Parent & Family Magazine
Volume 4/ Issue 1
September/October 2016 Contents: Kay’s Column A Message from the Director of Parent & Family Programs Chencellor’s Greeting Parent Council Co-Chairs’ Column Metro Transportation
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.edu parents@tcu.edu 817-257-7855
Be Your Best Self More Health & Wellness Resources at TCU First Year Transitions:Frog Camp Cultura Parent Spotlight: Kristen Paterson 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
Parent & Family Magazine Greetings! Welcome to fall semester 2016 at TCU! We have just passed mid-point in the semester. Almost every student has had at least one major exam; some students, several. At the same time, we have students studying abroad, excited about what they are learning, yet wondering if friends will still remember them when they return. We have seniors excited to graduate, but apprehensive about what lies ahead. Every semester, the Chancellor, Dr. Victor Boschini, sends a greeting to the campus community. I thought that you might enjoy seeing what he sent to students, faculty, and staff this fall. You will be introduced to the Co-Chairs of the TCU Parents Association, Matt and Nancy Gallagher. Alums of TCU AND parents of three TCU students, they are encouraging all parents to get excited about getting involved at TCU.
You will want to pay special attention to the information about the TCU Parent Association (PA) and all the work they have and will be doing. I hope you and your student visited the Family Weekend Open House at the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), cosponsored by the TCU PA. Associate Vice Chancellor David Cozzens provides an update about a Health Initiative started last fall along with a-bit-of-a-tease paragraph about new programs that were started this summer. One of our favorite contributors, Tiara Nugent, writes about self-care, in the article titled, “Be Your Best Self.” When stressed students begin to smash selfcare into pieces, the first to go is usually any semblance of a sleep schedule. Then go the healthy meals. Tiara has included some excellent tips to discuss with your student. The article on Metroplex Transportation is intended for new families, but experienced families may learn something, too. If you see that information is wrong or missing, please email me at parents@tcu.edu so that we can provide the most comprehensive details to our families.
And finally, we have started a Parent Spotlight feature in the magazine. Melissa Hand nominated her mom, Kristen Paterson. Read about how she loved participating as a Horned Frog, even in San Diego, CA! Remember: • October 24 is the day that scheduling advising for spring 2017 semester begins. • November 7 is the last day to drop a class for this semester. • November 8 is the last day to select Pass/No Credit for this semester. I hope that this information is helpful to you. Go Frogs!
Kay Higgins, Ph.D. Associate Dean of Student Development Services and Director of Parent and Family Programs
WE WANT YOU! TCU Parents Association
We live in Houston; how can I help in the development of TCU students from here? We live in Los Angeles; is there anything we can do to bring TCU parents together in our area? We live 5 miles from TCU here in Ft. Worth; are there some local service projects in which we can participate right here on campus? The answer to all of these is YES! Regardless of our geographic separation, there is a thread of purple string that binds TCU families together across the miles. Like many of you, when our daughters and son left the roost and headed to TCU, Nancy and I said to one another “well the kids are moving on, does that mean we should simply write tuition checks, or is there more we can do to support the University that is helping to take our kids into the next chapter of life?” While still in its infancy, the TCU Parents Association (TCU PA) http://sds.tcu.edu/parent-family/parent-membership/ has already begun making a positive impact. In May, 2016 the TCU Parents Association FaceBook Group was started, with the basic goal being to connect parents to other parents. Discussions have run the gamut, from “what items should my student bring (or not bring)?” to “how do I get football tickets?” to sorority recruitment. Local on campus service projects have also seen success. During the Summer Orientations of June and August, the TCU PA was given an opportunity to host one of the breakout sessions to assist new TCU parents in tackling questions in the front of their minds. In August, many wonderful TCU PA volunteers were present in the new student residence halls during move-in handing out cold water to combat the Texas sweltering summer days, helping to move bed frames up and down, and pointing out local businesses on a map for those last minute shopping items. During Family Weekend, the TCU PA co-hosted a reception at the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) in Jarvis Hall on Friday September 16. Students and their families came by to meet other Frog parents and families and tour the CCPD. Did you know the CCPD encourages students to shadow its doorway beginning with their freshman year? Why? Here’s an example… The intern the TCU PA hired this semester, while only a sophomore, had a remarkably well written one-page resume. How did she put that together? She went to the CCPD starting her freshman year. Additionally, through the TCU PA website you can make known internships or career opportunities for TCU students that exist in your respective communities or the company for which you work at http://form.jotform.us/ form/41695398186168. You provide the contact information and the CCPD staff will do the rest. Planning is also underway to grow beyond local service projects and into national initiatives. February will see the first annual event sponsored by the TCU PA, called FrogParentsChat. The idea is that this will be an informal gathering of TCU parents in local cities across the United States, with the simple goal of providing an opportunity for parents to don their purple and connect personally with other parents in the same zip code. Meeting places may be at a favorite local coffee shop or restaurant. The 2017 kick off will be hosted in 8 cities with hopes to expand in 2018. The TCU PA also wants to be sure and thank those who have participated in the life of this young organization through their financial support. Without these gifts, the service projects mentioned here, as well as the support of the student intern program, would not be possible. Please visit our website if you would like to contribute to the mission of the TCU Parents Association. GO FROGS! Matthew and Nancy Gallagher ’90 ‘90, Co-Chairs, TCU Parents Association About the TCU Parents Association Co-Chairs… Matthew and Nancy Gallagher attended TCU and graduated in 1990 with degrees in Geology and Education, respectively, and live just outside of Fort Worth. They have 3 adult children, one of which has graduated from TCU (’15), with the younger two currently attending TCU. Their commitment to the Parents Association and the University is rooted deeply in their belief, and experience, that TCU is a family. The faculty, administration, staff, alumni, students and their families share a common bond and drive that allows TCU to provide the community for students to “Learn To Change The World.” Come join the family.
