Special Section:
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON A NEW HOME FOR MUSICAL ARTS UT TYLER TAKES MUSIC EDUCATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL & BEYOND Also in this issue: UT Tyler Honors Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumna
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THE UNIVERSIT Y OF TEX AS AT T YLER MAGAZINE THE UNIVERSIT Y OF TEX AS AT T YLER MAGAZINE
Contributors The University of Texas at Tyler Magazine Volume Twelve, Issue One Dr. Rodney H. Mabry, UT Tyler President UT Tyler Magazine Editor Emily Battle Photography: Andy Burnfield Frank Curry FJ Gaylor Alex Maldonado Randy Mallory Clarence Shackelford David White Lang White Jeff Williford Contributing Writers: Emily Battle, Magazine Editor Hannah Buchanan, Public Affairs Specialist Ashley Festa Jennifer Hannigan, Special Assistant to the President for Communications Shelly Roark Staci Semrad Jeff Williford, Sports Information
The University of Texas at Tyler Magazine is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications at UT Tyler. UT Tyler is an equal opportunity employer and educational institution. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The University of Texas at Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications 3900 University Blvd. Tyler, TX 75799 ph. 903.566.7170 www.uttyler.edu
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SPRING/SUMMER 2015 In Every Issue 03
President’s Letter
04
Around Campus
08
Focus On: Faculty
12
Focus On: Alumni
16
Focus On: Students
24
Focus On: Benefactors
28
Focus On: Athletics
34
Class Notes
Special Section: 20
A NEW HOME FOR MUSICAL ARTS UT Tyler Takes Music Education to the Next Level & Beyond
on cover: Hard hats are lined up at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Center for the Musical Arts addition at UT Tyler’s R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center.
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“THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS AND FRIENDS, AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTS, WE ARE CREATING A TRULY FITTING ADDITION TO THE CROWN JEWEL THAT IS THE COWAN CENTER.” – RODNEY H. MABRY, PRESIDENT
President’s Letter When I became president of UT Tyler in 1998, the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center had been open for less than a year. In the short time between the completion of construction and my arrival, the center already had a reputation as the crown jewel for the arts in Tyler and throughout East Texas. More than 17 years later, that reputation still stands and is stronger than ever. Our Vaughn Auditorium and Braithwaite Recital Hall have been host to presidents and prime ministers, astronauts and astrophysicists, legendary performers and well-known journalists. The Cowan Center is also home to the highly regarded East Texas Symphony Orchestra. With lots of support from the friends of this university, we have built a tradition of bringing Broadwayquality performances to Tyler. In addition, the Cowan Center houses UT Tyler’s rapidly expanding student music program. Music majors have increased nearly 70 percent over the last six years, and we have outgrown the student spaces in the Cowan Center. The facility does not contain the rehearsal and practice space our students need. So the time has come to move to the next level. Within these pages you will read more about a 15,000 square-foot addition to the center that is now under construction. This project will allow for the addition of a symphonic band program and an orchestra in the foreseeable future. It will also contain practice space for our students to perform in a group environment that manages sound safely. Through the support of our donors and friends, and the commitment of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, we are creating a truly fitting addition to the crown jewel that is the Cowan Center. This project has been long needed, and we are proud to be making the best facility for the arts in East Texas even better.
Rodney H. Mabry President Dr. Ben R. Fisch Professor of Economics and Finance Participating in the groundbreaking ceremony for UT Tyler’s new Center for the Musical Arts are (from left) Jesse Acosta, vice president for administration; Ross Sherman, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs; Chip Clark, assistant vice president for facilities management; Tyler Mayor Martin Heines; Rodney Mabry, president; Congressman Louie Gohmert; Martin Slann, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Michael Thrasher, director of the School of Performing Arts.
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AROUND CAMPUS UT Tyler Professor Honored as Fulbright Scholar
Dr. Robert Sterken Jr.
Dr. Robert Sterken Jr., associate professor of political science, will represent UT Tyler in Southeast Asia as a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. The Fulbright Program is an international exchange initiative that awards grants to American scholars to teach or conduct research in the more than 125 participatory nations throughout the world. “Professor Sterken’s achievement is extraordinary and is consistent with his many professional accomplishments,” Dr. Martin Slann, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “Recipients of the Fulbright Scholarship are among an academic elite who receive this prestigious recognition for their impressive teaching and research credentials.’’ Fulbright scholars are chosen by the presidentially appointed 12-member J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Scholars are selected based on their leadership and academic merits and their abilities to teach, conduct research and contribute to solutions for shared international concerns. With the award, Sterken will travel to Southeast Asia next year and work collaboratively with international partners in educational, political, cultural and economic fields. “Being awarded a Fulbright is an honor, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Sterken said. “While in Burma/ Myanmar, I will be researching and teaching religion and politics, as well as human rights and international law.’’ Sterken teaches UT Tyler graduate and undergraduate courses in international relations, international law, religion and politics, Asian politics and American government. n
New Certification Program for Marketing Majors UT Tyler marketing majors will have the opportunity to become licensed in category management beginning in fall 2015. The certification – valued in excess of $1,000 – will be offered at no cost to students. Proficiency modules will be embedded within the coursework of a variety of UT Tyler marketing courses, including principles of marketing, retailing in the 21st century, marketing research and retail analytics. Students who pass all the modules will be
eligible to sit for an additional exam outside of the university to attain the title of certified professional category analyst. “This certification will differentiate our students from their competition when they are looking for a career with top-branded retailers and manufacturers, like Brookshire Grocery Co., Kraft, PepsiCo, Red Bull, 7-Eleven, Wal-Mart and many others,” said Dr. Krist Swimberghe, marketing and management department chair. Category management is a collaborative
continuous process between manufacturers and retailers to manage a product category at retail, and the purpose is to optimize shopper satisfaction. The end result is a combination of assortment, price, shelf presentation and promotion, which optimizes category performance over time. Students interested in the certification program may contact their academic adviser within the department for curriculum and other details. n
UT Tyler and Tyler Junior College recently signed a Patriot Pathway articulation agreement that includes strategies to provide a seamless transition of TJC graduates to UT Tyler. Representing a strengthened collaboration between the institutions, Patriot Pathway gives students a defined roadmap of what courses to complete at TJC during their freshman and sophomore years, and a clear list of remaining courses required by UT Tyler for junior and senior years leading to completion of a bachelor’s degree. “Patriot Pathway will increase educational access for students throughout East Texas,” said Dr. Ross Sherman, UT Tyler interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Students will be able to transition from TJC to UT Tyler to achieve their baccalaureate degree without loss of credit, time or additional expense.” In addition, both UT Tyler and TJC leaders are participating in the region’s Collective Impact initiative, which is intended to increase the educational attainment levels for East Texas, focusing on economic
AROUND CAMPUS
Patriot Pathway Offers Seamless Route to 4-Year Degree
Pictured, from left: Dr. Ross Sherman, UT Tyler interim provost and vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Tampa Nannen, TJC assistant provost; Dr. Bill Geiger, UT Tyler vice provost and dean of the graduate school and academic affairs; and Dr. Juan E. Mejia, TJC provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Junior College) development and regional prosperity. “There is great momentum in East Texas toward a strong college-going and college-completion culture, and the synergy between our teams is key,” said Dr. Juan E. Mejia, TJC provost and vice president
for academic and student affairs. “Working directly with Dr. Ross Sherman has been an honor. We both value the leadership and work of our respective teams from academic and student affairs and their focus on student and community success.” n
Longview Brings Home Top Student, Faculty Awards A student and instructor from UT Tyler Longview University Center were named Student of the Year and Faculty of the Year by the Texas Nursing Students’ Association. Level 4 nursing student Blake Williams and clinical instructor Anita Lowe were presented the awards during the 67th annual TNSA Convention in Austin. “It was a great honor to be recognized as Student of the Year by my peers,” Williams said. “None of our accomplishments at the TNSA convention would have been possible without the overwhelming support from our classmates and faculty from the Longview, Palestine and Tyler campuses. I am thankful for the opportunity to represent our university with pride.”
