The North Texan - UNT Alumni Magazine - Winter 2011 by University of North Texas

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A UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS P U B L I C AT I O N F O R A LU M N I A N D F R I E N DS VOL.61, NO.4 | Winter 2011

MEDICAL

SOLUTIONS SAVING LIVES, FINDING CURES [page

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24]

Supporting Veterans [ page 1 4] Johnny Quinn [ page 32] Homecoming [ page 34]

“I

see a future with sustainable agriculture and healthier ecosystems.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF

AGRICULTURE

veruse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is a worldwide problem, causing major pollution in our waterways. Some plants, such as legumes, are able to form a symbiosis with soil microbes, resulting in a bioavailable nitrogen supply and freeing the plant from its need for nitrogen fertilizer. Researchers in UNT’s Signaling Mechanisms in Plants cluster are working to discover the genetic secrets of symbiosis and mechanisms that support nitrogen-fixing microbes in legumes. With this knowledge, scientists can explore potential applications in other crops that don’t have these functions. With the human population predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050, self-fertilizing plants with higher crop yields and fewer pollutants are keys to a healthier planet.

— Rebecca Dickstein, professor of biological sciences

800%

in 40 years: The use of nitrogen fertilizers, a leading waterway pollutant, exploded from 1960 to 2000. — Science

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discover.unt.edu

Inside

W I N T E R

2 0 1 1

FEATURES

Supporting Veterans

UNT offers students from the military community support services and academic guidance. By Jessica DeLeón

Courtesy of Johnny Quinn

32 Johnny Quinn

The Mean Green’s all-time leading receiver slides into a bobsledding career and steers for the 2014 Olympics. By Leslie Wimmer

34 Homecoming 2011

Celebrating a “superhero” year, alumni, students and community members find new adventures and Mean Green power at UNT’s incredible Apogee Stadium. DEPARTMENTS F R O M O U R P R E S I D E N T • 3

High quality with value Gary Payne

D E A R N O R T H T E X A N • 4

Thai alumni ... New uniforms ... Forging a career UNT TODAY • 6

Saving Lives, Finding Cures

F R O M A PAT I E N T ’ S B E D S I D E T O A D I S C O V E RY I N T H E L A B , U N T A LU M N I — S O M E O F T H E B E S T T R A I N E D P H Y S I C I A N S , R E S E A R C H E R S A N D H E A LT H E D U C AT O R S — A R E D E D I C AT E D T O S AV I N G L I V E S A N D I M P R O V I N G T H E H E A LT H O F T H E I R C O M M U N I T I E S . By Randena Hulstrand

Power of green ... Jeb Bush ... Mean Green ... Chemistry fellows ... Ghana exchange U N T M U S E • 1 9

Thin Line Film Fest … Happily Ever After ... Adobe awards ... Spring speakers ... Theodora EAGLES’ NEST • 36

Thunderbird ... Connecting With Friends ... Research at the bottom of the world ... Five Sparks ... Legacy Family ... Engineering opportunity ... In the News ... Friends We’ll Miss L A S T W O R D • 4 8

Cover: Benjamin Olsson (’99), above photo, Sharon Y.R. Dent (’80).

The Golden Eagles remember campus 50 years ago

Photography by Gary Payne Winter 2011

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Online

E X C L U S I V E S

n o r t ht exan .u nt.edu /on li n e

ONLINE FEATURES INVASION! Facebook and Twitter were buzzing over UNT’s mock pterodactyl invasion on Halloween. Read the news release and safety tips and watch Scrappy’s PSA. MEDICAL WORK IN GUATEMALA Watch a video of Lt. Michael Kavanaugh (’05, ’08 M.S.), a Navy entomologist, as he talks about the health hazards of mosquitoes.

MORE ONLINE FEATURES • VIDEOS AND PHOTO GALLERY: HOMECOMING • VIDEO: LORCA IN A GREEN DRESS • VIDEO: FACULTY IN RESIDENCE • VIDEO: ALUM’S FILM WINS AWARD • VIDEO: STUDENT ADOBE FINALIST

Jonathan Reynolds

Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ northtexas.

Lip Dub Synchs Campus

H U N D R E D S O F U N T ST U D E N TS , FAC U LT Y A N D STA F F W H O

Don’t forget to check in on Foursquare when you visit campus.

“ L I F E I S B E ST I N T H E H O M E O F H A P P I N E S S ,” S A N G L I P - S Y N C H E D A N D DA N C E D AC RO S S CA M P U S TO B R AV E CO M B O ’ S “ T H E D E N TO N P O L K A” F O R U N T ’ S H O L I DAY G R E E T I N G. WAT C H T H E V I D E O.

When you see this arrow, join our North Texan community online at northtexan.unt.edu.

GET CONNECTED

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Visit The North Texan online to: • Keep up with what’s happening between issues of The North Texan. • Tell us what you think about our stories • Learn more about your fellow alumni • Write memorials about friends we’ll miss • Enjoy an array of additional stories, photos, videos and recordings

F RO M OU R

President

Balancing high quality with affordability UNT IS TEXAS’ MOST AFFORDABLE PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

T h e Nor t h Texan U N I V E R SI TY R E L AT I O N S ,

D ESI G N E R S

CO M M U N I C AT I O N S A N D

ST E V E N A LT U N A

M A R K E T I N G L E A D E R SH I P

K I T YO U N G

(’06 )

V I CE P R ESI D E N T D E B O R A H L E L I A E RT

P H OTO G R A P H E R S

(’96 M . E D.)

