Horned Frogs in the News, July 15-31, 2024

From the Olympics to a new medical school class, from cryptocurrency to inflation,
TCU and its faculty are in the news. 

INSTITUTIONAL 

TCU has big ideas to transform West Berry St. into ‘Fort Worth’s new destination place’ 
July 29, 2024 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
Several blocks of West Berry Street could be developed with multifamily housing, retail
space and a parking garage as part of TCU’s transformational plan for the commercial
corridor near campus. If approved, 21 small lots would be replatted into two large
lots spanning a combined 5.2 acres. All of the land is owned by TCU, and most of it
is used for parking lots. Jason Soileau, assistant vice chancellor for planning, design and construction, said no plans for
development are set in stone. The university has hired Austin-based developer Endeavor
to help explore ideas for the possible mixed-use development and ways to improve pedestrian
access. “Berry Street, we think, is a low-hanging fruit in terms of student experience,”
he said. “We are interested in exploring a multi-use development along Berry Street
that would leverage Berry Street as being Fort Worth’s new destination place.” 

Let the Games Begin: Horned Frogs in the 2024 Paris Olympics 
July 28, 2024 
Sports Illustrated 
The 2024 Summer Olympics are underway in Paris. Nine current and former Horned Frogs
are in Paris competing for gold. Hailey Van Lith is the only active collegian who was selected to a USA Basketball Men’s or Women’s
National Team in 5-on-5 or 3×3 competition. Additionally, Dani Alvarez and Tania Moreno will represent Spain in Beach Volleyball, Rhanishka Gibbs will represent the Bahamas in the 50m Freestyle, Jadon Wuilliez will represent Antigua and Barbuda in the 100m Breaststroke, Stephanie Grundsoe will represent Denmark in Shooting, Amy Okonkwo and Tomi Taiwo will represent Nigeria in 5×5 Basketball, and Cam Norrie will represent Great Britain in Tennis. 

TCU celebrating history at the 2024 Paris Olympics 
July 25, 2024 
NBCDFW.COM 
TCU is making history at the Paris Olympics with the largest contingent of student
and alumni athletes in the school’s history. According to TCU, nine athletes will
be competing on the world stage in Paris in various events and representing different
countries. Hailey Van Lith joined TCU basketball in the spring of 2024. Van Lith is the only active collegian
who was selected to a USA Basketball Men’s or Women’s National Team in a 5-on-5 or
3×3 competition. “Getting to compete for my country in the Olympics and represent
my family, my home and TCU is a dream come true,” Van Lith said.  

Gartner Measures Supply Chain University Programs for 2024 
July 18, 2024 
ParkourSC 
Gartner has released the findings from its biennial Top 25 North American Supply Chain
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs report. The report is intended to support chief
supply chain officers, heads of supply chain strategy and supply chain HR partners
to identify the programs best equipped to support their growing talent needs. For
the graduate program ranking, TCU Neeley came in at No. 18. 

Do you really believe that? 
July 18, 2024 
The Dallas Morning News 
The Art Galleries at TCU are pleased to present “Do you really believe that?” The group exhibition is in honor
of the late art historian and curator Dr. Frances Colpitt and runs Aug. 30-Nov. 16
at Fort Worth Contemporary Arts. The title of the exhibition is a phrase Colpitt,
who taught at TCU from 2005 to 2022, often used to challenge her students and galvanize
critical thinking and discussion in class. A panel discussion featuring artists and
curators of the exhibition will be held at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 30 in Moudy North Building,
Room 132.  

Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Welcomes the Class of 2028 
July 15, 2024 
Fort Worth Inc 
The Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine welcomed its sixth cohort of 60 new medical
students at the traditional White Coat Celebration at TCU’s Legends Club. “We are
thrilled to welcome our sixth group of Empathetic Scholars® and future physicians,”
said Dr. Stuart D. Flynn, founding dean of the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “This group will begin their
medical education journey in our brand-new medical education building in the heart
of Fort Worth’s Medical Innovation District just steps away from all our clinical
partners. This group has a distinctive opportunity to learn to practice medicine with
empathy and amass deep medical knowledge from physicians and patients in our community.”  

Clinkscale, former TCU trustee, ‘fastest’ football player in 1950s, dies at age 90 
July 15, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
Ronald “Ronnie” William Clinkscale, who passed away July 10, served more than 30 years as a trustee at TCU, where he
was a noted football player during his college days. Clinkscale was known as the fastest
player for the Horned Frogs in the 1950s. “Emeritus Trustee Ron Clinkscale was a cherished
member of the Board of Trustees who was respected for his thoughtful approach and
wise counsel in any and all situations,” Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said. “He will forever be remembered for his devotion to family and friends as well
as his selflessness and service in the Fort Worth community.”  

