,” said Lucero. “I am absolutely
committed to honoring Theater Latté Da’s rich legacy and bright future.
Local content creator takes on online platform for community advocacy
Aug. 21, 2023
TheDailyTexan
Adam Powell ’16, who makes videos on Austin history, now has 7,769 followers on TikTok, posting about
local and campus history. He said he started his account as a hobby-turned-platform,
amassing over two million views in one year. Recent videos include a collaboration
with CASA of Travis County, an organization training volunteers to aid children in
the welfare system. Powell also devoted a series on his account to Project Connect
updates and posts about local issues.
Governor Abbott Appoints Zeidman To Holocaust, Genocide, And Antisemitism Advisory
Commission
Aug. 15, 2023
EIN News
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Jay S. Zeidman ’05, to the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. The Advisory
Commission conducts studies on antisemitism in the state, provides assistance to schools
and meets with appropriate representatives of public and private organizations to
provide information in addition to various education duties around the state. Zeidman
received a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Political Science, where he also served
as student body president.
ATHLETICS
Take a look back at TCU’s fairy-tale season
Aug. 30, 2023
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
See photos from TCU’s 2022 run to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The Horned Frogs had a conference record of 9-0 going into the Big 12 Championship.
They lost to Kansas State, but defeated Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl. The Horned Frogs
took on Georgia at Sofi Stadium in the National Championship, but lost 65-7.
What’s next for TCU? How do Sonny Dykes, Horned Frogs follow up 2022’s magical season?
Aug. 25, 2023
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The office of head football coach Sonny Dykeshas undergone a bit of a makeover since he arrived in Fort Worth in December 2021.
The lush headquarters is now filled with trophies that are spread out across numerous
tabletops. After leading the most improbable playoff run in college football history,
Dykes received more than 10 Coach of the Year honors. “You work hard in this business
to gain a little credibility, and I think it gave us credibility more as a program
than it did individually,” Dykes said. “That’s what you want; you want people to take
the program serious. Whether it’s recruits, whether it’s high school coaches, who
are helping guide recruits, or people that are willing to invest in the program.”