J A N A B I R CH U M

Jonathan Reynolds

A new state report shows that UNT offers the most affordable public research university education in Texas, which is great validation of our value. Don’t confuse “affordable” with “cheap” — it does mean that we’re concerned about value along with quality. This focus is at the heart of our pledge to grow as a major public research university President V. Lane Rawlins talks with students at offering the best undergraduate the new Business Leadership Building. educational experience in Texas. And the state’s talented students are taking notice. Our fall 2011 student body includes the most academically talented and largest freshman class as well as the largest enrollment of doctoral students in UNT history. To help our students excel, we’ve redoubled our commitment to providing a superior education, and we’re investing in people, programs and resources to make that happen. We’re advancing in the three A’s — academics, the arts and athletics — to strengthen our quality and performance. And we’re just as focused on improving in the three E’s — efficiency, effectiveness and engagement — which ultimately is about being a strong service-oriented institution. We’re focused on doing everything at the highest level, from teaching to research to customer service. Helping our students succeed is central to everything we do, whether it’s in the classroom or in the financial aid office. This commitment to our students is key to the cornerstone goals of the new strategic plan, a working document that will guide our decisions every day. We will tie our budget to the plan by funding initiatives that help us make progress toward our goals. We’ll measure our success. And we will hold ourselves accountable. In turn, our students are committed to excellence and to the highest goals of the university. Our plan will help us maintain the balance between high quality and affordability. This is especially important to us because we’re here to help students earn a competitive education that will put them on the path to success. Sincerely,

V. Lane Rawlins President president@unt.edu

A SS O CI AT E V I CE P R ESI D E N T

M I CH A E L CL E M E N TS

M A RTY N E WM A N

B R A D H O LT

(’02 M . J .)

(’09)

G A R Y PAY N E

(’99)

A SSI STA N T V I CE P R ESI D E N T

J O N AT H A N R E Y N O L D S

K E L L E Y R E ESE

MIKE WOODRUFF

(’95)

D I R EC TO R S

WRITERS

J I M MY F R I E N D

E R N EST I N E B O U S Q U E T

K E N N M O F F I TT

J ESSI C A D E L EÓ N

DENA MOORE

N A N C Y KO L ST I

R O L A N D O N . R I VA S

A D R I E N N E N E TT L E S B U D DY P R I CE

M AG A Z I N E STA F F

E L L E N R OSSE TT I

(’00, ’08 M . J .)

M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

L ESL I E W I M M E R

(’07 )

A LYSSA YA N CE Y

(’11 M . J .)

J U L I E E L L I OTT PAY N E

(’97)

E D I TO R S

O N L I N E CO M M U N I C AT I O N S

R A N D E N A H U L ST R A N D JILL KING

(’88, ’07 M . J .)

E R I C VA N D E R G R I F F

(’93 M . S ., ’0 0 M . A .)

P R O J EC T T R A F F I C O N L I N E E D I TO R

A MY K I O U S

M I CH E L L E H A L E

L AU R A R O B I N S O N

A RT D I R EC TO R

ST U D E N T CO N T R I B U TO R S

SE A N Z E I G L E R

(’08 )

A MY H I L L B E R R Y

(’0 0 )

CR YSTA L H O L L I S P H OTO E D I TO R

MOLLIE JAMISON

ANGILEE WILKERSON

JUN MA B R O O K E N OTT I N G H A M

I N T EG R AT E D B R A N D I N G

E L I Z A B E T H SM I T H

J OY H O U SE R

N I CO L E V E L A S CO

(’11)

(’11 M . J .)

The North Texan (ISSN 0468-6659) is published four times a year (in March, June, September and December) by the University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311070, Denton, Texas 76203-5017, for distribution to alumni and friends of the university. Periodicals postage paid at Denton, Texas, and at additional mailing offices. The diverse views on matters of public interest that are presented in The North Texan do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the university. Publications staff can be reached at northtexan@unt.edu or 940-565-2108. It is the policy of the University of North Texas not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability (where reasonable accommodations can be made), disabled veteran status or veteran of the Vietnam era status in its educational programs, activities, admission or employment policies. In addition to complying with federal and state equal opportunity laws and regulations, the university through its diversity policy declares harassment based on individual differences (including sexual orientation) inconsistent with its mission and educational goals. Direct questions or concerns to the equal opportunity office, 940565-2737, or the dean of students, 940-565-2648. TTY access is available at 940-369-8652. Postmaster: Please send requests for changes of address, accompanied if possible by old address labels, to the University of North Texas, University Relations, Communications and Marketing, 1155 Union Circle #311070, Denton, Texas 762035017. “University of North Texas,” “UNT” and “Discover the power of ideas” and their associated identity marks are official trademarks of the University of North Texas; their use by others is legally restricted. URCM 12/11 (12-080)

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DEAR

North Texan Let us know what you think about news and topics covered in The North Texan. Letters may be edited for length and publication style. Read more letters and share your comments at northtexan.unt.edu.

Thank you As a UNT graduate student, I want to thank Charn Uswachoke for such a generous gift that will help many others be able to contribute to their community because of their UNT education (fall 2011). I think what I appreciate most about him is his ability to “be himself.” Even in a demanding field, he has been able to appreciate the simple things in life — enjoyment of music, appreciation of nature as he recalls memories of Denton scenery, and wisdom of success not being measured by financial gain but measured by satisfaction in life or happiness. I wish him well and thank him for his gift to UNT. Debra Paulk-Rogers (’05) Krum

Thai alumni This summer, the Thai alumni of UNT in Thailand organized a reception for

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President V. Lane Rawlins and other UNT executives who came to visit us. We were so delighted with the visit and hope that UNT and Thai alumni will stay in touch and keep strengthening the relationship between the university and alumni in Thailand. Chalermpol Waitayangkoon (’88 Ph.D.) Bangkok

Patient and kind

He was quite open-minded about music. When I came back to North Texas in 2009 to do a lecture and a performance of the music of Frank Zappa, he came to both events and seemed to enjoy himself. After the performance, he said, “I could listen to that kind of music all day!” Recently, I came across this photo of Dale and me, taken right after the performance. We will miss you, Mr. Peters — and thank you. Arthur Barrow (’75) Los Angeles

A delight

Dale Peters (“Friends We’ll Miss,” fall 2011) was my organ and harpsichord teacher in the early ’70s. In addition to being a wonderful and patient instructor, he also was one of the kindest gentlemen I have ever known.

