It has been a packed 2023. From the Sesquicentennial to athletic successes and the culmination of the Lead On campaign, TCU News recaps the top stories of the year.
Horned Frogs Travel Miles to Celebrate College Football Playoff Win
Horned Frogs thrive in the desert. Tens of thousands of them descended on the Fiesta
Bowl in Arizona to watch the TCU football team clinch a spot in the College Football
Playoff National Championship game Jan. 9. Horned Frog alumni, students, faculty and
staff traveled 1,043 miles … and more.
TCU Announces Formal Investiture of President Daniel W. Pullin
The TCU Board of Trustees and Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. hosted the investiture
of President Daniel W. Pullin, formally conferring the responsibilities of the president.
In recognition of long-held academic tradition, the reverent ceremonial occasion served
to acknowledge the great responsibility of stewarding a timeless institution and a
university legacy, as well as commemorate the first year of Pullin’s presidency.
TCU Surpasses $1 Billion Campaign Goal
TCU announced that it has surpassed the goal for its most ambitious philanthropic
campaign in its 150-year history. More than $1 billion has been committed for Lead
On: A Campaign for TCU. The success of this effort is fueling the university’s strategic
plan and positioning TCU for the next 150 years of fulfilling its mission to educate
leaders and responsible citizens for the global community. The university’s mission
is supported by fundraising, which enables additional support for key initiatives
that increase access to a TCU education and allow for expansion and improvements to
the campus experience.
TCU’s 150th is Here
It’s a moment 150 years in the making. TCU’s Sesquicentennial opening celebration
featured a week of Texas-sized events on campus for all Horned Frogs, friends, neighbors
and family.
TCU Returns to College World Series for the First Time Since 2017
The Frogs ended their Omaha drought this season, thanks to consecutive victories against
Indiana State in the Fort Worth Super Regional. The Frogs departed for the College
World Series in style with a sendoff from fans and the Fort Worth Fire Department.
With wins over Virginia and Oral Roberts, the Horned Frogs made it to the third round
of the championship series.
TCU to Gain ‘Ceremonial Front Door’ off Berry Street
Even with the construction of The Harrison on the south side of campus, the little
white house remained TCU’s longtime neighbor. Now, the small residence at 3071 Wabash
Ave. has been removed, and the entrance off Berry Street will have a new, inviting
space.
Like a Fine Wine: TCU Celebrates 150th with Commemorative Vino
When it’s time to celebrate, it’s time to raise a glass. For TCU’s 150th anniversary,
a special edition wine – actually two – commemorated the occasion. Saarloos + Sons
winery in California’s Santa Ynez Valley created a cabernet sauvignon and a sauvignon
blanc. The winery is operated by the Saarloos family – as in Kirk Saarloos, TCU’s
head baseball coach. His brother, Keith, now runs the winery, a fourth-generation
business that’s truly a family affair. It’s only fitting they would be the creator
of TCU’s commemorative wine.
New Tradition to Kick Off Opening Weekend
Welcome home, Horned Frogs! The academic year was launched with an opening weekend
full of festivities that set the tone for an amazing 2023-2024, and it started with
the re-imagined tradition for faculty and staff – the Welcome & Opening Luncheon.
A Commencement 150 Years in the Making
In its 150th anniversary year, Texas Christian University held a special commencement
weekend filled with milestones, achievements and traditions. TCU and Brite Divinity
School presented degrees to more than 2,400 candidates during four separate ceremonies
May 13 and 14. Among the notable events, TCU reached its 100,000th living alum, the
Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU graduated its first class, and TCU commemorated
its Sesquicentennial with ceremonies filled with unique touches and a new tradition.
Princeton Review Ranks TCU High on Happiness and More
Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth, but, according to The Princeton Review,
TCU has the happiest students. The 2024 rankings are out, and the university made
the list in several areas, including its management, residence halls and relationship
with its hometown.
Three TCU Graduate Programs Receive Top 100 Rankings from U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report released its Best Graduate Schools rankings for 2023-2024. The rankings include three Texas
Christian University programs in the top 100, climbing multiple spots from last year.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice in Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences was
ranked No. 43 in the country. The Full-time MBA program in the TCU Neeley School of
Business is ranked among the top 50, up 17 spots from last year. Also in TCU Neeley,
the part-time MBA program remains in the top 100, climbing 16 spots.