“It was a wonderful experience for us all, faculty and students alike,” Lowe said. “Each of these students represented UT Tyler with honor.” The UT Tyler delegation, which included Williams, Whitney Gore, Bailey Moon, Jessica Diffey, Joey Griffith, Alyssa Phillips, Allison Werline, Kimberly Malone and Dixie Rose, authored and presented resolutions that were successfully passed. Lowe and Dr. Karen Timmons, LUC clinical instructor, presented “The Irreducible Essentials, Proper Shift Change Report” and “Legal Jurisprudence and Documentation,” respectively. Dr. Carol Andersen, director of the UT Tyler Palestine Campus nursing program, attended as a faculty sponsor. n
Anita Lowe and Blake Williams
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Amanda Weaver (right) with women’s soccer head coach Stefani Webb.
In the heat of the game, former UT Tyler soccer standout Amanda Weaver always knew where to find her father . . . cheering her on from his perch on the nearby hill. Brent Weaver never missed a chance to watch his daughter and her Patriot teammates from beneath the tree on the hill overlooking the Citizens 1st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex. “My dad loved that spot because it was in the shade and had an amazing view of the field. And he could be the first person to watch us come out from the locker room to the field. He was always in his spot before, during and after games. He was my biggest cheerleader,” Amanda said. On game days, Brent Weaver got off work early and made the long drive from Arlington, where Amanda grew up, to Tyler. “He’d usually have to drive back home after my games,” she recalled. “But he’d always take me to eat after a game before he left.”
Amanda graduated from UT Tyler in December 2012 with a 3.9 GPA and now attends law school at Southern Methodist University. “My dad was so proud of me for playing soccer and managing to make good grades,” Amanda said. “My mom and dad made my education a priority. I’m so grateful to them for making sacrifices so that I could go to school and play soccer.” In 2013, Amanda’s father lost a battle with cancer. In remembrance, Amanda and her stepmother, Ellen Weaver, donated a bench to put in his special place on the hill under the shade. It reads, “In Memory of Brent D. Weaver, Loving Husband, Father and Fan of UT Tyler Soccer.” Erica Campanelli, former UT Tyler athletics development officer, said, “This bench is a special way for UT Tyler to honor one of our biggest fans. Amanda Weaver was a fabulous student-athlete and we could always
count on Mr. Weaver to attend our home games with the ‘best view of the field,’ under his favorite shade tree. With the new bench, our hope is that many fans to come can receive the same joy of being a UT Tyler soccer fan and continue Mr. Weaver’s legacy.” Amanda loves that others will enjoy soccer games at UT Tyler from her dad’s favorite spot. “My dad and I had a signal; we’d touch our eye, heart, and point to one another for ‘I love you.’ When I was very little, he told me to rub my heart whenever I missed him and know that he’s always with me. I still do because I miss him all the time,” Amanda said. “But I’m thankful for the time we had together. He was a wonderful dad and I will see him again someday. Until then, I am just trying to make him proud.” After all, Amanda knows he’s still cheering her on . . .
AROUND CAMPUS
Watching From the Hill . . . Amanda Weaver Honors Dad With Bench Near Soccer Complex
IN 2013, AMANDA’S FATHER LOST A BATTLE WITH CANCER. IN REMEMBRANCE, AMANDA AND HER STEPMOTHER, ELLEN WEAVER, DONATED A BENCH TO PUT IN HIS SPECIAL PLACE ON THE HILL UNDER THE SHADE. IT READS, “IN MEMORY OF BRENT D. WEAVER, LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER AND FAN OF UT TYLER SOCCER.” Amanda Weaver and her fiancé, Brandon Voss, are pictured with Erica Campanelli, former UT Tyler athletics development officer.
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MORE THAN A VOCATION A Passion for Creating, Sharing and Teaching Art ALEXIS SERIO HUGHES says
your mind forever,” said Hughes, an award-winning painter whose works creating a sense of serenity in her art is have been exhibited around the nation, sometimes a pain in the neck. Literally. occasionally alongside well-known “I’m tense and hyper-focused artists such as Andy Warhol and while I’m painting, and I get Richard Diebenkorn. headaches that start in the back of my Hughes’ need to preserve neck,” said Hughes, associate professor cherished memories has only of painting at The University of Texas intensified since 2007, when her first at Tyler. “It’s funny because husband died in a it’s the exact opposite of motorcycle crash. All the what I’m trying to create. I color and optimism drained want people to walk away away, both from her artwork with a feeling of calm and and her spirit. She produced peace.” little art in the months To do that, Hughes following the tragedy, and begins by soaking up her what she did create was surroundings, absorbing every cloud, tree branch, Professor Alexis Serio Hughes filled with grief. She discovered, as she sunset and landscape into moved through the heartache, that the her mind’s eye. She visualizes the recognition of her own strength and shades of color, the palette, the light resiliency helped her return even and darkness. Then she heads to the stronger into the world of art. studio and paints from memory, “Now I am more interested in creating emotive scenes of optimism connecting with these illusionistic and wonder. dream worlds and memories that we “It’s important that the viewer carry with us throughout our lives,” she walk away understanding that these are said. “They can help us get through, idealized moments of precious time. and I’m a stronger person than before.” They’re about having those moments in
Alexis Serio Hughes is an associate professor of painting at UT Tyler and an award-winning artist whose works have been exhibited across the nation alongside legendary artists such as Andy Warhol and Richard Diebenkorn. She is building her global reputation as well, most recently exhibiting in the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan.
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Hughes believes her job is to direct her students’ creativity and help them narrow their ideas. “I take what they want to do seriously and ask questions to help them get closer to doing it,” she said. “I see what they bring to me and then respond. The ideas are coming from them.”
ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT As a child, Hughes would sit down to draw—for an entire afternoon. Focused and patient, she would create her artwork with a variety of materials. As an undergraduate at Syracuse University, she had to choose which artistic path she would follow. Among a variety of disciplines to choose from, Hughes was torn between painting and sculpture. Looking back, she finds it strange that the decision was difficult to make. “My artistic vision is rooted in color and illusionistic space,” she said. “If you’re a sculptor, you’re going to love form and tangible space. It’s funny to think of me doing sculpture because I’m more interested in a sort of dream world. My husband now, Dewane Hughes, is the sculpture professor at UT Tyler, and we think completely differently.”
But as an artist himself, Hughes’ husband understands her well enough. He built her a home studio with north-facing skylights and windows, only steps away from their house. She keeps the studio neat and tidy—“I don’t want a lot of visual clutter”— and paints in silence so that tranquility will flow through her fingers into the painting. Hughes doesn’t begin her work in the studio, however. She starts with a sketchbook and her own contemplative awareness. Her sketches prepare her for true creative work—painting the memories of her experiences, the lights and colors, emotions and adventures. Her most recent portfolio collection, “The Grand Getaway,” crystalizes visions of traveling to faraway places, evoking the magnified experiences of childhood. “When I started painting from memory rather than on-site, art exploded
for me,” Hughes said. “Visual memory influences how we perceive the world. I want my paintings to be a platform for people to connect with their own positive memories and possibly walk away with a renewed sense of hope.” BLANK CANVAS Hughes loves her career as a professor of painting because she never has to leave the world of art. “This isn’t simply a vocation for her,’’ Dr. Martin Slann, dean of the UT Tyler College of Arts and Sciences, said. In her beginning painting classes, Hughes teaches students how to mix a palette and build structure, and she helps them plan their artwork without imposing her personal preferences. Students in the advanced painting classes are more selfdirected, with Hughes acting as a mentor during one-on-one interaction. Some classes are as long as a five-hour stretch, offering lots of time for individual attention. “I get to work with other creative minds,” Hughes said. “Every semester, I get to see new responses to the material I present. I see different paintings even when I have the same objective.” Hughes believes her job is to direct her students’ creativity and help them narrow their ideas. “I take what they want to do seriously and ask questions to help them get closer to doing it,” she said. “I see what they bring to me and then respond. The ideas are coming from them.”
