Horned Frogs in the News, March 16-31, 2025

From squirrels to tariffs and from ADHD to colon cancer, media are coming to TCU for news and thought leadership. 

INSTITUTIONAL 

TCU is building a five-story, $42 million parking garage this summer. Here’s where. 
March 26, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
TCU is planning to start building a new parking garage with space for 950 cars later this year. Construction of the five-story, 320,000-square-foot project will begin in July, according to state records. The parking garage, which will cost an estimated $42 million, is slated to be complete in February 2027. The garage will be built at the site of an existing surface parking lot at 2651 W. Cantey St. It is expected to expand parking availability for campus visitors and TCU staff. 

No cashier? No problem. This campus convenience store at TCU is winning converts 
March 26, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
Since late last year, the Shoppe at Wright, a 24-hour cashier-less corner store on TCU’s campus, has been gaining converts among students who love the convenience and the selection, and who are getting more comfortable each day with the place’s futuristic vibe. To gain access, shoppers scan either a TCU student ID or a credit card. Miles Oller, TCU’s director of facilities for student affairs, said the store was created in response to student demand. “We partnered with Sodexo and did a bunch of surveys, and we kept hearing that students wanted convenience,” said Oller. “They wanted late-night options — safe late-night options — for sundries and things like medicine. If someone, say, lost a toothbrush, they don’t want to walk to Kroger. This is safe and convenient.” 

TCU Burnett School of Medicine Celebrates 100% Match Rate at 2025 Match Day Event 
March 25, 2025 
Fort Worth Inc. 
The Class of 2025 at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU will start the next chapter of their careers as resident physicians with esteemed health care systems such as Johns Hopkins Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Stanford Health and the Mayo Clinic. The class had a 100% match rate, including into some of the top medical residency programs in the U.S. “These medical students chose our medical school because they saw the importance of being a physician with deep medical knowledge but also having compassion, empathy and putting the patient at the center of everything they do,” said Dr. Stuart D. Flynn, founding dean. Mireya Rahman captured one of only two military residency spots for neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “There was a lot of pressure,” Rahman said. “I had a really good mentor during my Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship [LIC] experience. I’m thankful for the way TCU structured our electives, which gave us an opportunity to see things that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.” 

TCU is asking the community to name their campus squirrels 
March 25, 2025 
WFAA.com 
TCU may be the home of the Horned Frogs, but right now they’re asking for your help in naming the popular furry friends on campus. In a video released by the school, the narrator says, “For only $3 you can give a squirrel the gift of identity. You can give him … a name.” All proceeds are going to go toward student scholarships. 

COVID-19 And College Admission: A Progress Report 
March 22, 2025 
Forbes 
Five years ago, we were in the throes of COVID-19. Barely a month into the global pandemic, everything we knew had changed. As we reflect on the last five years, it begs the question, “How did we do?” Heath Einstein, vice provost for enrollment management at TCU, says, “In the years since the pandemic’s peak, colleges have responded to both the needs and preferences of prospective students. Forced to spend seemingly endless time at home, joining classes from their bedrooms or living rooms, many students boomeranged back to preferring in-person activities. And yet, a catalog of resources is stored on websites and a tailored set of virtual programs are still offered to students who either prefer that method or lack the time and resources needed to engage on campus.” 

Why does TCU want to be ‘R1’? What a top-tier research university will mean for Fort Worth 
March 19, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
TCU recently turned attention to becoming an “R1” university, a prestigious designation awarded to the nation’s top research institutions, which is considered a big deal in the world of higher education. The university is embarking on its plan at a time when Texas A&M — already an R1 university — is building a campus in downtown Fort Worth that has been lauded as a “game changer” for the city. Though becoming an R1 will take time, the university has already started boosting investments in research. TCU’s president and next chancellor, Daniel Pullin, told the Star-Telegram in January that the university isn’t single-mindedly pursuing R1 status. He said the achievement will be a product of a larger, more important goal: improving academic rigor. 

FACULTY & STAFF 

Abbott appoints three to Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee
March 26, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
Governor Greg Abbott appointed Kimberly Posey, director, graduate nursing and associate professor of professional practice at TCU, to the Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee for terms set to expire on Feb. 1, 2031. The committee provides the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services with recommendations for licensure sanctions and rule changes for the Nursing Facility Administrator Licensing Program. 