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The fall issue of The North Texan was a delight. I am a 1958 graduate of the journalism and history departments. One of the things that helped me get that degree was the job I had at Voertman’s Book Store. It was a pleasure to see a picture of my old boss, Paul Voertman. He still looks great, but he looked even better handing me a paycheck each week.

It’s also good to know that an old classmate of mine, Pat Boone, returned to campus. Thanks for the memories. Clifford F. Rockwell (’58) Flint

Forever remembered Lord love a duck! That was the rubber stamp that all journalism editing students received on at least one semester paper under Roy Moses’ instruction (“Friends We’ll Miss,” fall 2011). It said it all, conveying his deep sense of writing precision while earning our full attention. Moses was a great teacher and mentor to many. He and other journalism professors (Keith Shelton, Roy Busby, Dick Wells) helped me to believe in myself, laying the foundation for career success. Moses, they don’t make ’em like you anymore. You will be forever remembered. Chris Smith (’94, ’01 M.J.) Fort Worth

New uniforms How wonderful to see that the Green Brigade was named the country’s No. 1 band and to watch that video online (summer 2011)! I love the uniforms, and it brought back memories of the new uniforms we premiered back in 1976, I believe. I played trumpet, and the year before we’d worn black shoes. So when the new

Music Academy of the West A unique photo opportunity took place in August at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, Calif. The academy hosts an eight-week Summer School and Festival for 138 pre-professional classical musicians. In 2011, the 138 fellows were selected from a very competitive pool of 1,642 applicants from around the world. Four were current or former students of UNT, and several patrons of the academy also are UNT alumni. The front row features the four UNT fellows, and the back row features academy patrons who are UNT alumni, including former academy president David Kuehn, who is a former UNT faculty member and assistant dean, and Konnie Gault, current chair of the academy’s Women’s Auxiliary. Cindy McTee, Professor Emerita of music, attended as her composition “Circuits” was performed during the final orchestra concert conducted by Leonard Slatkin. The photo was taken in the courtyard named in David Kuehn’s honor. Tiffany DeVries Dean of Students, Music Academy of the West

Julie Nicolay (’80) Tucson, Ariz.

Forging a career Denton Record-Chronicle

uniforms came to be and we had to wear white shoes, being the creative yet typically broke college sophomore that I was, I decided that simply painting my shoes white would work. They did indeed look great that morning. But by the time I’d walked from Bruce Hall down to where we were gathering in formation, most of that cheap white paint had cracked off of my shoes. Solution? I just tossed the shoes and marched the entire parade and game in my white socks. (And yes, the director caught me, but by the time he did, we were taking the field for halftime!)

I was a student in alum George Cadell’s (summer 2010) Commercial Art class at Denton High from 1982 to 1984. He turned me on to photography, film processing, screen printing and even computer graphics. Not only did he teach the principles of design and color and how to cut Ruby-Lith and stretch a silk screen, he taught us about integrity, pride and compassion. Not by books. By example.

From left, front row, Alex Bumpas (’05), Sarah Craft (’06), Meredith McCook (’09) and doctoral student Saule Tlenchiyeva; back row, David Kuehn (’62), Susan Travis Kuehn (’64), Cindy McTee, Becky Smith Alberts (’56), Konnie Boeger Gault (’65), JoAnn Schuster Rodrigue (’56) and J.W. Colin (’71 Ph.D.). His love of art runs so deep in his roots. He truly has a special connection with every piece he creates, for he creates from his soul, not for his bank account. I have three of his lesserknown limited edition prints hanging in my home. And I would not trade one of them for any amount of money. George Cadell trained me as a graphic designer and that is what I am today. I am proud to have had him as a teacher and even more as a friend.

If you would like to comment on a story, share your North Texas memories or photos, submit news or obituaries, or otherwise get in touch with us, we would love to hear from you. Email: northtexan@unt.edu Online: northtexan.unt.edu (follow the “Contact Us” link) Phone: 940-565-2108 Fax: 940-369-8763 Mail: The North Texan; University of North Texas;

Kevin Beck (’84) Carrollton

Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing; 1155 Union Circle #311070; Denton, Texas 76203-5017

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Mean Green

p / 10

Global Connection

p / 11

Ask an Expert

p / 12

UNT Alumni Association

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Jonathan Reynolds

Today

IN THIS SECTION Brilliantly Green

POWER OF GREEN From new state-of-the-art facilities to new partnerships in China that promote green building technologies, UNT is at the forefront of sustainability.

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UNT HAS DISTINGUISHED ITSELF AS A leader in sustainable energy research by supporting projects that use wind power and energy-efficient products to offer the global community cost-effective, renewable energy solutions. And the university’s commitment to adhere to more energyefficient practices and to build more green facilities on campus is giving researchers a competitive edge with resources that soon will include a 1,200-square-foot zero-energy laboratory house. These efforts all are part of UNT’s mission to encourage green research and develop partnerships in government and industry while maintaining the university’s dedication to becoming carbon-neutral.

research groups addressing complex scientific, technological, environmental and societal problems. The Zero Energy Research Lab is scheduled to be completed in early 2012. New greenhouses

At left: UNT’s new wind turbines at Apogee Stadium. Above: A delegation of UNT leaders and faculty at the American House, a net-zero energy home and model of energy efficiency in Beijing, China. Chinese partnership

