Parent & Family Magazine Volume 2/ Issue 1

The TCU Parent & Family Magazine is a publication from

Student Development Services in the Division of Student Affairs at

Texas Christian University.

2901 Stadium Drive Brown-Lupton University Union

Suite 2003 Fort Worth, TX 76129

www.parents.tcu.eduparents@tcu.edu

817-257-7855

TCU Mission:To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and

responsible citizens in the global community.

TCU Vision:To be a world-class, values-centered

university.

Connect with TCU news, social media, photos, and more at www.newsevents.tcu.edu

September 2014

Contents:

Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., Welcome

Kay’s ColumnA Message from the Director of Parent & Family Programs

Confronting Alcohol’s Temptation: Tips for Empowering Your Student to Choose Responsibly

What Do Parents Really Think About Mental Health?

A Parent’s Response to QPR Training

20 Years of Frog Camp

Center for Career and Professional Development Update

Chancellor’s Leadership Program: Cultivating Social Change Agents

Your Student, Transitioning Through College:Student Development in the First, Middle and Final year at TCU

Parent & Family Magazine

Dear TCU Parent:

Welcome to the Horned Frog community!

We are delighted that your family chose Texas Christian University for this consequential next chapter in your student’s life. This generation must prepare for future challenges and possibilities that we cannot even imagine. Consequently, we are committed to providing your student an education that is firmly grounded in the arts & sciences, that develops critical thinking, and that delivers the knowledge and skills required for professional success.

We are proud of our challenging academic offerings. We are equally proud of providing the caring atmosphere and close connections that have long characterized TCU. Since we are educating Frogs for life, we could do no less.

This is what I wish for members of the Class of 2018: I want them to find connections at every turn — mentoring professors, study group partners, classmates who live down the hall. I hope they will forge a new path. Think profound thoughts. Explore an intriguing major or newly discovered talent. I hope they will realize their full potential here, that they will become doers, dreamers, trailblazers. What your student takes away from TCU — the knowledge, the skills, the friends, the values — will last a lifetime.

My very best wishes for an amazing semester for your Horned Frog! Victor Boschini

Greetings!

I am so very excited about this magazine. It is filled with good reads and great information (I know that I say it

every time, but this time, it’s true!). Settle down in a comfy chair and don’t miss a page.

While I know that you enjoyed the chancellor’s greeting to the campus community that was sent to you the first week of class, you will be equally pleased to read his special greeting to you as parents and family members of one or more TCU students.

Just across the page from this column you will read about ways to empower students to choose responsibly when it comes to alcohol. TCU has an exciting new initiative, the Bottom Line. Read all about it!

On page six and seven you will learn about an important suicide prevention program on campus for students, faculty, and staff. One of our parents had the opportunity to participate. You will have the opportunity to read her reflections here. In addition to this information, there is a presentation just for you on Friday of Family Weekend.

Frog Camp is 20 years old this year! While most campuses with an offsite camp experience are pleased with their 50% voluntary participation, TCU has long been proud that more than 75% of our students attend Frog Camp. Read this fabulous article about the impact camp has had on students for the entire 20 years and how we hope to keep making it better!

The Career & Professional Development Center has a great deal of activity scheduled during the month of September. While juniors and seniors are obviously the most interested in the Career and Intern Expo, it is never too early for students to participate. The first year, your son/daughter may just want to walk around and pick up

information and learn the kinds of companies and agencies that are present. As a sophomore, it would be appropriate to take a resume and ask about internship opportunities. Each time your student participates, this will become increasingly more comfortable. Thus, as a senior, he/she will visit potential employers like a professional! The information on page 9 is just the beginning of a year filled with important career-related events scheduled for our students.

The Chancellor’s Leadership Program (CLP) will begin the application process in October. If your student is a first-year student and looking for a way to know a diverse group of people and make a lasting impact in the world in a 3 ½ year programmatic experience, he/she needs to apply! More exciting information on page 10.

