Liberal Arts Impact Report 2017/18 by College of Liberal Arts

18 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

to support and reward exceptional ambitions and achievements by its students and faculty.

FROM THE DEAN'S DESK

Five years ago, we opened the doors to a new College of Liberal Arts building in the heart of campus. It marked the first time in our College’s history that our students had a place to call home. Departments and other units once scattered across campus were brought together in new collaborative spaces, as were the branches of our top-ranked ROTC program. It was a milestone event, as was the $20 million gift from Bobby and Sherri Patton in 2016 that led to the creation of the Bobby and Sherri Patton Challenge Fund. It inspired many of our alumni and friends to match that gift with an additional $19 million, resulting in the creation of more than 60 endowments that will help us compete for and retain top faculty and graduate students. They will also provide valuable, experience-based learning opportunities to undergraduates — including research, study abroad, internships, and community service — and excellence funds that allow the College

In recognition of the Pattons’ generosity, the College of Liberal Arts Building was officially renamed Robert L. Patton Hall at a formal unveiling on September 14, 2018. This new naming recognized not only as the largest gift in the College’s history, but also a transformational moment in our College as we continue to build on some of the nation’s best programs in the humanities and social sciences, including national number one programs in Latin American History and Sociology of Populations. As we kick off the University’s next Capital Campaign, I am sure there will be more of these moments that will lift our College into ever-greater levels of excellence. As I prepare to step down as dean in August 2019, I look back on these moments and all of the other accomplishments that were made possible by the generosity of our donors, who not only support the work of our students and faculty through their financial contributions, but who also support us with their time and talents to ensure that our students both today and tomorrow have the very best that Texas has to offer. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as dean, and I will be forever grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had to work with so many caring and dedicated alumni and friends. The College of Liberal Arts is in very good hands.

Randy L. Diehl, Dean, College of Liberal Arts

A Year in Review

134,830 9,617 living alumni

1,167

undergraduates

640 liberal arts faculty

graduates

TOP TEN MAJORS Economics Psychology Government

TOTAL STUDENTS

10,784 Female 57% Male 43%

English International Relations & Global Studies Sociology

RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID OR SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT Undergraduates

Plan II

52%

Anthropology

Graduates

Geography

89%

History

Liberal Arts Impact Report

TOTAL DOLLARS RECEIVED

$21,977,543

new planned gifts committed

TOTAL GIFTS TO THE COLLEGE

6,152

$7,118,000

UNIQUE DONORS

5,642

in new planned gifts committed

5,362 unrestricted gifts

$100* median donor gift amount

1,492

1,185

gifts under $250

first-time donors

* This is the cumulative total individual gifts that allow the College to make a big impact.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

A Year in Review DOLLARS BY DESIGNATION

Programs & Research

54%

$11,856,486 514 Gifts

Unrestricted $5,457,267 5,362 Gifts

Students $1,973,641 246 Gifts

25% 10% 9% 2%

Books/ Publications/ Art Collections $591 2 Gifts

Faculty $488,808 20 Gifts

.003%

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Building & Equipment $2,200,750 8 Gifts

GIFTS BY ENTITY

Individual - Alumni $7,439,535 4,548 Gifts

34%

Foundation $4,727,380 114 Gifts

Individual - Friend $3,004,960 1,140 Gifts

22%

14% 7%

Others $714,210 70 Gifts

20%

Trust/ Testamentary $4,495,725 22 Gifts

Corporations $1,595,733 258 Gifts

3% Liberal Arts Impact Report

Permanent University Fund ENDOWMENTS & PHILANTHROPY

SOURCES OF REVENUE

The Permanent University Fund (PUF) was established in 1876 by the Texas Constitution to provide resources to the University. The PUF is funded by the sale of oil, gas, sulfur, and water royalties and rentals on mineral and grazing leases. These proceeds are invested and the return on that investment is known as the Available University Fund (AUF). Over many years the fund has been diluted and is now disbursed to 18 institutions and six agencies.

The University of Texas at Austin relies on a number of sources of revenue. A combination of tuition, endowments, state funding, and research grants allow the University to provide a first-rate education for its students and maintain a research enterprise that creates new knowledge and fuels economic development.

The University also has many other endowments, thanks to the generosity of donors. Most of these endowments are dedicated to specific purposes such as scholarships and the support of faculty studying particular disciplines. Other gifts are made for specific purposes, such as the construction of new buildings.

TUITION Tuition and state appropriations combine to pay for the core operational costs of The University of Texas at Austin. Tuition plays an integral part in the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission by making it possible to hire additional faculty to maintain reasonable class sizes, retain faculty and staff through merit pay increases, and expand existing academic programs and initiate new ones.

STATE FUNDING In the 1984-85 fiscal year, the State of Texas provided 47 percent of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total budget. However, since the financial crisis of 2008, the state and tuition revenue sources of the University have either declined or remained flat.

Source: UTBudget Office *Other Funding Sources include: Grants, Auxiliary, Other Academic Core and Enhancement, Other Self Supporting, and Indirect Cost. Available University Funding (AUF) includes income from Permanent University Fund (PUF).

Liberal Arts Impact Report

New Endowments This Year

CHAIRS Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair in English, in Honor of Professor Willet T. Conklin Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair in Russian and Slavic Languages, in Honor of Professor Charles Knizek PROFESSORSHIPS Abbie and Chris Milisci Professorship in Plan II Economics Alba A. Ortiz and James R. Yates Professorship in Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

At a glance

Economics Advisory Committee Professorship in Economics Karen and Patrick Walker Professorship in History GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS Black Studies Advisory Committee Endowment

201 total faculty endowments

296 total student endowments

194 total program endowments

SCHOLARSHIPS Bailey Family Scholarship in Plan II Black Ex-Students of Texas, Inc. Endowment Godfrey S. and Jimmie W. McCoy Scholarship in Liberal Arts IBC Bank Foundation Fund Jacobe Family Endowed President's Scholarship in Business Honors and Plan II Jay and Cally Conklin Endowed Scholarship Jenny and Brett Robertson Endowed Scholarship in Liberal Arts Plan II John S. Alexander Endowed Scholarship in Plan II Laura and Stephan Beuerlein Study Abroad Scholarship in Liberal Arts Mary Dansby English Memorial Scholarship in Plan II McKnight Family Undergraduate Scholarship in Plan II Patricia Sandlin Pennington UTeach Liberal Arts Scholarship

Robert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn Endowed Forty Acres Scholarship #1 Roger L. Gose, M.D. and Barbara B. Gose Scholarship in Plan II PROGRAM SUPPORT Christopher G. Ellison Endowment for Undergraduate Research in Liberal Arts Honors Dawson Family Endowment in Liberal Arts Gary S. Selken Student Excellence Fund