UNT is moving forward with research and promotion of green building technologies in China after partnering with Future House Real Estate Co. Ltd., an industrial research institution in Beijing. The agreement expands UNT’s role as a global leader in net-zero energy. UNT hopes to form a consortium known as the U.S.-China Network and Demonstration Partnership for NZE Research, which would bring together U.S. and Chinese industry and academia leaders to conduct net-zero energy research, says Warren Burggren, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Burggren signed the agreement in Beijing in October. “This project is a forward-thinking collaboration that takes advantage of UNT’s strengths and pairs it with top institutions in China,” he says. “It really reflects the quality of our faculty and their ideas, plus it creates unique research abroad opportunities for UNT students.” Additionally, the agreement extends UNT’s involvement with the American House, a 3,200-square-foot net-zero energy house that was built in Beijing and displayed during the 2008 Olympic Games. UNT plans to use the American House as a research facility for both American and Chinese students. Yong Tao, chair of UNT’s Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering and director of the PACCAR Technology Institute, oversaw the design and construction of the house. The Chinese agreement and UNT’s state-of-the-art Zero Energy Research Laboratory under construction at Discovery Park, UNT’s 300-acre research facility in Denton, will support the goals of UNT’s Renewable Energy and Conservation research cluster. The cluster is one of 15 interdisciplinary

Discovery Park also will become home to 10 individual greenhouses where university researchers will develop bioenergy, biofuels and other bioproducts. Located north of the main Discovery Park building, the greenhouses will encompass 10,000 square feet of research space when completed in 2012 and support UNT’s plan for growing research areas. The $1.5 million complex initially will be built with two 1,000-squarefoot greenhouses, with more added over time. Stevens Brumbley, associate professor of biological sciences, will be among UNT researchers working in the greenhouses with cotton and other plants to research biofuels and bioproducts, as well as oil production and higher-energy feed stock used in bioenergy projects. Other greenhouses on campus also are helping to showcase UNT’s green efforts. The greenhouses on the roof of the new Life Sciences Complex are supporting UNT plant science researchers studying plant growth and development in hopes of using plants for renewable energy sources such as fuel. And UNT’s Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building’s greenhouse is being powered by a wind turbine and solar panels thanks to a State Energy Conservation Office SMART Schools grant, which also supports a wind power system at the zero energy lab. Sustainable facilities

Agencies that rate green buildings continually recognize UNT for constructing green facilities that last more than 50 years, including sustainable features with efficiencies that pay for themselves, and designing structures that provide better air quality and healthier environments for working and learning. In October, UNT’s Apogee Stadium (read more on page 10) became the first newly constructed collegiate stadium in the nation to receive Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Apogee also is the first collegiate stadium to have wind turbines that feed the electrical grid powering the stadium. UNT’s Life Sciences Complex received Gold LEED Certification earlier this year, and UNT’s Business Leadership Building is expected to follow. In March, Crumley Hall became Texas’ first residential building to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious ENERGY STAR rating.

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Today Pass it on: Great things are happening at UNT. Learn about them here and share our successes with your family and friends. • Reaching out. UNT is dedicated to serving the students of the North Texas region and it shows. Recently, the university expanded its outreach efforts to help more students successfully transfer from community college to UNT. With 11 new advisors on area community college campuses, UNT is doing more than ever to help educate the people in the region. • Game on! As part of National Gaming Day, students gathered at Willis Library for video game free play and tournament time on Kinect, Playstation3, Wii and Xbox consoles. They also played on historical reproductions of board games from Ethiopia and Central America, and learned about game development and design from UNT’s student Game Developer’s Association, proving today’s libraries are educational, recreational and social places. • Soccer champs. The Mean Green soccer team once again clinched the title of Sun Belt Conference Champions, this time for the 2011 regular season. That marks the program’s sixth Sun Belt Conference regular season or conference tournament win. UNT finished its season undefeated at home for the first time since 2005 and for the first time in the Mean Green Soccer Complex, which was built in 2006.

B R I L L I A N T LY GREEN

Julia Kuskin

Rick Yeatts

Business speaker series

Alumnus Phil Sorgen (’88, ’90 M.B.A.), Microsoft corporate vice president for U.S. small and mid-market solutions and partners, talked with students and guests on

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campus in September as part of the College of Business Distinguished Speakers Series. Sorgen says he returned to his alma mater hoping to impact students by sharing his experiences in the business and technology world. The college’s speaker series aims to enhance the educational experience of UNT’s students by inviting speakers to campus who can share their views about successful management styles, career paths, critical industry-related

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issues and qualities for successful business leadership. Peace conference

The ambassadors to the U.S. from Afghanistan and Pakistan spoke on campus in November about peace and democracy in their countries as part of UNT’s first South Asia Peace Conference. Eklil Ahmad Hakimi, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the U.S., discussed “Prospects of Peace in Afghanistan after the U.S. Withdrawal,” and

Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., discussed “Democracy in the Age of Terrorism: The Role of Pakistan in Establishing Peace in South Asia.” Other speakers included Sandeep Pandey, an internationally known peace activist from India, and Arvind Singhal, the Samuel Shirley and Edna Holt Marston Endowed Professor of Communication at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor and an advocate for education reform, speaks at the Dallas Hilton Anatole during the Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship’s annual leadership luncheon in November. Thomas Judd

UNT offers the most affordable public research university education in Texas compared to other research and emerging research universities, according to a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board report.

Bush lecture

Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, discussed “Entrepreneurial Capitalism” as the keynote speaker at the Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship’s 2011 Leadership Luncheon in November. Bush heads his own consulting business, Jeb Bush and Associates, where his clients range from small technology startups to well-known Fortune 500 companies. Visit www. murphycenter.unt.edu to see a video of Bush’s lecture. Since 2002, the center’s annual luncheon has been showcasing the power of entrepreneurial spirit and bringing together leaders in business and industry.

