University leaders, alumni, students and community partners celebrated TCU’s upcoming 150th with the NYSE ceremony bell ringing and showcased how Horned Frogs Mean Business.
September 19, 2022
By Tiara Ellis Richard
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Chants of “TCU. TCU. TCU.” rang across the New York Stock Exchange trading floor as TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. was joined by Daniel Pullin, John V. Roach Dean of the Neeley School of Business, and other TCU leaders, alumni and students on the ceremonial platform for the ringing of the NYSE closing bell.
On Friday, Sept. 16, the group turned the NYSE trading floor purple in celebration of the university’s upcoming 150th anniversary and TCU Neeley Horned Frogs leading business and corporate ventures. Some of the students invited to attend the special event were also Neeley students, including Student Government Association President Brandon Fox.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. I couldn’t have been more proud to be a Frog as I stood on the podium and applauded while Chancellor Boschini rang the bell,” said Fox. “I am thankful for the people that helped shape TCU into the institution it is today.”
Simultaneously in Fort Worth, a group of students, faculty and staff gathered in Neeley Shaddock Auditorium to watch a livestream of the NYSE closing bell ceremony while ringing miniature souvenir bell keychains.
“It felt empowering and spirited to see us all coming together to provide a collective support,” said Ariela Martinez, Asst. Director of Graduate Admission and Recruiting. “As a staff member, I like to see students involved. They are not just looking at what they are experiencing in their own journey but connected to what we are doing as a college and institution. It felt really monumental.”
The 150th, also known as the Sesquicentennial celebration, officially begins in January 2023 and continues through the calendar year. Since its founding in 1873, TCU has empowered Horned Frogs to lead on for the greater good. The 150th theme “Lead On: Celebrating 150 Years of TCU” connects our Lead On rallying cry with this special moment in Horned Frog history.
“The Sesquicentennial is a great emblem of the progress we’ve made over the last century and a half. We’ve gone from a small regional university to major national powerhouse leading on all the issues that matter most to our society,” said Pullin, adding that this is a great moment to reflect while also looking to the future of business.
“We move at the speed of business and partner with the private sector to run a business school for the rest of the 21st Century,” Pullin said. “In doing so, we work backward from the marketplace to make sure that our students can add value day one upon graduation.”
Prior to going to the NYSE trading floor, TCU Neeley also hosted panel discussions with alumni leadership and Neeley program leaders titled “Horned Frogs Mean Business.” The distinguished group shared their personal stories about student success, academic excellence and heartfelt memories. The panelists included:
Elliott Hill, TCU Board of Trustees, Neeley Board of Advisors, Past President of Consumer & Marketplace, Nike
Bethany Gorham, Head of ESG, IPI Partners
Ronald C. Parker, TCU Board of Trustees, Neeley Board of Advisors, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Securities Professionals
Jim Spencer, Head of FIGS, Credit Suisse
Susan Sheffield, TCU Neeley Board of Advisors, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, GM Financial Company, Inc.
In addition, a TCU faculty and staff panel shared insight into the future of business as we look to the next 150 years. The panel included:
Ann Bluntzer, Exec. Director of the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute and associate professor
Jessica Cates, Senior Director, Graduate Student Success
James Hill, Director of the Center for Real Estate and associate professor
Morgan Swink, Executive Director of the Center for Supply Chain Innovation, professor and researcher
To view a few highlights from the NYSE event, below are videos and photos:
• Morgan Swink on Yahoo Finance
• TCU on CNBC
• Livestream of the full event and interviews
• NYSE Bell Ringing Photos
