THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON SPRING 2014 Bound for Success UTA partners with local schools to inspire top students recent Arlington Independent School District student survey showed that 20 percent of A graduating seniors did not apply to college, a number that included as many as 27 percent of Hispanic grads. A new partnership between The University of Texas at Arlington and area school districts hopes to reverse this trend. Bound for Success is an early admissions initiative aimed at increasing the number of high-achieving high school scholars who ultimately earn college degrees. The collaborative program will identify high school students ranked in the top 20 percent of their class at the end of their sophomore year for pre-admittance to UT Arlington, contingent on completing the requirements for high school graduation. The University and the AISD pioneered the program last fall; similar programs are in the works at other school districts. “We know that there are students who excel throughout Thanks to Bound for Success, a new initiative between UT Arlington and local school districts, high-achieving high school students can earn pre-admittance to the University and get access to college prep workshops, UTA admissions counselors, and more. their high school years but for a variety of reasons do not pursue a college education,” says Marcelo Cavazos, available weekly at each of the high school campuses to In his Dallas Morning News education blog, Bill McKenzie Arlington school district superintendent. “With this counsel Bound for Success students. They will work to called Bound for Success “a master stroke.” The new program, we are re-affirming that these students are help students maximize opportunities to earn college credit program, he continued, “gets more students thinking early prepared for success and that we are going to help guide through advanced high school courses and will guide them about college and will increase the flow of college-educated them along their path to a college degree.” to take classes that will prepare them well for college work workers for employers in Arlington and North Texas.” Luis Leroy, a junior at Sam Houston High School, says in the fields of their choice. Many students, through dual- “A college education can alter an individual’s life, but the his early acceptance letter from UT Arlington opened up enrollment and online courses, will also be able to receive impact of ensuring that more well-prepared high school his future after graduation. Now, UTA is one of his top college credit while they are still in high school. scholars advance through the University has the power choices after graduation. UT Arlington will provide specially focused financial aid to transform our communities,” President Karbhari says. “I didn’t even expect to go to college,” he says. workshops and college preparation workshops for students “Bound for Success will strengthen our workforce and President Vistasp Karbhari notes that the program and their families through the initiative. Participants mean that more young people will be prepared to create is “directly aimed at not just increasing the number of will also be invited to attend special receptions, lectures, the knowledge, technologies, and innovation needed to fuel students at UT Arlington but making sure that they are athletic events, and other campus activities to assist them the local and state economies for the future.” successful.” University admissions counselors will be in a smooth transition into college life. President Vistasp Karbhari (center) poses with AISD students and trustees at Bowie High School during the announcement of the Bound for Success inititative. Larry Harmon, principal at Lamar High School, is to his immediate left. VISIT US ON THE WEB: UTA.EDU/COLLEGETOWN AROUND TOWN TOP HONORS TOP SHAPE UT Arlington ranks Assess your health and nationally as “Best for fitness with MavFIT Veterans” hether you are a triathlete, a weekend walker, or are looking for a new exercise T Arlington placed No. 70 of 120 institutions W plan, you need to have a good understanding of named to the “Best for Vets: Colleges U your current levels of physical fitness and health. 2014” list by Military Times, an organization that A new program at UT Arlington can help. comprises Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, MavFIT offers a variety of assessments to measure and Marine Corps Times. The comprehensive your fitness level, including muscular strengths evaluation factored in academic rigor, veteran and weaknesses, body fat percentage, aerobic enrollment, percentage of tuition covered by the capacity, whole body fat percentage, and nutritional GI Bill, and availability of specific programs to help UTA has a number of initiatives aimed at increasing enrollment and condition. graduation rates for veterans, including a College of Nursing effort. veterans. Offered by the UT Arlington Department of UT Arlington has a long tradition of preparing Kinesiology, MavFIT provides community members cadets for military service, dating back to the University’s supported by federal and private grants. The College with quality fitness testing performed by staff founding in 1895 and the establishment of the Carlisle of Nursing, for instance, is working toward increasing exercise physiologists, kinesiology graduates, and Military Academy in 1902. In the last four years, enrollment and graduation rates for veterans to address the undergraduate exercise science students. UT Arlington boasted cadets who were ranked in the top nationwide shortage of nurses. A new School of Social Work MavFIT assessments employ state-of-the-art 20 nationally. The new “Best for Vets” designation by Military program is dedicated to better serving veterans and active technology and equipment, including a treadmill Times spotlighted the fact that veterans are a valued and members in the military with mental health needs. And to measure maximum oxygen uptake, a DEXA Scan vital component of the campus community, and that the the UTA wheelchair basketball team, the Movin’ Mavs, is to determine body composition, and the Wingate University is committed to providing a full range of services providing disabled vets with opportunities for enhanced Anaerobic Power Testing with a 30-second cycling for veterans to adapt and succeed in their academic pursuits. sports programming. test. Nearly 1,500 of UT Arlington’s 38,000 students are “UT Arlington has a rich history of educating service men UTA's MavFIT strives to help individuals build veterans. Information and services for service men and and women and a modern appeal for veterans who want healthier lifestyles. If you are interested in learning more about the program, email [email protected] for women are located in the new Students Veterans Assistance to pursue degrees in a wide range of academic and research pricing and a schedule or call 817-272-3669. MavFIT Center, which offers a central hub for advising, tutoring, disciplines,” President Vistasp Karbhari says. “While we are assessments are conducted at the Maverick Activities vocational counseling, and assistance with completing college, thrilled by this national recognition, we also are challenged to Center (MAC) on 500 W. Nedderman Drive. financial aid, and GI Bill applications. continue pursuing new models of supporting service men and Other notable efforts by the University to assist veterans women transitioning from military life to the university and include several research and programming initiatives beyond.” COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT Tastes of the Town Government in Action Rocking the (Early) Vote College Town UTA and several of the College Park Lt. Governor David Dewhurst discussed the Texas UTA Student Congress Vice President Loan Ho, District restaurants participated in the annual Taste of legislative process during a recent visit to one of Professor University President Vistasp Karbhari, and Lisa Karbhari Arlington charity fundraiser, which had the theme “Taste Allan Saxe’s political science classes at UT Arlington. took advantage of early voting on campus in March. University.” Here, UTA cheerleaders pose with Ronnie Graves, Arlington State College class of ’59. Night Gathering Homecoming Spirit on Display UT Arlington President Vistasp Karbhari and Arlington Maverick pride came alive when thousands of community members, students, faculty, staff, and alumni packed the College Mayor Robert Cluck visited several neighborhood Park District for UT Arlington's annual Homecoming parade and basketball game. gatherings during National Night Out in the fall. The UniversiTy of Texas aT arlingTon Volume V • Issue 2 EXPLORE College Town SPORTS TIME Maverick softball and baseball teams get a major facilities upgrade T Arlington’s spring sports are in full swing, as the Ubaseball and softball seasons kicked off just a few weeks ago. Since the end of last season, baseball’s Clay Gould Ballpark and softball’s Allen Saxe Field have each undergone a number of improvements. New indoor baseball and softball practice facilities opened in 2013, and both stadiums have improved sound systems that will enhance their fans' game-day experience. Fuzzy’s Tacos now provides concessions at both facilities, and, for the first time, beer will be sold at games. Clay Gould Ballpark also features an adjacent picnic area that is available for group outings or for just visiting with friends up-close to the action. The Maverick softball team has high hopes this year as it joins the Sun Belt Conference. The roster includes All-WAC