Horned Frogs in the News, March 1-15, 2025

From CIA counterterrorism to weight-loss injections and from student recruitment to missing romance, media are coming to TCU for news and thought leadership. 

INSTITUTIONAL 

Celebrate National Autism Acceptance Month at the Carter 
March 13, 2025 
Madeworthy & Tanglewood Moms 
The Amon Carter Museum of American Art is celebrating National Autism Acceptance Month this April with two free events for neurodivergent individuals from kids to adults: Sensory Explorations and Meet Up at the Museum. The Carter has partnered with TCU FACES (Families, Autism, and Child Emotional Studies) since 2018 for its access events, such as Sensory Explorations, to structure programs and invite families to access events, as well as provide staff training.

FACULTY & STAFF

These schools are pioneering AI in student recruitment 
March 12, 2025 
University Business 
AI is playing a bigger role in higher ed operations despite persisting pockets of skepticism. There may be no greater enthusiasm for the emerging technology than in student enrollment and recruitment. However, many institutions remain skeptical about AI’s ability to review college applications—despite several platforms promising their AI can assist admission officers’ holistic review processes. TCU, too, is watching others adopt AI in admissions. “We’re always mindful of keeping the student centered in our processes,” says Heath Einstein, vice provost for enrollment management. “What I think could be a tipping point, is when our customer relationship management services are able to build this into their systems.” 

Advice From The Unexpected Spy: Stop Overthinking and Do It 
March 12, 2025 
Farm Journal 
If she’s being honest, Tracy Walder, adjunct professor in TCU’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, never imagined a life for herself as a CIA counterterrorism staff operations officer or as a special agent at the FBI. In fact, if she had thought too long about saying yes to those opportunities, her life would have looked much different. But she did say yes. “I think a lot of times, if we veer from whatever path we thought we wanted, people get a little jarred by that,” Walder shared. “Instead of people asking me ‘How?’ (which is a more important question), a lot of people were asking me ‘Why?’” Walder says. “I think we almost get stigmatized by that question of why. It causes us to not go down that path we were thinking about and just continue on the one we were on. I believe we must actively fight against that mindset every day.” 

Danica Knight, Texas Christian University – Hope Connection 2.0 
March 12, 2025 
The Academic Minute 
Danica Kalling Knight serves as professor of psychology and Rees-Jones Director of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU. As director, her primary responsibility is to ensure that Karyn’s dream of “bringing hope and healing to children around the world” is realized through the institute’s mission of research, education and outreach efforts. Her current efforts focus on the dissemination and implementation of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, a whole-child, attachment-based, trauma-informed and sensory-rich approach to addressing the needs of children who’ve experienced trauma. “Our research documents the effectiveness of TBRI for children through a variety of modalities, including therapeutic family camps.  

Women share their bittersweet experience after taking weight-loss drugs 
March 8, 2025 
BBC 
The advent of weight-loss injections like semaglutide and tirzepatide has meant people can lose huge amounts of weight rapidly, without undergoing invasive surgery. People who have used the injections have told BBC News that rapid weight loss has caused a massive shift in the way they are treated -- by both strangers and loved ones -- as well as a change in how they approach their lives. This is something that Jeannine A. Gailey, sociology professor at TCU, explored in her 2014 book The Hyper(in)visible Fat Woman. “My argument is that those who are marginalized, including fat people, become hyper-visible and hyper-invisible,” meaning they’re sometimes ignored and sometimes made into a “spectacle,” she tells the BBC. 

14 Moves to Master Demand Surges 
March 7, 2025 
Inbound Logistics 
Spikes in demand can boost revenue and turbocharge growth. Yet meeting these surges, especially when they’re unexpected, poses risks and challenges. If companies can’t keep up, they risk alienating customers. On the flip side, investing heavily to meet a short-lived demand jump can strain a company’s bottom line and leave it with excess inventory. “A spike in demand can potentially be positive, but it can also be a disaster,” says Travis Tokar, professor of supply chain management at TCU. A spike may drop off before a company can capitalize on it, leaving customers dissatisfied.  

Empowering Patients, Transforming Lives: The Ongoing Journey of Dr. Tomi Ola-Peters and DivineTouch Medical Center 
March 6, 2025 
Living Magazine 
Just over a year ago, Dr. Tomi Ola-Peters, associate professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, took a leap of faith by founding DivineTouch Medical Center, driven by her passion for empowering patients to make healthy lifestyle choices. “It’s only when I slow down and really listen to my patients that I can truly understand their priorities and challenges, partner with them, and make a positive impact on their lives,” she said. That vision has proven remarkably successful. Her approach has received glowing reviews, with many patients praising her comprehensive, compassionate care, friendly bedside manner and choosing her as their primary care provider. 

One-on-One Physician Coaching for Clinicians in a Safety Net Health System 
March 6, 2025 
Physician Leadership 
A paper co-authored by Dr. John Haynes from the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU found physician-to-physician coaching to have a multitude of benefits in shaping culture in a practice and, at times, altering specific behaviors. Eleven clinicians at a safety net institution undertook a novel self-assessment, followed by direct observation and coaching from a physician leader. The combined approach led to an increase in patient experience scores across all domains at 30 days and at 90 days post-observation and coaching. Five clinicians demonstrated significant improvements while three clinicians demonstrated significant declines with this approach, including the advanced practice professionals in this cohort. 