Renovated Sadler Hall Opens
The renovated M.E. Sadler Hall is open and holding classes. The building provides
a new home to the John V. Roach Honors College, Academic Advising, TCU Global, the
Faculty Affairs Office, and the departments of Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies and
Women & Gender Studies – now within the AddRan College of Liberal Arts. Also located
in Sadler is the Koehler Center for Instruction, Innovation & Engagement. The building
includes classrooms, team rooms, student lounges and other needed space.
Murals Marked TCU’s Impact Across the Country
As part of TCU’s 150th anniversary, the university highlighted notable Horned Frog
leaders who found their inspiration at TCU with a series of murals, hand-painted in
cities across America. The larger-than-life artistic portraits appeared in select
U.S. cities to recognize outstanding individuals who represent the power of TCU’s
alumni leading on in extraordinary ways in their chosen fields.
TCU Announces Fall 2023 University Award Winners
The 2023 winners of some of TCU’s prestigious university awards are official. Read
on for details on the honorees, including a special surprise award announced and celebrated
at the Welcome & Opening Luncheon.
Telling the Story of TCU’s 150 Years
Amidst the numerous commemorations of TCU’s Sesquicentennial, five books were published
by TCU Press to recognize and chronicle the university’s path to 150. From looking
at the campus itself, to its history with race and to its overall evolution, the books
pay tribute to TCU. As the books were released throughout the year, TCU News shared
the stories behind the stories.
TCU Ranks in U.S. News & World Report Top 100 for 14th Consecutive Year
U.S. News & World Report ranked Texas Christian University a top 100 national university for the 14th year
in a row. The university was further recognized in the top 100 for its business, engineering
and nursing programs and also cracked the top list for Best Value Schools.
TCU Recognizes 2023-2024 Endowed Faculty
TCU seeks out professors who have a passion for teaching as well as for conducting
research — a combination that keeps them at the top of their fields. Through prestigious
and enduring investments, generous donors create new knowledge and shape vibrant futures
through exemplary research and teaching. Endowed faculty positions attract eminent
national and international scholars, who draw other notable faculty and the brightest
students to TCU.
TCU Enrollment, Retention on the Rise
Texas Christian University’s enrollment for fall 2023 increased 4.2% overall to 12,785.
This includes a 3.7% increase in undergraduate students to 10,915 and a 6.9% increase
in graduate enrollment to 1,870. All numbers are in comparison to fall 2022. Retention
numbers were once again very strong with TCU retaining first-time-in-college students
at a rate of 94.3%. This is even higher than the 91.7% achieved in 2022 and the 91.3%
achieved in 2021.
Making its Mark: TCU’s Downtown Mural is Complete
Downtown Fort Worth has gone purple. TCU’s 96-by-90-foot mural is complete in Sundance
Square and will remain at its location on the southeast corner of 5th and Throckmorton
streets for at least five years. The artwork is being used to celebrate the historical
and integral relationship with Fort Worth as the university closes out its Sesquicentennial.
Meet the Winners of the 2023 Deans’ Awards
Each year, all academic deans review nominations for the Deans’ Award for Teaching
and the Deans’ Award for Research and Creativity. Full-time tenured or tenure-track
faculty are nominated by their colleagues, supported by recommendations from students
and alumni. The deans review all 16 nominees, one from each college and two from AddRan,
and choose six to honor each year. Each honoree receives $2,500.
TCU Announces 2023 Award Winners for Teaching and Mentorship TCU is proud to announce the 2023 winners of significant university awards for scholarship, mentoring and teaching: the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement, the Wassenich Award for Mentoring, and the Maryrose and Dan Short Award for Teaching Excellence.
TCU Football Season Opens with Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff on Campus
Opening weekend for Horned Frog football picked up where it ended last season: on
the national stage. Ahead of a nationally televised opener Sept. 2, Fox’s Big Noon
Kickoff broadcast from the lawn of the Dee J. Kelly Alumni & Visitors Center once
again.
TCU’s 150th Finale Week Looks Toward a Bright Future
TCU’s Sesquicentennial year was full of shining moments, and the university lit up
its finale week and looks toward the bright future of the university’s next 150 years.