FACULTY 

Fort Worth superintendent says school board breached her contract, email shows 
July 29, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
The Fort Worth ISD superintendent told the school board that it breached her contract
subsequent to her evaluation in January, according to an email obtained by the Fort Worth Report. Educational leadership experts say the message from Superintendent Angélica Ramsey
reflects a complex relationship between the district’s top administrator and the school
board, which oversees the superintendent. A healthy superintendent-school board relationship
would see both sides comfortable with honestly discussing hard topics, said Jo Beth Jimerson, professor and William L. and Betty F. Adams Chair of Education. “In the ideal, they
would also recognize that while they come from different places, they do want to help
kids, even if they’re trying to approach it in different ways and also recognize that
they are all human beings juggling a number of pressures. That is really important.” 

Fort Worth began cryptocurrency mining over two years ago. What were the results? 
July 28, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
Fort Worth is becoming a cryptocurrency destination. An influx of cryptocurrency businesses
now call Cowtown home — and Fort Worth is embracing them. Experts and Fort Worth officials
attribute that growth to the city’s decision to bring a bitcoin mining operation to
city hall in April 2022. “For Fort Worth, the municipal bitcoin mining, I think, created
this tech-hub energy that the city needs to continue to build on,” said Brandon Chicotsky, assistant professor of professional practice in marketing. Fort Worth can now make
a claim to be more technologically savvy in “a way that is responsible and likely
generating revenue for the city and for its residents,” he said. 

Should convicted sex offender lead prison ministry? Gateway Church pastor under scrutiny 
July 28, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
After Gateway Church was rocked by allegations that its founder, Robert Morris, sexually
abused a then-12-year-old girl in the 1980s, the backgrounds of current leaders have
drawn fresh scrutiny. Prisoners mentored by ex-offenders, or someone they can relate
to, have a better post-incarceration outcome, said Kendra Bowen, associate professor and director of graduate programs for Criminology & Criminal
Justice. “It is important to note that when solely talking about people who have committed
sex crimes, research shows that nonsexual offenders do not relate to them and do not
want to be mentored by them,” Bowen wrote in an email. “Therefore, it is not a good
idea to put a convicted sex offender as a mentor of an individual or group of individuals
who have not committed a sex offense.” 

Tampons vs. Pads: What Hygiene Product to Use Plus Risk Factors, According to Doctors 
July 24, 2024 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
It’s an age-old debate: tampons vs. pads — which is better for you? We asked experts
for their thoughts on the subject and — spoiler alert — the decision does in fact
come down to your personal preference. “Although there is a higher risk of toxic shock
syndrome with tampons, this risk is still so low that if you’re following appropriate
tampon hygiene and removing after eight hours of use, the risk becomes almost negligible,”
said Dr. Melanie Lagomichos, assistant professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. 

North Texas inflation higher than nation’s. Experts say that shows economic strength 
July 24, 2024 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex recently ranked first in the nation for metrics analyzing
inflation rate trends. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a study from WalletHub
showed North Texas’ increased costs. Another aspect of local inflation is the cost
of housing. In the consumer price index, housing accounted for over 36% in May 2024.
“If our housing prices are going up, then our inflation would be going up faster,”
said John T. Harvey, economics professor. Despite the negative connotations around increased inflation,
the business growth and housing demand in the North Texas region is positive, Harvey
said. “It is a side effect of an otherwise positive economic event, and that is that
people are being attracted to this area,” he said. 

Fort Worth’s Hill elected to board at Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas  
July 24, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
James Hill, director of the Center for Real Estate at Neeley School of Business, has been elected
to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas board of directors. “With my background in finance
and real estate, I am eager to represent the public’s interest and contribute to the
formulation of monetary policy and the promotion of economic stability,” he said.
“I also look forward to strengthening the connection between Fort Worth and this vital
institution, ensuring our community’s voice is heard on a national stage.”  

Cheapest Car Insurance in Texas 
July 24, 2024 
Wallethub 
The cheapest car insurance companies in Texas are Texas Farm Bureau, State Farm and
Geico. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive car insurance in Texas
is $2,265 per year, so it pays to compare quotes. Mauricio Rodriguez, professor and director of the LKCM Center for Financial Studies at TCU Neeley, said
insurance companies are fair to college students. “Insurance companies typically charge
higher premiums to college students relative to older adults because college students
are typically more likely to be in accidents,” he said. 

