The Fort Worth university rolled out the purple carpet for Zoe Saldana, who has long wanted to be a TCU student.
FORT WORTH, Texas — For many future Horned Frogs, the TCU campus tour is a rite of passage.
But for 14-year-old Zoe Saldana and her mom, Carmen Orozco, the visit meant something more.
“TCU went above and beyond,” Orozco said.
The university rolled out the purple carpet for Zoe, who has long wanted to be a TCU student. Mandy Castro, TCU’s dean of admissions, said the goal was to give Zoe an unforgettable day on campus.
“We wanted to give her the most special day on campus,” Castro said.
Zoe is celebrating milestones early because her family knows time is precious. Her mother said Zoe has Stage IV bone cancer and is terminal.
“We know what’s going to come, so we have to try to make sure that we give her everything that she wants in life,” Orozco said.
Last year, Zoe celebrated her quinceañera two years early. Since then, her mom said every day has been a blessing.
“Oh, today is a huge blessing,” Orozco said.
It started with an early honorary admission letter. Then came more cheers — including a sorority bid day created just for Zoe.
“It’s so fun to be able to put together a bid day, because it’s definitely a unique experience,” said Anne Carden Chapman, Panhellenic vice president of recruitment.
Carden Chapman said Zoe’s spirit stood out.
“She has a great spirit,” Carden Chapman said.
That spirit, along with Zoe’s love for arts and crafts, has helped carry her through a difficult journey.
When asked what it meant to see people cheering her name and holding signs for her, Zoe answered simply: “It’s special.”
And on this day, Zoe reached one more milestone.
“Since she was 9 years old. she’s always wanted to be a student here. And today she became that and graduated on the same day,” Orozco said.
For one day at TCU, Zoe wasn’t just dreaming about the future. She was living it.