Every spring, a group of graduating seniors step onto a stage in front of the TCU community to celebrate the experiences, relationships, and moments that shaped their time at TCU.
Hosted by Leadership & Student Involvement, Senior Speak-Up invites students to share their stories through the Pecha Kucha presentation format. Using fast-paced visuals and personal storytelling, students reflect on the growth, challenges, friendships, and defining moments that influenced their college experience. The result is an evening that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable.
For many students, the experience becomes more than just a presentation. It becomes a way to better understand their own journey. Ashlyn Dooley, a Movement Science major, described Senior Speak-Up as “nothing short of special. I had the opportunity to speak to peers, professors, and community members about the impact TCU has had on my story and how I would not be who I am without TCU. Each step of the process is unique and has the ability to build interpersonal skills and relationships.”
Throughout the process, each student works closely with a faculty or staff coach who helps shape ideas into a meaningful presentation while also encouraging reflection and confidence along the way.
For Dooley, that mentorship became one of the most impactful parts of the experience. “I was able to start from the ground up and build my speech around things I thought were important, and he helped me refine and edit to make the story palatable for the entire audience,” she said about working with her coach, Jordan Stroope, Assistant Director with Campus Recreation & Wellness Promotion.
Alexis Garcia, a Journalism major, shared a similar experience while working with TCU University Chaplain Rev. Todd Boling. “It was really special to deepen our relationship through this process,” Garcia said. “He offered thoughtful insight that shaped my presentation and supported me from day one. Being vulnerable was a little intimidating at first, but he made the entire experience feel easy, natural, and genuinely meaningful.”
That willingness to be vulnerable is what makes Senior Speak-Up resonate with so many people in the audience. Students are not simply listing accomplishments or highlighting resumes. They are sharing the moments behind the scenes that often go unseen.
Rev. Boling described this year’s presentations as “beautiful narratives full of both vulnerability and hope.” He reflected on how students connected their original hopes for college with the challenges they faced along the way and the growth that followed. “They did a wonderful job of sharing their hopes coming to TCU, the challenges they faced to both get here and be successful here, and how those challenges have led them to both be successful and empowered for the future,” he said.
For the students on stage, the experience often becomes a meaningful closing chapter to their time at TCU. “After having the chance to share my story with the broader TCU community, I felt a great sense of pride in all that I had overcome,” Dooley said. “It almost felt like this was part of leaving a legacy for leaders at TCU, and it was a great closing to this chapter.”
Garcia said the response from the audience reminded her why sharing her story mattered. “I told myself that if my story reached even one person, then it was worth it,” she said. “The people who came up to talk to me afterward made that feel so real. Their kindness and encouragement left me feeling uplifted, supported, and proud of what I shared.” She added that even some of the people closest to her learned things they had never heard before. “Even my family and closest friends were hearing a side of my story they hadn’t heard before.”
For audience members, Senior Speak-Up offers something increasingly rare in a busy campus environment: the opportunity to truly listen and connect with the experiences of others. “There are very few chances where the broader TCU community comes together to recognize and appreciate the depth and hard work a select few students have put into their time,” Dooley said. “Listening to each of their stories is grounding and eye opening to realize the weight every student carries.”
Garcia described the event simply as “one of the coolest events on campus. It’s meaningful, inspiring, and something you’ll be glad you didn’t miss,” she said.
For faculty and staff, the evening also serves as a reminder of why their work matters. “I leave feeling validated in the great work we do as educators, amazed at learning how these amazing students overcame different challenges, and inspired to recommit myself to this work,” Rev. Boling shared. “Everyone should carve out an hour to experience what is one of my favorite TCU traditions.” At its heart, Senior Speak-Up is about giving students the space to reflect on who they have become and the courage to share that journey with others. In doing so, the event strengthens not only the students on stage, but the entire TCU community listening alongside them.