What does Biden’s exit mean for Texas Senate race between Ted Cruz & Colin Allred? 
July 23, 2024 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
President Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race raises more than just questions
about who will succeed him on the Democratic ticket. It also prompts questions about
what his absence means for down-ballot races. “We have to kind of wait to see this
thing sort out for a few days,” said Jim Riddlesperger, political science professor. “There’s a potential, obviously, that having a new
face in the election will add a level of energy and excitement that was notably lacking
this year.” 

TCU medical students brave summer heat to experience barriers to health care access 
July 23, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
Dr. Sandra Esparza, director for clinical skills at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, is a champion
for service learning. She believes it creates better physicians and has seen community
engagement embraced more than when she was in medical school over 20 years ago, she
said. “Medical school is different now, but in a good way,” Esparza said. “We’re really
trying to get people to understand it’s not about treating the disease as much as
it is about treating the person. If they can learn that early on, that’s going to
make a huge difference in their careers.” Burnett School of Medicine’s service learning
curriculum allows beginning medical students to understand the communities they plan
to serve and learn about their future patients’ needs, said Korie Hawkins, assistant director of service learning and community engagement. “Our trademark is
that we are creating the next generation of Empathetic Scholars®, and so it’s imperative that we uphold a sense of community, and we’re aware of everything
that’s around us. It’s putting the human back in medicine,” she said. 

Tarrant congressional candidates predict Harris bid will have little effect on their
races 
July 22, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
Some Tarrant County congressional candidates are skeptical Vice President Kamala Harris’
name at the top of the presidential ticket will have a tangible impact on their races.
James Riddlesperger, political science professor, said Harris’ presidential candidacy could have an energizing
effect on Democratic voters, but he expressed skepticism about which races that energy
would actually impact. “There are a couple hundred Democrats, maybe even more, running
for office all over the state of Texas who are trying to figure that out right at
this moment,” he said. “If you’re a Democrat, you’re looking at this as a real opportunity.”  

GIRL, 2, DIES IN 109F CAR FOR HOURS, DAD ON PLAYSTATION 
July 22, 2024 
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace 
Christopher Scholtes, who was arrested and charged with murder after his 2-year-old
daughter died in a hot car, had been distracted by video games and “regularly” left
his kids alone in the car, court documents revealed. “You’ll be clawing at whatever
is restricting you. Even a baby is going to try and get out of there if they can,
so they’ll be pulling at the seatbelt, etc. Or pounding their head on something, So
it can be a seizure, it could be them trying to get out of the restraints,” said Dr. Kendell Crowns, chief medical examiner in Tarrant County and associate professor at the Burnett
School of Medicine at TCU, when asked what happens to a person who dies in a hot car. 

The death of the personal check: As retailers move toward ‘check zero,’ here’s what
that means for you 
July 19, 2024 
NBCDFW 
Most Americans may not even remember the last time they wrote a check. Checks, as
we know them today, first originated in the 11th century but didn’t become mainstream
until the early 20th century, following the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, according
to a historical survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. But back then, “everyday
people didn’t have checking accounts, that was for rich people,” said Stephen Quinn, professor of economics and co-author of the Atlanta Fed’s report. “It wasn’t until
after World War II that checking accounts were a common thing.” Postwar prosperity
greatly expanded the use of checking accounts to middle-class households, making checks
the most widely used noncash payment method in the U.S., the Atlanta Fed found. 

A Look at Gas Prices Around the World 
July 18, 2024 
U.S. News 
When filling up your tank with gas and watching the numbers tick up, you may think
you have it worse than everybody else. Not so, according to data collected by Global
Petrol Prices, an industry-wide fuel price tracker. Out of 170 countries analyzed,
America has the 40th least expensive gasoline, placing it in the top quarter for the
cheapest in the world. As of July 15, the average price of gasoline in the world was
$1.33 per liter – or $5.02 per gallon. One reason for the differences in prices, according
to Tom Seng, assistant professor of professional practice at the Neeley School of Business, is
subsidization. “Every single one of these countries on this list produce some level
of oil, so they do have supply, but some like Saudi Arabia also sell crude oil and
gas at a discount to their own residents,” he said. 