Bush was elected the 43rd governor of Florida in 1998 and was re-elected in 2002 with his second term ending in 2007. His family includes former President George H.W. Bush and former President George W. Bush, who spoke at UNT in 2010. During the luncheon, the 2011 Murphy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Entrepreneurship was presented to businessman and author Craig Hall. He is a former part owner of the Dallas Cowboys and founder of Hall Financial Group.

and instructional technology experts, UNT is expanding its doctoral degree program in educational computing to include an online option beginning in summer 2012. Offered by the Department of Learning Technologies, the online degree will be the first online Ph.D. at UNT and the first online doctoral degree in educational computing or instructional technology at a Texas university. Careers for graduates of the program include technology coordinators, directors of distance education, instructional designers and educators.

Online Ph.D.

To help meet the demand for more digital instruction

Winter 2011

Mike Woodruff

NSF AWARD Ram Dantu, professor of computer science and engineering, earned a $50,000 Innovation Corps award from the National Science Foundation to commercialize his Mobile Life Guard program, which is aimed at providing safer roads for drivers. Dantu’s program will allow drivers to integrate their smartphones with their cars’ on-board computers to analyze driver behavior and road conditions and send alerts to other drivers. Dantu is the only professor in Texas and one of only 21 in the nation to receive one of the inaugural awards. His team, coached by Stanford University, includes Brandon Gozick, UNT computer science and engineering student.

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Gary Payne

Today

Marshall finalist

Marcelo Ostria (’10, ’11), right, was one of 160 U.S. finalists for the 2012 Marshall Scholarships, which are among the most prestigious postgraduate scholarships available to Americans, funding two years of study in the United Kingdom. At UNT, his mentors were Emile Sahliyeh, director

of the international studies program and professor of Middle East studies, middle, and James Duban, director of the Office for Nationally Competitive Scholarships, left. As a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Ostria studied in Chile and conducted research on child labor and poverty. Ostria’s leadership and dedication to public service have earned him numerous UNICEF awards. He created the UNICEF student organization at UNT in spring 2008 to help children around the world. Ostria was an Honors College student at

UNT, earning his bachelor’s degrees in political science and international studies. Outreach programs

Middle and high school students in the North Texas region will continue receiving guidance from UNT advisors about their college search, admissions and the financial aid process thanks to two grants totaling $3.3 million. The funding will support UNT’s Talent Search and G-Force programs to encourage students to continue their education after high school.

UNT’s Talent Search programs received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide students with academicenriching services to support career exploration and college readiness. The G-Force and Go Center Outreach Initiative at UNT received a $300,000 grant extension from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, supporting UNT’s Office of Outreach to help students gain a better understanding of college, the enrollment process, financial aid and scholarships.

Stadium makes history UNT’s Apogee Stadium, the university’s largest and most ambitious building project, earned status as the first newly constructed collegiate football stadium in the nation to achieve Platinum LEED Certification, the highest level from the U.S. Green Building Council. And thanks to UNT’s commitment to sustainability (read more on pages 6-7), it also will be the first collegiate stadium to have wind turbines feed the electrical grid powering the stadium. The inaugural season in UNT’s Apogee Stadium also saw attendance average nearly 20,000 spirited fans for all six home games. “The energy at our home games, beginning with our home opener against Houston, has been a tangible advantage all season long,” says Hank Dickenson, deputy athletic director. “There is no question that the ‘Apogee Advantage’ will assist Coach McCarney and his staff on the recruiting trail.” In addition to making history with its 20-year, $20 million stadium naming rights agreement with Apogee — the second largest naming-rights agreement for college football stadiums to date — Mean Green Athletics rolled out all-hands-on-deck promotional efforts. More than 40 events took place at the stadium, engaging the campus and community, and a five-stop Coaches Caravan bus tour took to the streets throughout the North Texas region, generating new Mean Green excitement. For more information on this historic year, visit meangreensports.com. And don’t forget to tag yourself and friends at the Sept. 10 home game at www.unt.edu/eaglepan.

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Exchange with Ghana

GLOBAL CONNECTION

“The visit of Mr. Kodua and Dr. Hinson to UNT was an eye-opener for our students,” Blankson says. “Although Ghana’s population is just 24 million people, it’s one of the fastest growing countries in the world after China. It’s the world’s leading producer of cocoa and is known for its newly found oil, diamonds and bauxite. It’s also a democratic, open market country and is important for our students to learn about.”

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In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to “encourage a mutual understanding between Americans and people of other nations and cultures.” Inspired by these efforts, Charles Blankson, associate professor of marketing and logistics, says UNT’s Department of Marketing and Logistics is working to give its students a greater global understanding. The department recently hosted Robert Hinson, professor of marketing, and Prince Kodua, a doctoral student and lecturer in marketing and customer management, both from the University of Ghana. More than 400 UNT students participated in discussions on consumer behavior, direct investments and multinational companies in Ghana. “Students were exposed to academic resources and met distinguished faculty,” Kodua says. “This also created a

platform for cultural exchanges.” The visit was part of an ongoing partnership between UNT and the University of Ghana. In 2010, Blankson and David Strutton, professor of marketing and logistics at UNT, visited the University of Ghana where they taught, collaborated on research and built academic relationships with Ghanaian students and faculty.

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CH E M I ST R Y F E L LOWS James Marshall, professor of chemistry, and Diana Mason, associate professor of chemistry, were named 2011 American Chemical Society Fellows. Marshall researches materials, chemical education and the history of the elements, and is a national speaker on the American Chemical Society tour circuit. Mason researches chemical education, studying how freshman students learn chemistry content. She also moderates UNT’s Mean Green Chemistry Demo Team, which performs demonstration shows at schools, museums, conferences and universities. UNT ranks third in Texas for American Chemical Society Fellows, with four faculty honored.