A popular plagiarism checker has pulled a big about-face on AI for students 
March 6, 2025 
Yahoo! Tech 
Plagiarism checker Turnitin once flagged students using AI to cheat. Now, it’s planning to give some an AI-powered writing tool. The company said it’s rolling out Turnitin Clarity, an online program that lets students write with AI under teacher supervision, later this year. It’s a major reversal from the company that launched an AI detector to flag AI-written assignments two years ago. Some educators believe that AI can be a good idea in the classroom. Curby Alexander, associate professor of professional practice in education, says that AI has helped his students sharpen their critical thinking. They’re learning to identify gaps where AI-generated content falls short. 

Natural gas is having a moment, but more pipelines may be needed 
March 3, 2025 
Marketplace.org 
As natural gas’ role in the U.S. electric grid grows, there’s also been an increase in natural gas deliveries to power plants through pipeline companies and their large transmission lines, according to new analysis from the Energy Information Administration. As electricity demand grows in order to charge our EVs, run our data centers and keep the AC blowing during peak summer heat, there may be a need for more transmission infrastructure down the road. This is where transmission pipelines — and pipeline companies — are critical. “Let’s just say you’re out in Midland, Texas, and there’s all these wells, right? There’s hundreds of wells,” said Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice in finance. “Well, you don’t connect a large pipeline to each well.” You connect them to a single point, and that goes through a giant transmission pipeline. Those transmission pipelines run underground across the country, almost like spider webs — mostly going directly to natural gas-fired power plants. 

Alumni magazines are on the rise 
March 3, 2025 
Current 
According to a recent piece at Inside Higher Ed, colleges and universities throughout the country are investing in their alumni magazines. Caroline Collier ’98 (MLA ’17), the editor of TCU’s alumni magazine, says, “In a time of skyrocketing paper and postage costs, alumni magazines are paradoxically enjoying a renaissance. After cutting back — or cutting down — print issues during the pandemic, many institutions are now pushing for expanded page counts, more copies, better photography, multimedia extras and more institutional support. Why? Because audiences appreciate the thought-provoking content and the tangible, premium reminder of the enduring connection with their alma mater.”

Marcia Cross Had No HPV Symptoms Before Cancer — Here’s What She Wants Women to Know 
March 3, 2025 
For Women First 
Genital warts are the most common symptom of HPV in women. Genital warts can develop from an infection with low-risk HPV that is unlikely to become cancerous. You may not notice them or you might feel small, rough bumps on the skin of the genital area. For women, these warts normally appear on the vulva and may cause itching or irritation of the vulvar skin, says Dr. Shana Combs, associate professor in the OB-GYN Department at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.  

Carly Pearce on Her Pericarditis Symptoms: ‘It Felt Like Breathing Through a Straw’ 
March 2, 2025 
For Women First 
Grammy-nominated country singer Carly Pearce raises awareness for heart health. Why is it so important to her? In May 2024 at just 34, Pearce revealed that she had been diagnosed with pericarditis. We spoke to two health care experts to understand more about the heart condition and pericarditis symptoms you should be on the lookout for. “Pericarditis refers to inflammation of the pericardium, which is the sac that surrounds the heart,” says Dr. Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, chair of Internal Medicine at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. This sac plays an important role in heart health.  

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs pose new challenges for restaurants: Diners who feel full 
March 1, 2025 
The Columbian 
A recent study from Cornell University and consumer insights group Numerator looked at food spending habits of 150,000 U.S. households with at least one GLP-1 drug user between July 2022 through September 2024. It found consumers were dining out less at fast food chains, coffee shops and other quick-service restaurants: nearly 4% less at breakfast and 6% less at dinnertime. A November 2024 survey found up to 40% of the weight lost by people using the medications is actually muscle. This is why it’s important to take these medications under the supervision of a medical professional who can counsel you on a proper diet along with exercise, said Dr. Chris Bajaj, an endocrinologist and assistant professor at TCU’s Burnett School of Medicine. “(Losing) muscle mass is a huge problem for our patients, and that is actually something that we talk about with everyone,” Bajaj said. 

ALUMNI

Meet the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board 
March 10, 2025 
Dallas Morning News 
Julieta Chiquillo ’10, a native of El Salvador, joined The Dallas Morning News in 2010 as a newly minted graduate of TCU. She began her career in “neighborsgo,” then the weekly community section of The News. In 2013, she switched to the Collin County bureau of The News’ Metro section and soon after led national news coverage of the structural problems in Allen High School’s $60 million stadium. Her byline appeared twice in the collection of nominated work that made The News a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer in breaking news reporting for its coverage of the Dallas police ambush.  

