This post was originally published as a guest column by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on November 24, 2025.
When leaders from Texas Christian University and the city of Fort Worth shared a stage last week to launch the Maternal Health Accelerator, it was the latest example of mutual values by “town and gown,” a crucial effort to improve health outcomes in our North Texas home.
The initiative by the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU and our partners at UT Southwestern Medical School, championed by Mayor Mattie Parker, aims to reduce severe obstetric complications for mothers and their babies through coordinated care and evidence-based interventions.
It is gratifying to see the heart behind the work, with community leaders, collaborators, donors, medical students and healthcare professionals who understand the complexity of this problem and the effort required to apply research that saves lives.
Beyond important healthcare goals, it exemplifies what’s possible when a growing city and a growing university innovate together. Fort Worth is on track to become one of the 10 largest U.S. cities. That kind of growth calls for bold ideas — and that’s where TCU can “Lead On.”
With demand for a TCU education strong, we plan to grow with the city. We are making meaningful investments in the future of Fort Worth and the people who call this region home. Our ambitions mean more Horned Frogs, working together, on research and initiatives that enrich our community.
TCU and Fort Worth have grown together for more than a hundred years by prioritizing the student experience, excelling in various areas and industries, building developments and producing leaders who are crucial to the livelihood of this great American city.
As Fort Worth has expanded its economy and cultural reach, from revitalizing districts such as Sundance Square and the Near Southside to establishing the Medical Innovation District, TCU has strengthened its academic offerings, deepened research in business and health sciences, and expanded access to world-class facilities that serve both students and community.
A shining example is the Burnett School of Medicine. It is helping drive biomedical innovation, collaborative solutions like the Maternal Health Accelerator and many others, alongside the city’s hospitals and biotech firms, while programs in education, entrepreneurship and the arts contribute to Fort Worth’s vibrant civic, intellectual and cultural life.
Over the last 150 years, we’ve built the kind of university that accelerates both our students and Fort Worth’s future, and the next decade of expansion promises to be just as dynamic. We will strengthen partnerships with major employers, healthcare systems, nonprofit organizations and schools to advance research, create jobs and address challenges that affect our collective ability to flourish.
We seek to inspire, support, launch and attract businesses that strengthen Fort Worth’s economy and create new opportunities for our graduates. With enrollment up nearly a third in the past decade and plans to reach 15,000 undergraduates by 2035, TCU is expanding its role as a major employer and driver of talent for the region.
Today, more than half of our students come from outside Texas, but a majority choose to stay after graduation. That makes TCU not only a net importer of talent but also a catalyst for innovation, fueling the industries, neighborhoods and opportunities that make this city thrive.
That’s why, as chancellor, I’m focused on deepening TCU’s role as Fort Worth’s innovation partner.
The university will continue investing in the surrounding community, particularly the neighborhoods that border our campus. For instance, we aim to make West Berry Street the city’s “place to be” with initial projects that bring a $500 million investment in new student housing and mixed-use development that is expected to open in fall 2027. It will add vibrancy and amenities that will enhance student life and attract consumers.
We have great momentum — illustrated by the recent $40 million gift from alumna Louise Dilworth Davis to our College of Science and Engineering — which reflects our upward trajectory and the confidence others have in TCU’s future. With planning, vision and collaboration, we will continue to create a campus that honors our history while celebrating a very bright future. Progress is most powerful when it’s shared.
History has proven that TCU has an undeniable home-field advantage: the great city of Fort Worth. TCU will help write the next chapter of Fort Worth’s success through our culture of connection, shared values and spirit of innovation.
Daniel W. Pullin is the 11th chancellor of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.
