Texas Christian University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Majors: Marketing & Graphic Design double major
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Biracial – Hispanic & White Straight
Summary
I’m in a sorority, the Neeley Fellows honors business program, I work part-time, and I freelance design.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Biracial – Hispanic & White
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Private high school in Scottsdale, AZ with a graduating class of about 200 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Majors: Marketing & Graphic Design double major
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m in a sorority, the Neeley Fellows honors business program, I work part-time, and I freelance design.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Greek life my freshman year was a big deal. It helped me meet people, and now I live with people from my sorority. The honors business program has been the most pivotal thing in my TCU experience. It has allowed me to develop professionally and has gotten me ready for the real world. Because of that I got an internship, and because of my design work I’ve been able to make a business out of it.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
In Graphic Design, I only have projects, but in Marketing, it’s only projects and tests. I have a combination of essays, actual exams, and design projects that are more visual. I build the projects in Adobe Creative Suite and usually print it and present it.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I’ve gotten to see the best of the business school because of the [Neeley Fellows honors] program I’m in. They do a really good job of advising for the next steps, and they help you get to your next place professionally. The graphic design school has taught me a lot about what agency life would be like. In terms of things they don’t do well, getting an internship in marketing is tough because the recruiting timeline isn’t a set period of months like it is in finance – it’s kind of whenever. I think the recruiting process could be better at TCU.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s both. The program I’m in is extremely collaborative and we’re all competitive people by nature. There is an element of competition, but we work together to do well. Overall, it’s more collaborative than competitive.
How accessible are your professors?
They are very accessible. I could text a lot of professors if I wanted to.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’ve been interested in art since I was able to walk, so I always knew I wanted to do something creative, which is where graphic design came from. I also wanted to be realistic and be able to support myself, which is why I like the marketing aspect. I like the thought process and strategy behind making businesses come to life with design.
What has been your favorite part of the academics at TCU?
The Marketing department has been a highlight. I picked it because business is so diverse in what you can do coming out of school. I’m not a numbers girl, so marketing was a good niche for me. It’s more strategy-heavy and less numbers-heavy.
Reasons to Attend
1) I’ve learned so much about myself and who I am because of the way the school is set up. It pushes you to develop yourself.
2) Everyone here is so friendly and wants to get to know you.
3) It’s easy to get involved, and it’s a school that is on the rise.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you’re looking for a more introverted college experience.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Clark Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: Sorority house with one roommate
Junior: Off-campus house with one roommate
Senior: Off-campus apartment with three others
How was transitioning from your hometown to Fort Worth, TX?
The transition was really easy. TCU does an incredible job making sure people aren’t homesick in the first few months. There’s parents weekend a month in, then you go home for fall break, then it’s Thanksgiving and then Christmas. The toughest part is that it takes me a while to get home. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour plane ride, which means I don’t go home that often.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
The campus is extremely safe. It’s an open campus so homeless people can walk around, and there’s a large homeless population in the area. We’ve had a few homeless people rifling through our trash on the street, and cars get broken into sometimes. [See TCU360 article, “TCU police see increase in burglary reports” and article, “Students concerned about off-campus thefts.”]
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
House parties are usually what we do. A lot of my friends like bars, but I don’t. There are lots of dining places around the area. There is something called pub night where all the seniors go on Wednesday. Thursdays are a big going out night, and on Friday or Saturday there is usually a formal or an event. Fort Worth police have cracked down on house parties in recent years, so they don’t happen that much for Greek life. You have to be on the invite list to get in.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
It carries a lot more weight in your freshman and sophomore year than it does your junior and senior year when you branch out from it. The numbers are surprisingly low because it feels like the entire campus is Greek. I know that’s just the circle I run in, but there is a huge population of Greek life. The fraternities will have a bar tab if they host a party, so they can get people to come. [48% of men join fraternities, and 41% of women join sororities.]
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
There’s an organization called theEnd, and they bring big named artists and comedians to campus on Fridays and Saturdays. The Hall Crew also does events, and we have a full concert. There’s always something happening.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I love them. My idea of a good Saturday night is a glass of wine and going to bed early. I’ve loved most of my four years.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Through my sorority, and it has expanded through there to friends they know.
How would you describe the overall social scene at TCU?
It’s pretty social. There is so much going on all the time, so you have to pick and choose. It’s definitely a party school, but if you’re not looking for that you can find other options too.
How would you describe the student body?
Everyone is driven and wants to be here. The cool thing about the student demographic here is that many of us are on scholarship, which means people want to work hard. People are academic, driven, and well-rounded. There is pressure to be involved.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
All the time. There’s a lot of sensitivity around it, but I see a lot of mixing. A couple of things have happened in the past few years where students speak out because they don’t feel heard. [The undergraduate population is about 68% White, 15% Hispanic, 5% Black, and 2% Asian.]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix with socially?
Not as much at this point, but it happens, and I have friends across all groups of people. It’s one of those things where you have to break out of the initial group you meet freshman year. We grow up and it turns from thinking about how many nights of the week I can go out, to how I can spend more time with the people I actually enjoy spending time with. That shifts from freshman year moving forward.
How do you like the size of TCU in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 9,500] students?
I love the size. When you walk into a class there are people you know, but you also see new faces all of the time. I’m still meeting people senior year, which is cool.
Do people generally seem happy with TCU by senior year? Do people leave loving TCU?
I think that by senior year everyone loves TCU. Rarely do I hear about people leaving, and sometimes it’s for financial reasons. TCU isn’t cheap. TCU is a place where people put on their smiley face and act as if everything is fine even when it might not be fine. That’s just the culture here, so if you’re not that kind of person you could struggle.
How strong is the Christian affiliation at TCU? How has that impacted your experience?
It’s not as strong as everyone thinks it is. There are Christian organizations you can get involved in, but there are also a lot of organizations that aren’t Christian. There are plenty of people with other religions, and there are people with no belief system at all.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
Yes. My business [honors] program’s alumni network has been huge. I knew I was interested in the airline industry two summers ago, so I reached out to a friend of mine who had just gotten an internship, and she helped me through what type of candidate they are looking for. I ended up getting an internship and then a full-time offer. I knew her through the business program and my sorority.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I haven’t used it because the Neeley Fellows program I’m in has already given me the training. I heard about the program on a tour, and I knew some people on campus who were involved in it.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I know the whole Adobe Suite stack and Microsoft office. I’m learning how to write mainframes right now, and I know the basics of HTML and I’m learning JavaScript.