TCU Neeley School of Business

New faces. New friendships. New beginnings. ✨

TCU Orientation is well underway, and every day brings us closer to welcoming our newest Horned Frogs to campus.

We're already meeting the next generation of business professionals and helping them navigate their TCU journey.

Who’s TCU bound? Let us know where you’re coming from in the comments.

Two TCU – Texas Christian University alumni went from selling acai bowls out of a kitchen to building a multimillion-dollar snack company.

Sophia Karbowski ’17 and Austin Patry ’17 started their first business as seniors after a TCU Neeley School of Business lecturer handed them $100 and sent them home to make acai bowls for the class. That project, a business called Rollin’ n Bowlin’, eventually led them to Realsy, a line of nut butter-stuffed dates that grew from $1.7 million in revenue in 2024 to $7 million in 2025.

The pair landed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 List in 2025.

“Dates are known as nature's candy,” Karbowski said.

Read more: https://magazine.tcu.edu/summer-2026/karbowski-patry-realsy-founders/

Growth and guidance go hand-in-hand at TCU Neeley. Designed to provide sophomore business students with professional insights, the Neeley Mentorship Program expanded to connect more than 200 sophomore business students with mentors and peer leaders this year.

See how this expanded network is shaping the next generation of business professionals: https://neeley.tcu.edu/news/posts/mentorship-program-expands.php.

Congratulations to TCU Neeley leaders recognized on Fort Worth INC.’s 2026 500 Most Influential People in Fort Worth compilation.

-Rodney D'Souza D’Souza, executive director of the TCU Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Davis Family Entrepreneur-in-Residence
-James Hill, director of the TCU Center for Real Estate
-Craig Crossland, John V. Roach Dean of the TCU Neeley School of Business

Their leadership, innovation and thoughtful community engagement continues to impact the future of business education and Fort Worth.

TCU Neeley's Master of Accounting and Professional Program in Accounting seniors recently kicked off summer study abroad in France and Monaco, stepping into international regulatory environments and global markets.

As the work of accounting becomes increasingly borderless, experiences like these give Neeley students the opportunity to apply classroom concepts with contextual awareness, real-world application and global perspective.

From his time at TCU Neeley to scaling a global fast-casual brand to nearly 400 locations, Tom Gordon ’97 has mastered the art of hands-on leadership and caring for people.

Today, the Slim Chickens co-founder and CEO tests every new menu item personally to maintain the quality that built the trusted brand.

Check out Gordon’s journey from finance studies at TCU – Texas Christian University to discovering the world of restaurants at Macaroni Grill in the latest edition of TCU Magazine: https://magazine.tcu.edu/summer-2026/tom-gordon-slim-chickens/.

Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate, and TCU Neeley students are learning from faculty who are helping shape the conversation.

In a recent Fort Worth Star-Telegram op-ed, Associate Professor Ken Corbit examines how companies like Starbucks and Chipotle are using AI not to replace employees, but to improve workflows, reduce friction and strengthen customer experiences.

His perspective reflects a growing business reality that the most effective AI strategies support human judgment, service and connection while helping organizations operate more effectively.

Read more from Dr. Corbit's analysis on one of today's fastest-moving business topics.
TCU story: https://www.tcu.edu/news/2026/tcu-neeley-professor-at-starbucks-ai-actually-preserving-the-human-touch.php

Fort Worth Star-Telegram op-ed: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article315840750.html

TCU – Texas Christian University

Developing and presenting a research-based energy solution to an international government regulator is quite the resume builder. 🇧🇷

As the culmination of a semester-long research project, TCU Ralph Lowe Energy Institute students traveled to Brazil to present a strategic carbon capture and hydrogen energy roadmap directly to Brazil's oil and gas regulator—ANP.

While abroad in the energy capital of Rio de Janeiro, the team engaged with global energy leaders including Petrobras, TotalEnergies and Stratum Reservoir.

They stepped into exclusive research environments to explore local geology, complex regulatory networks, reservoir technology and the future of international energy innovation.

This immersive experience allowed TCU Neeley students to deliver real-world global consulting impact while experiencing the vibrant culture of Rio firsthand.

Reflecting on the experience, Nikki Morris, executive director of the TCU Ralph Lowe Energy Institute, said, "Experiences like this reinforce the importance of industry, academia and government working together to develop the next generation of energy leaders and practical solutions for the future of global energy."

Kudos to this incredible student team on a phenomenal, high-impact global experience! 💼✨

Congratulations to Katie Hoang ’26 on being selected as a Fulbright Scholar.

For Hoang, this prestigious honor is a deeply personal milestone. As the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, she will return to her family’s homeland to connect with local communities through education, food and conversations centered on culture and economic development.

Following her Fulbright experience, Hoang will kickstart her professional career in Austin, Texas, joining Alpine Investors as a private equity analyst.

She says she looks forward to using this global opportunity to deepen her cultural identity and broaden her understanding of international markets.

The Fulbright program provides students, scholars, scientists, professionals, teachers and artists with life-changing opportunities to study, research and teach in over 160 countries and territories.

Hoang is one of five exceptional Horned Frogs selected as a Fulbright Scholar this year. Meet our 2026 TCU Fulbright Scholars at the link in the comments.