The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine SPRING 2018 Meet the Class of 2021 Excellence attracts SPRING excellence. Get to know UTA’s outstanding new freshmen. PAGE 30 2018 PERFECT PLACES The Library DEPARTMENTS Mall looked very different in 1967. Just ask these 3 lovebirds. PAGE 42 Campus Buzz 5 Mav Roundup SPRING 2018 7 Postcard 8 Well Read Contents 11 Talk FEATURES 13 Scene 17 Crash Course 18 Gallery 20 Collected 23 Faculty Focus 25 Chat 27 Sporting Mavs 56 Class Notes 61 Class of 2021 Pioneers of the 20 Places on Digitizing Our In Memoriam 21st Century Campus You Histories The fall 2017 semester Didn’t Know brought a record-break- As the School of Social You Missed Preserving the histories Work celebrates its 50th of underserved groups is ing freshman class to Whether you’ve visited anniversary, we take a paramount for ensuring UTA. Meet some of the campus recently or not, look at how the school has future progress. UTA’s outstanding students who you’ll enjoy this hefty 64 grown to meet the times professors are leading the were attracted to UTA’s dose of nostalgia and and make a huge impact effort. The Explainer reputation for excellence. Maverick memories. on our communities. iii The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine Spring 2018 1 Editor’s Letter Connect with UTA across all social media channels with the handle @utarlington. The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine VOL. XLI can still remember the smell SPRING 2018 CAMPUS BUZZ of the Central Library’s fourth floor, EDITOR that wonderful old-book smell. I Amber Scott From earlier remember the seemingly endless ART DIRECTOR today... rows of books and so many shelves Brody Price just a little wedged together that you had to Proud to be an alum ASSISTANT EDITOR something turn a crank to widen the row and Jessica Bridges to make find the book you wanted. Most of all, I & thrilled to be I Just one of the EDITORIAL y’all’s night! remember the suite tucked into a back CAPPA Building’s CONTRIBUTORS speaking there next #campuscat corner of the fourth floor—the Writing Herb Booth many cool features. #fluffykitty Center. Hillary Green Shima Hamidi week. #Represent #utarlington I started working as a tutor at the James Hollis @linda_malat Writing Center my sophomore year, Brent Ingram @LouDPhiLLiPs and it very quickly became my favorite Louisa Kellie Richard Kilwien place on campus. For the first time, I was REFLECTING ON Teresa Newton Greek BBQ with my favorite peeps! @VistaspKarbhari getting paid to work with words! Moreso, Lekan Oguntoyinbo » I hope you’re ready for a year full of dancing, laughing I was helping other students become Tommy White Teresa Woodard Schnyder better writers. I loved my coworkers and and Maving Up! @KingDillianSLAY made lifelong friends. It’s even the place OUR CAMPUS ART CONTRIBUTORS Melissa George where I met my husband. Joel Quintans There are other places I remember It was a happy Labor Day ASSOCIATE VICE after all visiting this lit- fondly, of course. Lipscomb Hall, where I MEMORIES PRESIDENT FOR lived my freshman year and met my best COMMUNICATIONS tle chipmunk of mine and Sana Syed friend. The Pizza Hut (long gone) next to feature “20 Places on Campus You Didn’t seeing his world through the Fine Arts Building where my friends Know You Missed” will reacquaint you VICE PRESIDENT FOR his eyes. Sigh. What can I UNIVERSITY and I regularly ate lunch. The old P.E. with the campus, give you a little window COMMUNICATIONS say? I’m a proud Maverick Building, where I took a volleyball class into what the campus looks like now, and Lynne T. Waters sibling! with friends. (I was terrible at it.) offer a peek at what it will look like in the PRESIDENT @akivalam_ Now as an employee, I’ve had the near future. It also provides you with lots Vistasp M. Karbhari unique opportunity to reconnect with of great information about how you can UTA Magazine is published the University and the campus on a reconnect with UTA. two times a year by Univer- whole different level. I’ve gained new We hope the feature and the rest of sity Communications for all favorite places—the CAPPA building is this issue inspire you to visit your alma alumni, as well as for faculty, staff, and friends of the Uni- full of art and interesting nooks—and I’ve mater, either for an upcoming event or versity. Reproduction in whole @UTAPolice sends seen how my old favorites have changed. just to take a literal stroll down memory or in part without written 3 officers and a permission is prohibited. Some a little, some a lot. (Ransom Hall lane. You’ll find the University is always sergeant