TCU announced that Thomas “Tom” Wavering will become its inaugural chief university
strategy and innovation officer, effective July 2024.
As a member of the president’s cabinet, Wavering will partner with TCU leadership to advance the university’s mission and vision. He will provide strategic and operational guidance as the university develops and implements its next strategic plan, focusing on expanding TCU’s culture of innovation and academic excellence.
“Tom is a builder, innovator and team player, and we are thrilled to welcome him to TCU,” President Daniel W. Pullin said. “As our community works together to envision the future and write the next chapter in TCU’s story, Tom’s strategic and entrepreneurial mindset, coupled with his strong background in higher education and expertise in innovation, will help us reach our highest aspirations.”
The chief university strategy and innovation officer role is a new, key executive position for TCU, appointed by the president and charged with driving forward-thinking strategies, fostering innovation and community engagement, and ensuring that TCU remains competitive in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
“This new position for TCU comes from the playbooks of leading national universities that are on the rise,” Pullin said. “If we are to continue to attract and retain the brightest students, faculty and staff, reach new heights in terms of student outcomes and success, and strengthen our academic profile, we must grow our innovation mindset. Tom will help us do just that.”
Wavering will collaborate closely with academic and administrative leaders to identify and develop strategic initiatives, partnerships and technologies to enhance the university’s academic excellence, research capabilities and societal impact in Fort Worth and beyond.
“TCU is an outstanding institution with an incredible history of innovation, excellence and developing leaders. I am honored to join the president’s leadership team and partner with the outstanding faculty and staff at TCU to help shape the future of TCU and our region,” Wavering said. “Higher education is changing, but TCU’s mission, vision and values are everlasting. With that at our core, and our position in the vibrant powerhouse that is the Fort Worth community, we are poised to achieve our goals and more.”
Wavering previously served as executive director of the Tom Love Innovation Hub and as an entrepreneurship faculty member at the University of Oklahoma, the state’s flagship research university. He successfully infused his background in research and development with his passion for education and innovation to build and lead Oklahoma’s largest entrepreneurial support organization, diversifying and growing Oklahoma’s innovation economy with an economic impact of over $400 million.
Prior to his role at OU, Wavering was vice president of strategic technologies at Intelligent Automation Inc., where he supported organizational culture development strategies and led business development and technology transfer activities. Wavering has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering with a minor in creative writing from Virginia Tech.