Frog Camp 2013 Year in Review

Everything

we want our community to become, believe, and do

starts here.

TCU Frog Camp 2013

Frog Camp, a part of the First Year Experience program at TCU, is an extended orientation program that connects new students with the TCU, Fort Worth, and global communities and develops upper-level students as leaders, facilitators, and mentors.

Students come to TCU with fantastic potential, and what they do as they transition to campus determines their ability to fulfill it. When they feel like they matter here, when they feel like someone here cares, they go on to do great things. At Frog Camp, we strive to make TCU a place where all students have the foundation to do great things. And we’re successful: students who attend Frog Camp are more likely to stick around for their sophomore year, more likely to graduate in four years, and overwhelmingly report Frog Camp was the program that confirmed their decision to attend TCU. The summer of 2013 was the best yet for Frog Camp - more campers, more camps, more lives changed. Read on for an insider’s look at what we mean when we say that everything starts here.

Inside: 2. Become, Believe, Do 3. Camps: Spirit and competition 4. Camps: Fort Worth culture and service 5. Camps: Around the U.S. 6. Camps: Around the world 7. Campers 8. Facilitators 9. Faculty/Staff Partners 10. Directors 11. The Frog Camp Core 12. The Why 13. Finances 14. 2013 By the Numbers

1

Become Believe Do

leaders mentors Horned Frogs who they are changes the world good, on campus and beyond

Everything starts here.

2

Camps: Spirit and Competition Challenge A Challenge B

3

Summit

Bruceville, TX

Bruceville, TX

Bruceville, TX

June 4-6

August 8-10

August 13-15

128 campers 24 facilitators 10 work crew 12 faculty/staff partners

296 campers 44 facilitators 12 work crew 22 faculty/staff partners

154 campers 28 facilitators 8 work crew 13 faculty/staff partners 1 Llama del Ray

spirit and tradition

spirit and tradition

competition and Teamwork

Camps: Fort Worth Culture and Service Casa Nueva A Casa Nueva B Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth,, TX

June 11-13

June 18-20

142 campers 24 facilitators 12 faculty/staff partners

131 campers 24 facilitators 12 faculty/staff partners

Fort Worth Culture

Fort Worth Culture

Quest

Casa Nueva C

Fort Worth,, TX

Fort Worth,, TX

June 25-27

August 8-10

124 campers 24 facilitators 12 faculty/staff partners Community Engagement

140 campers 24 facilitators 13 faculty/staff partners Fort Worth Culture

4

Camps: Travel (the U.S.)

5

Alpine A

Alpine B

DC

Taylor Park, CO

Taylor Park, CO

Washington, D.C.

July 16-20

July 21-25

July 28-August 3

48 campers 8 facilitators 4 faculty/staff partners

47 campers 8 facilitators 4 faculty/staff partners

20 campers 4 facilitators 2 faculty/staff partners

Colorado high Adventure

Colorado high Adventure

Leadership and Service

Camps: Travel (Around the World) Spain Seville, Spain

June 18-26

24 campers 4 facilitators 2 faculty/staff partners Honors Abroad

London London, England

July 2-10

23 campers 4 facilitators 2 faculty/staff partners International Leadership

6

About the Campers the goals: engage students in the TCU community communicate TCU’s shared values of campers reported that Frog Camp was the thing that confirmed their decision to come to TCU

99%

7

Every camper comes to Frog Camp with a unique set of desires, needs, and hopes for their time at TCU. But they all walk away as Horned Frogs, ready to learn to change the world.

What they say“Frog

Camp gave me the opportunities to not only connect with incoming freshmen but also with older TCU students and faculty. The atmosphere of community, safety, and friendship at camp is something that I know TCU holds dear.” • “I learned that I can choose how I want each experience at college to be and I learned that I do not have to be afraid or nervous about going out of state.” • “I feel more part of the TCU community, not just through learning the dances and cheers, but by getting to know faculty, facilitators, and fellow students. I feel like TCU is a place I can truly call home.” • “Frog Camp helped me get out of my comfort zone more by introducing myself to new people I don’t know.

I also met some amazing people and I don’t feel so alone here anymore.

The camp really helped me confirm that TCU is the right place to be.”

About the Facilitators the goal: develop upper-level students as leaders and mentors The secret to Frog Camp’s success is our 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.

Majors: 60 Neeley School of Business 33 AddRan College of Liberal Arts 31 College of Communication 24 College of Science & Engineering 17 Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences 13 College of Education 12 School of Fine Arts Additionally, 41% of facilitators are a part of the John V. Roach Honors College

be a part of a freshman’s first look at What they say“Being a part TCU is an honor. I’m humbled each of this program has by far been the year to be chosen to be a part of such a highlight of my college years. I will great family and tradition.” • “I really be forever grateful for my memories love those campers. I love being able with Frog Camp.” • “I truly can’t to show them it is ok to be yourself, describe how much the program has and I love having the opportunity impacted me throughout my career to challenge and push them to here at TCU.” • “The opportunity to be the best person they can be.”

8

About the Faculty & staff partners the goal: create a collaborative environment for faculty and staff Every small group at Frog Camp has a faculty/staff partner, volunteers from across campus who come to camp to engage with, mentor, and develop incoming and upper-division students.