I promised you at Orientation that we would begin to explain more about “Intentional Developmental Learning” throughout your student’s time at TCU. Every magazine will include information for you about each group of students – first-year, middle years, and seniors – and what we are doing to help them maximize all their learning opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom.

First-year students, and even many second-year students, are in need of some focus on learning. The Center for Academic Services has a list of all of the academic workshops on their website at www.acs.tcu.edu or click here. The same workshop is offered on Monday and Tuesday of the week it is scheduled. Therefore, a student should only attend one of the days. It is not necessary to pre-register! Just go! Learn a lot in one hour! The math clinic hours may be found on the webpage of the math department or click here. The William L. Adams Center for Writing can help the worst writer or the very best get better. For location and hours, click here.

In the July-August issue of the magazine, I invited you to please participate in the “WE NEED YOU” Inventory. I cannot stress to you enough how very much we need parents all over the country to be willing to do small, medium, or large tasks. If you check the box

on the inventory, and you are not able to help at that time, it is not a problem. Saying “yes,” means you are interested in making TCU the best university it can be. The better the university, the better your student’s education. If you have not completed the information, please click here now! It might take you five minutes.

Thank you for sharing your sons and daughters with us. It is a privilege and a joy to partner with you and your student for his/her education opportunities at TCU.

Go Frogs!

Kay Higgins, Ph.D.Associate Dean of Student DevelopmentDirector of Parent & Family Programs

College marks the beginning of a new season of life for your student, a time of changing, evolving and becoming. It’s a clean slate, an invitation to re-invent him/herself, the inauguration into adulthood and independence. It’s sometimes fun, sometimes stressful, and often rewarding. It’s a time to party and experiment with alcohol …

Wait, what?

It’s no secret that college campuses have been known for a party or two. National data tells us that on average four in five college students drink, so we know the temptation and opportunity is present. As this year of academia launches full force, here are three ways you – the primary influence in your student’s life whether ten or 10,000 miles apart – can help your student make choices worth championing.

BE REALISTIC. Exposure to alcohol and the opportunity to imbibe is fairly likely to occur during college. Fortunately, knowing and recognizing that this temptation is present allows the opportunity to prepare your student to make responsible decisions on Friday night. You can say that it’s okay not to drink, but given that they are making their own choices at college (and they will have roommates and other friends on campus), it is wise to share some important drinking facts and tips to help motivate and equip students to make smart decisions. For example, you might make sure your student knows how to count drinks, to set a limit, to never leave a cup unattended, to keep five refusal phrases in his or her back pocket (“Thanks, but I’m okay for now”), to always go out with a buddy, and to always know what’s being consumed (i.e. don’t drink the punch).

ENCOURAGE, DON’T PUSH. The newly liberated and fiercely independent mindset of college students can often misconstrue sage words of wisdom for attempt at control or “preaching,” thereby invoking the phenomenon known as tuning out. Instead of telling your student what to do or not do at college, engage in discussions that assist your student in evaluating possible situations he or she may encounter, the choices present and the outcomes, positive and negative, of each choice.

Choose your words carefully, respecting that your student is now an adult (you may wonder how and when that happened – college is a season of change and adjustment for you too!) and the fact that he/she is now the one responsible for making life choices. Build your student up by complimenting strengths and always praise the good decisions, even the small and seemingly trivial ones. Allow him/her some space to adjust to the new lifestyle, and most of all, ensure that your student knows that no matter what you will be there for him/her.

