Instructor Sarah Angle with her Campaigns class.
Students in Instructor Sarah Angle’s Strategic Communication Campaigns class spent the semester creating a research-based, strategically designed campaign to address infant mortality in Tarrant County. On Dec. 9, they presented their work to Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and community partners from the North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator, an initiative between the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU and UT Southwestern Medical Center dedicated to improving maternal and infant health across the region.
The project allowed students to take what they learned in class and apply it directly to a pressing community issue. Angle said the class is built around experiential learning, real-world collaboration, honing skills in conceptual development and opening the opportunity to create campaigns that could be implemented in the community.
A Personal Connection Sparks Purpose
Senior Sandra Falcon.
For senior Sandra Falcon, the topic immediately hit close to home. Growing up in ZIP code 76104, she recognized many of the challenges her team explored. As a mother and student, she brought personal insight into the project.
“When I realized the project focused on my own community, it felt meaningful in a way I did not expect,” Falcon said.
Her perspective helped guide the team’s storytelling approach, adding authenticity to their campaign.
Turning Research Into Strategy
Students collected survey data, conducted primary research through interviews and surveys and spoke directly with mothers across Tarrant County. These insights informed the campaign’s placement strategies, messaging and overall structure.
“We wanted to reach moms where they already spend their time, both online and in their daily routines,” senior Summer Regan said.
Senior Bridget Kelly agreed.
“So many women expressed a need to feel represented and heard, and that insight shaped our entire approach,” she said.
Learning Through Real Experience
Engaging with community members revealed new insights for many students. They discovered how widespread unplanned pregnancies are in Tarrant County, the barriers to early prenatal care, and how often mothers feel culturally overlooked in health care.
Students presenting their campaign during the final presentation.
“These conversations reminded us that gathering data is not just academic. It involves real people with real stories,” Falcon said.
The experience allowed students to connect classroom learning with professional practice. Through tabling events, interviews and fieldwork, they honed skills in research design, message development, creative execution and presentation. The ultimate goal behind these campaigns was to launch them into the real world, bringing meaningful change to the communities they studied.
From Campus to Community Impact
By collaborating with the North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator, students contributed ideas that could influence ongoing efforts to improve maternal and infant health in the region. The presentations highlighted not only their strategic thinking but also the potential real-world impact of their campaigns.
Mayor Mattie Parker speaks with other community partners.
Community leaders attending the presentation praised the students’ work, citing their excellent communication, strength of content and diversity.
“As a class, we learned how empathy and understanding can lead to empowerment,” Angle said.
“And that every woman, every mother, every person is worthy of care. Seeing and internalizing that truth creates behavior change that leads to better health outcomes for mothers, children and our community. It was a privilege to be a part of this creative work, this project and the positive change we know this initiative will make across North Texas.”