Every student brings a new perspective to the class, but Hughes doesn’t find it difficult to put a grade on the wide variety of work. She evaluates quality, not style. “It’s not fair to bring taste into the classroom,” she said. “I tell my students that you must differentiate what is quality versus what is your taste. Taste is what you hang in your house. The other is when you look objectively and say, ‘That’s a strong piece.’ There’s lots of artwork out there that I know is good work, but I wouldn’t want it in my house.” To help some of these young artists receive a UT Tyler education, Hughes established the Christopher Lyon Memorial Scholarship to honor her late husband, who was also a painter and a lecturer at the university in 2004-05. Academically talented students who demonstrate exceptional potential in art may apply for the $1,000 scholarship, which is awarded to one art major each year. FINISHING TOUCHES Hughes works hard on every painting, though some pieces are more challenging to complete. Her oil-on-canvas painting “Interlacing the Hours” presented a particular challenge as she attempted to convey the intersection of night and day. She struggled with it, spending more time on it than any other painting to date, finally achieving her goal in the finished piece. Validating her hard work, the painting ended up in the final round for the prestigious Hunting Art Prize. She believes her best body of work has been the “Getaway” collection, which she exhibited at the Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “I always have a critical eye on myself,” she said, “but I was happy with the way that show came together to evoke a perception of time, memory and childhood.” She’s building her global reputation as well, beginning with a 2013 Gullkistan International Residency for Creative People in Iceland and most recently in a group exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan in March. “Alexis enjoys going to shows, and she likes to exhibit her work,” Slann said. “She wants people to appreciate it, of course, but she wants them to be provoked by it, even if they don’t like it. Art is a voyage of selfdiscovery. Like most of us trying to figure what makes the world work, art is one way to examine that.” n
Hughes’ “Interlacing the Hours’’ (oil on canvas 49”x41”) made the final round for the prestigious Hunting Art Prize.
Sharing Her Art Alexis Serio Hughes’ paintings have been exhibited across the nation and abroad, most recently at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan (March 2015). Her extensive awards include: •
First Place, Painting Category, Lancaster County Art Association.
•
Purchase Prize, 23rd National Exhibition, Mable House Art Center, Mableton, Georgia.
•
Fine Print Award, 17th Annual National Art Exhibition, Northern Colorado Artist Association.
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Robert Plum Memorial Award, St. Lawrence Regional Exhibition, Potsdam, New York.
•
Charles Addams Memorial Prize, University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Fine Arts.
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(From left) Holly Smallwood, Traci Kenner and Dr. Scott Scarborough with “Swoop” at the UT Tyler Alumni Gala.
“I WAS NERVOUS GOING INTO BAYLOR BECAUSE IT’S A TOP-TIER LAW SCHOOL, BUT I QUICKLY FOUND THAT MY UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION STACKED UP AGAINST EVERYONE ELSE’S. I GOT A GOOD EDUCATION AT UT TYLER AND WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT.” – TRACI KENNER
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OUTSTANDING GRADUATES UT Tyler’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumna EVERY YEAR, people at The University of Texas at Tyler hear of graduates who have made outstanding achievements in their lives and careers. Three such alumni with notable professional accomplishments and exceptional community contributions were chosen as this year’s Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumna. They include an assistant United States attorney, the president of a university and a successful entrepreneur. Recognized in March at the annual UT Tyler Alumni & Friends Gala, the 2015 honorees are: Traci Kenner and Dr. Scott Scarborough, Distinguished Alumni; and Holly Smallwood, Distinguished Young Alumna. “Our Distinguished Alumni and and Distinguished Young Alumni honorees are always impressive, and this year’s group is no exception to that rule,” said Brittany Childs, director of alumni relations. “They have all worked extremely hard in their careers and have dedicated an enormous amount of time to serving others around them. This honor is well-deserved, and we are proud to call them our alumni.”
TRACI KENNER Thirty years after UT Tyler named Kenner a Distinguished Student in 1985, the university today honors her as a Distinguished Alumna. “My life has not turned out the way I thought it would at all. It has turned out so much better,” she said. “That’s why I’m
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“I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION AND ITS ABILITY TO CHANGE LIVES. I’M A BIG BELIEVER THAT HIGHER EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND MOST PEOPLE IMPROVE THEIR LOT IN LIFE BY EARNING A COLLEGE DEGREE.” — DR. SCOTT SCARBOROUGH
a big believer in looking for open doors.” A Tyler native, Kenner earned her bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from UT Tyler in 1985. “UT Tyler was a perfect fit for me. I loved that the classes were small and you got individual attention from the professors,” she said. She then went to law school at Baylor University. “I was nervous going into Baylor because it’s a top-tier law school,” Kenner recalled. “But I quickly found that my undergraduate education stacked up against everyone else’s. I got a good education at UT Tyler and was very grateful for it.” After her first job out of law school with the Twelfth Court of Appeals for the State of Texas, which serves the Tyler area, she worked as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Robert M. Parker. Kenner became an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas in 1992, starting in its civil division. She later joined the district’s criminal division, prosecuting various types of fraud, and in 2004 became the district’s appellate chief. She continues in that role today. She described how she feels when filing into the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“When I go in and introduce myself as representing the United States of America, I just love it. There’s an enormous amount of satisfaction in knowing that I am representing the people of the United States,” she said. “It makes me happy to get up and go to work every day.” She is a three-time recipient, most recently in September, of the prestigious Directors Award from the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys. Kenner actively participates in her church and community and is a past president of the board of directors of the UT Tyler Alumni Association and of the board of directors of the Literacy Council of Tyler. Her volunteer work for a variety of organizations resulted in her receiving the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award in 2011. DR. SCOTT SCARBOROUGH Back in the 1980s, Scarborough unwittingly got a glimpse into his future when serving as president of the student body at The University of Texas at Austin. He recalled the opportunity it afforded him to interact regularly with university administrators: “That experience was instrumental in my development, taught me a lot about higher education
and introduced me to higher education management.” A native Texan with a solid education in The University of Texas System, Scarborough last year became the 16th president of The University of Akron in Ohio. He earned his master of business administration degree from UT Tyler in 1999 and his Ph.D. in strategic management from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2003. “I’m passionate about higher education and its ability to change lives,” he said. “I’m a big believer that higher education is the key to the American dream, and most people improve their lot in life by earning a college degree.” Scarborough also is passionate about health care and is a board member of a local hospital in Akron. He previously served as senior vice president and executive director of The University of Toledo Medical Center and provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at The University of Toledo. Scarborough first recognized himself as an educator around 1990, when he was working as a certified public accountant and his firm volunteered him to teach night auditing classes at St. Edward’s University in Austin for a semester.
