Volunteering &Philanthropy at TCU

Kicking Off a New Board Term (and a New Era for TCU)

Day one of the new term. First email as Chair, welcomed new board members, connected the start of the term to Chancellor Pullin's first official day, and set a tone of energy and purpose.

• Welcomed new board members to the 2025–26 term; confirmed October 3 fall meeting date
• Framed the moment: new chancellor, new board, same mission to advance TCU
• Shared five links covering Chancellor Boschini's departure, Pullin's arrival, the campus master plan, and the Clark Society's giving spirit feature in TCU Magazine

Quick Board Update: Looking Ahead

Action-oriented second send: solicited committee co-chair interest, previewed the board photo roster project, and gave the first signal that revising the Operational Plan would be the centerpiece of October.

• Announced committee co-chair interest form via Beth; all four committees open: Leadership, Connection, Scholarship, Faculty Fund
• Flagged work to add photos to the board roster so members recognize each other at events
• First mention of the Operational Plan review as the main agenda item for October 3; tied to LEAD ON and University Advancement alignment

Starting the Year with Purpose

The longest email of the year by design. Recapped the Big 3 Summit, announced all four committee co-chair pairs, previewed the Big 3 Playbook, and built genuine anticipation for October.

• Big 3 Summit recap: Clark Society, Alumni, and Frog Club leadership aligned around Go, Give, Help, Connect under Chancellor Pullin's strategic vision
• Committee co-chairs announced. Leadership: Mooney & Kiesel; Connection: Taylor & McDonald; Scholarship: Gibbons & Hoefs; Faculty Fund: Early & Curtis
• Big 3 Playbook previewed as evergreen, actionable, and aligned to LEAD ON; full version coming before committee meetings
• Three resources shared: LEAD ON executive summary, campus master plan, and TCU for Texans scholarship program

September Update

Sent on Labor Day and TCU football's season opener. Updated the board on the Playbook taking shape, encouraged TCU Today sign-ups, and previewed the joint Big 3 structure for October 3.

• Playbook update: built around Go, Give, Help, Connect with measurable challenges and an evergreen design
• Encouraged board to subscribe to TCU Today for weekly campus news
• October 3 structure previewed: all Big 3 boards together to open the day, individual board meetings midday, reconvene as one group in the afternoon
• Clark Society Tailgate (October 4, TCU vs. Colorado) announced alongside fall meeting date

(Pre)October Update

Eight days before the fall meeting. Final logistics send: shared the Big 3 Playbook, introduced the "Why TCU" meeting opener exercise, and dropped action items for Gives Day and Tailgate RSVP.

• Shared the Big 3 Playbook as the board's guide to "speak with one voice" on TCU's mission and priorities
• Asked board to submit their "Why TCU" moment via form before the meeting, first use of this exercise
• TCU back in U.S. News top 100 for the 15th time, ranked 97th nationally, 6th in Texas for 2025–26
• TCU Gives Day (Oct 7–8): board challenge set at 20 donors to the Clark Endowed Faculty Fund to unlock a matching gift

TCU Gives Day: Flash Update

A short, energetic mid-Gives-Day send. The board hit the 20-donor challenge goal for the Clark Endowed Faculty Fund and the message went out to celebrate and keep momentum going.

• Board surpassed the 20-donor challenge goal for the CSEFF, challenge gift unlocked
• Encouraged remaining board members to give toward TCU's university-wide goal of 2,025 total donors

November Update

First post-meeting update. Recapped the Fall Board Meeting, Clark Society Tailgate, and TCU Gives Day, and set the tone for committee and planning work through the spring.

• Thanked board for fall meeting participation; previewed post-meeting survey and committee initiative mapping work ahead
• Clark Society Tailgate on October 4 was a strong success at the Kelly Center; flagged TCU vs. UNC game in Dublin, Ireland
• Recognized board members who participated in TCU Gives Day and gave to the Clark Endowed Faculty Fund
• Chancellor Pullin officially inaugurated as TCU's 11th Chancellor; $40M alumni naming gift for the College of Science and Engineering announced

December Update & Year-End Notes

Intentionally delayed to include the Big 3 year-end check-in. Clark Society's committee mapping work stood out among peer boards, and the email closed the year with a concrete call to action and holiday well-wishes.