Michael B. Stoff Excellence Endowment in Plan II Michele Solberg Fund Mimi and Stephen Houston Endowment in Sustainability The Plan II Community Fund Sandweiss Family Endowed Excellence Fund in Liberal Arts Sylvester Turner Urban Policy Research Endowment

Martha Newman Excellence Fund

William C. Powers Endowment for Leadership Programs

Maruvada Mukhalinga Sastry and Maruvada Lakshmi Devi Endowed Excellence Fund for Telugu Studies

William C. Powers Endowment for Undergraduate Students in Women's and Gender Studies

Mian Mohammed Omer and Mukhtar Firdaus Omer Memorial Endowment

Endowments listed as of fiscal year 2017-18

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Dean’s Circle Donors The Dean’s Circle is a group of donors who provide critical support that allows the College to seize opportunities as it strives toward its goal of excellence in liberal arts. All members are invited to an annual Dean’s Circle event each fall. All giving, of $500 or more, to any area of the College, is counted toward Dean’s Circle membership.

GOLD LEVEL DONORS Mr. and Mrs. Todd S. Aaron Mr. Allen Bailey Mr. and Mrs. David S. Berman Mrs. Laura A. Beuerlein and Mr. Stephan D. Beuerlein Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. S. Bruce Brown and Dr. Mary A. Braunagel-Brown Mrs. Elisabeth K. Butzer Mr. Charles E. Byrd Mr. Frank W. Denius and the Cain Foundation Dr. Guy N. Cameron Mr. and Mrs. J. Leslie Conklin, Jr. Mr. Robert K. Conklin Lawrence K. Cormack, Ph.D. Dr. Judith M. Craig The Dedman Foundation Dr. Carolyn H. Denham and Mr. Robert E. Denham Mr. and Mrs. Martin W. Dies III Sharon G. Dies Elizabeth Crook and Marc Lewis Foundation Embrey Family Foundation Dr. Nora England and the Nora England Institute Mr. Lee Fikes and the Leland Fikes Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Wilson S. Geisler III Drs. David G. Genecov and Lisa W. Genecov Dr. Austin M. Gleeson Dr. and Mrs. Roger L. Gose Dr. Charles R. Hale and Dr. Melissa C. Smith

Stephen H. Houston Mrs. Patricia H. Kelso and the Louis & Patricia Kelso Trust Dr. and Mrs. Prabhudev C. Konana Ms. Virginia Lebermann and the Lebermann Foundation Joan D. Lewis, Ph.D. Mr. W. Austin Ligon H. Malcolm Macdonald Charitable Trust Mr. Ryan D. McGlothlin The Milisci Family Foundation The William A. and Elizabeth B. Moncrief Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James J. Mulva Mr. and Mrs. J. Fulton Murray III The Philanthropy Lab Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Patton, Jr. James and Ruth Pennebaker The Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Reasoner Roberta Wright Reeves Trust Mr. and Mrs. J. Brett Robertson Mr. and Mrs. John F. Schreck The Thomas W. Smith Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Stedman and The Stedman West Foundation Mr. Louis Tharp The Glenmede Trust Company Peyton Townsend Mildred L. Vacek Family Trust

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Mr. Robert C. Vaughn and Mrs. Fallon B. Vaughn Mr. and Mrs. James W. Vick Mr. and Mrs. Patrick P. Walker Mr. J. Thomas Ward Mr. and Mrs. Craig L. Weiss Ms. Marilyn A. White Mrs. Marilyn M. White Drs. Alba A. Ortiz and James R. Yates

SILVER LEVEL DONORS Mr. Muhannad Abulhasan Ms. Joan M. Barrett Mr. and Mrs. Christopher K. Bell Mr. Melvin J. Berning, Jr. and Ms. Mary Dell Harrington Ms. Carla A. Blumberg Charles Butt Dr. and Mrs. Larry D. Carver Cogburn Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Matthew L. Cooper Mr. John L. Crawley Dr. and Mrs. Henry Dietz Dr. Richard H. Finnell and Mrs. Susanna Finnell Mr. Steve Gibson

Mr. Marshall P. Gorges Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Harper Dr. Robert Icenhauer-Ramirez and Ms. Jennifer B. Poppe Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Kuhn Mr. and Mrs. Adam N. Lampert Mr. E. James Lowrey, Sr. Malkin Family Philanthropic Fund Mr. James W. McBride Mr. and Mrs. Albert G. Nance III Mr. Frederick H. Poppe, Jr. and Ms. Jana Edwards Mr. and Mrs. George E. Ramsey III Mr. Samuel D. Rhea Dr. and Mrs. David I. Rosenfield Ms. Archana Sastry Ms. Diane Selken David A. and Susan D. Sheppard Mrs. Marian M. Smith The Marcus Family Foundation The Rust Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey L. Wade The Gil and Dody Foundation and the Bill and Katie Weaver Charitable Trust Dale and Mendi West Mr. and Mrs. James E. Yoder

Liberal Arts Impact Report

New Quarter Century Donors Quarter Century members are donors who have given to the College of Liberal Arts for 25 years or more. Mr. and Mrs. Michael G. Appleman Mr. and Mrs. Stuart A. Awbrey Mrs. Cecilia H. Barnes Ms. Joan M. Barrett Mr. and Mrs. Gary C. Bernhard Mrs. Theodora V. Boehm Mr. John J. Burchfield Mr. Larry A. Campagna Dr. and Mrs. Larry Carver Dr. Stephen L. Chew Dr. and Mrs. William R. Childs Mr. Martin S. Chodorow Reverend and Mrs. Paul Clayton Dr. and Mrs. William Clements Mrs. Jacquelyn A. Cohn Mr. Michael Downs Coon and Dr. Lauren Scharff Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Daley Mr. Paul DeCleva, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Victor de la Garza, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jim H. Derryberry Dr. and Mrs. John P. Farrell Mr. and Mrs. Hollye C. Fisk Ms. Belinda J. Gabryl and Dr. David E. Tanner Carolyn Gayle, M.D. Mr. Andrew L. Grohe Dr. Nelson P. Gruber and Dr. Manizeh Mirza-Gruber Nan J. Hampton, Ph.D. Dr. and Mrs. Hubert P. Heinen Mr. and Mrs. Wendell L. Herron Ms. Sally S. Hutchins Mr. Michael P. Irvin Ms. Sherry C. Irvin Mr. William G. Jackson Mrs. Joan K. Katz Dr. V. Wensley Koch Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Y. Kruger