Fort Worth-based author explores generational trauma in debut novel ‘Malas’ 
The Dallas Morning News 
July 18, 2024 
Marcela Fuentes, the Fort Worth-based author of the masterfully executed debut novel Malas, a genre-bending work that explores generational trauma along the U.S.-Mexico border,
did not set out to write a book centered on the lives of Latinos on the border. “I
don’t think I sat down to write a novel and was like, ‘Oh, I’m only writing for Tejanos,’”
said Fuentes, assistant professor of creative writing. Her knowledge of the subject
matter comes from growing up in Del Rio and visiting family in Laredo.  

Dengue Fever Is Rising in the US. Should You Be Concerned About Your Mosquito Bites? 
July 15, 2024 
Pop Sugar 
Mosquito bites are never a good thing, but it’s more important than ever to stay protected
from the creepy crawlers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently
issued a health advisory after the Americas had a record-breaking number of dengue
fever cases spread by mosquitoes. Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from
the bite of an infected mosquito, said Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, a board-certified infectious disease physician and assistant professor at the Burnett
School of Medicine at TCU. The virus is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions and can cause
flu-like symptoms lasting between two to seven days, he said. 

North Texas school districts are challenging Biden Title IX changes. What comes next? 
July 15, 2024 
Fort Worth Report 
On a sweltering June afternoon, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare stood in a shaded
alcove outside Carroll ISD’s administration building. Speaking from a wheeled lectern
rolled onto the pavement minutes earlier by Christian nonprofit organization Texas
Values and surrounded by supporters holding “Save Women’s Sports” signs, O’Hare began
his address. His focus? The Biden Administration’s change in Title IX language to
redefine “sex” to include “gender identity,” which O’Hare believes would strip girls
and women of the legal protections provided under the federal civil rights law passed
in 1972. “The government will appeal, and Carroll ISD will go on doing what they wanted
to do in the first place,” Matthew Montgomery, assistant professor of political science, said. “Now it’s in a federal district
court, and it’ll get appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.”  

ATHLETICS 

For Team USA’s Hailey Van Lith, 3×3 basketball at Olympics could bring redemption
of sorts 
July 29, 2024 
USA Today 
TCU basketball player Hailey Van Lith swears that despite what outsiders might think, her last 15 months have not, in fact,
been a miserable experience. Yes, it’s true that Van Lith, one of the top guards in
women’s college basketball the last few seasons, has had a somewhat of a rollercoaster
journey, transferring from Louisville, Kentucky, where she was an All-American, to
then defending-champion LSU in spring 2023, where she struggled, some would say significantly.
But before that, Van Lith will try to silence doubters by helping the American women
defend their 3×3 basketball gold medal. “This is a great opportunity for me to be
around pros, to learn from pros,” she said, “but at the end of the day, my views on
myself are never determined by people outside of me. College has been what it’s been
for me, but at the end of the day, the Olympics and playing for Team USA is the ultimate
experience — and if they think I’m worthy to play for the national team, then that
says a lot.”   

TCU Baseball: Jake Silverman Joins The Program 
July 26, 2024 
Sports Illustrated 
Jake Silverman will be the new director of program development for the Horned Frogs this coming season,
according to head baseball coach Kirk Saarloos. This move signifies that Saarloos understands the changing landscape and has already
dubbed someone to handle the reigns in that department. Silverman, who was the associate
head coach at the University of Washington as the associate head coach, has already
proven to be a threat on the recruiting trail. During his time with the Huskies, he
swayed a player to come to campus after being drafted and played a hand in swaying
the No. 3 prep recruit in Washington to step foot on campus. 

TCU Taps Brittani McLaurin as New Spirit Director 
July 15, 2024 
Fort Worth Magazine 
Cheers, chants and symbols go a long way in helping a team maintain its edge in the
face of competition. It’s for this very reason many schools have professional spirit
directors, to keep things hyped, so to speak. TCU announced the hiring of Brittani McLaurin as the school’s new spirit director. McLaurin will oversee the head coaching duties
for the Showgirls as well as overseeing TCU Cheer and Rangers programs, plus the SuperFrog
mascot. “We are very excited to welcome Brittani to our TCU family as the new leader
of our spirit programs,” said Ryan Peck, deputy athletics director for external affairs. “Spirit is an integral part of our
game-day experience and in representing TCU globally. Brittani’s level of passion,
dedication and work ethic throughout her career as a dancer, instructor and coach
will further enhance the longtime tradition of excellence from all our spirit teams.”