Especially for New Parents & Families
Metroplex Transportation Options
There are many ways to get around the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas, as well as all the communities inbetween and beyond. A few of those ways can be found below.
Airport Transportation Two airports serve the DFW area. The primary airport, DFW Airport*, is approximately 25 miles from campus. Most major airlines service DFW Airport. In addition, about 35 miles from campus is Love Field. Located a few miles northwest of downtown Dallas, Love Field is the home base of Southwest Airlines which operates most of the flights from that location. Listed below are various transportation options to the airports. ** FrogFriends ** A popular option for students to get to and from the airport is through the friends they make at TCU. Around the holidays, Spring Break, and the ends of each semester, excitement and anticipation fuel the atmosphere of TCU. Part of that community experience is students serving their friends by taking them to the airport. There is something about being 18 years old, having an car, and loving to drive to the airport! UBER Next to friends, Uber is probably the next best way to the airport and around the area, in general. Taxi There are multiple taxi services in Fort Worth. For a private service, call Hans at 817.992.3041. The price for a one-way ride is approximately $85.00. Hans has several drivers and all take credit cards. Super Shuttle Super Shuttle is more affordable service than a taxi fare. Each way the shuttle is approximately $40 and a reservation is required on the leg from campus to DFW Airport. (If a number of students are sharing a shuttle, the cost is reduced per person.) For the return trip to campus, a reservation is not required and a van leaves about every 30 minutes from the terminals at DFW Airport. They may be reached at 800-BLUE-VAN. Bus/Rail While it is possible to access the airports from campus on a combination of buses and shuttles, it requires multiple transfers each way and extra time. From campus to DFW Airport… From campus, a bus is taken from campus to the Fort Worth rail station in downtown Fort Worth. From there, the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) is taken to the CentrePoint/DFW Airport Station and a Remote South Lot shuttle bus then services the terminals at DFW Airport. From campus to Love Field… From campus, a bus is taken from campus to the Fort Worth rail station in downtown Fort Worth. From there, the Trinity Railway Express is taken to the Medical/Market Center Station, which is about two miles from Love Field. A taxi would be necessary for the last leg from the rail station to Love Field. For more information, visit http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/index.html ZIP Cars TCU has four ZIP cars on campus. For more information, visit zipcar.com and click on TCU. The details and instructions on securing a car are on the website. Just a note: Zip Car does allow drivers 18 years of age with a driver’s license to drive their cars. To Dallas The TRE can also be taken from Fort Worth to the American Airline Performance Center in downtown Dallas for concerts, Maverick basketball or the Stars hockey games. In addition, students may access parts of Dallas by taking DART, the mass transit system. TO Major Cities around the state and a few neighboring destinations
Train Amtrak does run between Fort Worth and several major cities in the surrounding areas for $30 - $40 one way. More information is available at www.amtrack.com. Bus For close to the cost of the train a bus will transport students from Fort Worth to other parts of Texas and surrounding areas. www.busbud.com is a cost-comparing website. www.megabus.com is a bus service that offers designated quantity of $1.00 tickets. Again, check the website for more details. While many travels ideas and websites are included here, there is new information every day. If you are aware of an oversight, a mistake, or a new service, please notify us at parents@tcu.edu. Thank you.
*The Dallas/Fort Worth or the DFW airport is named such because when it opened in 1974, it spread across equal parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties. Some say that because of later expansions, the airport now covers more land in Tarrant County than in Dallas County. Therefore, some people prefer to say the Fort Worth/Dallas Airport.