Ms. Lorraine Leftwich Dr. and Mrs. Paul S. Lofton, Jr. Mr. Jeff Londa Mrs. Dagmar Louis and Dr. Wm. Roger Louis Mr. Jonathan G. Mark Mr. and Mrs. Brian A. Matusek Mr. James L. Mayfield Drs. Melinda C. and James P. McMichael Dr. Lauren McNaughton Mrs. Julia K. Mellenbruch Ms. Sonia M. Merubia Mr. Gary K. Mitchell Mr. John H. Mize Ms. Sharon E. Mize Ms. Marion C. Muenzenberger Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Oldham Ms. Billie L. Passmore Roberta Wright Reeves Trust Peter N. Riskind, M.D. Dr. and Mrs. Glenn A. Rogers Kenneth Y. Rosenzweig, Ph.D. Lauren F. V. Scharff, Ph.D. Mr. Roger E. Schenk, Jr. Karl M. Schmitt, Ph.D. Ms. Delia F. Schofield Henry A. Selby, Ph.D. Mr. Jay W. Sharp and Mrs. Martha A. Sharp Dr. A. Joyce Stevenson David E. Tanner, Ph.D. Mr. Bruce C. Taylor Ms. Mary A. Toborg Ms. Nancy G. Trieff Mrs. Hope C. Watkins Dr. and Mrs. William Weaver

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Liberal Arts Career Services The Liberal Arts Career Services (LACS) is made up of eight full-time staff members who support the career and professional development of over 9,500 students and 60+ majors. Each student is given personalized career support with an understanding of their diverse interests and needs. Whether the student is at an early stage of career exploration, heavily involved in internships, applying to law school, or searching for a career, LACS teaches students the skills that will best prepare them to reach their career goals beyond the 40 Acres. BUILDING EXPERIENCES, EXPLORING CAREERS, AND DEVELOPING TOOLS First-year students are encouraged to begin thinking about, and preparing for, their future careers. The LACS team helps them navigate this process through internship courses, career coaching, and professional development, such as, networking opportunities and career fairs. Students are encouraged to participate in multiple internships, practice leadership through student organizations, conduct research in fields that interest them, and explore the world through studying abroad. These experiential learning opportunities, such as gaining work experience though internships, enrich the student’s overall knowledge and combine academic learning with professional development. As students cultivate their experience and skillset, they are better able to define their career interests. LACS career coaches work with each student, individually, to develop a strategic career plan. Here are some of the activities they work on together: • Researching job types, organizations, industries, and sectors. • Developing a professional online presence, including a LinkedIn account.

• Learning how to create a network of professionals who can offer advice, insight, support, and access to opportunities not publicly posted. • Crafting resumes and cover letters tailored to targeted jobs. • Learning how to articulate the strengths of their liberal arts education in a career context. • Polishing interview skills. • Becoming proficient in the use of UT and public job boards. • Defining goals, objectives, and a timeline to help ensure activation of the plan. • Participating in our Liberal Arts to Career Course, which provides all of the above in a one credit hour career planning course. LACS offers non-academic career coaching to graduate students, who learn to translate and apply their research and teaching experience to fields outside of academia. CONNECTING TO EMPLOYERS LACS offers an extensive on-campus recruiting program to help students connect with internships, jobs, recruiters, and industry professionals. They manage a Liberal Artsspecific job board (BTT Gateway) and partner across campus to manage the universitywide job board (HireUTexas). Each semester LACS hosts career and internship fairs where

Liberal Arts Impact Report

students can meet with recruiters to learn about career opportunities. Once every two years, they offer a legislative internship fair in advance of the Texas Legislative Session. In addition to that, students can attend a variety of other career fairs on campus. Career conferences are offered each semester that aim to connect students with professional panelists representing various career industries. GRADUATE SCHOOL AND LAW SCHOOL Close to 50% of liberal arts students pursue further education after earning their bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree. LACS supports these students by offering admissions coaching.

The admissions coach helps students develop their research goals, select schools, develop their statements of purpose, compile their application components, and network with graduate school faculty and students. The law school admissions coach helps students considering careers in the legal field, by preparing them for the LSAT, narrowing their choice of schools, developing their personal statements, and researching financial resources. They also host the UT Law Fair, which is attended by over 100 law schools nation-wide. The pre-law program is open to all UT undergraduate students.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Richard Reddick, Ph.D. Professor Interview

DID YOU HAVE A PROFESSOR THAT INSPIRED YOU ALONG THE WAY? So many! Dr. Ruth Buskirk taught me biology, and it wasn’t a topic for which I had any

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A PROFESSOR? It was relatively late in my graduate school career. I knew I enjoyed teaching; I was a fourthgrade teacher after college, and I’d worked in student affairs before and after earning my master’s degree. Outside of education, I didn’t really know what professors did. But I had two faculty mentors and a fellow doctoral student who encouraged me to pursue a“life of the mind.” My dissertation research focused on faculty mentorship of Black undergraduate students, so I spent a lot of time talking to professors about how and why they mentored students. I guess you could say by the time I finished the study, I was convinced that this career was the best way for me to inspire the next generation of scholars, the way I’d been inspired as a first-generation Black undergraduate student.

natural talent. Her passion for biology and her encouragement pushed me to advance beyond what I thought was possible. Dr. Ricardo Romo took an interest in me, personally. I remember visiting with him and his wife, Harriet. That was the first time I’d interacted with faculty outside of the classroom. Dr. Kermit Campbell taught a course on hip-hop. Seeing a young Black man teach a course, with his level of confidence, gave me the self-assurance that I could one day, too. In graduate school, Drs. Charles Willie, Bridget Terry Long, Vivian Louie, Susan Moore Johnson, and Tom Hehir were all an inspiration. I used their teaching style as a model for my own. These professors were incredibly kind, giving people. I try to keep that at the center of my approach to teaching and researching here at UT. WHAT IS THE MOST GRATIFYING PART OF TEACHING? It’s that moment when the course is over, and there’s no real reason for students to be in touch, when they reach out about an issue or topic that we covered in class, or they send an email with an article attached, “Hey, I thought you might want to share this with your class.” That’s when you know the course had an impact—the students are still thinking about what we discussed semesters, months, or years ago. It’s also the moment when you

