Richard W. Rodriguez
A pivotal moment in the life Joshua Friend occurred while the opera singer was hitting tenor notes with power and precision during a tour of Europe.
His phone rang.
“I got the unexpected opportunity to move to Fort Worth to pursue graduate studies on full scholarship,” Friend says. “That jump into the blue set me on the path I am on today.”
In becoming a proud Horned Frog, the Brit earned a bachelor’s and master’s in 2018 and 2020 at TCU. He was awarded the school’s inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, and in 2023 Friend became a U.S. citizen.
Friend is still belting out golden tones, but he also found a fulfilling day job as a development professional, raising both funds and nonprofit profiles, including a prolific tenure at the Perot Museum.
Today, he is the regional director of development for UT Arlington’s capital campaign to build the new UTA West Campus in Fort Worth.
What he might be doing in his spare time: Finding a home for a stray cat.