“I just walked away from that experience saying that this is what I need to do with my life. I enjoyed working with students, I enjoyed taking complex subjects and breaking them down in such a way that students understood, and just really fell in love with the experience,” Scarborough said. It’s what ultimately inspired him to leave the firm and go to work for The University of Texas System in Austin. Within five years, he was promoted to vice president for business affairs at UT Tyler, where he worked under President Dr. Rodney Mabry while earning an MBA. As an MBA student, he appreciated the practical experience that was shared in the classroom among the students, many of whom were working full time like he was. “You learn not only from the expertise of your faculty but also from the practical experience of your classmates, so I enjoyed that as much as anything,” he said. “And really, I enjoyed the MBA program so much that it was part of what inspired me to go on and get my doctoral degree. It was such a wonderful experience.” HOLLY SMALLWOOD Smallwood exemplifies how to use creative thinking to turn pain into prosperity. Smallwood is the owner of SweetHoney
Clothing Co. based in Longview, Texas, which has grown exponentially since she started it a few years ago at age 24. The company uses Facebook to sell girl’s clothing and bedding that she designs. Life hasn’t always been smooth-sailing for Smallwood. At age 16, she got pregnant with her boyfriend the summer before their junior year in high school. It was a difficult time, she said. “That was tough, just feeling like you failed and let people down,” she recalled. During her pregnancy, her boyfriend continued his schooling while she dropped out and lived with her parents. The couple ultimately married and began renting while saving to buy a house. “We both knew we had to get a degree to deal with that situation and afford a home,” she said. They soon enrolled at UT Tyler, where Holly earned her bachelor of science in nursing degree in 2008. “The best thing about UT Tyler for us was the scheduling and availability of classes, because we always had to work around either work or our daughter. I went to UT Tyler’s Longview University Center, which was perfect for my nursing classes,” she said. She worked as a registered nurse for more than two years, until the urge to stay home with her children became too
great to resist. And that’s how her idea for SweetHoney Clothing came to be. In going from two incomes to one, they learned either to do without or make what they needed. “I liked designing and creating things, and we couldn’t afford the cuter clothes for our kids, so I figured I’d try to make them,” Smallwood said. She taught herself how to sew and soon got the idea to use her newfound talent to earn extra cash: “I thought it would be a good way to make $100 or so per month – just enough to help out with a few bills.” She started her business by selling girls’ dresses on the Etsy website. Within the first year, she started selling 100 dresses a month. She knew she would need help to handle the demand so began contracting with clothing manufacturers around Texas. The business has grown so much in two years that she now outsources the sewing of products and has several employees who are mostly family members to handle production, customer service and shipping. Her husband, with whom she owns several other businesses too, handles the day-to-day management of SweetHoney so that she can remain free to be the artist designer and continue to stay home with her children. “That’s why I don’t like saying I’m the owner or that it’s just me, because it really takes everybody,” she said. n
“THE BEST THING ABOUT UT TYLER FOR US WAS THE SCHEDULING AND AVAILABILITY OF CLASSES, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAD TO WORK AROUND EITHER WORK OR OUR DAUGHTER. I WENT TO UT TYLER’S LONGVIEW UNIVERSITY CENTER, WHICH WAS PERFECT FOR MY NURSING CLASSES.” — HOLLY SMALLWOOD
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FOLLOWING IN HER FOOTSTEPS Mother, Daughter Graduate Together With Master of Education Degrees CANDICE LONGCRIER feels proud
to have followed in the footsteps of her favorite role model – her mother, Peggy Alexander. In December, Longcrier crossed the stage right after her mother as they received their master of educational administration degrees from The University of Texas at Tyler. They completed the master’s program
Candice Longcrier (right) and her mother, Peggy Alexander, on graduation day in December 2014.
in 15 months while working as public school teachers and spending their evenings and weekends at Alexander’s home studying together online at her computer. During the week, they would teach all day, then go home, tend to Longcrier’s young children and hardly have time to rest before getting online to work on their degrees. It took perseverance, Alexander said: “Some days we didn’t want to sit down and do the work, but we’d push each other to keep going. We both say we couldn’t have done it without the other one.” After completing the rigorous program, their graduation ceremony seemed all the more meaningful to them. “When we got there to put on our gowns and caps and were fixing each other’s tassels, that’s when it seemed real, that we’re really graduating today,” Longcrier said. DRIVEN TO LEARN AND SERVE It wasn’t the first time for Longcrier to follow her mother’s lead. In 2008, she earned her undergraduate degree from UT Tyler before becoming a teacher, just
Mother and daughter graduates Peggy Alexander and Candice Longcrier with their commencement guests.
“WHEN WE GOT THERE TO PUT ON OUR GOWNS AND CAPS AND WERE FIXING EACH OTHER’S TASSLES, THAT’S WHEN IT SEEMED REAL, THAT WE WERE REALLY GRADUATING TODAY.” – CANDICE LONGCRIER
Candice Longcrier’s twin son and daughter, Cason Leslie and Olivia Lee, were her special guests at commencement.
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as Alexander had done in 1993. Today, Alexander teaches math at Winona High School northeast of Tyler, and Longcrier teaches math at Lindale Junior High School northwest of Tyler. “My mother is my hero because of where she has ended up in her life. … Every success I have experienced in my life has been driven by what this woman has taught me,” Longcrier said. Alexander indeed had family and life challenges to overcome. By age 24, she had become a mother of four working a fulltime job, and was in her late 20s before she enrolled at UT Tyler. “It was very tough. I had the homework to do and the four kids at home,” Alexander recalled. “I did my homework after I finished dinner and put them to bed. I’d be doing homework at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. Then I’d go to sleep dreaming about my math problems.” She was motivated to get her degree by the quest for financial security and a better life for herself and her children, she said, adding, “Education is what lifts you up.” She earned her bachelor of science in mathematics from UT Tyler in 1993
and soon thereafter became a high school teacher in a small town outside of Tyler. “Some of her early choices have taught me what not to do, and all of her choices thereafter taught me what a person can do for themselves if they truly want to make their life and family a success,” Longcrier said. Alexander’s other daughter also is a teacher, and her two sons are police officers. “She has raised four people whose hearts were driven to be public servants. That is what she has taught us is important
Lined up with fellow graduates, Peggy Alexander and Candice Longcrier are local teachers with goals to become school administrators. In the top photo, Longcrier pays tribute to her late grandfather-inlaw, who encouraged and provided the financial means for the two to attend grad school.
in life,” Longcrier said. INSPIRED TO LEAD Longcrier has followed her mother in many ways; however, in getting a master of educational administration degree, it was Longcrier who took the lead. She was ready to take the steps necessary to prepare for a career in which she could participate more directly in major education decisions. “Over the next 10 years, education is going to change dramatically,” she said. “I want to be current on those developments, and I feel that as an administrator, I’d be privy to what’s going on behind the door and play a role in those changes.” Raising children and working, Longcrier needed an online academic program. She first enrolled in one through another university but quit after she and her husband learned they were expecting twins. After she gave birth to them and regained her strength, she decided to enroll at UT Tyler and suggested her mother do the same. Her mother was game, and the two soon enrolled in UT Tyler’s program. Like her daughter, Alexander wanted to effect positive change in schools on a
broader scale. “I’m pretty good at problem solving, so I feel like being a principal is my calling now. I feel like it’s where my strengths shine and where I can benefit the campus the most,” Alexander said. “Students often have underlying issues at home, which I understand because I was there. So I just feel like I could do more as a principal.” The women also were encouraged by an education-loving relative — Longcrier’s grandfather-in-law, Henry Leslie Longcrier. An architect and contractor in Dallas, he urged them to get their master’s degrees and provided the financial means for them to do so. He passed away not long before they graduated. The women noted several inspiring professors and courses in the master’s program. “The professors were so good. You could call or email them and they’d get right back with you,” Alexander said. “And it helped a lot to see the administrative side of it. I was completely thinking like an administrator when I got through with those classes.” Their favorite course was school law taught by Dr. Wesley Hickey, which covered the legal aspects of how to handle different situations. They saw it as pertinent to their jobs as teachers and to the administrator positions to which they aspired. “I just soaked up everything that he said,” Alexander recalled. Alexander is applying to become an assistant principal or principal at a junior high or high school, while Longcrier wants to teach a little longer before becoming an administrator. Thanks to their perseverance and recognition of opportunities afforded by UT Tyler, they are now prepared to actualize their dreams. In getting to this point, they enjoyed the camaraderie of working together. “Through all this, I think we’ve gotten even closer,” Alexander said. Longcrier pointed to another meaningful aspect of their achievement: “This is special to me, primarily because it is proof that you can overcome.” n
Pictured with her husband, Jonathan, Candice Longcrier and her mother received master of educational leadership degrees from UT Tyler, where they also earned their undergraduate degrees.
THANKS TO THEIR PERSEVERANCE AND RECOGNITION OF OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED BY UT TYLER, THEY ARE NOW PREPARED TO ACTUALIZE THEIR DREAMS. Winona High School math teacher Peggy Alexander, pictured receiving her master’s degree, raised four children whose hearts are driven toward public service, says her daughter, Candice Longcrier.
