Horned Frogs are working to make other Horned Frogs great. Through the Master Leaders Program, a group of TCU staff worked to form a grant to specifically fund employee development.
“Through professional development, we get to pour into ourselves and our colleagues in ways we often don’t have the chance to do – equipping us to better serve not just our campus, but our community and beyond,” said Carrie Franklin, who serves as chair of the Professional Development Committee on Staff Assembly.
In its first year, the Staff Professional Development Grant will fund two (one in the fall and one in the spring) $500 scholarship to a full-time staff member to be used for conferences, workshops or seminars; professional certifications or licensing; webinars or virtual trainings; or other development opportunities directly related to a current position or career growth at TCU. Preference will be given to first-time applicants who do not have access to other funding.
The Staff Professional Development Grant will be funded, at least in part, through TCU Gives Day. The group worked with Advancement to create a category to support the effort. After all, Franklin said, staff and faculty at TCU play a crucial role in the student experience, from classes to support and everything in between.
This belief was at the heart of the initial idea borne during a recent session of TCU’s Master Leaders Pr
ogram (MLP), a leadership development opportunity for faculty and staff of all positions and roles at TCU.
Each cohort is tasked with putting together a capstone project – something that would help make an improvement or correct a process on campus. The small group comprised of Franklin; Savannah Horton, assistant director of digital marketing in Admission; and Joseph Lopez, computer hardware supervisor for Information Technology.
“It all seemed too big. We couldn’t wrap our heads around how to achieve it,” Franklin said.
Franklin explained that one of the benefits of MLP is bringing so many people together from across campus to learn and grow from each other. When cohort-member Erik Trevino, director of landscaping and grounds, mentioned a scholarship for professional development during a brainstorming session, it stuck.
“While it seemed so simple, it also could have a big impact. We said, ‘let’s do it,’” said Franklin, assistant to the dean in the College of Fine Arts.
Once the idea was formed, the team had to create and execute a plan. After talking to different people across campus about
their ideas, they learned that many departments had little or no funding for staff development.
“The great thing is that people listened, and they loved the idea,” Franklin said. “I truly believe that we would not have been nearly as successful without so many people supporting us. The network at TCU is unmatched.”
Horton said that the MLP program encourages participants to be present, both for others and for oneself.
“I now have a better understanding of how I move in the world that I can share with others,” Horton said. “I have more confidence in my abilities, and I know I have a network at TCU that I can count on to cheer me on during my wins and commiserate on my losses.”
Applications for the Staff Professional Development Fund are open through Sept. 30. Apply or learn more. Interested donors can give any time on the advancement website or participate in TCU Gives Day beginning Oct. 7, 2025.