How TCU chancellor Daniel Pullin clicks
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Plano native Daniel Pullin calls himself an "accidental academic." He spent several years in consulting and private equity before his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, asked him to teach a class.
- Now, nearly 20 years later, he is Texas Christian University's new chancellor.
The intrigue: Pullin is a man of many interests. He loves music — his dog is named Elvis Presley — and he still teaches an undergraduate-level entrepreneurship class while serving as TCU's top leader.
What they're saying: "I started off thinking I was going to advise the great companies of the world on the most significant issues of their time," Pullin tells Axios.
- "I ultimately ended up trying to leverage some of that experience and skills to reinvent what's possible in higher education, an industry that probably needs innovation now more than ever."
The intrigue: As part of our Screen Time feature, we examine how some of the most interesting people in North Texas interact with technology.
Here's how chancellor Pullin clicks...
📱 Device of choice: The iPad Pro. I use it when I really need to or want to, and it's not always buzzing and going off in my pocket.
👇 First tap of the day: The ESPN mobile app. If something is a strategic priority for your institution like athletics is, I have to be in the know and position our university to respond.
📰 Go-to news sources: Axios, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal every day and the Economist every week.
- As a chancellor, my job at the university is to create an environment where there's a variety of perspectives on topics and there is fair, open and civil discourse.
🎶 On rotation: Elvis Presley and Bob Marley, who give me equal doses of joy and happiness along with perspective and purpose.
- I actually named my black cocker spaniel in honor of Elvis' all-black leather outfit.
🎵 Playlist of choice: Acoustic Chill on Apple Music.
🎧 Podcast of choice: Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker's "Go Time" podcast. I also have a podcast, "Only Here," which we use to engage others in the TCU journey.
💬 Most used app: Paramount+. I have been following with great interest season 2 of "Landman," which features TCU and has characters that are TCU students.
📚 Reading list: "The Search for God and Guinness." Part of that was inspired by the fact that TCU is going to be playing a football game in Dublin in August.
This interview was edited for brevity.