By 8 a.m., students and employees are just arriving to South Campus, but President Dan Lufkin has already been on his feet for hours.
As a former college basketball player, he’s no stranger to getting up early, starting his day at 5 a.m. and by 6 a.m. he is in the gym playing basketball or walking on the treadmill.
Before stepping into his first meeting, Lufkin takes a familiar path cutting through campus on his bike, greeting everyone he comes across with a smile and a wave. He pauses to ask people how their week went, shares a laugh with the groundkeepers and picks up conversations where they left off.
“The importance of it is to build a welcoming community and something that is critical,” Lufkin said. “I want other people to do it with others so I’m just modeling that engagement. And for the staff and faculty, I always remind them to help students around. It’s an expectation because we are all here for the students.”
Building a community takes more than just a couple smiles and waves, and Lufkin said he understands that. During his morning rounds Lufkin walks into the Veteran Resource Center and was greeted by administrative assistant Christine Duke, who thanked him for the handwritten birthday card she received in the mail.
Duke said she’s only been at TCC since January, so she didn’t expect to receive anything, let alone a card from the president.
“To me it means I’m seen, I’m heard and I’m important to this role, and I’m important to TCC,” she said. “Coming from a corporate environment, you’re just a number. So having that one-on-one gives you more of a relationship, so it just really means a lot.”
After his morning ride around campus, Lufkin dives into a packed schedule of meetings — resource workshops, reviewing board items, discussing campus renovations and any one-on-one meetings on his calendar.
Lufkin said the workload can be difficult, but in his four years as campus president, he has developed a system to ensure everything goes as planned.
“I don’t look at my schedule until the night before just because it can get overwhelming in terms of all the places I have to be and meetings I have,” he said. “I know what I’m doing a week out so I can prep, but otherwise I take the days as they come.”
Kay Harkness, executive assistant to the president, said she understands some of the hardship that come with his schedule.
“I am constantly monitoring his calendar,” she said. “It is a daily responsibility, and I approach it with the mindset that it can often change, but we work together to effectively manage those needed adjustment.”
After a cup of coffee and a morning full of meetings, Lufkin finally has time to catch his breath and grab a quick bite. He usually brings his lunch from home but on this day, he had the time to go out to eat with others before jumping right back into another meeting at 1 p.m.
Even with the lack of free time, Lufkin said he wants people to know he has an open-door policy and that they shouldn’t be scared to approach him.
“People will come up to me and say, ‘I know you’re busy, sorry,’ but we’re all busy,” he said. “Everyone has something going on. I’m not this untouchable figure. I’m just a guy. I make sure anyone who wants to meet with me has the opportunity.”
By 3 p.m., Lufkin has made his way to TR Campus for the 37th annual Jim Bolen Math Competition Award Ceremony, greeting students and faculty as he enters the crowded room. Between shaking hands and posing for photos, he takes a moment to reflect on why showing up matters.
“When you see students crossing a stage, shaking hands with somebody, accepting an award, people clapping for them … it just automatically puts a smile on my face,” he said. Lufkin said these moments offer a break from the daily challenge of leadership.
“When I come to an event like this, it puts it into perspective all of the challenges we may endure,” Lufkin said. “Some of the hardship, some of the hard conversations, it just, for that moment, goes away and you see the results of the work you do.”
In addition to his duties as campus president, Lufkin teaches a class at TCU about governance at higher education institutions, and he bumped into one of his students at the math awards ceremony.
Mariza Saenz Olmos, coordinator of lifestyle and community learning at TR, is in Lufkin’s class with 10 other TCC employees.
“He has a great overview and knowledge of all the things surrounding higher education,” she said. “He’s also funny, reasonable and very considerate.”
As soon as the award ceremony ends, Lufkin is already on his way back to South Campus for another closing reception and award presentation.
“I used to prepare a speech or talking points, but I’ve learned students just want to be celebrated and acknowledged for their good work and accomplishments,” he said.
“Students want to hear from your heart. They want to hear you be you not something scripted.”
By 8 p.m. Lufkin gets home in time to watch his New York Knicks beat the Detroit Piston in a close 118-116 finish to take a 2-1 series lead, ending his day on a high note.