New North Texas CEOs prioritize people, values 
March 25, 2025 
Dallas Business Journal 
Great leaders elevate others. They know any one person, no matter their skill or experience level, can only have so much of an impact. Daniel Pullin, president of TCU, says “The greatest leaders and mentors I’ve worked with and learned from over the years lead with a spirit of entrepreneurship and service, know how to build relationships and always make decisions rooted in values. I strive to emulate that kind of leadership. I try to say ‘yes’ as often as I can because I believe it is the most powerful word in the English language. Innovation and discovery always start with someone who says ‘yes.’ Serving in education gives me the incredible opportunity to be a facilitator for the growth and achievement of students and what they do with their precious lives.” 

Teenage Red Flags: Body Language Signals Experts Warn About 
March 25, 2025 
Archycetys.com 
The teenage years present unique hurdles for both adolescents and their parents. As teenagers strive for independence and begin to emulate adulthood, conflicts can arise. Parents may find their patience tested, a phenomenon often linked to the still-developing impulse control centers in the teenage brain. According to recent studies, approximately 20% of adolescents experience mental health challenges, highlighting the importance of vigilance and proactive support. Recognizing potential problems early can make a meaningful difference in a teen’s well-being. Eric Wood, director of the Counseling & Mental Health Center at TCU, says “I know this is not a scientific answer, but many parents only know if there is something wrong with their teenagers. What happened might not be the worst scenario, but in my experience as a parent, usually their problems are true.” 

Trump order throws income-driven student loan repayment into upheaval. What to know 
March 25, 2025 
Miami Herald 
Uncertainty is high for millions of federal student loan borrowers wondering how their payment plans will be impacted amid disruptions in the Department of Education after President Donald Trump’s executive order crafted an effort to dismantle the department. Education experts say Trump cannot use an executive order to dismantle parts of the Department of Education that were established through a congressional act. In general, executive orders cannot nullify federal laws or rights granted in the constitution, Michele Meitl, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice and assistant director of graduate programs, said in a TCU Q&A. 

The Case for Donating a Kidney While You’re Still Alive 
March 24, 2025 
Gizmodo 
Elizabeth Plummer, accounting professor, co-published an article in JAMA Internal Medicine that is both a personal essay, detailing Plummer’s relatively easy experience donating a kidney to her cousin in January 2024, and a research-led exploration of the factors that discourage others from doing the same. “The whole donation process seems like a lifetime ago,” Plummer explains. “You pretty much forget about it, and my lifestyle hasn’t changed at all — except that I can no longer take NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen and Aleve). I used to love those!” Plummer specializes in health care policy and taxation. 

Feeling stressed about measles? Here are some psychology-backed tips to cope 
March 22, 2025 
The Dallas Morning News 
As measles cases continue to rise in Texas, so too can public anxiety. News alerts, social media discussions and warnings from health officials can trigger stress and unease, especially among worried parents. Stress and anxiety are normal responses to threatening or worrisome situations, said Eric Wood, director of the Counseling & Mental Health Center at TCU. But these emotions can become overwhelming when fueled by uncertainty around one’s health or that of friends and family. “When [anxiety] gets too much, part of this is the rumination, when you have a thought in your mind you can’t get rid of,” Wood said. “If you’re ruminating on [your anxiety], spending like 75% or 80% of your thought life, that’s not adaptive.” 

‘A love note to Fort Worth’: The storied history of New City Hall 
March 21, 2025 
fortworthtexas.gov 
Before it was Fort Worth’s municipal hub, its new City Hall was the Pier 1 Imports corporate headquarters. Although it’s no longer the namesake tenant, the pulse of Pier 1 is palpable in the bones of the building. Former staff member Merianne Roth — now vice chancellor of marketing and communication at TCU — worked at Pier 1 from 2000-2005 as senior manager of public relations. “It’s a work of art, reflected in the materials that were chosen and the care taken in the positioning of the building to honor both the city of Fort Worth and the beauty of the river,” Roth said. “Being a part of that process was a career highlight.” 