Where They’re From Advancement • Alumni Relations • Athletic

Academic Services • Athletic Training • Biology • Campus Rec • Chancellor’s Office • College of Education • Communication Studies • Counseling Center • Spanish • Donor Relations • English • Finance and Administration • Fraternity and Sorority Life • Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences • Housing and Residence Life • Intercultural and Outreach Services • Institute for Child Development • John V Roach Honors College • Kinesiology • Library • Marketing • MBA Career Services • Post Office • Psychology • Ranch Management • Religious and Spiritual Life • Schieffer School of Journalism • Scholarships and Student Financial Aid • School of Music • Strategic Partnerships • Student Affairs • Student Development Services • TCU Police • Undergraduate Admission • University Career Services • University Union • Upward Bound

issues that they need to consider as Camp does a fantastic job of balancing they begin their college careers. On a fun activities that help students build selfish note, I have found that being a friendships, gain a sense of belonging, faculty member at Frog Camp to be and welcome them to TCU while an immensely rewarding, edifying, 9also addressing some very serious and rejuvenating experience.”

What they say“I think that Frog

About the Directors the goal: develop directors as effective managers of people and processes Twelve upper-division students who oversee the full program: everything needed to create an place where campers, facilitators, and faculty/staff partners can realize their full potential. facilitators I had with me helped have told me on campus that they make sure that the campers felt always hang out, and that they comfortable around each other, which consider each other best friends. This undoubtedly led to this friendship. is one of the best things I could have If you feel important and feel like heard as a director. The incredible you can make a change- you will.

What they say “My campers

Tauchar psychology major from Jackson, MS Who They Are Michael (Executive Director and Frog Camp London) • Ryan

Gessouroun neuroscience major from Edmond, OK (program development and Frog Camp Challenge) • Sam Hassler strategic communication major from Lee’s Summit, MO (check-in and transportation and Frog Camps Quest and Alpine) • Luke Hockett business major from Dallas, TX (community service and Frog Camp Casa Nueva) • Barrington Hwang chemistry, economics, and biology major from Dallas, TX (community service and Frog Camps Quest and Summit) • Steven Imaizumi marketing major from Coppell, TX (media and technology and Frog Camp Challenge) • Kayla Jarzombek middle school math education major from San Antonio, TX (logistics and Frog Camp Casa Nueva) • Sarah Kindscher child development major from Leawood, KS (new facilitator development and Frog Camp Challenge) • Preston Oliver finance major from Irving, TX (returning facilitator development and Frog Camps Spain and Summit) • Madeleine Rebouche religion and writing major from Shreveport, LA (games and spirit and Frog Camps Quest and Summit) • Bekah Serio marketing major from Berlin, Germany (faculty/staff partner director and Frog Camp DC) • Logan Webb supply chain major from McKinney, TX (logistics and Frog Camp Casa Nueva)10

Frog Camp’s Core Expectations and Phobias

six small group discussions that take place at every camp

Headbands

setting the stage for Frog Camp and sharing fears about beginning college

Dealing With College

what it means to start college with a blank slate

Markers and Labels

common statistics and realities facing college students

More Than Words

extending that blank slate to others

Reflections, Affirmations, and Goals

the power of language and our responsibility to each other

11

taking the Frog Camp experience back to campus

The Why

As one of a student’s first interactions with life at TCU, Frog Camp has a unique opportunity to help create the TCU we believe in.

After Camp, campers come to campus understanding the role and responsibility they have to become ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.

And so a major theme for this year’s staff became remember the why.

Facilitators, Directors, and Work Crew members challenged each

other constantly to remember the opportunity and responsibility they each had to influence the future of TCU. So what is the why? At the end of Summit, 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.

12

Frog Camp Finances

Fee $200 $200 $225 $225 $300* $475 $1100* $1100*

*for 2013, a donor paid half of the camper fees for Spain, London, and DC, normally $2200 and $600.

$269

average camper fee

$473

actual cost per camper

TCU subsidizes about 40% of the cost for each camper to attend Frog Camp, but scholarships remain an important priority in enabling students to attend. Because of the cost of attendance, the higher a student’s need, the less likely he or she is to attend Frog Camp: 71.3% of students with the highest family income attended Camp but only 58.9% of those with the lowest family incomes did.

scholarships total amount of awarded scholarships When my parents immigrated to the U.S. they sought to give us a better life and more opportunities than they had. To do so, they have made many sacrifices for me including giving up the opportunity to obtain a higher education by working minimum wage jobs to put food on the table. With a scholarship I would be able to attend Frog Camp and gain an invaluable experience with some of my fellow classmates that I will be with for the next 4 years.

13

38

$7825

-From a scholarship application

Camp Challenge Summit Casa Nueva Quest DC Alpine London Spain

2013 by the numbers

3100 1368 53 registered campers hours of 250 >40 hours community facilitators & work crew amount of training service each Frog Camp performed 111 facilitator receives faculty/staff partners Where campers 12 come from: directors total days of camp

3.5

average GPA of Frog Camp staff

4%

50%

2%

Texas

International

increase in first-year to second-year retention for those who attend Frog Camp

48% Out of state

hours spent in

small group conversations

1264 campers said they developed a meaningful, new friendship at Frog Camp

97

10%

twowhat t-shirts and a water bottle Frog Camp staff get paid

90

percent of new students who said they were able to develop a meaningful relationship with a TCU faculty or staff member because of Frog Camp

If every instance of Riff Ram Bah Zoo that happened at Frog Camp happened all at once, the line would stretch for

increase in fouryear graduation rates

Over 25,100

miles traveled by Frog Camp staff Greek-Letter organizations represented on Frog Camp staff

24 1 Mile

BECOME BELIEVE DO

14

ev

. e r e h s t r a t s g n i h t y er

For more information on Frog Camp or other TCU First Year Experience programs, contact Student Development Services at 817.257.7855 or fye@tcu.edu.