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A NEW HOME FOR MUSICAL ARTS UT Tyler Takes Music Education to the Next Level & Beyond
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS at Tyler
the Cowan Center’s Vaughn Auditorium is graced with a rich diversity of music, from and Braithwaite Recital Hall, world-class the vibrant vocals of the Patriot Singers and facilities that have been hosts to presidents, classical-to-contemporary repertoire of the prime ministers, astronauts and legendary UT Tyler Wind Ensemble to the mesmerizing performers. But the music department has sounds of the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo. outgrown its instruction and practice space, These and other performance groups which is designed for small groups and not in the UT Tyler School of Performing acoustically engineered for practices, UT Arts produce as many as 70 music events Tyler President Rodney Mabry said during a each year, including recitals, concerts and groundbreaking ceremony for the addition. theatrical productions. But to UT Tyler music students and faculty, nothing sounds sweeter these days than the rumble of heavy construction equipment outside the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center. A 15,000-square-foot wing is being added to the Cowan Center to house UT Tyler musical arts studies. UT Tyler Center for the Musical Arts Instrumental Room Expected to open in spring 2016, the new UT Tyler Center “Our music majors have increased for the Musical Arts will provide much needed space including instruction and nearly 70 percent in the last six years. That’s rehearsal facilities for the university’s ever- a large number and it continues to rise,’’ growing music program, currently housed Mabry said. “We’re glad for the space we’ve had, and I’m proud of our faculty, who have on the second floor of the Cowan Center. UT Tyler has outstanding music done so much despite space limitations. programs with students performing in We’ve got a quality program and we’re so
happy to be able to move it forward with this new addition.’’ The $6.5 million facility will include 70-seat band/orchestra and 72-seat choir practice rooms, teaching studios for individual instruction, a music library, administrative offices, and student areas for studying, group sessions and breaks. Each teaching studio will be soundinsulated to keep music from infiltrating other instruction rooms. The department’s current teaching facilities are not soundproof. The University of Texas System Board of Regents appropriated $6 million from the Permanent University Fund toward the construction project, Mabry said. “I want to thank the Board of Regents and particularly Regent Alex Cranberg for supporting this project and pushing hard for it, he said. “I also want to thank our former chancellor, Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, and our executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, Dr. Pedro Reyes. They both pushed for this project.’’ The construction project is the result of “a great many people dedicating a great deal
A 15,000-square-foot wing is being added to the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center to provide more space for UT Tyler’s ever-growing academic programs in music.
EXPECTED TO OPEN IN SPRING 2016, THE NEW UT TYLER CENTER FOR THE MUSICAL ARTS WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SPACE INCLUDING INSTRUCTION AND REHEARSAL FACILITIES FOR THE UNIVERSITY’S EVER-GROWING MUSIC PROGRAM, CURRENTLY HOUSED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE COWAN CENTER.
Breaking ground for the construction project are (from left) Jesse Acosta, vice president for administration; Ross Sherman, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs; Chip Clark, assistant vice president for facilities management; Tyler Mayor Martin Heines; Rodney Mabry, president; Congressman Louie Gohmert; Martin Slann, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Michael Thrasher, director of the School of Performing Arts.
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of their time and effort to its success,’’ Dr. Martin Slann, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “We thank President Mabry for his continuing efforts over quite a long time – years – both here and in Austin to make the facility a reality; and Dr. Michael Thrasher, director of the UT Tyler School of Performing Arts, and his colleagues for working more hours than anyone knows with the architects to create what will become a beautiful facility,’’ said Slann. “The Center for the Musical Arts will allow our music program, which is already world-class, to continue to flourish and to grow.’’ BURSTING AT THE SEAMS Music has taken an evermore visible role at UT Tyler, with substantial enrollment increases not only in music majors but also in students from other disciplines, Thrasher said. “Since 2009, the number of students taking core-curriculum fine arts courses
through the School of Performing Arts has grown about 57 percent. Many of our music ensembles, our band and other groups include students from other disciplines – nursing majors, engineering majors and so on,’’ he noted. “Many students want the opportunity to continue to be involved in music. In fact, last year, one prospective UT Tyler student told me, ‘After college I plan on going into the FBI, so I want to major in psychology or sociology, but I’ve spent seven years of
my life playing the saxophone and I want to play in college. Is there any way that I can?’ So we want to meet that need as well.’’ Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, UT Tyler offers bachelor of music and bachelor of arts in music degrees and participates in the interdisciplinary studies master of arts program. “We have really good faculty with tremendous teaching and performance experience who have great enthusiasm about moving the department forward,’’ Thrasher said. Many graduates enter careers as school teachers, college instructors, music directors and performers, he said, adding that UT Tyler has a 100 percent pass rate on the teacher certification exam in music. “Some of our graduates continue on to graduate school and, in many cases, are getting assistantships and being really successful there.’’ The music department also participates heavily in community outreach, with
“OUR MUSIC MAJORS HAVE INCREASED NEARLY 70 PERCENT IN THE LAST SIX YEARS. THAT’S A LARGE NUMBER AND IT CONTINUES TO RISE. WE’RE GLAD FOR THE SPACE WE’VE HAD, AND I’M PROUD OF OUR FACULTY, WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH DESPITE SPACE LIMITATIONS.” In addition to the nearly 70 percent increase in UT Tyler music majors, the number of non-music majors taking music classes has increased about 57 percent since 2009.
— PRESIDENT RODNEY MABRY
UT Tyler’s thriving opera group is among the many performance programs that produce more than 70 music events annually for the university community and the public.
THE $6.5 MILLION FACILITY WILL INCLUDE 70-SEAT BAND/ORCHESTRA AND 72-SEAT CHOIR PRACTICE ROOMS, TEACHING STUDIOS FOR INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION, A MUSIC LIBRARY, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, AND STUDENT AREAS FOR STUDYING, GROUP SESSIONS AND BREAKS. most of its recitals, concerts and other performances open to the public free of charge. UT Tyler’s up-and-coming opera program, which recently advanced to finals in the National Opera Association Scenes Competition, performs children’s operas for young students. UT Tyler performance groups also present joint concerts with students from local schools. Another community outreach program matches high school students interested in music composition with UT Tyler students studying the subject. The Composer Mentor Program culminates in an audiorecorded concert of works created by the high school students and performed by UT Tyler students. The new Center for the Musical Arts will help take music education to the next level and beyond for UT Tyler and the entire region, Thrasher said. “We’ve designed this building to not just accommodate where we are today but to accommodate the growth that we aspire to,’’ he said. “Our vision for the department
is to be a leading regional, comprehensive program serving our students and the needs of the region as a whole. I believe we have the potential to be one of the leading programs in this part of the state.’’ ALL EYES ON CONSTRUCTION UT Tyler music students and faculty are eagerly awaiting the center’s opening, keeping a close watch on construction progress. “I think everybody is ecstatic,’’ said Sarah Roberts, assistant professor of music. “I manage our Facebook page and try to post every week the progression of what’s being built. We have this whole album on Facebook just to keep everyone updated.’’ The new music wing “is going to be wonderful for professors and students, and a wonderful recruiting tool for future students,’’ she said. “I think they’ve done a really good job mixing the aspects of what we need in terms of rehearsal space and classrooms with special features for students. For instance,
there’s going to be a charging station for electronic devices and a communal area where students can study and use their laptops and collaborate, which I think is really smart.’’ Music senior Riley Lauderdale is certain every aspect of the music addition will be put to good use. “As a music major, you live in the Cowan Center. You live in the classrooms, in the recital halls and especially the practice rooms,’’ she said. “It’s been a wonderful home, a wonderful four years with outstanding professors who really care about our future, and an exceptional education from a nationally accredited program. My only complaint is that it’s been a little cramped,’’ she added. “We’ve always been able to brag about our professors and our programs. Now, with this addition, we can brag about our building. … The upgraded building will expand the program and give hopeful and hardworking musicians state-of-the-art facilities to grow and learn in their craft.’’ n
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TO HONOR THEIR ENDURING PRESENCE AND SUPPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY, PRESIDENT RODNEY MABRY NAMED MR. AND MRS. BARRETT THE 2012 PATRIOTS OF THE YEAR, AN AWARD THAT RECOGNIZED THE COUPLE’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF UT TYLER.