BE YOUR BEST YOU The Role of Self-Care in a Life Well-Lived By Tiara Nugent, Program Director of TCU’s Power2Choose
Our culture is brimming with empowerment messages these days. From Oprah to Bono, we hear cheers summoning our inner “best selves” to rise and conquer. Every magazine and celebrity paints a different picture of best practices to achieve this mysterious, evolved, glorious self. Our students hear these messages and the pressure to rise too. Particularly in college where life is all about learning and becoming a true individual and an adult (a pretty big challenge in and of itself), what in the world does being one’s “best self” look like? That answer may be subjective and vary by age, by family and by personal values, but regardless of major, class, career goals, the number of followers on Instagram or how many people recognize your name, good physical and mental health sets students on the track toward success. However, as the semester clock draws closer to the first round of tests and/or midterms, stress escalates and in a panic, healthy habits are too often the first practice thrown out the window. As students move into this critical time of the cycle, if you hear a strained tone coming through your student’s phone call, casually check in on his/her self-care routine. For starters, how is your student doing in these three wellness categories? ZZZZzzz’s You can hear your student’s exasperated answer already: “Mom, come on. I’m an adult.” True enough, but ask your student how much sleep he or she is getting anyway. Good decisions can only be made with good information and you just might be the lifeline your student needs to collect information on quality rest. Sleep is essential to a healthy body. Lack of it doesn't just push us to the cranky side; it also reduces a brain’s ability to concentrate and perform in class. Studies show that students who get seven to eight hours of sleep a night hold higher GPAs than those who get six or less. In short, the more sleep, the more energy the brain has to power through the day. Here’s a few sleep tips to tactfully share with your zealous student: • Don’t pull all-nighters. Tempting as it might be to work in a few extra hours of study, you do yourself a disservice. • Don't work in bed. Working in bed can make getting to sleep harder as your brain will fail to recognize crawling in bed as a sign bedtime is approaching and sleep mode should follow. • Do work out a bedtime schedule with roommates. Sharing a room with someone can make going to bed when you need to and staying asleep pretty tricky. Try to work with your roomies to set a schedule or rules that allow each of you to get the sleep you need. • Do allow time to wind down. Stretch, practice a few yoga poses, read for pleasure, and put that phone away. If you have too much on your mind, take a few minutes to write it down so you know you will remember to take care of whatever is nagging you the next day. NUTRITION Fighting stress with food is a bad dangerous pattern every student is susceptible to falling into. Eating won’t make stress go away, but healthy eating can power even tired brains and bodies to achieve big goals. Here are a few practical tips to whip out and share about mindful eating: • Don’t stress eat. Food is designed to fuel – not calm or comfort – our bodies. If the pages of biology vocabulary in front of you feel overwhelming, try taking a break or going for a jog around the
building instead of popping open a bag of Cheetos. • Don't skip meals. With so much to do, it's easy to forgo eating to run off to class or the library or work. If you know your schedule might be too tight for a full meal, pack food you can eat on the run so you'll have the energy to keep going until the next mealtime. • Do make it convenient to eat right. When we’re stressed we tend to reach for sugary, high fat junk food that makes our brains sluggish. Prepare for finals week by buying healthy snacks that are high in protein and fiber and keep them one hand in your room or backpack. • Do monitor beverage consumption. Caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety and insomnia. One night with a few alcoholic drinks can disrupt sleep and decrease memory retention and learning ability for the next 48 hours. Sugary drinks like sodas raise your blood sugar and lower your attention span. Your best bet? Keep a water bottle with you and use it. Staying hydrated actually boosts concentration. Enjoy all other beverages in moderation. MOVEMENT Too often students try to do everything; sooner or later they discover no one can do everything, and next succumb to feeling burnt-out, used-up and run-down. We all struggle to find balance and say “no” to the things we don’t truly love and want. Exercise may not make that “truly love and want” list, but it makes the other important one: the “truly need for health and sanity” list. After all, in a moment of stress, what could be more therapeutic than a flood of endorphins? Once more, a few helpful tips for your conversation: • Don’t rely on wheels. Is walking across campus, to dinner or a friend’s place an option? Do it. Not only will it give you a few minutes of exercise and get your blood pumping, but breathing in fresh air and taking note of the sunshine, blue sky and/or nature around you is sure to lower stress. • Do take advantage of the campus rec center. The equipment is top notch, the trainers friendly and helpful, the classes plentiful and the rock climbing wall a challenge. And it’s free. And close to your classes. That hour to kill between lectures just got filled. • Do incorporate variety. Hitting the weight rack is great, but so are intramurals. Is flag football or sand volleyball something you’d enjoy? Join a team and count practice or a game as your workout of the day. • Do bring a friend. Working out with a friend is always more fun than working out alone. On top of that, knowing someone else is relying on you to show up will make you much more likely to stick to your work out plan. Win-win.
