AustinBy Amber ParcherIt's an island of cool, refreshing lakes and rolling green hills in a sea of dry Texas flatlands; the ultimate weekend trip. Spend some time in this city and fall in love with it....

Forget working after college. A few days after she crosses the graduation stage, Camille Blackerby will join her fellow senior and golf teammate in Sweden for a week. But, when she runs out of money, the mechanical engineering major has a job lined up with a small engineering firm in Dallas starting June 18.

Purdy-McGuire Inc. has 40 members on staff, but Blackerby said that's the way she likes it--small is her style.

A self-professed small-town girl, Blackerby hails from Breckenridge, a town just east of Fort Worth with a population less than 6,000.

This week, TCU received the single largest donation from a corporation in its history.Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation gave a multimillion-dollar donation to support University Career Services and the Neeley School of Business' Next Generation Leadership Program.

In a press release Wednesday, BNSF Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew K. Rose said BNSF wants to help TCU develop leadership programs that will benefit BNSF Railway and other businesses and organizations in the region.

When first laying eyes on Rory Phillips, there is no question this third-year senior was born a leader. His fiery red curls and stony pale eyes immediately accentuate his presence in any crowd.Phillips takes his time answering questions - comfortable in moments of silence.

As his friend of three years, Krista Jennings remembers Phillips seems quiet and almost stoic at first glance, but he soon relieves any tension through witty and humorous remarks.

As the semester comes to a close, it seems only fitting to pass out accolades and awards for what we have seen on the playing field this semester. The end of every season has an award ceremony where there are some surprises and some awards that are of no shock value to the average fan, so without further ado, here are the Spring 2007 Horned Frog Superlatives.

Rookie of the Year

With graduation caps strapped to their heads and diplomas in hand, many students are preparing to take the graduation walk - a year late.The additional, fifth year, also nicknamed the "victory lap," isn't uncommon anymore.

Fifty-one percent of college students graduate from baccalaureate institutions within five years of initial enrollment, according to the American College Testing's Web site.

Although more students are currently taking an extra year to graduate, the ACT Web site said the graduation rate has remained the same.

As commencement goes from being a dream to a reality in a few days time, it also serves as a reminder for graduating seniors of how complete the graduation ceremony is with the presence of family. For the student-athlete, the time and attention given to his or her sport can limit family interaction. But for Neil P. Dougherty, family played more of a hands-on role during his four-year journey at TCU.

Some days the credit card offers seem to flood the mailbox. The envelopes offer various rates and rewards for using the card. What the offers don't say, however, is how easy it is to quickly get into debt and how important it is to build good credit.Barbara Wood, assistant professor of professional practice, said she thinks it's good for students to have a credit card for emergencies, but, before they get a credit card, they should also have the income to pay off what they charge.

"I think one is sufficient," Wood said. "Particularly if you're looking to build credit."

TCU's largest graduating class will end its undergraduate career May 12. Chancellor Victor Boschini said this spring will see the largest graduating class in the history of TCU. Because the graduating classes are progressively growing larger, there will be no speakers at the commencement ceremony, he said.

The ceremony will be held in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

To accommodate the large size of the graduating class, the ceremony will be divided into two sections, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Yendor Reese has come a long way from once being called "snot boy" as a child to becoming a rock star.Reese was known as the "nerdy, snotty boy" in elementary school because of his runny nose during "Field Day" events.

He is now seen as anything but.

Reese was named after his father, Rodney. Yendor is Rodney backward.

Reese, a senior communication studies major, is the lead singer for RedTape, a rock and R&B band with a gospel message he created two years ago with alumnus Mark Lettieri.

Your mind goes blank, and you break out in a cold sweat as you grapple for the answer while your potential employers look on. It is not uncommon for students to be stumped by a question in a job interview, but it's important to try to be prepared for those difficult and unexpected questions, said Chuck Dunning, associate director of University Career Services.

"If you're caught completely off guard, it's OK to ask for a few moments to think about your answer," Dunning said.