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Benefactors
REMOVING EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS Couple Devotes Decades to Supporting Student Scholarships BILL AND GLENDA BARRETT realized
that a college education would help secure their future in the professional world. Problem was, higher education was pricy, and the newlyweds struggled to pay the cost of tuition. Both Barretts put in long hours and a lot of hard work to make it happen. Their perseverance has paid off—for many more people than they ever imagined. But before the longtime benefactors of The University of Texas at Tyler were able to share their prosperity, they had to put that hard-earned education to work. After graduating from North Texas State University in 1967, Mr. Barrett began to build a thriving career in the automotive industry. Starting as an industrial arts teacher in a Dallas high school, he accepted a position as an instructor at General Motors Training Center and later moved into GM district and regional sales and services. His dream was to buy his own auto dealership, preferably in Tyler to be near the couple’s parents. Mr. Barrett put the word out to GM’s district managers about his goal. A few years later, in what seemed like a miracle, a GM dealership became available for purchase in Tyler.
“Bill was the owner, manager and salesman when it started out, and my brother, Rudy Pittman, was the only other salesman,” said Mrs. Barrett. “Bill and his team were awarded many honors, but the one he was most proud of was the Jack Smith Leadership Award for excellence in sales and customer service from GM,’’ she said. “The award was among only 100 in the country presented in 2000
Bill and Glenda Barrett
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by the president of GM-North America. I was so proud of his accomplishments during the 26 years and being able to transform the tiny dealership in a rented building to the dealership it was when he sold in 2004.’’ HOLE-IN-ONE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS As Barrett Motor Co. got off the ground, the couple wanted to help other hard workers succeed, and who better to start with than young people in the Tyler community. “We just loved kids,” Mrs. Barrett said. “Giving our time and money to benefit scholarships was our way of helping students who really needed it.” The Barretts started sponsoring the Eisenhower International Golf Tournament, a scholarship fundraiser at UT Tyler that brought in professionals such as Fred Couples and Greg Norman to play with amateurs. Mr. Barrett loved the game with a passion and enjoyed fielding a team every year. Mrs. Barrett volunteered with the UT Tyler Patriot Classic Ambassador organization, which worked behind-thescenes to make the event a success. To attract a large turnout, Barrett Motor sponsored a vehicle raffle each year at the fundraiser, now called the Patriot Golf Classic. Mr. Barrett also became a member of the Classic Society, a group that provides major support for the tournament. Mrs. Barrett is now a member of the organization. Even after the Barretts sold the dealership in 2004 to make more time for travel, they still gave generously to UT Tyler. And their non-monetary gifts didn’t go unnoticed—the Ambassadors honored Mrs. Barrett with a scholarship in her name.
When Friesenhahn received the scholarship, UT Tyler became the perfect choice. She entered the Honors Program and played on the tennis team, never once agonizing over the cost of tuition. After graduation, she started grad school with no outstanding student loans. “Mrs. Barrett was so interested in me and what I was up to at school,” Friesenhahn said. “I saw her at several scholarship dinners, and she remembered who I was and always gave me a hug.” The couple also established the Bill and Glenda Barrett Scholarship in 2006 to support bright students who need financial assistance. Later, when the Barretts donated more funding to the scholarship, the Greater Texas Foundation contributed a matching grant to the endowment, prompting a revised name—the Bill and Glenda Barrett – Greater Texas Foundation Removing Educational Barriers Scholarship. As one of the largest endowed scholarships at the university, it provides funding for an average of eight students every year. Many letters filled with gratitude have arrived in the couple’s mailbox over the years, and Mrs. Barrett has saved every single one. Several students who have received the scholarship, like Amy Friesenhahn, have had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Barrett and personally thank her for her generosity. “It was an amazing experience to have dinner with someone who was helping to pay for my college, and she didn’t even know me,” said Friesenhahn, who graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and is now taking graduate classes at UT Tyler.
THE BACK NINE It was about the same time the couple established the endowed scholarship that Mr. Barrett started noticing some changes in his health, and soon his doctors diagnosed him with a brain tumor. Mr. Barrett’s diagnosis was a blow to everyone, including the university community. But the news didn’t stop the Barretts from continued support of students. Instead, it prompted the couple to create an estate plan, which includes a significant bequest to UT Tyler. To honor their enduring presence and support of the university, President Rodney Mabry named Mr. and Mrs. Barrett the 2012 Patriots of the Year, an award that recognized the couple’s contributions to the advancement of UT Tyler. To celebrate the distinction, family and leaders at the university gathered in the Barrett home to honor the couple. “That designation—that honor—is reserved for very significant people who have made substantial contributions of their time, talent and treasure to the university,” Mabry said. “Both Bill and Glenda Barrett gave solid, valuable advice regarding strategic
MANY LETTERS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE HAVE ARRIVED IN THE COUPLE’S MAILBOX OVER THE YEARS, AND MRS. BARRETT HAS SAVED EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Among their many contributions to UT Tyler, Mrs. Barrett and her husband, Bill, became major sponsors of the Eisenhower International Golf Tournament more than 20 years ago to help raise funds for student scholarships.
planning and various issues surrounding the university’s operation. Their gift level and their overall importance to the life and future growth of the university made them shoo-ins as Patriots of the Year.” Only a few months later, Mr. Barrett passed away, leaving the entire Tyler community, especially those who knew him at the university, to grieve. So beloved was Mr. Barrett that an anonymous donor at the 2012 Patriot Golf Classic pledged to create a scholarship in his name and challenged other participants to contribute. By the end of the day, the university had collected more than $42,000 to establish the Bill Barrett Memorial Scholarship Fund. Another memorial will soon be on display at the UT Tyler Alumni House, scheduled to be complete in 2016. Mrs. Barrett wants no recognition for herself and knows Mr. Barrett wouldn’t want any glory either. But when the university approached her last year with an invitation to support the Alumni House, Mrs. Barrett took the opportunity to honor her late husband. With her gift, the building’s presidential
library will bear his name. “She wanted to remember Bill in a loving and enduring way,” said Larry Wickham, director of planned giving. “I asked her if she wanted the room to be named the Bill and Glenda Presidential Library, and she said, ‘No, no, no. This is just about Bill.’” The Alumni House, which will include the Bill Barrett Presidential Library, will serve as a “beautiful and functional space for alumni, members of our campus community and Tyler community members to host a variety of events, such as meetings, receptions, photography sessions and more,’’ said Brittany Childs, director of alumni relations. Portraits of all three past UT Tyler presidents, as well as donors who supported the Alumni House, will be on display. “Bill has been very modest and wouldn’t want his name on the front of a building,” said Mrs. Barrett, who continues to serve on the Patriot Golf Classic Committee. “I didn’t think he would mind if I honored him with a plaque in a way that wouldn’t be too flashy. He deserves a bit of honor like this.” n
WHEN THE UNIVERSITY APPROACHED MRS. BARRETT LAST YEAR WITH AN INVITATION TO SUPPORT THE ALUMNI HOUSE, MRS. BARRETT TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR HER LATE HUSBAND. WITH HER GIFT, THE BUILDING’S PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY WILL BEAR HIS NAME.
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MOVING FORWARD Despite Personal Tragedy, Monzingo Leads the Way MORGAN MONZINGO’S playing
position in soccer says it all—forward. Whether evading defenders on the field or tackling anatomy and physiology in the classroom, The University of Texas at Tyler sophomore from Cedar Hill pushes forward . . . no matter what. Monzingo’s tenacity and courage helped lead her team to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Div. III postseason, and an appearance in the 2014 American Southwest Conference Championship game. Along the way, she earned a spot as the first UT Tyler player to be named the ASC Offensive Player of the Year in the program’s 13-year history. “She’s just phenomenal, both on and off the field,” said Stefani Webb, UT Tyler women’s soccer head coach. The sophomore, also named First Team All-ASC and an NSCAA All-American, tied for the lead in the ASC in goals with 14, and ranked second in the league in total points with 32. Her 14 goals rank third most in a
season in program history, while her 32 total points rank second all-time in a season as a Patriot. Monzingo’s successes are even more phenomenal when you consider the personal tragedies she faced. “My mom passed away in September of 2013 after an almost two-year battle with breast cancer,” Monzingo explained. “Then,
UT Tyler soccer forward Morgan Monzingo’s tenacity and courage helped lead her team to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Div. III postseason, and an appearance in the 2014 American Southwest Conference Championship game.
