NEWSFEED RECORD-BREAKING CLASS. Fall 2021 saw an entering freshman class of 487 students. Representing 295 cities and 39 states across the U.S., the Class of 2025 is both the largest and the most diverse freshman class in the university’s 65-year history, with 47% minority, 32% Hispanic and 25% firstgeneration students.
LEADING FIRST-GEN. Jeanine Dorrough, BA ’22, conceived the idea for First-Gen Ambassadors last fall out of a desire to create leadership opportunities unique to first-gen students like herself who are the first in their families to go to college. Read more at udallas.edu/leading-first-gen.
MENTORING THE FUTURE. Students seeking career advice and UD alumni looking to give back can now take advantage of a new Mentorship Program created by the offices of Personal Career Development and Alumni Relations. Read more at udallas.edu/mentoring-the-future.
COMPUTING CONSERVATION
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By Megan Wagner, MH '16
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omputer science major Clarissa Skipworth, BA ’22, interned with Associate Professor of Cybersecurity Renita Murimi, Ph.D., CISSP, as they launched the blockchain company WildChain last year. Using blockchain technology, they are aiding global conservation efforts. “What I personally valued most about my internship experience was the freedom to grow in practical software development and to conquer my insecurities as a prospective professional,” said Skipworth, who, when deciding on a major, was torn initially between her passion for languages and the appeal of mathematical logic. When taking a computer science class as a sophomore, she realized it was the intersection of these two loves: a way of communicating logic through programming languages. “Developing a new prototype with a team involves lots of research of often equally good options,” said Skipworth of her WildChain internship. “At WildChain, I appreciated how failure of one design was framed as a success because it narrowed down our choices and added detail to our project’s vision. Getting to work with Dr. Murimi meant experiencing daily collaboration, mentorship and accountability in a positive environment, which further encouraged me to develop my skills in ways that could best serve our team.”
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TOWER MAGAZINE
ACCUMULATING ACCOLADES. In its 2022 edition, U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” ranked UD No. 6 overall and No. 9 as a “Best Value” institution in Regional Universities West, while The Princeton Review named UD one of the Best 387 Colleges and Best Regional Colleges. UD was also one of only 24 institutions nationwide, and only five Catholic institutions, to receive an “A” grade from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) in its 2021-22 “What Will They Learn?” report.
1 Read more at udallas.edu/ computing-conservation.
2 The idea for WildChain
developed from Murimi’s passion for conservation and interest in finding ways to add tree cover, reduce water usage and protect wildlife. WildChain was born out of a long time reflecting on these issues.
PHOTOS: WILDCHAIN.IO, KIM LEESON, JEFF MCWHORTER, PETER BURLEIGH, COURTESY OF AUBREY WIEBERG.
Comp Sci, Cyber Join to Launch Blockchain Startup