KNOW YOUR RESOURCES. Your student’s well-being and success are our chief priorities here at TCU and it is our desire to do everything possible to aid that pursuit. The Alcohol and Drug Education staff consistently partners with staff and student organizations around campus throughout the year to promote safe and responsible decision-making, and is an excellent resource for parents and students seeking more information about TCU policies, alcohol and drug facts and how to get help if needed. In addition, to help confront popular drinking misconceptions and create a new, healthier norm and culture in regards to alcohol consumption in the community, this fall TCU is launching a new social media campaign called The Bottom Line. By liking the Facebook page or following The Bottom Line on

Twitter, students can plug into the movement that incorporates pop culture, alcohol and drug facts, safety tips, motivational pieces and discussion by fellow students to encourage low-risk choices pertaining to alcohol consumption. Above all, The Bottom Line is a public affirmation that every student has a choice in the matter, that their choices affect others and that their choices will choose their story. We are hopeful and confident that their choices today and in the future will make both you and TCU proud.

Confronting Alcohol’s Temptation: Tips for Empowering Your Student to Choose Responsibly

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) conducted a 15-minute national telephone conversation of 1,007 parents and guardians in households of high school juniors and seniors, and college freshmen and sophomores. The conversation focused on the following issues: communication about mental health issues, existence of stigma around mental health problems, knowledge of emotional disorders, attitudes toward help-seeking for mental health problems, and ideas about the role of colleges in student mental health.

Here are the results:

Talking with their student. Parents were asked to rate their comfort level in talking with their sons/daughters about a variety of topics, including nutrition, stress, and obesity, before being asked the same question about mental health issues. Overall, parents are less comfortable discussing suicidal thoughts with their student than any other health topic. Over three quarters of all parents think their student would tell them if he or she were experiencing a mental health problem while in college.

Stigma. Results indicate a significant level of misunderstanding and stigma around having or being treated for a metal health problem. Half of all parents indicated they believe a student with a mental health problem could “pull themselves together if they wanted to.” Nearly a third of parents think that other people would avoid their student if it were known that they had a mental health problem. Results also showed that mothers are more supportive of a student with a mental health problem than fathers.

Perceived Knowledge. Eighty percent of parents are confident they would be able to tell if their student were experiencing a mental health problem while in college. When asked specifically about depression, over 90 percent of parents say they would be able to tell if their student were exhibiting signs of the disorder. A larger percentage of mothers than fathers report knowing a lot about different disorders and feel very sure that they would be able to identify depression in their son/daughter.

Actual Knowledge. In order to compare what parents think they know and what they actually know, they were asked to identify, without help, specific signs of depression other than prolonged sadness. The most common responses were anti-social, withdrawn, drop in grades, and change in eating habits. Only 3.4 percent of parents identified suicidal thoughts as a sign of depression and only 15 percent of parents were able to name more than one or two signs. Almost two-thirds of parents do not think their students are likely to experience a mental health problem while in college; this is in sharp contrast to the fact that the great majority of parents say any college student can develop a mental health problem. More parents of a male than a female think it is unlikely that their student will experience a mental health problem while in college.

Help-seeking. More than half of parents say they would look to college/university staff for help with their student’s mental health problem. When asked specifically to whom on campus they would turn, most say advisors or counselors. Almost 85 percent of parents—more mothers than fathers—feel sure or very sure that they would know when to seek professional help if they were concerned that their student were experiencing a mental health problem.

Role of Colleges. When asked how much a college or school’s mental health services influenced the college selection process, over half of all parents say that it had little or no influence on their decision-making. Only 25 percent of parents report receiving information from their student’s current or prospective college(s) about mental health services.

Key Findings:

Today’s parents are increasingly involved in their students’ lives, and this provides an opportunity for them to become better gatekeepers of their student’s mental health.

• Encourage the conversation: We want you to understand the importance of having an open dialogue with your student early in the college transition and, ideally, before problems develop.

• Address stigma: We encourage you to understand the realities of emotional problems and the relationship between biology and mental illness.

• Increase knowledge: Utilizing the RUOK? campaign and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) workshops, we can educate more parents about how to recognize and address potential mental health issues, so your level of knowledge matches your level of confidence.

• Improve help-seeking: The TCU Counseling & Mental Health Center wants to be the first source you consider for your student’s emotional issues. We have and are still developing new methods to make our information stand out and “stick” rather than have our materials slipped into events.

