AddRan’s annual State of the Economy Speaker Series hosted Robert Sturns ’97 MBA, economic development director for the city of Fort Worth. Sturns’s experience spans leadership roles in municipal government, commercial real estate and banking operations.

The program directly engages the community by bringing professionals from Fort Worth to TCU to talk with faculty and students about the economy and similar topics, explained Sonja Watson, dean of AddRan College of Liberal Arts. It also supports one of TCU’s strategic plan pillars of community engagement, she said.

Prior to the event, there is a networking component that enables students to interact with professionals in the community, as well as an opportunity for companies to connect with AddRan students for internships or other employment opportunities – sometimes even culminating in interviews for students.

“The event has provided a much-needed professional and career development opportunity for liberal arts majors at TCU,” said Watson. “This directly benefits our students and leads to career outcomes, as well as enhances workforce development in the broader Fort Worth area.”