Trump seems to think America needs a recession. Some people are still recovering from the last one 
March 21, 2025 
CNN.com 
The odds of a recession in the U.S. may be creeping higher — but those rising risks do not mean a deep economic downturn is a foregone conclusion. President Donald Trump said he can’t rule out the possibility of such an event, or when cabinet members indicated that a “detox period” is ahead and that the administration’s sweeping policies — including steep tariffs, mass deportations and drastic cutbacks in federal employment and spending — would be “worth it,” even if they trigger a recession. “What do we get from recessions? We get unemployment, we get lower incomes, we get debt default, we get increases in alcohol and drug abuse, psychological problems,” John Harvey, professor of economics at TCU, told CNN. 

Central Texas experts weigh-in on housing market following tariffs on imported steel, aluminum 
March 21, 2025 
KVVX.com 
It’s been just over a week since President Donald Trump placed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports, which are used heavily in the construction industry. Tom Seng is assistant professor of professional practice in energy finance at the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute. “In the shorter term over the next several years, the tariffs will increase inflation. If inflation continues to increase, then the feds are not going to lower interest rates, so in the nearer term it’s going to stunt economic growth,” he said. 

ADHD Misinformation on TikTok Skewing Young Adults’ Perceptions About the Condition 
March 21, 2025 
AOL 
Information about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is abundant on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, fueling concern about mis- and self-diagnosis. A new analysis, published in PLOS One, found that most of the popular content about ADHD on TikTok is medically inaccurate and that insights provided by some content creators do not mirror those of mental health professionals. Don T. Galbadage, associate professor of applied health sciences, said the study highlights the need for social media consumers to use formalized informational resources from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Mental Health. “How can we help empower our consumers to know what is good content [and] what is reliable content? This study helps show there is a disconnect between good information versus more popular information,” he said. 

Too Much — and Too Little — of This Nutrient May Increase Your Colon Cancer Risk, Studies Show 
March 19, 2025 
Parade 
Studies searching for ways to prevent cancer, especially colon cancer, have found ways people can avoid increasing their cancer risk. One nutrient gained a lot of attention because of its connection to cancer, and having either too much or too little of it may up your risk of colon cancer specifically. Iron is essential to red blood cells, which supply oxygen to the body, says Dr. James Cox, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. It also helps to keep the immune system in top shape, which is why doctors think iron deficiency and overload is connected to cancers like colon cancer. 

What is an ‘illegal protest’? What to know if you attend a protest at a Texas university 
March 19, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
After federal immigration authorities arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student, President Donald Trump said it was the first of “many to come” over “illegal protests.” What is covered by the First Amendment for protests, and what should Texans know about their rights if they go to a protest? “It can’t be about the content of the speech, because content and viewpoint are protected by the First Amendment,” media law professor and First Amendment expert Daxton “Chip” Stewart said. “It has to be about something else. A protest that blocks traffic, for example, or that arises to violence.” 

5 Signs Your Brain Fog Is A Red Flag For A More Serious Health Issue 
March 18, 2025
The Vitamin Shoppe 
Whether you keep leaving your car keys behind, can’t focus at work, or just aren’t as clear-headed as you used to be, you might be dealing with a buzzy phenomenon called brain fog. Though not an official medical diagnosis, brain fog is a very real thing. A day of brain fog here or there isn’t reason to panic, but if your symptoms persist for weeks or months, or continue to worsen, it’s time to see a doctor, says Dr. Claudia Perez, a neurologist with the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. A health care pro can perform a full exam and any necessary blood work or brain imaging to identify potential root causes and suggest courses of action from there, she says.  

Wisconsin sheriffs are being called on to assist ICE. How they’re responding varies widely. 
March 13, 2025 
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin surveyed all 72 sheriffs in Wisconsin about their views and policies on immigration enforcement. Of the 56 sheriffs who responded in some form, many say they do not have the resources or capacity to assist in the new administration’s efforts. Emily Farris, associate professor of political science, co-authored a book on the power of sheriffs and has conducted two surveys in the last 10 years about sheriffs’ views on social issues, including immigration. She said sheriffs should make their immigration policies public. However, some may avoid speaking publicly about their positions on immigration to avoid alienating voters, Farris said. “There might be a sheriff that doesn’t want to come off as ‘not hard’ on immigration but also doesn’t want to risk the public safety impacts of worsening relationships” with immigrant communities, Farris said.