Robert Hinson, professor of marketing from the University of Ghana, lectures to a UNT marketing class in September in UNT’s new Business Leadership Building.

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New appointments

Two new administrators joined UNT this summer.

Carlos Hernandez, former associate vice president for business affairs and comptroller

at the University of Texas at El Paso, was named UNT’s controller and associate vice president for finance. He also serves as the controller for the UNT System. Hernandez brings 22 years of higher education accounting and administration experience to UNT. Geoffrey Gamble, former president of Montana State University, was named interim

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senior vice provost at UNT. His duties include assisting with strategic planning, and he is leading a team that is reviewing UNT procedures and policies relating to institutes and centers. Gamble also advises the provost’s senior staff on academic-related topics. He retains his title as President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at Montana State.

Ask an Expert

How can Santa deliver toys to all the children in the world in just one night?

he holidays are an exciting time of year, but only with careful planning will your gifts reach your loved ones on time. So, how does Santa accomplish such a momentous task in just one night? Ted Farris, professor of marketing and logistics, is absolutely certain it is possible — if Santa follows the fundamental principles of logistics. “By traveling from east to west, the lovable Saint Nick adds three hours to his schedule to take care of the 57 million children in the world who celebrate Christmas,” says Farris, who joined UNT in 1997 as its first logistics professor and has helped transform the program into one of the Top 25 in the nation. “In Dallas-Fort Worth alone, Santa spends just 12 minutes to visit more than 400,000 children, delivering more than 2 million pounds of gifts — enough to fill 1,800 railcars.” Farris offers these tips to make your shopping and present deliveries as successful as Santa’s:

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Help from elves • Use third parties to help handle the heavy lifting. • Don’t run around shopping when you can order gifts from the comfort of your computer. Internet shopping also saves gas and effort as long as you allow for delivery times. Shopping smart • Do your homework. Half of consumers buying gifts in a bricks-and-mortar store previously have researched the items online. Ironically, half of consumers buying online started by going to a bricks-and-mortar store. — Adrienne Nettles

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Planning ahead • Make a list for both the naughty and nice. Check it twice. • Map out an efficient route for shopping to save time and effort. For example, avoid taking left-hand turns

on your drive route like UPS, which engineers its delivery routes to be as timeefficient as possible. • Keep yourself energized by planning shopping breaks for milk and cookies (or your favorite cappuccino and biscotti).

Rotary Scholars

POLITICAL SCIENCE JOURNAL In July 2012, UNT’s Department of Political Science will become the editorial home of the American Political Science Review, the profession’s most respected journal. The editorial team will consist of Marijke Breuning, Steven Forde, John Ishiyama and Valerie MartinezEbers. The team’s record as notable scholars in the discipline, along with the national academic reputation of the department, were key in UNT getting the journal. Sponsored by the American Political Science Association, the journal moves among the nation’s top universities every four to six years. UNT will be the first university in the South or Southwest to house the publication.

Shar-Né Warren, a junior international studies major; J.K. Nickell, a master’s student in journalism; and Laura Dominguez (’05), a graduate of the Honors College who earned her degree in international studies, each earned a $27,000 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to study abroad during 2012-13. Warren will study French at the University of Caen, northwest of Paris, and hopes to integrate multiculturalism into American schools. Nickell will study peace and environmental studies at the University of Nairobi and wants to teach at a major research university. Dominguez will study women, gender and development at Erasmus University in the Netherlands and aspires to implement pro-women programs. Siemens competition

Five Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science students were named Siemens regional finalists in November, more than from any other school in the nation. Of the five, Kevin Chang was named a national finalist and advanced to the national finals in December to compete for a $100,000 grand prize. His research developed algorithms that will help optimize social and communications networks. In 2008, TAMS student Wen Chyan won the national contest for his research.

Ann Supina visited Ketchikan, Alaska, as part of the UNT Alumni Association-sponsored cruise she took with her husband, Edward Supina (’64, ’66 M.Ed.), in June.

UNT Alumni Association Every year, the UNT Alumni Association offers alumni an opportunity to travel to far-away destinations where they can learn about new cultures and meet people from around the world. Next, the association is planning a Baltic Treasures cruise aboard Oceania Cruises’ Nautica June 8-19 along the Baltic Sea to visit cities and landmarks in Denmark, Poland, Sweden and Russia. In June, Edward Supina (’64, ’66 M.Ed.) and his wife, Ann, who attended North Texas from 1964 to 1966, took advantage of the association’s 11-day Alaskan Frontiers and Glaciers cruise, enjoying guest lectures and scenic travels from Vancouver to Alaska. The cruise also included alumni groups from other universities. “The crew and ship were top of the line,” Ann says. “The educational component made us want to sightsee. This was our first cruise and we ended up taking a lot of excursions.” Ann and her husband said the highlight of their trip was meeting alumni from different universities. The Supinas also were delighted with the information they received from author and lecturer Terry Green, who spoke about the history of their destinations, native cultures and what to look for on their excursions off the ship. Learn more about June’s Baltic Treasures cruise at www.untalumni.com/travel_opportunities.php or contact the association at alumni@unt.edu or 940-565-2834. To join the association or learn more, visit www.untalumni.com, email alumni@unt.edu or call 940-565-2834.

