A popular minor at TCU has returned to campus this fall.

The Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ARLE) program is now back after it was put on pause due to budget reallocations in the College of Fine Arts.

When the program was paused last semester, students in the minor were shocked by the decision.

“We were kind of nervous because we had one professor and we are a smaller program,” said Savannah Ekurt, a junior flute performance major.  “However, everyone really united and took a front to this and contacted people higher up in the leadership within the [College] of Fine Arts to really try to help save the minor.”

They came together to see what they could do. Students created petitions and even made a video to save the minor they enjoyed so much.

“We made a video explaining why we loved arts leadership, how it impacted us and why we thought it would help us in the future,” said Janie Carr, a sophomore business major. “After we made that video, I think it definitely brought some more awareness to the situation and the issue.”

When word of the program got to students, they were very happy that their efforts made an impact.

“It’s my absolute favorite class I have here at TCU, so I was excited to find out it kept continuing, and it’s a really great opportunity,” said Carr.

“I am so happy to still be in the minor program. I think it is going to be useful for me when I graduate,” said Ekurt. “I’ll perhaps even get my master’s in arts leadership or arts administration.”

The ARLE minor is back on campus. However, there are still changes that are being made to the program, one of those being the new certificate option for students to pursue.

Dr. Kristen Queen, the new director of the academic resource center for the College of Fine Arts, was excited to announce that the Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship program now has a certificate option for students.

“It is a little bit smaller than a minor, so it is nine credit hours. It is a transcript certificate,” said Queen. “You take the introductory course, and you get to choose from the palette of courses we offer in the Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship program.”

Queen said she has many plans for expanding the minor to more students and having more presence on social media so students already in the program can share their work with the community.

“The ideal student for this program is someone who wants to make a difference through the lens of the arts. It is all centered around nonprofits and giving back to the community,” said Queen. “It must be a student who can collaborate well but is innovative, excited and very passionate about learning new and different techniques for expressing their art form, and helping others understand the value and impact of the arts in the community.”

For more information about the Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship program visit the College of Fine Arts website here.