What Do Parents Really Think About Mental Health?Cortney Gumbleton, MSW, Suicide Prevention Outreach Coordinator, TCU Counseling & Mental Health Center

A Parent’s Response to QPR Training

Lisa Grider, TCU ’88 and TCU Parent Council Member

I see the news stories all too regularly – usually around mid-term and toward the end of a semester. A promising young man or woman takes his or her own life. My heart breaks for the child and the family. Within seconds, my emotions shift from pity to icy fear – where is my daughter this minute? Is she still upset about that last test grade? Does she know – really know – that this disappointment will pass? In short – is she “OK?”

Thanks to a wonderful program that was presented at the most recent TCU Parent Council meeting (March 2014), I breathe a bit easier these days. Led by Courtney Gumbleton of TCU’s Counseling and Mental Health Center, the 43 parents in attendance were invited to take part in QPR training – a simple educational program that enables “ordinary people” (read non-mental health professionals) to recognize a mental health emergency and how to get the person at risk the help they need.

As promised, the training was relatively brief and straight-forward. I was delighted to find out that literally hundreds of TCU faculty, staff and administrative personnel have received this training and have made the commitment to “Question, Persuade and Refer” (QPR) any student on campus whose behavior suggests that they are considering suicide.

Courtney’s first task with our group was to convince us that this type of grass-roots, non-professional intervention is effective. Among my biggest “take-aways” from the training were:• Addressing someone “in crisis” is effective – so I need to push aside my reluctance and fear of further upsetting the

person.• It is important not to sugar coat my questions when talking to someone in crisis. Euphemisms (e.g. “You’re not

going to do something stupid are you?”) are not helpful. I need to ask the person a direct question, such as “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” in order to get the person to say out loud what he or she may be thinking.

According to numerous studies, this type of direct questioning is highly effective in getting the person the help he or she need, thus preventing the suicide.

Throughout the training, our group discussed our own experiences with friends and relatives that had committed, or attempted, suicide. Our discussion was emotional at times, but also extremely valuable as we came to recognize that a few questions from a professor, an RA or a student advisor could make the difference for our own son/daughter or one of his/her friends.

As an alumna, I know first-hand that TCU has always been a caring, supportive community. Today, that care and support takes the form of very intentional, well-researched and effectively implemented programs that address the needs of college-age men and women. As a parent, my role now is to encourage my daughter to access all of the services that TCU offers in support of her educational and personal growth. You can bet I’ve encouraged her to take part in QPR training when she returns to campus and to know that when someone asks her, “Are you OK?” she knows that they truly want to know.

You will have an opportunity to attend QPR training on Friday, September 12 at 3 p.m.

in Scharbauer Hall.

Frog CampTurns 20

In in the summer of 1994, 107 first-year students headed to Green Family Camp in Bruceville, TX for the first ever Frog Camp. Accompanied by 21 student facilitators and 12 faculty staff partners, the students spent three days getting to know each other and learning what it means to be Horned Frogs.

In the summer of 2014, 1,362 first-year students headed around the world on twelve Frog Camps led by 12 student directors, 250 student facilitators, and 107 faculty/staff partners. While still running three Frog Camps at Green Family Camp, Frog Camp has grown to include permanent sites in Fort Worth, TX and Taylor Park, CO along with rotating camps at places like Savannah, GA, Washington, D.C, Paris, Rome, London, Costa Rica, and Sevilla. Along the way over 20,000 incoming students have participated as campers - more than 70 percent of the incoming class each year.

Beyond participation, Frog Camp has grown to significantly impact the TCU experience. For instance:• Students who attend Frog Camp are much more likely to return to TCU for their sophomore year• Those who attend Frog Camp graduate in four years at a rate that is 10 percentage points higher than those who

don’t• 99 percent of campers report that Frog Camp was the thing that confirmed their decision to attend TCU.