• Big 3 mid-year meeting recap: Clark Society's initiative-to-playbook mapping approach drew interest from all peer boards and may be adopted universally
• Operational Plan review flagged as the major priority for the new year, Executive Committee to convene in January
• Shared TCU's Top 25 of '25 year-in-review roundup
• Called the board to action: Alamo Bowl support, men's and women's basketball tickets, continued Playbook engagement

February Update: Looking Ahead to April

First send of 2026 (January skipped). Put April 24 on the calendar, previewed the Executive Committee pre-planning session, and signaled that spring committee work was about to begin in earnest.

• Spring board meeting confirmed: Friday, April 24, "82 days out, but who's counting"
• Executive Committee meeting that week: reviewing fall outcomes, aligning initiatives to FY26 Playbook plays, shaping the Operational Plan draft
• Spring committee meeting invites flagged as coming soon
• TCU launches a "Landman"-inspired energy law course; Alamo Bowl aftermath story; podcast on TCU's growth position

March Update: A Busy Week and a Big April Ahead

Packed update after an intense week of committee activity. CSEFF completed its faculty selection, Scholarship orientation kicked off with 45 applications, and the Executive Committee held a major strategic session.

• Celebration of Philanthropy: Chancellor Pullin and Provost Wormley recognized donors and new endowed chairs; research showcase highlighted cancer biomarker work, NASA innovation, VR fitness, and the new Natural Resources Research Initiative
• CSEFF committee completed faculty award selection for 2025–26; new process improvement adopted, faculty now estimate costs with a cap upfront
• Clark Scholarship orientation with Tim Gibbons and Richard Hoefs; 45 applications received; final selection meeting March 23
• Executive Committee held its major pre-spring session, aligned to LEAD ON, shaped Operational Plan direction for the full board
• April 24 day structure shared for the first time; fall board meeting (October 2, 2026) announced

April Update: See You on the 24th

The pre-meeting send. Clark Scholars selected (12 total, record single-scholar award amount), Operational Plan ready for board review, and April 24 registration officially open with full day details.

• Clark Society Scholars selected: 12 total, 7 monetary awards, 5 distinction honors; largest single award in program history
• Operational Plan draft complete; April 24 session designed as an interactive working conversation, not a one-way presentation
• April 24 registration and full-day schedule links shared; day includes board meeting, Leadership Awards Luncheon with all Big 3, and Arnold Hall tour
• Roach Foundation commits $10M to TCU for research and the LEAD ON strategic plan
• Women's Basketball wins undisputed Big 12 Championship; Dr. Kayla Green named Big 12 Faculty of the Year; Olivia Wales '21 joins White House press team

May Update: Looking Back at a Great Day

Post-meeting recap sent a few weeks after April 24. Reflected on a genuinely strong board meeting, the Operational Plan breakout, scholar and CSEFF recognitions, the Arnold Hall tour, and a send-off for four outgoing members.

• Board meeting energy in the Chambers room described as exceptional, the "Where do you see Clark Society in 5 years?" exercise drove real engagement; ideas are being folded into upcoming plans
• Operational Plan breakout was a personal highlight, brainstorming, feedback, and challenges raised will make the plan stronger; a dedicated Operational Plan recap promised in coming weeks
• Introduced the 2026 Clark Society Scholars and CSEFF faculty awardees to the full board; welcomed the new slate of Clark Board nominees
• Arnold Hall tour, first visit to the building; simulation labs, clinical training spaces, and the overall scope of TCU's medical education investment were genuinely impressive
• Outgoing board members recognized: Brooks Anthony, Patrick Batteaux, Darren Cochran, and Alex Holder, thanked for their time, energy, ideas, and passion for TCU
• Social media follow challenge: highlighted the TCU social media directory as a starting point for board members not yet following along

June Update: New Members, Social Engagement, and a Look Ahead

First send of the new fiscal year. Announced four new board members, rallied social media engagement around outgoing member recognition posts, celebrated a Clark Scholar Fulbright win, and set the calendar for fall.

