The excitement builds now for TCU鈥檚 150th anniversary kickoff in January 2023
TCU is turning 150 and excitement is in the air. Starting this fall, TCU鈥檚 celebrated Lead On marketing campaign, which highlights the university鈥檚 culture of leadership, innovation and achievement, is pairing up with TCU鈥檚 150th to go bolder, brighter 鈥� and national. From new commercials, a dedicated 150th website and a campuswide opening celebration, to larger-than-life murals across the U.S. and the ringing of the iconic New York Stock Exchange Bell, Horned Frogs will see a refreshed and renewed Lead On campaign and TCU鈥檚 Sesquicentennial come together to energize, inspire and connect the TCU community.
Lead On: Celebrating 150 Years of TCU
Since 1873, TCU has empowered Horned Frogs to lead on for the greater good. The 150th theme 鈥淟ead On: Celebrating 150 Years of TCU鈥� connects our Lead On rallying cry with this special moment in Horned Frog history. And good news 鈥� the celebration starts now and will build throughout its culmination in late 2023.
A new TCU 150th website engages the entire TCU community with opportunities to explore our past, embrace the present and impact the future. Viewers will here and now, and stories of TCU鈥檚 past 鈥� including a look back at and from TCU Magazine. You鈥檒l also find the latest 150th events from the TCU calendar, , a 150th brand toolkit and information about how to get involved in the action. Check back to this page for new stories, videos, news and events posted regularly throughout this fall and 2023.
The official festivities kick off Jan. 23, 2023. Key to our connection, and supportive of our goal to lead on together, the on-campus activities will highlight our history and celebrate 150 years of all things purple and white. Additional city celebrations will highlight our commitment to the Fort Worth community.
鈥楲ead On. Boldly.鈥� is TCU鈥檚 Moment to Shine
One of the most noticeable elements of TCU鈥檚 national awareness campaign is the infusion of a vibrant, prismatic, multicolored gradient into our traditional TCU purple color 鈥� creating a bright sunburst that highlights our iconic purple. The new look is a bold, contemporary visual evolution of TCU鈥檚 Lead On creative, reflecting the energy and diversity of the Horned Frog family over the last 150 years.
At TCU, leadership isn鈥檛 a single person or a title 鈥� it鈥檚 a behavior and a value
that grows over time. Based on research and input from the TCU community, the new
campaign goes a step further to define the many ways Horned Frogs are empowered to
lead every day. Street banners were created to convey the powerful 鈥淭hen and Now鈥�
connection between TCU leaders from yesterday and today with descriptors like 鈥淏oldly,鈥�
鈥淐ompassionately鈥� and 鈥淎uthentically.鈥� An accompanying photo essay goes deeper, telling
the story of everyone represented on the banners.
(a 60-second brand anthem and 30-second TV version) featuring TCU students, faculty and staff capture the boldness of TCU and promote its world-class academic and campus experience. The 60-second anthem premiered at the Chancellor鈥檚 Assembly & Convocation. The 30-second commercial launched during TCU's season-opening football game.
Murals Celebrate Exceptional Alumni Leaders
As part of TCU鈥檚 national campaign supporting 鈥淟ead On: Celebrating 150 Years of TCU,鈥� the university will highlight notable leaders who found their inspiration at TCU. These outstanding individuals and industry leaders represent the power of TCU鈥檚 alumni leading on in extraordinary ways in their chosen fields. They will be recognized with larger-than-life painted mural portraits in select cities across the U.S.
The first Horned Frog spotlight is singer, dancer and actor 鈥�12 (College of Fine Arts) whose credits include performing with a touring production of Hamilton. Devereaux鈥檚 mural will be unveiled in New York City Oct. 3. The art will include a QR code directing viewers to videos and other content featuring John, including a time-lapse of the mural鈥檚 creation.
The second mural location will be unveiled in Los Angeles next spring and feature 鈥�08 (Bob Schieffer College of Communication), a producer/writer for NCIS and the first woman to land a backflip using a wheelchair.
Other mural subjects and locations will be announced soon, with the final mural debuting in Fort Worth in fall 2023.
TCU Rings the New York Stock Exchange Bell
What better place to build excitement for TCU鈥檚 moment to shine than on the national
stage in Manhattan? TCU is headed to the nation鈥檚 epicenter of media, business, and
arts and entertainment to premiere its first Lead On mural and ring the iconic New
York Stock Exchange Bell on Sept. 16.
At the NYSE, Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. will join Daniel Pullin, John V. Roach Dean of the Neeley School of Business, and other TCU leaders and alumni to celebrate 150 years of leadership and Neeley Horned Frogs leading in business and corporate roles.
TCU friends and family worldwide can be a part of this ceremonial event by watching a live stream of the NYSE bell beginning at 2:35 p.m. CST/3:35 p.m. EST on TCU鈥檚 Facebook page. Students, faculty and staff are invited to watch from the Neeley School of Business Shaddock Auditorium.
TCU鈥檚 Vision: A World-Class, Values-Centered University
TCU鈥檚 150th is a moment to engage and celebrate with all Horned Frogs 鈥� and we鈥檙e just getting started. One key outcome is to invigorate our vision by re-examining, discussing and reaffirming TCU鈥檚 values. This fall, TCU students, faculty and staff will participate in a campuswide exercise to set the stage for the next 150 years.
And in the final year of TCU鈥檚 Lead On philanthropic campaign, we are closing in on our most ambitious goal of raising $1 billion to strengthen our people and our programs. Explore the transformative campaign that enables us to fulfill our commitment to our students 鈥� and our mission within the global community. Help us finish strong and celebrate the successful completion of this historic community effort in 2023.
Whether you鈥檙e a new Horned Frog who鈥檚 just getting started, a fourth-generation Horned Frog, a valued member of our faculty and staff, an honored alum or somewhere in between 鈥� this celebration is for you. Get ready, and join us this fall as we Lead On to TCU鈥檚 150th!