The secret to Frog Camp’s success is the student staff - 190 student leaders who mentor, guide, connect and create an environment where every camper begins to understand that who they are, and what they do, matters.

Throughout 20 years and around the world, the core Frog Camp experience has remained the same: giving TCU students a place to belong. As one of a student’s first interactions with life at TCU, Frog Camp has the unique opportunity to help create the TCU everyone believes in. After Camp, campers come to campus understanding the role and responsiblity they have to become ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community. And so a major theme for the staff each year is remember the why: staff members (both students and TCU faculty and staff) challenge each other to constantly remember the opportunity they have to influence the future of TCU.

So what is the Why? How does this work? At the end of camp, one camper stood up in front of a room of 200 people he’d met two days previously. “I’ve had kind of a rough background,” he said, “so I never really had a family.” Then he looked around the room. “Now I do.”

That’s the Why.

Chancellor’s Leadership Program: Cultivating Social Change Agents Ebony R. Rose, M.A., Assistant Director, TCU Leadership Center & Advisor, Chancellor’s Leadership Program

The Chancellor’s Leadership Program (CLP) is a leadership development program guided by the Social Change Model of Leadership Development. Open to all majors, CLP offers a co-curricular, three and a half year, guided cohort experience for students who commit to learning how leadership development will contribute to their education and their communities. Throughout the program CLP Fellows are expected to complete a number of activities including identifying their leadership style and strengths, participating in leadership seminars, active community service and the completion of a Social Change Legacy Project. Fellows are assigned a CLP Cohort Advisor whose role is to facilitate seminars and meet with each Fellow regularly to discuss additional opportunities for personal leadership growth.

CLP Fellows participate in semester-long seminars that comprise the educational and foundational core of the three-year program. Seminars explore a variety of leadership topics including ethical leadership, intercultural leadership and responsible citizenship. As Fellows progress, their understanding of leadership and community will be challenged in these seminars as a way to encourage personal growth and global understanding. Nikki Howard, 2016 Fellow, says of her experience in the program, “before I joined CLP, I would say I was in a bubble; I didn't really know much outside of my own world and my own experiences. CLP has changed that for me.” In CLP, students are encouraged to reach beyond their comfort zone and engage with their peers in meaningful ways not often offered in a traditional classroom setting. Jacob Greenstein, also a 2016 Fellow, said "as an individual, I have always felt called to do something bigger and to make a difference in the community in which I live. CLP not only connects me with peers who feel called to the same level of engaged civic duty and social change, but it offers me a community to delve deep into pressing topics of our time.” It is our hope, that upon completion of the program, CLP Fellows are prepared to live out the TCU mission statement and are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to create positive change in their communities on a local, national and global scale.

New CLP Fellows are accepted into the program each fall. The application process, which is open exclusively to first-year students, begins in early October. Interested students are encouraged to attend optional information sessions led by current CLP Fellows. The application process itself has two parts. First, applications and recommendations are reviewed by TCU staff and CLP Steering Committee student members. After application review, candidates must also complete an in-person interview. New CLP Fellows are selected based upon their articulated desire and willingness to become positive change agents in their communities.

This fall, the New Fellow selection process will begin in October with two information sessions on October 1-2 at 7 p.m. in the Beck-Geren meeting room in the Brown-Lupton University Union. Additional information can be obtained online at www.leadership.tcu.edu/clp

Your Student, Transitioning Through CollegeStudent Development in the First, Middle and Final year at TCU

Every first-year student starting college comes with high hopes and high expectations for what the next four years of their lives will be like. That is no different at TCU. Some of the brightest minds in the country join the Horned Frog family each year, and with that comes the need for the university to provide support, both in and out of the classroom to help students be successful in all of their endeavors.