Lisa Malooly’s ‘For You, My Hero’ to Be Showcased at London Book Fair 2025 
March 4, 2025 
Canadian Times Journal 
At the London Book Fair 2025, For You, My Hero by Lisa Malooly ’91 will take readers on a journey through America’s history, traditions and cultural evolution. This reflective work weaves together philosophy, theology, sociology and history, using the Pledge of Allegiance as a guiding framework to rediscover defining moments in American history. Designed as both a personal and collective exploration, For You, My Hero encourages readers to reclaim historical awareness while fostering a deeper connection to the values that shape a nation and the role individuals play in preserving them. The book also includes discussion points designed to spark meaningful conversations, making it an enriching choice for book clubs and group discussions. 

Fort Worth Deputy Chief Monica Martin Credits TCU EMBA for Leadership Growth 
March 4, 2025 
Fort Worth Inc. 
Monica Martin MBA ’23, having moved up the ranks of the Fort Worth Police Department, realized that she needed advanced instruction on handling budgets and financial issues if she wanted to move into the department’s executive ranks. “I knew there was gonna be a time of transitioning from a tactical to more of a business mindset,” says Martin, 44. Martin is a 2023 graduate of TCU’s EMBA program. Mere weeks after finishing, she became the first African American woman promoted to deputy chief in the city of Fort Worth. Martin knows East Division well, considering she is a graduate of Eastern Hills High School. Martin raves about her cohort at TCU, which included NBC5 sports anchor Newy Scruggs. “We walked in as strangers and left as family,” she says. “And I think that, out of all things, was the biggest bonus for me.” 

A Simple Way to Restore Some Missing Romance 
March 1, 2025 
Psychology Today 
When you’re mired in challenging times with your partner, you may question why you ever got involved with this person. Maybe it’s been a tough couple of weeks and both of you are struggling not only with your own personal stresses, but also occasional bouts of bickering. As you rummage through the reasons you even are a couple, maybe your mind drifts back to past earlier days when romance was running high and conflict wasn’t even a remote possibility. If only you could return to that blissful state, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad right now. New research suggests that this might not be such a bad idea. As noted in a study by Julie Swets ’20 MS (Ph.D. ’22) and colleagues (2023), nostalgia is a state of mind that may be underrated as far as its potential to mitigate against relationship conflict. Defining nostalgia as a “social emotion,” it is experienced by the “nostaligizer” as a “sentimental longing for the past.” One of its key benefits, based on prior research, is its ability to counteract a negative state of mind, including such myriad inner torments as loneliness, fear of death and boredom.

ATHLETICS 

TCU Star Collaborates with Instagram Ahead of March Madness 
March 13, 2025 
NIL Daily 
Fresh off winning the Big 12 Tournament and the conference’s Player of the Year honor, TCU star guard Hailey Van Lith has collaborated with Instagram to show off a few of her favorite things. Ahead of her fourth NCAA Tournament, the expected All-American and former LSU and Louisville transfer is featured in the social media platform’s latest episode of “10 Things.” “What I love about March Madness is that anything can happen out there,” Van Lith shared in the collab post with Instagram and the Meta account’s 686 million followers. “If you’re a dog, you’ll survive.” In the carousel of content, Van Lith highlights her point of view on the court, her closet, sneaker collection, her newly found passion for puzzles and a special tribute to Kobe Bryant. 

Cowboys re-sign return ace Turpin, add pair of former 1st-round picks on defensive line 
March 11, 2025 
MSN.com 
The Dallas Cowboys re-signed standout kick returner KaVontae Turpin on an $18 million, three-year contract Tuesday. The 28-year-old Turpin joined the Cowboys in 2022 after making a splash in the U.S. Football League. The former TCU standout essentially made the team by returning a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the same preseason game as a rookie. Turpin has steadily become more involved as a receiver in the Dallas offense. He caught three touchdown passes and ran for a score in 2023 before finishing with a career-high 420 yards receiving with two touchdowns last season. 

TCU’s Van Lith wins big as Big 12 hands out basketball awards 
March 4, 2025 
ESPN 
Hailey Van Lith from Big 12 regular-season champion TCU has been named the conference’s Player of the Year and its Newcomer of the Year after transferring to the Horned Frogs for her fifth and final college season. The Big 12 announced its award winners Tuesday, as determined by a vote of its 16 head coaches. Van Lith is the first player in the league’s 29-season history to be picked as the top player and top newcomer in the same season. Mark Campbell was named Coach of the Year after the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs won the regular-season title for the first time in their 13 seasons in the league. 

TCU WR Jack Bech honors brother killed in New Orleans attack at NFL combine: ‘He’s got the best seat in the house’ 
March 2, 2025 
Cybernistas 
No one is having an NFL scouting combine quite like TCU wide receiver Jack Bech. Bech is competing in Indianapolis two months after the death of his older brother Tiger, who was among 14 people killed in the terror attack that rocked New Orleans on New Year’s Day. To honor him, Bech took the field Saturday wearing cleats with the Bible verse “And ye who stay on the path of righteousness shall reap what thine hath sewn,” and angel wings on the other side. “I know my brother has got me now until the end of time. He pushes me to new heights. He will be with me. He’s got the best seat in the house,” Bech told NFL Network at the combine.