At Fall Convocation, Chancellor Boschini focused on TCU’s “culture of connection” and the TCU Promise.  Every day, hundreds of faculty, staff and students fulfill the elements of the promise, making this university the great place it is.  Dr. Ken Richardson, Professor of Mathematics, is another example of making that promise work on a day-to-day basis.

 

A member of the TCU faculty since 1993, Ken says his teaching strategy is based on putting himself in a student’s shoes to see where they’re coming from. By being a good listener, he can then figure out the simplest way to explain abstract concepts to the class.

 

“This guy makes calculus way more interesting and understandable than it probably should be,” says the recent TCU graduate who nominated Ken as personifying the TCU Promise. “He also creates a community, small-group feel in the classroom.” Ken explains he just tries to pace his lessons in a certain order so students will feel comfortable and be more likely to succeed.

 

Off campus, Ken has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity since he was a graduate student at Rice University. He continues to serve as a site supervisor for a house every weekend during the fall.

 

If you would like to submit names of faculty and/or staff who exemplify the TCU Promise, please e-mail s.record@tcu.edu and include a brief description of that person’s contributions.  Here are the elements of the TCU Promise:

 
The TCU Promise is a reciprocal commitment to excellence through discovery and achievement that unites the TCU community.

TCU faculty and staff commit to providing:
    Relevant and challenging curricula
    Energetic and innovative learning opportunities
    An invigorating social milieu

The University commits to:
    Nurturing a safe and diverse environment that is committed to:
    The free exchange of ideas
    The discovery and dissemination of knowledge
    The encouragement and recognition of creative and scholarly distinction

By upholding the TCU Promise, faculty, staff and students ultimately create a unique environment on campus and it's what we like to call the TCU Experience.