to support isn’t a computer lab anymore!) ready to welcome you back with open The comments and opinions If you haven’t had the chance to visit arms. expressed in this magazine do the University the campus in a while, you might be sur- Amber Scott not necessarily represent those I was once told I wouldn’t graduate high of Texas Health of The University of Texas at school. Then it was feared I wouldn’t make it prised at the incredible growth we’ve ex- (’01 BA, English) Arlington or the staff of UTA Science Center at perienced, especially in recent years. Our Editor Magazine. Copyright © 2018, past my first year of college here. Here we are a The University of Texas at Ar- day away from graduation. Life is about defy- Houston Police. lington. An equal opportunity/ ing odds. What are you against. #UTArlington affirmative action employer. Come home safe! #InsertLionKingQuoteHere @kingdomseeker_ @UTAPolice 2 The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine uta.edu/mag Spring 2018 3 Updates from the Mavericks who shape the UTA community near and far omecoming 2017 came to UTA this fall, bringing an abundance of Maverick spirit with it. The cam- pus put on its blue-and-orange best—even our fountains got in Hon the fun! All that spirit seemed to do the trick: UTA women’s basketball beat Incarnate Word, and the UTA men’s team conquered Loyola Marymount in their respective Homecoming games. All together now: GO MAVS! 4 The University of Texas at Arlington Magazine uta.edu/mag Spring 2018 5 MAV ROUNDUP BEAT THE BUZZ AFTER Following Mavericks as Postcardthey travel the world MALARIA STRIKES Researcher examines the impact of the disease At left, from left: Mara Alvarez-Delgado, on the human body Chrishawn Finister, Richard Valencia, Rebekah Chojnacki, Malaria kills more than 400,000 people Joslyn Krismer, and annually, according to the World Health Melissa Brown stand in front of the Sibelius Organization. Monument. Part of But most studies about fighting the students’ trip included a visit to the malaria focus on the mosquito-borne Helsinki University Library (above), the parasite that causes the illness while ig- largest multidis- noring the impact of the disease on the ciplinary library in Finland. body, says Marco Brotto, the George W. and Hazel M. Jay Professor at UTA’s Col- lege of Nursing and Health Innovation. BIG WINS Early in 2017, Dr. Brotto co-authored a study in the Malaria Journal that NATIONAL NO. 1s shows how the right amount of diet and UTA teams earn top rankings exercise can help lessen damage to the heart and skeletal muscles for those Last April was a big month for teams “This is the best team I’ve ever been afflicted by the disease. The study’s from The University of Texas at Arling- on,” says Morgan Rose, a sophomore other co-author was Mauro Marrelli, an ton. First, UTA’s 17-member Maverick nursing major and captain of the squad. internationally renowned entomologist, cheer squad took home top honors in “We have a great connection. I spend parasitologist, and molecular biologist the National Cheerleaders Association more time with them than my family, so HOW: Through a ally, I was curious to with disabilities that “Support from society is who was a visiting professor at the col- collegiate cheer competition. Then, a they really are my family.” spring 2017 study see if the educational could be used in our crucial when making lege in 2016. scrappy team of student gamers claimed UTA’s Esports Club was completing abroad course system in Finland was American schools.” major changes in the as great as everything – C. F. educational system. Their study shows that people with first place in the Heroes of the Dorm its Heroes of the Dorm run at about the The No. 1s just WHY: “I had never I had heard that it was. The trust placed on keep coming. moderate or high levels of malarial in- National Championship on ESPN. same time. The March Madness-style This fall, UTA’s traveled outside the Having some Scandi- LESSONS THEY teachers is paramount fection who maintain healthy diets and The cheer squad’s first-place recog- tournament featured 64 schools from online Master Finland and country before. Having navian heritage also TOOK BACK HOME: to student success, of Education Sweden a university-planned made the trip very spe- “When you give stu- along with exceptional exercise regularly will be in a stronger nition came in the Small Coed Cheer across the United States and Canada in curriculum trip with peers I cial for me.” – R.C. dents more choices, teacher preparation.” and instruction WHO: Mara Alvarez- trusted made it an easy and you differentiate – M.A.D.