Frog Camp has been offering incoming students an opportunity to meet new people and learn about the Horned Frog community for more than twenty years.
The theme this year is Frog Camp For Everyone and focuses on showing students how valuable they are to TCU and avoiding stereotypes, expectations and judgments, according to the executive director of the Frog Camp Director Board, Mackenzie Heard.
This year, thirteen students were chosen by Student Development Services to be Frog Camp directors. They each have their own reason why Frog Camp is special to them.
Aimee Springfield – History and Secondary Education – Benbrook, Texas
“Frog Camp is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I have not felt pressure to be anyone but who I am and I believe that all stemmed from going through Frog Camp. It set the tone for how I would view TCU, view myself and how I would involve myself in the community. I know this is a big statement, but I can say with all honesty that Frog Camp has changed me and my life for the better. It’s not just about dance parties and fun, it is a meaningful experience that challenges each camper to think how they view themselves, each other and the world.”
Alison Armstrong – Studio Art and Religion – Denver, Colorado
“I made some of my best friends to this day at Frog Camp and walked away with amazing role models in my life, my facilitators. Frog Camp sets the foundation for everything to come at TCU. Facilitating for the past two summers has made me more confident and assures my place at TCU. I really value what Frog Camp has to offer and as a director I now get the incredible opportunity to create an amazing experience and influence campers.”
Allie Strehle – Political Science – Minnetrista, Minnesota
“Frog Camp impacted my TCU experience more than I ever realized it would. In my first year, it convinced me that moving across the country and going to TCU was the right decision. The first year I got to facilitate, it opened my eyes to the student leaders across campers who had a passion for first year students. Frog Camp connected me with a community that has similar values and passions. Now, as a director, I have developed many new skills and it has opened my mind even more to the endless possibilities on campus.”
Annabel Hillstrom – Marketing – Katy, Texas
“Participating in Frog Camp not only introduced me to my best friends, but it has taught me so much about myself, and about this school. It has provided me with so many opportunities to try new things and to challenge myself to be a better person. Frog Camp fosters a sense of community with the student body before they even move on campus. It is so important that incoming students know they have a place on this campus and it all starts with their first-year experience.”
Chad Morris – Supply and Value Chain Management – Yorba Linda, California
“After being a Frog Camper I knew that this was something I wanted to be a part of and make a difference. It was the reason I made some of the friends I still have on campus today, and from facilitating, it constantly gives me a rewarding feeling when I see my campers thrive on campus. As a director, it’s no longer about me. It’s allowed me to develop a selfless heart toward camp and campers. I think everyone should be a part of Frog Camp because no matter our differences, we are all Horned Frogs. Don’t blink. It goes by quicker than you think.”
Devyn Dillenberg – Communication Studies – Palos Verdes, California
“Being a director gives me a better sense of what really goes into the program. Every decision, no matter how small, is very intentional and our entire team devotes their time and energy towards making it. We encourage people to be themselves, to respect others, to make TCU their home and to feel empowered to make TCU better than when they found it. The ideas you leave Frog Camp with directly come back to campus in the mentalities and actions of students and shape the environment and culture of our school.”
Hailee Hogan – Early Childhood Education – Franklin, Massachusetts
“It’s not just Frog Camp that is such an important part of TCU’s culture – it’s the entire First Year Experience. It reflects TCU’s desire to welcome incoming students with open arms, which allows for all of their programs to dramatically impact our culture on campus. The relationships that I have formed with my campers and watching them grow on our campus is the most incredible thing in the world. Being a director is a huge responsibility and truly an honor.”
James Terry Jr. (J.J. Terry) – Strategic Communication – Little Rock, Arkansas
“Being a director has taught me to be more intentional about the conversations and the actions I make. I get the experience to show people how special they are and the impact they can have when they reach their full potential. Frog Camp gives you a glimpse of the beginning relationships you can make during your time here at TCU, the interesting activities you can get involved in, the pride of being a Horned Frog and what we value on campus.”
Mackenzie Heard – Communication Studies – Basalt, Colorado
“I have loved Frog Camp and what it stands for since the very beginning as a camper. Frog Camp has the ability to shape and change the culture of TCU hand in hand with all of the other First Year Experience programs. It’s the social orientation for what it means to be apart of the Horned Frog family. Our theme this year, Frog Camp For Everyone, is the driver for all that our board does. It’s been really cool to see the impact it’s made so far, but I can’t wait to see how it shapes this summer.”
Mason Floyd – Economics and Political Science – Springfield, Missouri
“I love the mission of Frog Camp: getting first year students connected with a group that can support them before school even begins, making friends and just trying to create an atmosphere on TCU’s campus that is conductive to success for all students. Frog Camp made me recognize that college shouldn’t be scary or dreadful, instead it represented a new opportunity and another chance for me to grow as an individual.”
Mavis Tang – Accounting – Taixing, China
“Coming from China, I was super excited but nervous about entering college. Frog Camp was my first introduction to TCU, and I fell in love with it. Becoming a Frog Camp facilitator was just one of the many things I could do to give back. Now serving as a director, I get to experience so much behind-the-scene work. Frog Camp made me feel more comfortable in my own skin and helped me believe in myself more. It represents TCU and what we value as a Horned Frog family.”
Sean Kalb – Accounting – Dubuque, Iowa
“I had an instinct to be part of something bigger than myself and I knew in my heart that Frog Camp would allow me to do so. Every experience I’ve had with Frog Camp has touched my life in some way. It helped me see that I embody qualities that are valued at this school, even if they might be underrepresented. It shows us that TCU is truly a family and teaches us to love and respect all people and leave a meaningful mark on everyone we meet. Frog Camp has a place in the hearts of every member of the Horned Frog family and we’re working hard to make sure that happens this summer and beyond.”
Thompson Berhow – Accounting – Nashville, Tennessee
“TCU is very unique because students are so passionate about a variety of topics and are unapologetically who they are. I believe that this sense of confidence and the appreciation of self begins with Frog Camp. It instilled so much confidence into who I am and what I can add to the TCU family. It is because of my Frog Camp experience that I am able to be myself on our campus!”