Student Development Services is known for helping students be successful. Laying out a four-year road map of programming to support and enhance the academic culture of the university, Student Development Services provides quality programming to help students transition in, transition through, and transition out of TCU. Through TCU Transitions, an area within Student Development Services focused on the four-year undergraduate experience, several goals are accomplished each year, including:

• Fostering student learning and development,

• Creating and promoting a seamless student experience, and

• Engaging students, faculty, and staff through strategic partnerships

Fueled by the TCU mission statement, the premise behind programs offered by TCU Transitions is to help students become ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community. In addition, students are given opportunities to engage and identify with their individual class and the larger TCU Horned Frog family.

Through the use of theory and intentional program design, several developmental milestones are included in the undergraduate co-curriculum. Students begin their TCU career by participating in the First Year Experience program which includes Orientation, Frog Camp, and Connections. During their sophomore year, students participate in Sophomore Week, the Second Year Pinning, and are invited to participate in the Sophomore Getaway. The junior year is filled with activities designed to prepare them for the real-world, including skill-building workshops on financial literacy, networking and mentoring. Finally, the senior year, a year often filled with the juxtaposition of celebration and angst as students prepare for life outside of TCU, includes activities like the Senior Toast and Fiesta, the Senior Ring Ceremony and programs that help seniors recognize their importance in the continued life cycle of a Horned Frog.During the 2014-15 academic year, an entire schedule of programming is available for students, no matter their class year at TCU. A schedule of programs is available on the Student

Development Services website (www.sds.tcu.edu) and students can always come in to the SDS office located in the BLUU, Suite 2003 for a list of upcoming offerings. Encourage your student to get involved and make his/her mark. Life offers us a handful of experiences that have nearly “built-in,” if you will, chances to pursue different interests, try on different hats, stretch ourselves with limited risk and repercussion. College is a time to do just that and SDS is here to help students achieve those goals.

There is no doubt that students at TCU are given the map helping them discover success both in and out of the classroom. From day one, students can participate in opportunities that reflect the mission of TCU in the hopes of helping students practice ethical leadership and responsible citizenship while integrating their learning and deepening their experiences as members of the global community. Which path they choose defines who they become as members of the TCU family.

Thomas Studdert, Ed.D., Assistant Dean of Student Development, Student Development Services

Class of 2018 The First–Year Experience

In the July-August issue of the TCU Parent & Family Magazine, you should have seen the themes around which the First Year Experience staff will provide programs tools, and information this year. If you want to be reminded of the entire calendar of themes, you may find it in the July-August issue on the parent website, www.parents.tcu.edu.

For first year students, September is about building new relationships – with other new students, with faculty and staff, and with older students. In the book How College Works, Daniel F. Chambliss and Christopher G. Takacs draw this conclusion about the importance of college:

“In one sentence: what really matters in college is who meets whom, and when.”

That’s why this is a great time for your student to be developing relationships with those who will help them learn, grow, and be successful in college. A few tips:• Research shows that the more

time students spend with people who are different from them, the smarter they’ll be when they graduate. So encourage your student to step outside of his/her comfort zones and meet some people with whom he/she might not otherwise spend time.

• It’s never too late to join new clubs or organizations. If your student hasn’t found a fit yet, encourage him/her to visit www.studentorgs.tcu.edu to find an organization that might prove interesting.

• Finally, the staff of the First Year Experience is always here to help students get connected. Your student may drop by BLUU 2003 or email us at fye@tcu.edu for a personalized consultation.

Class of 2017 & 2016The Sophomore & Junior–Year Experience

Hopefully, sophomores and juniors, the middle years, return to campus in the fall with a sense of a narrowing focus and increasing responsibility. They are taking on more responsibility with their course work, internships, employment and being more intentional about the choices they make.

