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T<\/span>he month of May marks a time of transition across college campuses in the U.S. as students who have completed their degrees celebrate graduation and prepare to embark on their next chapter.<\/p>\nOn the campus of TCU (Texas Christian University), Victor Boschini recently handed out diplomas and paused to pose for photographs for the final time as the school\u2019s chancellor. Thankfully for the TCU Horned Frog family, the transition for this \u201csuper connector\u201d has him remaining on campus in his new role as chancellor emeritus.<\/p>\nI\u2019ve written before about TCU\u2019s rise from regional liberal arts college to nationally recognized university, but the stats are astounding. For example:<\/p>\n
\n- Since Boschini\u2019s tenure began, TCU\u2019s first-year student retention rate has risen from 83.5% to an all-time high of 94.3% in 2023. This compares to a national average retention rate of 70.57% and an average retention rate of 68.17% for schools in Texas.<\/li>\n
- The Princeton Review ranks TCU among the top 10 colleges in categories such as best-run colleges, happiest students, and best quality of life.<\/li>\n
- The university\u2019s \u201cLead On: A Campaign for TCU\u201d philanthropic initiative surpassed its $1 billion goal.<\/li>\n
- Student interest has surged, with more than 22,000 applications for fewer than 2,500 freshman spots in the 2024-2025 academic year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Irrespective of the sector or size of group that you\u2019re in, there are important lessons you can learn from this successful leader and teacher about the power of connection that you can apply in your own setting. In a recent article published by SmartBrief on Leadership<\/em>,\u00a0Katharine P. Stallard and I explore what Chancellor Boschini has shared with us about his leadership philosophy and the importance of connection.<\/p>\nClick here to read it<\/a> (free access and no registration required, so you can close out of the optional sign up if prompted).<\/p>\nPhoto of Chancellor Boschini courtesy of Texas Christian University<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n