learn that a class assignment sparked an interest or connection that changes students’ trajectories—perhaps they pursue a job, move after graduation, or maybe they are inspired to attend graduate school. And, of course, I learn something new from students—which is pretty much every day that I teach. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH? My research primarily focuses on the experiences of underrepresented students and faculty at predominantly White institutions. I’m interested in the comfort and success of Black faculty and Black students negotiating institutional spaces that are, at times, indifferent or hostile. I’m also interested in the concept of cultural taxation: how underrepresented faculty, staff, and students are pressured to provide unheralded efforts to advance campus climate without compensation and at a significant personal cost. HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH INFORM YOUR TEACHING? Much of my research explores how people who were not intended or imagined to participate in higher education find a sense of connection and community despite their historical (and sometimes contemporary) exclusion. It informs how I interact with students; I often recall themes or quotes from participants in my research that reflect the experiences of my current students. Additionally, it keeps me well connected with theories about faculty and student socialization, and I can build new connections to other concepts in the research from the work I do in the field. A lot of times I’m so excited to come

to the classroom and describe the new and surprising outcomes from the conversations I had with my study participants. HOW DOES PRIVATE SUPPORT HELP YOUR RESEARCH? Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of government grants for the work I do. Much of the research funded by federal agencies tend to be largescale, quantitative, and focused on specific areas of contemporary interest, like STEM education. Thankfully private philanthropy allows researchers like me to pursue fields that, at first glance, might seem inconsequential but theoretically inform these other areas of focus. For instance, a researcher interested in a pilot program to increase underrepresented faculty in STEM needs to know about the experiences of faculty of color at a predominantly White institution, so they can make research-informed decisions about their interventions. Seeing my research cited by scholars in other fields—engineering, geography, and English—is incredibly gratifying and means my work is having an impact, even in spaces I am not usually located! I am a fellow in the Trice Professorship in Plan II Honors. One of my recent publications, Resilience, Reconciliation, and Redemption: An Initial Historical Sketch of Pioneering Black Students in The Plan II Honors program, focuses on early Black graduates of Plan II. I am currently writing a paper, “With The Richness of Their Resources: Alumni of an Honors Program Reflecting On The Impact of Service-Learning and Mentoring,” that focuses on the reflections of Plan II students who serve as mentors to students in the KIPP Public Charter Schools.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Madeline Hsu, Ph.D. Professor Interview

WHAT IS THE MOST GRATIFYING PART OF TEACHING? One of my main priorities is to teach students how to take ownership of their interests, beliefs, and intellect. Although, to do so requires that they develop an understanding of the perspectives of others. I feel that I am doing my job as a teacher when students gain the confidence to ask their own questions about the material they are learning. Even better is when they learn to frame their arguments about crucial questions and events and argue in support of their views. DO YOU HAVE A MEMORABLE TEACHING MOMENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A PROFESSOR? By the time I was a sophomore in college, I was recruited to be a history major and was being groomed to attend graduate school. I benefitted from amazing teachers as an undergraduate — in particular, my mentor Dr. Samuel Yamashita— who inspired me to follow in their footsteps not only in the classroom with students of my own but also in research. I began archival research for my senior thesis the summer before my senior year, in part at the Hoover Institution, where I continue to research my current projects today.

Each class has a particular character, depending on the topic, but it is also shaped by the dynamics of students. I consider each class to be a group journey that we embark upon together. We commit to learning more about the subject and goals of the course, but we do so as a shared community for the semester. One of my favorite classes was a seminar in a small, crowded classroom in which the students sat around a table working through difficult issues concerning migration and racial differentiation. The students were from wide-ranging backgrounds, but they learned how to share their stories and amiably debate disparate points of view on potentially thorny topics. It was a great class of students.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

One of my main priorities is to teach students how to take ownership of their interests, beliefs, and intellect.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH? My research focuses on Chinese migration, which I use as a platform to consider, more broadly, mobility as fundamental human behavior, sometimes resulting from the direst of necessity, but also from the aspirations for opportunity and better livelihoods. My emphasis on human behaviors and choices is set against the stark reality that in the past couple of centuries, national governments have sought to impose growing controls on human movements, producing wrenching tragedy and unequal treatments for persons deemed to have lesser rights of travel. Because rights to mobility are frequently based on questionable criteria such as race, political beliefs, educational level, wealth, and employer preferences, immigration restriction systems generate tremendous conflict and debate. HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH INFORM YOUR TEACHING? As my understanding of migration gains depth and comparative breadth, I integrate these interpretations into my classroom. Some

of my evolving perspectives are the result of my research and publication and also path-breaking scholarship by other scholars. Lately, my focus is mainly on immigration policy, a highly topical issue, which I try to help my students understand. Given the high visibility of this subject in recent years, I frequently participate in professional development workshops for K-12 teachers on the subject in hopes that a broader array of students may gain a better understanding of this fraught and complicated issue. HOW DOES PRIVATE SUPPORT HELP YOUR RESEARCH? My research takes place in multiple archives, including the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and College Park; the Hoover Institution in Palo Alto, California; and the Academia Historica in Taipei, Taiwan. My research is mainly funded by endowments made available through the Department of History and foundations that support academic research. Without the support of the Oliver H. Radkey Regents Professorship in History, the Walter Prescott Webb Chair in History, and the Dallas TACA Centennial Fellowship in Liberal Arts #2, I would not have been able to research, write, and publish my second book, The Good Immigrants: How the Yellow Peril Became a Model Minority (Princeton University Press, 2015). This book won the 2015 Theodore Saloutos Book Award; 2014-2015 Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Adult Non-Fiction Honor Book; 2015 Chinese American Librarians Association Award for non-fiction; 2016 Robert H. Ferrell Book Prize; and the 2017 Association for Asian American Studies History Book Award.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Marc Lewis, Ph.D. : Million Dollar Class Professor Interview With a half-million dollars in outside funding a year and a deep bench of creative talent ranging from incoming freshmen to senior scientists, Marc Lewis’ Plan II Medical Problem-Solving seminar is one of the most unique science classes in the nation. I interviewed him at his office in his home department of Psychology. other advanced projects include exploration of new ways to increase kidney viability for transplant, the test of a gene that we think might be responsible for a rare, fatal gastrointestinal disease, and an x-ray fluorescence investigation of the authenticity and composition of an ancient Egyptian papyrus. THAT’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PURSUITS FOR ONE GROUP. Yes, and that’s the beauty of the approach. Our ideas come from a network of students and researchers at all levels and from different backgrounds working together. There is no single person responsible for generating or overseeing these projects — it’s a very collaborative process. We learn as we go, for as long as it takes, and we bring in experts and consultants to advise us as needed. SO THEN, HOW DO THESE PROJECTS START, AND HOW DO THEY DEVELOP?

