TCU officially welcomed people from all races as students on January 23, 1964, when the university was 91 years old. Featured panelist James Cash ’69 was the first Black scholarship athlete in the Southwest Conference and at TCU. A two-time Academic All-American, he became a professor at Harvard Business School and eventually the first tenured Black professor there. Today a building on that campus bears his name.

Integration into all corners of TCU has continued to unfold for the past 50 years. Every time someone stepped into the role of being the first, they opened doors for others to follow. That work continues in the 21st century.

In the 2021-22 academic year, TCU’s 149th, the presidencies of the Student Government Association and Graduate Student Senate are — for the first time — held by Black people.

Panelist Leslie Ekpe is president of TCU’s Graduate Student Senate. She is a third-year doctoral student in the higher educational leadership program from Lewisville, Texas. She intends to join the professorate in higher education after graduating.

Panelist Lau’Rent Honeycutt is a junior marketing major at TCU and president of the Student Government Association. The Huntsville, Alabama, native ran on a campaign with the theme “Let’s Do More.” He plans to become an executive in the television industry.

Moderator and TCU Magazine contributor Brandon Kitchin ’18 starts the conversation with a look back to the earliest days of campus integration, discusses the many benefits of Black leadership, and ends on an inspiring look at the next steps in the university’s evolution into true inclusivity.

Question for James Cash: Why did you choose to attend TCU and how was the experience with your mom, who was unable to attend due to segregation, a factor when making that decision?

Question for James Cash: How did you navigate the segregation as a student athlete at TCU and who was your support system? 

Question for Leslie Ekpe and Lau’Rent Honeycutt: What made you want to attend TCU and how would you compare your experience to Dr. Cash? 

Question for James Cash: What does it mean for you as a TCU alum to see these barriers being broken? 

Question for all panelists: How are people responding to the Race and Reconciliation initiative on campus and what can we continue to learn from it? 

Question for James Cash: What can you say about the importance of knowing black history and how we can lean on that to build a more just future?

Question for Leslie Ekpe: When is an event considered history? 

Question for Lau’Rent Honeycutt: How will you use this experience as president in your career? 

Question for James Cash: How have you continued to stay motivated and by that motivation for someone else?  

Question for all panelists: What does black excellence mean to you?