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“MY MOM PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013 AFTER AN ALMOST TWO-YEAR BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER,” MONZINGO EXPLAINED. last summer my dad suffered a stroke. The doctors don’t even know why. He passed away in a couple weeks after that —just three weeks before I was supposed to come here to start soccer.” Monzingo arrived at soccer camp heartbroken but determined. “Not coming wasn’t an option for me. It didn’t even run through my head to not come,” she said. “It was stressful and hard at times, but I know my parents would not have been happy if I didn’t come.” The UT Tyler transfer student recalls a few emotional moments on the field during the season as she continued to grieve. But she poured her heart into her team and found a family and a support system waiting with open arms. “My teammates and coaches reached out to me when they heard about my dad . . . before they even met me,” she said. “I love my team, and my family is amazing. I have a really great
support system.” Webb says Monzingo fits perfectly with the culture of the team. “She is a tremendous athlete, soccer player and competitor. On top of all that, she is a joyous person. She brings so much happiness to everyone around her. Her joy is contagious,” Webb said. “I cannot imagine going through what Morgan has been through. For everything she has had to deal with, she is just so happy, joyous, grounded and strong.” Monzingo not only charged forward to succeed on the field, the nursing student has performed well in the classroom, earning a 3.6 GPA. The ASC honored her as a Distinguished Scholar Athlete for outstanding achievement in both academics and athletics. “Soccer was really the main reason I came to UT Tyler, but the great nursing program also brought me here,” Monzingo
shared. Her sister graduated from the nursing program a few years back, so Monzingo knew about the quality of the program. “I love the class sizes at the school,” Monzingo said. “Each teacher actually knows who you are; you are not just a number. And I like the feel of the campus, more homey.” Monzingo says she loves that UT Tyler allows her to play her favorite sport and work toward her future at the same time. “I’ve been playing soccer since I was 4,” she recalled. “It has always been my thing. I fell in love with soccer. It is rewarding to see the work you’ve put in pay off in games.” Hard work pays off in nursing, too. “I see myself with a nursing degree and working in a few years. The soccer program and school are shaping who I am, and I know I’ll have grown a lot in a few years.” With her eyes on the goal, Monzingo will keep pushing forward. n
Monzingo not only charged forward to succeed on the soccer field, the nursing major has performed well in the classroom, earning a 3.6 GPA in the fall.
“THEN, LAST SUMMER MY DAD SUFFERED A STROKE. THE DOCTORS DON’T EVEN KNOW WHY. HE PASSED AWAY IN A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THAT...”
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Patriot Athletics: Fall-Winter 2014 ASC NAMES SCHOLAR ATHLETES Five UT Tyler student-athletes were named to the 2014 Fall American Southwest Conference Distinguished Scholar Athlete Team. The team honors those athletes who achieve a 3.20 GPA while competing as a starter or important reserve. Honored for their achievements on the field and in the classroom were: Gerardo Viera from men’s cross country; Bethany Cox, women’s cross country; Trevor Self, men’s soccer; Morgan Monzingo, women’s soccer; and Courtney Criswell, volleyball.
HIGHLIGHTS PER SPORT: Basketball Women Claim Title The No. 11 ranked UT Tyler women’s basketball team earned the No. 1 seed for the 2015 ASC Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament after claiming the league’s regular season title for a second consecutive season. The team closed out the 2014-15 regular season 27-3 (19-1 ASC).
Men Finish 11th in ASC
Women Take ASC Championship
Men’s Basketball finished 11th in ASC with a final record of 4-21 (3-17 ASC). In the final dramatic game, senior Chris Rios hit a three-pointer with 7.2 seconds remaining, giving the Patriots a 77-76 win over Louisiana College on Senior Day. Rios finished the game with a game-high 25 points in the win.
The UT Tyler women’s cross country team won its third ASC championship this fall, as senior Carly Kitts also won the individual title for the second year in a row.
Cross Country
The UT Tyler men’s and women’s golf teams closed out a historic 2014 Fall season, in which both teams ranked No. 1 in the nation after competing in eight tournaments, winning all eight. The UT Tyler men, the 2013 NCAA Div. III National Champions, ended the fall season with a first-place finish at the Abilene Intercollegiate, competing against several ASC schools. UT Tyler also won the prestigious Golfweek Fall Invitational, a tournament that featured several of the nation’s top-tier teams. Out of the men’s top five players, three are ranked in the Top 23 of the Golfstat.com NCAA Div. III Player rankings, including freshman George Toone (72.32 adj. scoring avg.) who is ranked No. 6 in the nation. Senior Chapman Herwood is ranked No. 9 in the
Men Finish 13th at NCAA Regional The UT Tyler men’s cross country team finished the fall season in 13th place at the 2014 South/ Southeast NCAA Regional. Matthew Markert had the top finish for the Patriots, finishing in 17th place. Fall 2014 marks the seventh time UT Tyler has reached the NCAA Regional Meet. The team won the American Southwest Conference Cross Country Championship for the fifth time in a row. Conner Benson won his first ever ASC Individual title and Alex Wilson finished as runner-up.
Golf Teams Close Out Record Fall Season
Patriot Athletics
country (72.53 adj. scoring average) and junior Buddy Hallman is ranked No. 23, sporting a 72.75 scoring average. The UT Tyler women’s team had a stellar fall season as well, winning each tournament by an average of 22 strokes. The Patriots took first place at the prestigious Golfweek Fall Invitational. Each of the top five players are ranked in the top 20 of the Golfstat Player Rankings, including junior Laura Lindsey who is ranked as the No. 4 Div. III player in the nation. Jordan Sloane ended the fall ranked as the No. 7 player in the country, while sophomore Morgan Loth was ranked No. 14. Senior Marina Rhodes was ranked No. 16 in the national rankings, and teammate Taylor Sloane came in at No. 20 in the nation. Soccer Women Score Record Season It was a season of firsts for the UT Tyler women’s soccer team. The Patriots made their first ever appearance in the NCAA Div. III postseason, and an appearance in the 2014 ASC Championship game. The Patriots’ season ended with a 13-3-2 record. Student athletes Morgan Monzingo, Paige Harris, Chestley Strother and Melissa Miller were named 2014 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III AllWest Region. Men Reach Postseason 5th Straight Season With an overall 8-5-4 record, the UT Tyler men’s soccer team ended the season after reaching the ASC postseason for the fifth straight season.
Tennis
HONORED FOR THEIR
Men Make Strong Showing
ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE
UT Tyler hosted the 2014 ASC Individual tournament, and several UT Tyler men’s players had stellar performances. Newcomer Cameron McCarthy took first place in Men’s Flight 2 singles. McCarthy also teamed with Justin Randell to win Men’s Doubles Flight 2. Jacov Van der Schans won Men’s Flight-6, while teammate Rob Hodous won 6-0, 6-0 in Men’s Flight-10, taking first place. Women Make Good Show in Tourneys The Patriots had several standout performances at the 2014 ASC Individual tournament, hosted by UT Tyler. In singles, Jennifer Payne took first place in Women’s Flight-2, while newcomer Sarah Moses won Flight-3. Nicole Musngi took third place in Women’s Flight-4. Katy Zagurski and Tijana Neskovic each won fifth place in their respective flights. Musngi and Zagurski also won first place in Women’s Doubles Flight-3.
FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM WERE: GERARDO VIERA FROM MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY; BETHANY COX, WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY; TREVOR SELF, MEN’S SOCCER; MORGAN MONZINGO, WOMEN’S SOCCER; AND COURTNEY CRISWELL, VOLLEYBALL.
