Storytelling has always been at the center of everything Caleb Gottry does. As a young child, he would often listen to his grandparents tell him stories. That soon became the foundation that drew him to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a music minor.
“I want to tell people’s stories,” said the Gilbert, Arizona native. “Whether singing on a stage or writing at a desk, I’ve had the chance to do that in so many ways at TCU.”
For his departmental honors project, Gottry explored the life and legacy of Tamás
Ungár, a longtime TCU professor of piano and founder of PianoTexas. Titled, “A Gem
Among the Ivory,” it highlighted Ungár’s impact on students and his role in shaping
music culture at TCU.
“His stories are interesting, inspiring and honest,” Gottry said. “It was meaningful to help share that with a wider audience.”
Gottry’s experience in the John V. Roach Honors College was shaped by both academics and community. He credits the Milton-Daniel first-year experience with helping him build meaningful connections across campus.
In the classroom, Gottry found some of his most meaningful experiences through discussion-based learning and collaborative projects. His favorite course was Honors Public Address, which challenged students to connect with their communities through “world-changers” projects while building strong connections with one another.
“We still have a group chat today,” he said. “That class really brought us together.”
As executive editor of TCU360, Gottry also helped other students find their paths in journalism. He led several student journalists in the organization and played a key role in shaping how stories were told across campus.
After graduation, Gottry plans to pursue a career in journalism and multimedia content creation, using his skills in writing, editing and storytelling to serve the communities around him.
His advice to incoming Honors students is to be intentional with their time and commitments.
“Say yes when it helps you grow and allows you to contribute,” he said. “Say no when you can’t give something the time and energy it deserves.”