SO, R IG H T AWAY T H I S I S N’T A T Y P I CAL OF F ICE. FO R EX AM P L E , I S E E A GL ASS CASE FILLED W IT H AN ASSO RT M E NT OF TH ING S INCLUD I NG A GL ASS F L ASK, MO LECU L AR AND ANATO M I CAL MOD ELS, SO ME E L ECT RO NI C COMP O NEN TS, A H AL F-D OZ E N JARS OF SEEDS, A N D A L ARGE CY L I ND E R T HAT LO O KS LIKE I T ’S M AD E O F A N U NUSUA L METAL . D O T H ES E I T EMS R ELATE TO YOU R CL ASS ?

Absolutely. These are historical remembrances from some of the research projects that we’ve worked on over the years. For example, the flask was used two years ago by a student to test a potentially novel use of acoustics for medical diagnosis. That exploration grew into a major collaboration and the flask is just a reminder of how it started. We’re not short on remembrances; we always have a dozen or so projects going on in various stages of investigation. Some of our

Projects develop through three levels. At the first level are the 12-16 students in my Plan II Medical Problem Solving seminar. They come from all kinds of academic majors, and in the classroom, they split their time between learning problem-solving strategies and applying those strategies to scientific problems. Every now and then one of them has an idea that sticks and becomes really exciting — the acoustic research and gastrointestinal disease projects are examples. The class doesn’t have sit-down exams or graded assignments; it’s structured so that students can really grapple with a problem and work toward solving it. We want students to engage because they are interested in the problem, not because it’s due Friday. AND THE OTHER TWO LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT? The majority of projects die at the first level, but those that survive get passed along to the “Ghost Class.” This group is composed of advanced students from previous semesters, many of whom stay with us for the rest of their college careers. Each week the Ghost

Class focuses on one or two developing projects. The members read the research literature, generate ideas, and consult experts anywhere in the world as needed. Then they meet to brainstorm, critique, and polish ideas. The third and final level of project development involves all of the researchers who do the laboratory work once an idea starts to gain momentum. These are the graduate students, post-docs, undergraduate lab assistants and the professors whose advanced expertise and laboratory skills ensure that projects have true merit and sophistication. HOW DOES THE FUNDING FIT IN? Having stable private funding means that labs are willing to take more risks than usual. Our labs know that they won’t lose funding if they explore an avenue of thought that runs dry, and that they can change their budget allocation or even the bottom line numbers if an unexpected result suddenly turns everything in a new direction. We’re also able to merge labs that have different skills and different equipment as needed, giving students the ability to learn various methods. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN ALL OF THIS? My COO, Matt Uden and I teach the seminar students how to recognize interesting problems and how to develop them. In the Ghost Class, we show the advanced students how to pick promising paths through a huge research literature filled with attractive distractions. Our lab scientists are experts, but their time is limited. Matt and I have the luxury to look deeply at the research in very unrelated fields, which often leads to new theories and perspectives. For example, a forty-year-old dissertation looking at caterpillar mitochondria completely changed our thinking about an important principle in the kidney viability project.

IS THERE ONE SINGLE CONNECTING THREAD THAT BRINGS ALL OF THIS TOGETHER? Problem solving. The material that I teach in the undergraduate seminar is based on cognitiv e psychology, problem-solving approaches applied to science and refined over many years of looking at how successful scientists think. W HAT DOES SUCCESS LO OK LIKE? A business and French major sitting down with a half-dozen scientists from UT’s preeminent Applied Research Laboratories to set up a four-year exploration of the acoustic device that I mentioned earlier. Our chemistry lab taking a risk no other lab had previously been willing to take, and solving an important 50-year old question, then seeing that study published on the front cover of the top journal in the field. Watching the Ghost Class figuring out how to turn the invasive proteins of a deadly organism into a drug delivery system. And then, there are also the standard measures of success. In this past year, our students won three research awards, two internships, three fellowships, one scholarship, and they were coauthors on three journal articles. THIS IS DEFINITELY A UNIQUE MODEL; HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE IT TO OTHER RESEARCHERS? It’s difficult, I usually find myself gauging their interest and asking myself if they really want to go through the full 40-minute explanation. AND IF THEY DON’T HAVE 40 MINUTES? Well, then I just tell them I teach psychology.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Daron Shaw, Ph.D. Professor Interview

WHAT IS THE MOST GRATIFYING PART OF TEACHING? Watching smart, young people become interested in the same things as me. A related, and perhaps an even more gratifying experience, is watching them excel and surpass me. I’ve had students start their own political consulting companies; run for (and win) an elective office; and work at the Capitol in Austin, the Capitol in D.C., and in the White House. I love taking credit for the brilliance of other people! HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A PROFESSOR? During my junior year at UCLA, I took a course in “Public Opinion and Voting Behavior” with Professor John Petrocik. I was fascinated by the subject and, even more importantly, the approach to studying elections and voting. That summer, I did a research internship at Market Opinion Research in Detroit, which confirmed two things in my mind. First, I really enjoyed conducting surveys and studying mass opinion. Second, I did not enjoy making sales calls and soliciting clients. From there, I decided that I wanted to study and teach these topics. And I wanted to do so at the highest level possible.

I study persuasion and mobilization in American election campaigns. Why do people vote the way that they do? Why do they turnout on Election Day and vote? I study these things by asking people directly through surveys and by examining voter records. More prosaically, I get to exercise both my analytical bent, through statistical designs and analyses, and my artistic bent, through designing questions and response options. HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH INFORM YOUR TEACHING? Students want to know what political campaigns are doing and whether these sorts of strategies and methods have any effect. Consultants will tell you that almost everything they do has an impact – and that you, the

client, need to pay for this. My research holds these claims up to empirical examination. Do TV ads move voters? If so, by how much? Is the effect lasting? What about internet ads or emails? Someone who is not doing cuttingedge research could probably summarize the relevant political science literature on these topics, but it’s better when students get to hear about research that is going on right now. This is, I think, especially true when you are talking about political campaigns—where state-of-the-art techniques change every six to eight months. And they assuredly benefit when the professor attempts to link up these particular findings to the big-picture, theoretical issues that animate the study of campaigns: what does all this mean for the content and quality of democracy? HOW DOES PRIVATE SUPPORT HELP YOUR RESEARCH? I the hold the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Centennial Chair for State Government. These funds help pay for surveys, as well as data sets (voter lists from different states) that facilitate quantitative research. In my field, the availability of research funding allows me to acquire and analyze relevant data in a timely manner. To wait for data to become publicly available and free would be to wait until people, and campaigns, have moved on to other topics and other elections.

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I’ve had students start their own political consulting companies; run for (and win) an elective office; and work at the Capitol in Austin, the Capitol in D.C., and in the White House. I love taking credit for the brilliance of other people!