More Health/Wellness resources for TCU students Dave Cozzens, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Last summer we reported to parents about a new program we had instituted at TCU- Student Health 101 (SH101) which is an electronic magazine which delivers a wide variety of health and wellness information to students monthly via email and the internet. Some of the more popular topics were: ‘Making your sleep habits work for you’; ‘How to power your brain’ and ‘The power of placebo: Is it the alcohol- or is it partly in your head?’ After three semesters our students have continued to engage this e-magazine in large numbers- in fact this past academic year the number of TCU students who read and actively engaged the information increased by 114%. In the month of April, 83% of students ‘learned something that they would apply to their daily lives” and 54% reported that they “intended to get involved, take advantage of campus resources, ask for help, or help a friend”. In the next issue of this publication we will present some of the new programs and initiatives in the health and wellness area. For instance we’ve opened a Wellness Center, revamped our Alcohol & Drug Education program, among other initiatives that will ‘nudge’ our students toward making healthy choices in their lives.
Frog Camp and the Culture of Fort Worth Philip Dodd, M.Ed., Assistant Director of the First Year Experience
Every year throughout June, July, and August, incoming students have the opportunity to learn about what being a Horned Frog truly means by attending Frog Camp. Frog Camp is TCU’s extended orientation program where current student leaders, faculty and staff partners prepare new students for their approaching transition to college. This summer Frog Camp introduced a new concept to our variety of camp themes: Frog Camp Cultura. Cultura provided a tour of classic Fort Worth with a more modern twist. Students stayed in a hotel in downtown Fort Worth, just minutes away from everything our city has to offer. They had the chance to attend a comedy show at Four Day Weekend and had some fun in the sun floating the Trinity River at Panther Island Pavilion. One of the highlights of Cultura was our visit to the Kimbell Art Museum. Frog Camp staff worked with the Kimbell Art Museum’s education department to create a day of exploration throughout the museum’s distinguished exhibits. Frog Camp also partnered with Northside Community Center and their summer camp program. New Horned Frogs played games with neighborhood children, spent time at the elderly center, and painted a giant mural in the community. By bringing new students into the community, Frog Camp strives to connect TCU students with the importance of service and the impact they can make in Fort Worth. To learn more about Frog Camp and the different themes offered, visit our website at frogcamp.tcu.edu.
Frog Campers floating in the lazy river at Fort Worth’s Panter Island.
A 2020 camper contributing to the wall at JP Elder Elementary School.
Frog Camp Cultra, Class of 2020
A Parent’s Spotlight . . . Several times a year a parent will have the opportunity to highlight his/her experience as a parent of a TCU student. Kristen Paterson, from San Diego, CA is our September 2016 parent. As our daughter Melissa Hand's collegiate experience as an undergrad at TCU came to a close in May 2016, we felt so grateful for all that TCU has offered her. Coming from a Southern California lifestyle, she was initially drawn to the southern hospitality that is Texas and the welcoming faculty and administration of TCU. Academically Melissa has grown tremendously and developed close connections with her professors who have shaped and encouraged her. We trusted TCU staff to lead her on an eye-opening Nicaraguan Service Trip and appreciated the real-world guidance offered by professors throughout her year-long internship with VIP Premium Seats at Live Nation. On a personal note, I have never missed a Fall Family Weekend or Spring Pi Phi Mom's weekend these past four years and developed good friends through regular attendance at the San Diego TCU Game Watching Parties, sponsored by the San Diego TCU Alumni Association. It's been wonderful and so easy staying connected to my daughter a full three states away. I am so very proud of her and truly blessed. And as with most journeys which are rarely straight, we see the value in her exploration of classes, which included Nursing Studies, prior to earning her BS in Communication Studies this spring, as it has opened another door for her. Following graduation, Melissa began work as a Physician Recruiter with Merritt Hawkins and AMN Healthcare. Thank you TCU. Melissa and I will miss you but remain a Horned Frog and Horned Frog Mom for life.
Family Weekend 2014 with my daughter Melissa Hand and her brother Zachary Hand (UNC grad 2015)
Going into the TCU vs Baylor Football game 2015 - yes we left the Thanksgiving dinner table in San Diego to jump on an airplane to attend!
Our Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community. Texas Christian University 2800 South University Drive Fort Worth, TX 76129 www.tcu.edu