At our April 16 luncheon we will honor “A TCU Treasure.” This award, inaugurated in 2018, is given to a retired faculty or staff member for exemplary service during his/her career at TCU, and who through that service enhanced the reputation and stature of the University. Our members submit nominations to be considered by the Executive Council. Our first two recipients last year, Manny Reinecke and Emmet Smith, are indeed “TCU Treasures.”
One of Webster’s definitions of “treasure” is “a person who is greatly loved or valued especially because of being very helpful.” I’ve thought many times this year about the collective impact on TCU that our members had during their combined thousands of years of service. Whether faculty or staff, each retiree made a difference and should take pride in that.
Did you influence a student’s passion for your subject? Or help a student through a personal crisis or tragedy? Did you mentor a young colleague in your department? Or befriend a homesick student worker in your office?
Did you serve pancakes at midnight to weary students studying for exams? Or help a student find an internship that led to a job after graduation? Did you contribute to meaningful research in your field? Or raise money to support scholarships for students in need? Or encourage a student who doubted his or her ability to be successful?
Did you plant flowers across the campus to beautify the surroundings for everyone’s enjoyment, including our visitors? Or keep the sprinkler system running to keep those flowers alive? Did you encourage a student to attend TCU who went on to do great things in his or her field? Or spend time with students outside of class to promote their love of your discipline?
TCU is the thriving place it is today – in demand and on the move – because of the collective hours, days and years of what was sometimes blood, sweat and tears poured into this special place by all of us and our predecessors.
As we honor our 2019 “TCU Treasure,” remember that we are all TCU treasures in our own way, and we have ALL had an impact on this great university that we hold dear. We are all a proud part of the #FROGFAM.