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Jim Henson, Ph.D. Professor Interview

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH AT THE TEXAS POLITICS PROJECT? Our primary focus is on Texans’ attitudes about politics and public policy, which we

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE AN ACADEMIC? During the summer of my junior year in college, I was fortunate enough to participate in a pilot program that the National Endowment for the Humanities created for undergraduates who were attending non-research institutions. I participated in an interdisciplinary seminar on political rhetoric at the University of Wisconsin and left the seminar very interested in the wider academic world of which I got a taste. I have to say, I probably got an idealized version, and I spent some time since then trying to find a niche that combined academics with public engagement. UT has been a great home for doing just that.

explore mainly through public opinion polling. My colleagues and I have been conducting regular public opinion polling in the state since 2008, most of the time in conjunction with The Texas Tribune. We’ve been able to document continuity and change over the last decade while creating an open-access resource for the public, teachers, and other researchers. The public opinion data generated by the poll has led my colleagues and me to gather other sources of data in order to provide an ever-growing resource of information on politics in the state, which we make available at the Texas Politics Project website: www.texaspolitics.utexas.edu. HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH INFORM YOUR TEACHING? The data we’ve accumulated on public opinion provides an excellent resource for undergraduates. They gain hands-on experience doing practical research with real data, very often about current policy or political problems. For example, students enrolled in the academic component of the Department of Government Internship Program, which I’ve directed for over a decade now, produce a short data-based article for

public consumption. They can choose from a variety of interests. Polling data enables them to connect public attitudes to a wide range of topics. I also incorporate results and other data we gather in my introductory level

in our politically-polarized environment. For example, we think of the issue of immigration as an issue that creates clear divisions between partisan lines. But our polling on related issues, like DACA, or considerations

courses on Texas government and politics.

for public safety, suggests that attitudes on the issue can be much more nuanced on both sides of the partisan divide.

WHAT IS THE MOST GRATIFYING PART OF WORKING ON THE TEXAS POLITICS PROJECT? The most satisfying part of the work we’ve done is seeing the vast array of data uses and teaching resources we make publicly available. Our polling data has been featured in research across multiple disciplines, has been published in textbooks, appears in media coverage, inspires further research, and influences policy-makers and elected officials. From the beginning, our primary goal has been to provide a public resource for anyone who can find a legitimate use for the body of data we make publicly available. It’s gratifying to see that people find it useful. WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING P OLL RESULT YOU’VE COME ACROSS? The thing that always surprises me is how complex people’s political attitudes are in the state, which is interesting because there is an effort to render them in stark, simple terms

HOW DOES PRIVATE SUPPORT HELP YOUR RESEARCH AND TEACHING? Private support in recent years has been crucial in supporting interns that want practical experience in government and politics. The vast majority of internships are unpaid, which makes participating in them very difficult for students who already work or have limited resources. We’ve been fortunate to receive contributions from generous alumni who had life-changing experiences in political or governmental internships and want to help current students benefit in the same way. Private support is essential to the non-partisan research we do. This support helps students who are interested in non-partisan, relevant public opinion research. They graduate with the real-world experience and knowledge that they can carry into their profession.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

International Internship: Germany Sandra Schwalen

have always known that I wanted to seek an international internship.As an International Relations and Global Studies major, study abroad and internships are essential parts of the undergraduate experience. I wanted to connect concepts that I’d learned in the classroom to real-life applications. During the spring semester of my junior year, I had enough credits to graduate a semester early or take a semester off to do an internship. I decided on the latter and applied for a three-month long internship at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)* in Berlin.This seemed like the perfect fit with my German ancestry and bilingual upbringing. My time at GMF was rewarding. I gained firsthand knowledge of how nonprofit organizations operate. I was the only intern on a small team, which worked in my favor because I was given additional responsibilities and empowered to participate in the decision-making process. I organized and participated in two memorable events.The first was hosting the former Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Howard Dean, for an interview with our young professionals’network.The second was a luncheon given in honor of Dr. A.Wess Mitchell, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of

State, responsible for diplomatic relations between 50 countries in Europe and Eurasia. This internship exposed me to people from different backgrounds at various stages of their careers.The office environment was so warm and welcoming, and I was able to speak to my coworkers about their educational and professional backgrounds.They also shared different perspectives and ideas, which expanded my overall knowledge of the world around me. This experience gave me a competitive edge for a future career in the field of international relations. It also inspired me to further my education by pursuing a Masters of International Affairs at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin following my graduation from UT. The last year of my undergraduate experience would not have been possible without the support I received from the Dr. Bailey R. Collins/ Ellene Collins Ward/Mary Sue Collins Hibbs Scholarship Fund; the Marion Burck Smith Junior Fellowship Fund; and the Frederic Clark Morse and Estelle Klett Morse Endowed Scholarship.As a liberal arts major, this support laid the foundation for securing my future.

*The German Marshall Fund of the United States was founded in 1972 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization through a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance; the GMF maintains a presence on both sides of the Atlantic.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Middle Eastern Studies/Plan II Kyla Harrison

influence the next four years of my life. Professor Hoad encouraged us to be introspective and to relinquish our preconceptions about topics we’d hardly considered. After reading Charles Chesnutt’s The Conjure Woman, and Zora Neale Hurston’s Mules and Men, I became interested in one aspect of these texts that relates to my own culture: the history of African American religious traditions in the United States. That spring semester, I decided to write my first research paper on New Orleans Voodoo. After this course, I felt inspired to take advantage of the fantastic liberal arts education available to me. I no longer viewed the core requirements as a burden, but as an opportunity to take courses on subjects and cultures that I had no prior knowledge. I enrolled in my first Arabic class to fulfill the foreign language requirement. Studying Arabic proved to be a challenging, time-consuming endeavor, but with the guidance of my instructor, Thomas Leddy-Cecere, I successfully progressed through the first and second semesters. After completing the intensive summer Arabic

language program through the Arabic Flagship the Fall of 2014, I began my journey at the

Program, I studied abroad in Amman, Jordan

University of Texas after gaining admission

and put my new language skills to use. My

into the Plan II Honors program. I did not know

experience abroad introduced me to the rich

what to expect on my first day of world literature

culture behind the language, and I claimed a

class, but once I saw my peers’ smiling faces, I

second major in Middle Eastern Languages and

felt at ease. I recall not only seeing 16 anxious

Cultures upon returning to campus. The following

Freshmen that day, who were eager to dive deep

summer, I was selected as a finalist for the U.S.

into the readings assigned by Professor Neville

Department of State Critical Language Scholarship

Hoad, but also a group of students representing

to study Arabic in Ibri, Oman for ten weeks.

an array of backgrounds, cultures, and identities. My experiences abroad pushed me to become a I could not have foreseen how this class,

more open-minded, inquisitive student. I considered

and this brilliant cohort of students, would

these experiences before choosing a topic for my

“

My time on the Forty Acres has undoubtedly shaped me into an informed, well-rounded global citizen. senior thesis, an in-depth, year-long project, the

Voodoo in the past, and stopped by commercial

pinnacle of the Plan II major. Although I thoroughly

shops to experience Voodoo in the 21st century.

enjoyed my coursework in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, I wanted to take on a topic relatively

My connection to the city of New Orleans is bound

unexplored in academia. One day, I sifted through

by lineage. Though my interactions with New

a box of old papers and retrieved that first research

Orleans have become less frequent, the Crescent

paper from my first-year world literature class.