Volleyball Players Named All-ASC Six Patriots have been named All-American Southwest Conference, as voted on by the league coaches. Rebekah Maner, Courtney Criswell, Brieanne Brown, Rachael Harvey, Kayte Stein and Rebecca Floyd all received honors. For the season, UT Tyler finished with a 16-14 record, while winning the opening-round game in the ASC championship for the first time in the program’s 12-year history.
UT Tyler men’s soccer defender Trevor Self was named All-West Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Self, along with Leandro CidFernandez and Diego Gutierrez-Chavez, were named to the 2014 ASC Men’s Soccer All-Conference teams.
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Class Notes
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 1988
1998
Ruth Flynn (M.Ed.) was one of six women honored by Women in Tyler during Women’s History Month this year. The organization recognizes women who have contributed to the community’s quality of life. Flynn found her passion in working with college-age women. For 27 years, she directed the Tyler Junior College Apache Belles, retiring in 2009 and serving for two years after that as an Apache Band/Belles advancement officer.
Smittee Root (B.B.A.) was hired as executive director of Leadership Tyler, a nonprofit organization that equips leaders to enrich the Tyler community. A member of Leadership Tyler Class 21, Root formerly presided over the organization’s board of directors.
1990 Bob Garrett (M.B.A.) received the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award from the East Texas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America for making a significant impact toward enriching life in East Texas. Garrett is president and CEO of Fair Oil Co. and a real estate developer who served as president of the Tyler Area Builders Association and the Texas Association of Builders. His extensive community involvement includes chairing the UT Health Northeast Development Board and City of Tyler Unified Development Code Committee, and serving as R.W. Fair Foundation vice president and Salvation Army Development Board member. 1991 Dr. J. Blair Blackburn (B.S.) was elected president of East Texas Baptist University by its board of trustees. Blackburn will become ETBU’s 13th president effective June 2015, after serving as executive vice president of Dallas Baptist University since 2002. Dyna Tutt (B.S.N.) (M.S.,1999) was recognized by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for having maintained critical care nursing certification for 20 years. Tutt is a nursing instructor at the UT Tyler Palestine Campus.
Jackie Zigtema (M.Ed.) was elected to the Special Olympics Texas board of directors. She will serve a two-year term in the physical education/recreation position. Zigtema is director of special education for Henderson Independent School District. 2000 James Clayton Bell (B.S.) became president of East Texas Christian Academy this school year. He oversees all operations of the school, including academics, marketing and business operations, and reports to the board of directors. Bell previously worked at ETCA from 1996 to 2000 in various positions, including band director, coach of three sports, spiritual life director, secondary assistant principal and teacher of world history, economics, Bible and elementary school music. Mary Pat Johns (M.A.) wrote a story selected for publication in “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope and Miracles – 101 Inspirational Stories of Faith, Answered Prayers & Divine Intervention.’’ Her story, “The Song and the Dance,’’ is about a dream her son had in 2005 while deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. It is featured in the “Dreams and Premonitions’’ section of the book. Rick McDaniel (M.Ed.) is the new superintendent of McKinney Independent School District. He previously served as assistant superintendent of student services. Kristi Trammell (B.A.) was appointed to the board of trustees for North Lamar Independent School District.
Chad Wooley (M.A.) received the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s 2014 Excellence Award for outstanding contributions to Tarrant County College, where he teaches history. 2006 Thomas Gavin Rasco (B.B.A.)(M.B.A., 2009) was appointed as the first full-time director of First Tee of Greater Tyler, a nonprofit organization focused on developing life skills and core values in youth. Rasco is the former director of knowledge management for Mentoring Minds. 2007 Abbie Abel (B.B.A.) was promoted to trust officer at a Tyler branch of Texas Bank and Trust. Abel joined the bank staff in 2008 and has more than 10 years experience. 2011 Michael Moore (M.Ed.) was named Region VII Assistant Vice Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisor’s Association. Beginning his career in education 11 years ago, Moore taught one year in Ore City before joining Lindale ISD in 2005. He has been an administrator for four years at E.J. Moss Intermediate School.
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Dr. Marilyn Young, professor of management, and alumnus Carroll Roge Jr. (M.B.A., 2000) with “Swoop’’ during UT Tyler’s 2015 Alumni and Friends Gala.
ALUMNI UPDATES 1976
2001
Mark Moore (B.B.A.) celebrated his 25th anniversary as senior pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton. He also was recently elected to serve on the board of trustees for Jacksonville College in Jacksonville.
James D’Avignon (M.A.) retired as editor of Catholic East Texas, the newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler. D’Avignon moved to Tyler in 1994 and became the publication’s third editor. He also taught freshman English composition and rhetoric for more than 12 years at UT Tyler, after completing his master’s degree in English literature. D’Avignon is past president of the Grand Strand Press Association, Red River Press Club and North and East Texas Press Association, and served on the state board of the Texas Press Association.
1999 David Guerra (B.A.) is managing partner of e3 Solutions, which partners with utility companies in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana to reduce energy demand for residential customers. Angela Ledger (B.B.A.) is an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. Ledger specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseased trees and landscapes, and is the only ISA Tree Risk Assessment qualified specialist in the Ark-La-Tex area. She also serves as director consultant of the Shreveport-Bossier area for Business Network International.
Pam Hudgins (M.S.) appeared as a contestant on the TV game show “The Price is Right’’ during a trip to Los Angeles. She was selected as a contestant while attending a taping of the show. “It was a lifetime opportunity for myself, as well as for my mom, sister and best friend,”
said Hudgins, who works at UT Tyler as an enrollment services officer. “We all designed our own T-shirts and went to the show without any expectations other than to have a great time and perhaps, just maybe, get selected as a contestant. As it turns out, the experience was more than I could have imagined.” 2003 Danah Zirpoli (B.S.) recently returned to Hale County to serve as first assistant district attorney to Wally Hatch. Zirpoli began her law career as an attorney in Hale County courtrooms, before moving on in 2011 to prosecute criminal cases for the Texas attorney general. 2008 Adam Canion (B.A.) is a resident in emergency medicine at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana, after graduating last year from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
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2008 Dylan Thomas (B.S.) joined Henry & Peters P.C. as a full-time staff associate. Thomas began his career in the finance and banking industry in 2009 with BBVA Compass, where he worked his way up to retail executive branch manager. 2009 Rafi Hassan (M.S.) recently fulfilled his dream to open a restaurant. Hassan co-owns Kabob Lounge in Tyler, in addition to serving as project technology manager with Suddenlink Communications.
2012
2014
Debra Lonsberry (M.Ed.) is in her first year as principal of Bonner Elementary School in Tyler Independent School District. She has worked in education for 15 years, all in Tyler ISD, where she started as a first-grade bilingual teacher at Birdwell Elementary. Lonsberry also taught third grade and served as a literacy coach and assistant principal at Austin and Douglas elementary schools. She is pursuing a doctorate degree at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce.
Gregory Parker (B.B.A.) received his license as a certified public accountant. Parker is a senior accountant in the tax department at Gollob Morgan Peddy.
Dilla Salvador (B.S.) is a bilingual special education teacher at Griffin Elementary School in Tyler Independent School District.
Benjamin Watson (B.B.A.) received his license as a certified public accountant. Watson is a senior accountant in the tax department at Gollob Morgan Peddy.
Kristy Morris (B.S.N) was appointed to a two-year term on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Quality and Standards Committee.
2013 Stefanie McNeely (B.S.) and husband Stephen McNeely (B.A., 2010) own and operate Moon Rivers Naturals on their family farm in Hawkins. They use natural essential oils and moisturizers to make soap, bath soak, candles and other products.
2015 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI – ABOVE, HONOREE SCOTT SCARBOROUGH (RIGHT) IS PICTURED WITH UT TYLER PRESIDENT RODNEY MABRY. AT LEFT, HONOREE TRACI KENNER (RIGHT) IS PICTURED WITH BRITTANY CHILDS, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS.
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