If your son or daughter is finding all of this transition difficult to navigate, don’t despair; TCU is a safe space for students to experience challenge. If you feel conversations and guidance about time management and balance are concepts your student still needs to be successful, remind your son/daughter of the resources he/she may not have used the first few semesters. Your student should be more receptive now. For academic assistance, the Center for Academic Services offers academic success workshops every semester. For those with limited math ability, the Math Clinic is open 40 – 45 hours a week with a graduate assistant present to assist the student with homework or test preparation. The James L. Adams Center for Writing is staffed by writing professionals, including

published authors and Ph.D. faculty. If a student is feeling overwhelmed or is dealing with medical, psychological, or circumstantial issues, Campus Life, Counseling and Mental Health Center, the TCU Health Center or the Religious and Spiritual Life staff can be of great help.

Sophomores and juniors should keep an eye out for opportunities on campus that complement their studies and build their leadership skills. Student Development Services is an excellent place to start looking for these opportunities. For example, the Sophomore Getaway is a great example of a program to help students reflect on where they have been, discover where they are going and meet faculty and staff who can help them achieve their goals. Instead of quantity, encourage your son or daughter to narrow his/her focus and search for quality involvements so that he/she can strengthen the skills learned in the first year or two of college. As always, reach out if you need help guiding your student- we are here to help!

John Mark Day, M.A., M.S., Director of the First Year Expereince, Student Development Services

Keri Cyr, M.Ed., Associate Director of the Sophomore & Junior Year Experience, Student Development Services

“In one sentence: what really matters in college is who meets whom, and when.”

Class of 2015The Senior Year Experience

The senior year completes a significant leg of life’s journey while also taking first steps on the next leg. It is a time of letting go that can be both joyous and sad, and a time of new beginnings that can be both exhilarating and frightening.

Research shows that seniors’ concerns go beyond employment and graduate school issues and include change/loss and support, social skills and friendships. Developmental models also suggest this is a phase of life in which our students are more clearly defining and stabilizing their identities as adults, and exploring and realizing their capacity for intimacy. The typical college experience guides students through some of these challenges, yet much remains for each student’s own discovery, attention, and effort. Seniors commonly need to learn and refine the skills of independent living, including acquiring health care, building community and support networks, and financial management. They must also cope with relationship changes, and adapting to new environments and schedules. The office of the Senior Year Experience (SYE) provides guidance, resources and programming that help seniors successfully respond to their developmental challenges and opportunities.

The current Senior Year Experience programs for the 2014-15 academic year include the following:

Senior Splash, August 14, 2 – 4 p.m. Campus Recreation Center

Senior Ring CeremonySeptember 14, 2–4 p.m. BLUU Ballroom

Dress for SuccessSeptember 19, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Neiman Marcus, Ridgmar

Senior Alternative Fall Break & International Community Engagement ProjectOctober 10 – 14 Merida, Mexico

Senior (Dis) Orientation November 1 , 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. BLUU

Fall Senior Toast & Fiesta December 17, 5:30 p.m.Dee J. Kelly Alumni Center

Fall CommencementDecember 20www.commencement.tcu.edu

The Last Lecture SeriesOnce/monthly, January-April

Senior Re-OrientationOnce/weekly, February-Spring Break, including a Celebratory Banquet after Spring Break

Pecha Kucha, featuring senior presenters:April 1, 6– 7 p.m.

Spring Senior Toast & Fiesta May 6, 5:30 p.m.Dee J. Kelly Alumni & Visitors Center

Spring Commencement May 9 www.commencement.tcu.edu

You, the parents and other family members of seniors, are among our most important partnerships in this work. You can make a significant impact simply by welcoming discussion on the developmental challenges they are facing and helping them recognize the resources offered at TCU. A useful checklist for this purpose is available here: http://www.sds.tcu.edu/mustdo4asp.asp.

Chuck Dunning, M.A., Director of the Senior Experience, Student Development Services

Members of the Class of 2015 enjoy some time together at Senior Splash at the Rec Center in August

Texas Christian University2800 South University Drive Fort Worth, TX 76129

www.tcu.edu

Our Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and

responsible citizens in the global community.