City still holds a significant place in my heart. In my youth, I recall swinging on my grandmother’s porch

My interest in New Orleans Voodoo has evolved,

and catching lightning bugs in front of her house

ranging from superficial mental inquisitiveness

on Prieur street. The memory of her quaint home,

to entering a rabbit hole of questions about this

unjustly taken by the ferocious waters of Katrina,

peculiar facet of New Orleans culture. Before my

reminds me that there are aspects of the city that

research project in my world literature class, my

future generations may never have the pleasure

knowledge of Voodoo was drawn almost exclusively

of knowing. I am beyond grateful that I had the

from public memory. But far too often, a collective

opportunity to return to my roots and explore a

memory of events, peoples, and institutions strays

piece of my family’s history that I had never known.

from reality. After researching Voodoo on my own, I realized that such was the case for New Orleans

I would not have been able to complete my research

Voodoo; however, awareness of this discrepancy

for this project had it not been for the generous

between the historical reality of Voodoo and the

donors of the Plan II Honors Program. I also owe the

current collective narrative was insufficient. I wanted

successful completion of this project to the Plan II

to know how, when, and why this happened.

Honors Program itself; not only did they allow me to write on a topic that is often overlooked or dismissed

In the Fall of 2017, I applied for a thesis grant that

in religious scholarship, but they encouraged me to

allowed me to travel to New Orleans and experience

engage my research through experiential learning.

all things Voodoo. While the UT libraries had more

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude

published work on Voodoo than I had initially

to the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of

anticipated, and my advisors, Dr. Shirley Thompson

Middle Eastern Studies, and The University of

and Dr. Minkah Makalani, were incredibly resourceful,

Texas for stimulating my intellectual curiosity and

traveling to New Orleans was instrumental in

allowing me to pursue a variety of interests. My time

the preliminary stages of my research. During

on the Forty Acres has undoubtedly shaped me

my trip, I spoke with members of the Voodoo

into an informed, well-rounded global citizen.

community, visited museums to get a glimpse of

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Native American and Indigenous Studies Program Angela Vela

spent my entire life on the U.S./Mexico border in the city of Laredo. In the fall of 2014, I transferred to The University of Texas to further pursue my education in English and Theater.While I was excited to attend the university of my dreams, I was unprepared for the culture shock that I experienced during my first year. I identify as a detribalized Indigenous Chicana, and my family origins are rooted in Northern Mexico and communities in South Texas known as Dolores de las Minas and Aguilares. I felt as though I didn’t belong; I yearned to find a community.When I found the Native American and Indigenous Studies program (NAIS), I knew I was home. I was first introduced to NAIS when I took a course in Mexican American and American Indian Film and Literature. I grew up reading Chicano literature. I was overjoyed to be in a class atmosphere that warmly welcomed my merging identities! I knew I couldn’t stop at one course, so I decided to seek a certificate in Native American and Indigenous Studies, as well as a double major in Mexican American and Latinx Studies. Being a NAIS student opened many doors for me; my education and social life would never have been the same without it. My professors mentored and encouraged me to learn about myself, my people, and the people of Turtle Island and Abya Yala. I met other individuals who identify as Indigenous, detribalized Indigenous, and biracial, and began building friendships that I will maintain long after graduation. The program and faculty provided a support system that encouraged my intellectual growth. NAIS gave

me the opportunity to receive course credit for the honors thesis on Latino and Indigenous Medicine which I produced with the Department of English and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program. NAIS have partnered with The Native American and Indigenous Collective* (NAIC) to host several events for Native and Indigenous students throughout the academic year.This past year, I had the privilege of serving as Co-Director of Operations for the NAIC. I had the opportunity to work with several community organizations to produce our inaugural program, Indigenous Peoples’Week. Our seventh annual Spring Powwow event was also a great success.This event was held at the Duffie Recreation Center this year to promote inclusivity and accessibility across all communities. Native and Indigenous students need the agency and the events it produces so that we may thrive and build a second home in Austin.The tuition support I received from the Randy Diehl Prize in Liberal Arts and the Marion Burck Smith Junior Fellowship Fund made it possible for me to pursue an education in NAIS. It was through this opportunity that I have created friendships with people who share my love of heritage, culture, and traditions. I’ve seen how other students felt empowered to connect with and express their heritage by honoring their ancestors and contemporary traditions, and I’ve witnessed the beautiful bond between our Indigenous community of Central Texas. Because of this, I am forever grateful for endowment support.

* Top Right Photo by: Zoe Fu *The Native American and Indigenous Collective (NAIC) was created through a partnership of the Longhorn American Indian Council (LAIC) and the Native American & Indigenous Student Assembly (NAISA.) NAIC is a student led organization at the University of Texas that strives to promote principles of native empowerment, research, transnational and intertribal unity, scholarship, and community. The merging of these two groups celebrates the different Indigenous identities and seeks to create consciousness about Indigenous heritage.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

AADS Study Abroad: Ghana Analisa Ruiz

week before leaving for Ghana, I wondered whether or not I made the right decision to study abroad. While there was a vast amount of information available for online research, I questioned whether it was necessary for me to travel to another country to gain these insights. This was my thinking before. Upon returning, I cannot think of a better way to have spent my summer. Studying abroad provides educational opportunities that a classroom, or online research, simply cannot replicate. Dr. Joni L. Jones, African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) Program Coordinator, encouraged us to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;ethnographersâ&#x20AC;? by interacting with as many people as possible during our trip, giving us chances to meet local performers, business owners, students,

and teachers while in Accra. We were able to exchange various aspects of our cultures, to learn new ways to greet each other, and to teach different types of slang; however, we also found that we had much more in common than we thought. By sharing our own personal experiences and learning from others, we revealed the similar values we share as people. With each activity, meal, and new friend, I discovered more about the world and my role in it. I found that through my discussion with other UT students and young people in Ghana, I grew more confident in sharing my story and my beliefs without negating those of others. Because of the ethnographic research skills, we learned to conduct, I am now able to recognize the lessons that exist in everything I do, as long as I am paying attention.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