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Supporting Veterans

UNT’s reputation for military friendly service grows while veterans’ contributions continue

by Jessica DeLeÓn

Jim Nicholson (’55) first came to North Texas in 1948 as a business major. Then, he experienced three harrowing years as a soldier in the Korean War, fighting in a battle that eventually earned him a Silver Star for bravery. When he returned to campus in 1952, his war experiences made him realize that life was short and he wanted to achieve his dream of being a doctor. “There was nothing more important than doing what you wanted to do,” he says. In the same way UNT helped Nicholson fulfill his dream, the university’s reputation for excellence in serving veterans and their families is today drawing increasing numbers of the military community to campus. For two consecutive years, G.I. Jobs magazine has named UNT one of the top military friendly schools in the nation. And Military Times EDGE magazine has twice named the university a Best for Vets school, with categories including financial assistance, academic flexibility, campus culture and support services. More than 2,500 members of the military community and their families attend UNT, and the number is expected to grow. To better serve these students, the university has created services specifically for them. They can get advice at the Veterans Center, join their peers at the Student Veterans Association and receive counseling through the Disability and Well-being Consortium. Students also can join the Salute Honor Society for veterans or Omega Delta Sigma, the co-ed veterans fraternity. Other services include faculty and staff training in military sensitivity and a textbook loan program in case of delays in military benefits. Through the years, UNT veterans have made an impact — whether on the battlefield or back on campus.

Honoring valor

Nicholson had a hell of a night. On April 22, 1951 — with a Browning Automatic Rifle that kept jamming — he helped fight off hundreds of Chinese soldiers who attacked his 39-man platoon in the treacherous mountains of North Korea. Toward morning, his 35-year-old sergeant ran straight into the Chinese, shooting soldiers one at a time. “By that time, the world had come to an end,” Nicholson says. “No one thought we could ever survive.” Nicholson threw down his rifle and ran out to his sergeant. But it was too

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Wanda applied for his Purple Heart, but he never got around to getting the Silver Star. At a reunion in 2000, his wartime buddies remarked that he wasn’t wearing that medal and ended up applying for him. Nicholson, who wrote about his wartime experiences in the book George3-7th Marines: A Brief Glimpse Through Time of a Group of Young Marines (Trafford Publishing), received his Silver Star this summer in a ceremony at Rockwall with 350 people in attendance. “If they had given it to me when I was 20, I would have said, ‘Gee, that’s nice,’” he says. But, having three generations of family watch him receive it made him proud. “It just worked so much better."

late. The man went down. Nicholson tried to get him to safety, but he bled to death. So Nicholson retrieved his weapon, and he and the other soldiers fired as fast as they could until daylight. Most of them were able to escape. Nicholson, who fought in five major campaigns, faced another danger six months later when he was wounded at Heartbreak Ridge and had to be operated on in a rice paddy. Although he was eligible for the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his heroics, he never applied for the honors. “I was busy,” he says. He’s not kidding. After he returned to campus in 1952, he changed his major to pre-medicine and took courses while working several jobs. He saved his G.I. Bill money for studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he earned his medical degree in 1959. He then opened a family practice in Greenville, where he delivered 2,000 babies over the years and raised his family of four daughters with his wife, Wanda.

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Post-war fellowship

Helping out military members has long been a UNT tradition. At the end of World War II, the campus created Vet Village, a group of homes for veterans and their families that included a cooperative grocery and a playground for children. The homes ushered in married and graduate student housing on campus. When the first permanent union

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building was finished in 1949 — rebuilt from an Army Service Center moved in from Camp Bowie — it was dedicated as the Student Memorial Union Building, honoring former students who had served in the world wars. And beginning in the 1940s and continuing through the next decades, returning military members could join Gamma Iota Chi, known as GIX. Kenneth M. Branscome (’57), who lived with about 30 other veterans in the GIX house, remembers flying over campus in his airplane and using the loudspeaker to campaign for the GIX Homecoming Queen candidate. (She won.) Branscome, a math major who later earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering and worked in that field most of his life, served eight years in the Marine Corps, seeing combat in the Korean War and rising to the rank of captain. He came to North Texas on the G.I. Bill, which he says made a big difference for him. He still communicates nearly every day with one of the men he befriended

Nicholas Ricco

in GIX. “We had a lot of fellowship,” he says.

A place of their own

Kris Khastehdel began his coursework at UNT in 2000, but he didn’t concentrate on his studies like he thought he should. So he joined the U.S. Army in 2004. “I wanted a change of scenery,” Khastehdel says. “I wanted something to give me guidance and direction. Everything I wanted, I got.” He completed two tours in Iraq, climbing to the rank of staff sergeant and squad leader. In 2009, the senior construction engineering technology major returned to UNT with more focus and the help of the university’s services. He began working at the Veterans Center as a student leader and peer mentor, also becoming active in the Student Veterans Association. “It allows me to talk about things in military lingo, and they understand it,” says Khastehdel, who is the association’s president and continues to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve. At the Veterans Center in the

all while establishing careers in real estate and finance. At UNT, Ricco contributes to the Maj. Gen. Olinto Mark Barsanti Endowed Chair in Military History, named after one of the most decorated veterans in history. The professorship is part of the Military History Center, which aims to become the premier destination in the nation for the study of military history and includes an annual seminar and journal dedicated to the subject. Ricco, who returned to UNT in 2001 for graduate studies in journalism, also is a major supporter of the Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism and the nationally acclaimed Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. He serves as a member of the College of Music and Mayborn School of Journalism advisory boards and is a past member of the College of Business advisory board. “I like doing things that make a difference,” he says. And that continues with the next generation. Khastehdel, who is expected to graduate in May 2013, says he takes satisfaction in helping his peers at the Veterans Center. “It all goes back to when I first got my stripes,” he says. “You become a leader, and you’re no longer a follower.”

University Union, student veterans hang out, watch TV or meet for tutoring. They also seek advice on financial aid and other issues. Tosha Ducker, an emergency administration student who served eight years in the U.S. Navy and now serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve, enjoys being a peer mentor to the veterans. “It’s an instant home for vets,” she says. “Everyone is pretty amazing here.”