STUDENTS 

TCU’s Hailey Van Lith glad to have shared publicly about mental health issues she dealt with in past 
March 26, 2025 
Associated Press 
TCU standout guard Hailey Van Lith said that while difficult, she is glad to have shared publicly about mental health struggles she said she dealt with early in her basketball career. “It’s been very positive. I’ve received a lot of encouragement and also a lot of people, you know, sharing that they can relate or that I helped them feel understood,” Van Lith said. “That’s the whole point.” Van Lith said she personally invested in a sports psychologist “who kind of doubles as like a normal therapist at the same time. And also, I think I’ve matured a lot. I’m older than I was. When I was going through a lot of my issues, I was like 19. So, I was really young and I didn’t know how to handle a lot of things.” 

Fort Worth students, artists dedicate mural to Gainesville girl who died by suicide 
March 25, 2025 
Texas State Public Affairs Network 
A new mural in Fort Worth was painted to honor the life of 11-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza, the Gainesville girl who died after an attempted suicide in February. Her family told WFAA she was bullied in school about her parent’s immigration status. Students in Fort Worth involved in the nonprofits My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper had an idea: They wanted to dedicate a mural in Carranza’s memory. TCU senior Monica Rojas, a mentor with My Sister’s Keeper, said honoring the young girl was important to the high school students she serves. “Hearing about it was very sad, but I think it goes to show what impact these situations can have,” Rojas said. The issue of immigration is personal to the students involved in the mural project, Rojas told WFAA. “The mural is a way to shed light on her story,” Rojas said. 

TCU’s Hailey Van Lith speaks candidly about past mental health struggles: ‘I didn’t even want to live’ 
March 14, 2025 
CBS Sports 
Shortly after helping No. 2 seed TCU reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history, Horned Frogs star Hailey Van Lith opened up about her extensive mental health struggles going back several years to when she was a phenom recruit. “The way that I got exposed to the media and social media at such a young age, I really struggled with mental health things,” Van Lith said. “When I was younger and in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated, and I felt trapped, and you would never know because I was having a ton of success on the court, but internally, and in life in general, I was ready to be done. That’s what I mean when I speak on suffering and pain. It’s like I didn’t even want to live.”

ALUMNI 

RED SANDERS: BUILDING A FILM EMPIRE IN FORT WORTH 
March 27, 2025 
Fort Worth Business Press 
Red Sanders ’03’s fascination with filming started at the age of 12. He was 14 when he started his first company and later paralleled that into video productions for weddings and different social events. “I watched all of my friends move to LA and New York, but I stayed here,” Sanders said. “I talked with my mentor at the time, David Minor ’80, who was in the entrepreneurship program at TCU. I was wrestling with the decision to go to California or stay here, and over a simple breakfast conversation one day he said, ‘Yeah, if you go out there, you’re going to have to work your way up from the bottom. But what if you stay here and plant a flag and see what you can build?’” Sanders said that decision was critical to Red Productions’ success and allowed him to contribute to the burgeoning film industry in and around Fort Worth. 

Where are they now? TCU’s ‘Sutton Twins’ are all grown & loving the Horned Frogs’ Sweet 16 run 
March 25, 2025 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
In terms of achievements that were once equally preposterous and inconceivable 30 years ago, TCU reaching the Sweet 16 in women’s basketball is on the same level as the school making the national title game in football. When a program looks back at the point of origin of its success, the arrival of twins Amy ’02 and Jill Sutton ’02 was a flag in the dirt for a team that is now on the biggest stage for the first time in its history. “It’s hard to say there weren’t some doubts. I am glad we didn’t have the transfer rules then that exist now,” Amy Sutton, now Porter, said. 

Jacob Fearnley Set For Rematch Against Alexander Zverev At Miami Open 
March 22, 2025 
The Pinnacle Gazette 
British player Jacob Fearnley ’24 recently achieved his first ATP Masters 1000 win by defeating France’s Benjamin Bonzi in the first round of the Miami Open, despite a leg injury that forced him to take a medical time-out. “That was extremely difficult, I was feeling my legs, especially my left leg twitching a little bit when I moved to a forehand,” Fearnley told Sky Sports after the match. “Just had to dig deep and, luckily, I got the break at the start of the third, because I think that could have easily got away from me.”