What surprised me most while abroad was the profound effect of the performances that we each had to do at the end of our trip. This performance was supposed to reflect our personal growth during the trip. I have never considered myself an artist in any sense of the word, and I remember wishing I could just write a final paper instead. However, once I started to brainstorm ideas, I became so thankful for the chance to act out my truth. The process of creating this performance brought about an honesty that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think a PowerPoint presentation or paper could ever access. As I watched my fellow classmates and now close friends give their performances, I was in awe of the vulnerability and openness each person offered before us. We presented group performances of our combined

stories to the various people we had met throughout our time in Ghana, and following this experience, I can say, with confidence, that I am an artist. Not only am I artist, I am an ethnographer. I am someone who, because of my time in Ghana, can listen to the truths of others without compromising my own. Studying abroad has changed the way I look at myself and at the world around me, and I cannot imagine my college career without this invaluable experience. All of this would not be possible if it were not for the support of the Bobby and Sherri Patton Endowed Professorship in African and African Diaspora Studies and the Audra and Bernard Rapoport Liberal Arts Honors Scholarship Fund.

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Study Abroad Stats Study abroad is an important part of a well-rounded liberal arts education. Being in a new cultural setting gives students an opportunity to discover new personal strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges, and solve new problems. Students develop skills that go beyond the classroom experience, and the College of Liberal Arts is committed to supporting our students in their travels.

TOP FIVE STUDY ABROAD COUNTRIES Spain England France Italy Mexico

1,047 liberal arts students

609 students received financial aid

$15,000

countries visited through study abroad

TOP FIVE STUDY ABROAD MAJORS International Relations Plan II Psychology Government Economics

average cost to study abroad for one semester (including tuition)

Liberal Arts Impact Report

Lasting Impact Jason Lamin | Alumnus Interview

space to follow my curiosity, to access subjects across a broad spectrum that were intellectually appealing to me. I’ve always appreciated the broad exposure liberal arts offers. Even today, I have the pleasure of serving on the Advisory Councils of both the Department of Economics and the Department of Black Studies – two very different departments with different agendas. More specifically though, from my Economics degree, I was able to sharpen skills heavy in analytical thinking, and, at the same time, build strong interpretive abilities. The marriage of those two faculties has been of tremendous value in so many aspects, and at all points in my career lifecycle – from investment banking to my current role as Founder and CEO of a financial technology firm. P LEAS E T ELL US A LIT T LE B IT ABOU T W HAT YOU DO NOW.

WHAT MA DE YOU WA N T TO ST UDY ECONOM I CS ? My natural interests have always aligned more with the humanities and liberal arts – subjects that encourage big-picture, non-linear thinking and indepth studies of the human experience and history. At the same time, I didn’t come from a wealthy family, and when I enrolled at this university, I was facing student life that included working several jobs to afford tuition. So, I quickly determined that upon graduating, I needed a job that would alleviate financial uncertainties. For me, that meant something in business. I wanted to pursue a degree that would satisfy most of my natural interests, and at the same time, create opportunities for a lucrative career in business. After some research, it was clear there was a direct path from an economics degree to Investment Banking, which is the path I chose to start my career. WHAT DID YOU GA I N F RO M A LIBE RA L A RTS E DUCAT I O N ? At a high level, a liberal arts degree allowed me the

I’m the Founder and CEO of Lenox Park Solutions, Inc., a financial technology company that provides networking and operational software to promote greater efficiencies in asset management and other related industries. Leveraging our backgrounds in investment management, we use machine learning, data science, and augmented intelligence to inform how we build relationship management tools and collaborative platforms that lead to better investment outcomes for our customers. We have offices in New York and Austin. HOW DO YOU AP P LY W HAT YOU LEAR NED O N T HE FO RT Y AC R ES TO YOU R CAR EER PAT H? We have an extraordinary Department of Economics at the University of Texas, and I’m honored to sit on their Advisory Committee. The obvious answer is directly related to the quality of the education I received here, and I apply that every day in our business and our industry at large. The less obvious answer is the amplified sensibilities I now have in promoting diversity and inclusion in institutions and across industries. The gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity embodied in the College of Liberal Arts is impressive, and learning in this environment buttressed the case for why creating diverse teams and diverse organizations are not only the socially responsible thing do, but recognizing that diversity leads to significant positive business outcomes, too. I suspect my unwavering commitment toward a more tolerant and inclusive society was nurtured on the Forty Acres.

HOW D OES YOUR E DUCAT I O N IN FOR M YOUR WO R L DV I EW ? Being born in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and living there until I moved to a small-town in East Texas at age 13, I suppose I was born with global interests. As long as I can remember, I had plans to spend some portion of my working life outside the United States. An education from The University of Texas further opened up the world for me. My one regret was that I wasn’t able to carve out time (or financial resources) to study abroad. So, upon graduating and joining Merrill Lynch’s investment banking program in New York in 1998, when the company presented me with an opportunity to work aboard, I packed my bags and moved to London for four years. And it was an excellent chapter in my life. HOW D ID P R IVATE SU PPO RT IMPACT YOUR STU D E N T CA R E E R ? The scholarship support I received gave me the ability to work fewer hours during school so that I could maintain grades that positioned me for a good job after graduation. Without the incremental financial aid, I would have had to increase my workload, and that would have almost certainly had an impact on the trajectory of my career. YOU H AVE A L R E ADY STA RT E D GIVING BACK TO T H E CO L L EGE . WHAT INSP IR ES YOU TO GI V E ?

University of Texas has allowed me to learn, achieve, and give. That said, I’m also acutely aware of the asymmetry in challenges for some students who come to a competitive school like this one and must also work one, two, or sometimes three jobs so they can afford to attend. I’m humbled and thankful that I have the capacity to give back in a few ways, one of which is by making financial contributions.

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Since joining the Black Studies Advisory Committee, Jason has been instrumental in sharing the accomplishments of Black Studies with fellow alumni and non-alumni alike. He understands on a personal level that our aim to further a world where black scholarship, art, and policy research matters resonate with anyone who learns about our mission. His genuine excitement for the College of Liberal Arts and his commitment to Black Studies has inspired others to support our work – and reminds me that our alumni play an important role in making UT a special place for students to learn. - EDMUND GORDON, PH.D. VICE PROVOST FOR DIVERSITY

I’m incredibly grateful for what an education at the

Liberal Arts Impact Report

website: liberalarts.utexas.edu phone: 512-471-8861 The College of Liberal Arts The University of Texas at Austin 116 Inner Campus Dr. Stop G6000 Austin, TX 78712