• Four new Clark Society Board members confirmed: Todd Carlton, Todd Sellers, Jamey Secrest, and Jonathan Dick, all begin their terms this fall; formal introductions at the October board meeting
• Social media push: the Clark Society Facebook page ran a recognition series for outgoing members Brooks Anthony, Patrick Batteaux, Darren Cochran, and Alex Holder, board encouraged to engage
• Clark Scholar Katie Hoang named a Fulbright Scholar, as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, she'll return to Vietnam to connect communities through education, food, and cultural exchange; heads to Alpine Investors as a private equity analyst after her Fulbright
• Upcoming leadership meeting with Rick Wegman and Julie: next steps on the Operational Plan, fall cycle planning, and pregaming for the Big 3 Summit in July
• Key dates: TCU vs. UNC in Dublin (Aug 29), committee meetings (September), Board Meeting (Oct 2), Clark Society Tailgate vs. BYU (Oct 3), TCU Gives Day (Oct 6–7)

July Update: FY27 Planning, Scholars, and Meet Your New Co-Chairs

Summer planning update with eyes on fall. FY27 Operational Plan work underway, Clark Scholar engagement strategy taking shape, fall meeting improvements in motion, and 2026–2027 committee co-chairs announced.

• FY27 Operational Plan in progress, worked through next steps, how to divide the work, and how to put the plan into action; also solidified plans for a formal idea bank to capture tactical moves at the committee and society level on an ongoing basis
• Clark Scholar engagement discussion kicked off, explored how to spend more time with scholars, create connection opportunities with board members, and how scholars can help recruit applicants and nominees; board will have room to weigh in as this takes shape
• Fall board meeting planning underway, reviewed anonymous feedback from April 24 and took several items to heart; goal is a meeting that works better for everyone and feels worthy of board members’ time
• 2026–2027 committee co-chairs announced. Leadership: Mooney & Keisel; Connection: Taylor & McDonald; Scholarship: Hoefs & Anderson; CSEFF: Early & Curtis
• Tim Gibbons, outgoing Scholarship co-chair, agreed to a leadership advisory role to help Hoefs and Anderson with strategic goals on the Scholarship committee this year
• Key dates: Clark Society Board Meeting (Oct 2), Clark Society Tailgate vs. BYU (Oct 3)

August Update: Back from the Broadmoor

Post-summit recap. Carried back the Chancellor's case for enrollment growth, a clearer R1 timeline, and the evolved FY27 plays, plus a Dublin gathering around the TCU vs. UNC game and the fall calendar.

• Enrollment growth, framed three ways for board members to carry: not a revenue strategy, an opportunity for students who want TCU and cannot get in, and a response to employer demand for more TCU graduates than TCU currently produces
• Path to R1: the qualifying period has started, FY27 through FY29 are the measured years with 2031 as the target, and research reinforces rather than competes with the teacher-scholar model
• FY27 plays evolved from last year: stay aligned to LEAD ON, a quarterly challenge across Go, Give, Help, Connect with friendly Big 3 competition, and a scholarship focus; revised playbook and mechanics coming before the fall meeting
• Big 3 gathering in Dublin around the TCU vs. UNC game (Aug 29), several board members attending
• Social engagement ask: like and share the 2026–2027 Clark Society Scholars announcement and the new Roach Institute of Athlete Engineering posts
• Ambassador resource worth bookmarking: the Meet TCU page pulls the Fort Worth story, student stats, rankings, and athletics into one place
• Fall dates: Clark Society Board Meeting (Oct 2), Clark Society Tailgate vs. BYU (Oct 3), TCU Gives Day (Oct 6–7)

September Update

A Dublin recap before the pivot to fall. Committee season underway, the Oct 2 board meeting taking shape, and a research-heavy guest lineup for the day.

• Dublin recap: over 10,000 Horned Frog fans made the trip for the TCU vs. UNC game, and the Big 3 Happy Hour at Fitzsimons drew a packed house of TCU volunteers and fans
• Fall committee season underway: invites out for Leadership and Endowed Faculty Fund, others to follow; committee co-chairs met as an executive team to align on the operational plan
• October 2 board meeting: registration coming soon, with a post-meeting tour of the new TCU Athletics Human Performance Center, home to the nation's first collegiate snow room
• Guest speaker Dr. Reuben Burch, Vice Provost for Research, who earned his 50th U.S. patent this summer, will address the board
• Fall dates: Clark Society Board Meeting (Oct 2), Clark Society Tailgate vs. BYU (Oct 3), TCU Gives Day (Oct 6–7)