Giving back

Finding ways to serve after returning to civilian life is a common trait for veterans. Nicholas Ricco (’61) came to campus in 1959 after serving seven years in the U.S. Air Force. During the first semester, he commuted to Denton three times a week while his family — which included four children — lived in Waco. He continued to fly with the Air Force Reserve for five years after graduating, then transferred to the Navy Reserve, retiring as commander after 12 years —

Learn more about how UNT’s Veterans Center and other programs are making a difference for members of the military community and their families at www.unt.edu/veterans.

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Discover fresh perspectives and cultural illumination at UNT. This winter, UNT warms things up with distinguished lectures and unique performances that encourage critical thinking and inspire new ways of viewing the world. Join us for this enriching exploration of ideas.

Distinguished Lecture Series: John Legend Grammy Award-winning artist, philanthropist and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People 7 p.m. Feb. 7 UNT Coliseum studentaffairs.unt.edu

Equity and Diversity Conference

Dan Savage, author and creator of the It Gets Better Project

Christopher Staton 2010

10 a.m. Feb. 7 Silver Eagle Suite — University Union edo.unt.edu

Nick Cave: Herd 2011-12 artist-in-residence for UNT’s Institute for the Advancement of the Arts

Exhibition Feb. 24-March 24 UNT on the Square — 109 N. Elm St. in Denton untonthesquare.unt.edu

Performance 5:30 p.m. March 12 and 12:30 p.m. March 13 — Willis Library north lawn James Prinz, courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery

Fine Arts Series: Henry Rollins Grammy Award-winning spoken word artist, musician, author and actor 8 p.m. March 3 Winspear Performance Hall — Murchison Performing Arts Center www.unt.edu/fas

Find more information and events:

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Dance and Theatre

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Books

THIN LINE FILM FEST Denton festival screens documentaries, mockumentaries and ‘docu-fiction’ from filmmakers around the world Feb. 10-19.

Read more about Joshua Butler and the challenges of running a film fest at northtexan.unt.edu/thinline2012.

THE THIN LINE FILM FEST WILL CELEBRATE its fifth year this February with about 75 films screened on the Denton square. The only documentary festival in the state, it was created in 2007 by Texas Filmmakers, an educational nonprofit organization and resource for media makers founded by Joshua Butler (’06) when he was a radio/television/film student at UNT. Butler, who expects to screen more than 250 submissions this year, was inspired by Ben Levin’s class on cinema vérité. “The name Thin Line comes from the idea that documentaries are both fact and fiction,” Butler says, “and it’s up to the viewer to determine what is real.”

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Muse Books River Music Ann McCutchan, associate professor of creative writing, takes readers on a journey along the Atchafalaya River Basin in Louisiana in her latest book, River Music: An Atchafalaya Story (Texas A&M University Press). McCutchan focuses on musician Earl Robicheaux, who records the sounds of nature and animals in North America’s largest rainforest during a time he endures cancer, Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater

Horizon explosion and oil spill. This is McCutchan’s fourth book, which includes a CD of Robicheaux’s work. Also this year, she released her third book, a collection of personal essays titled Circular Breathing: Meditations From a Musical Life (Sunstone Press).

Presidents and media Breaking Through the Noise: Presidential Leadership, Public Opinion and the News Media (Stanford University Press) discusses how modern presidents use media strategies, ranging from national television addresses to local news coverage

of their domestic travel, to influence the media’s agenda and, through it, the public. Authors Matthew EshbaughSoha, UNT associate professor of political science, and Jeffrey S. Peake, professor of political science at Clemson University, offer a new look at presidential leadership of the media and the public. They argue that presidents may primarily communicate their policy priorities through news coverage, attempting to “break through the noise” not to change public opinion but to change what issues the public considers important. They also consider how the public and the media affect the president in return.

Civil rights A significant but largely ignored episode in the civil rights movement of the 1960s is covered in Arsnick: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Arkansas (University of Arkansas Press). The book is edited by Jennifer Jensen Wallach, UNT assistant professor of history, and John A. Kirk, chair and Donaghey Professor of History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In October 1962, the national SNCC arrived in Little Rock to organize a series of demonstrations that led to the desegregation of most of the public and

Happily Ever After What happens after the last page of a fairy tale? Cody Lucas (’10) took a dark and twisted look in his play, Happily Ever After, which earned an invitation to the New York International Fringe Festival in August. More than 200 companies from around the world perform at the event — the largest multi-arts festival in North America. All 11 cast and crew members of the play — performed by Denton’s Sundown Collaborative Theatre — are current or former UNT students. “To take this on a national stage is a huge deal for us,” says Tashina Richardson, who plays Rapunzel. “We are still a young company, and this gave us the opportunity for our voices to get out there more.” They were scheduled for five performances — getting a few stares as they rode on the subway in full costume to their shows — but Hurricane Irene forced the cancellation of the last two. The New York debut garnered critical praise, with NYTheatre.com calling it “true ensemble theater” with “multi-talented, malleable performers.” Olivia de Guzman Emile (’03), who plays the toy piano, dances and stars as Sleeping Beauty, majored in musical theatre at UNT with a concentration in acting. She studied directing, stage management and set and costume design. “Everything I do, I can say I do because I got my degree in theatre from UNT,” says de Guzman Emile, who also owns Denton’s Art Six coffee house and gallery. Others in the all-UNT cast and crew include George Ferrie, Travis Stuebing, Natalie Taylor, Zane Harris (’07), Candace Cockerham (’09), Patrick Emile, and current students Aaron Sanchez and Nick Ross. “It’s validation to get into the festival,” says Lucas, Sundown artistic director who also directed and starred as Jack. “And it was nice to be with our peers from all over the world doing the same type of theatre. It felt comfortable.”

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International Adobe awards An iPad app for diabetes camp won senior communication design major Brady Jackson international recognition and an inside look at his future career. The app Jackson designed allows users to virtually donate a sugar-free treat to a camp for youth with diabetes. It was one of three finalists from 4,600 submissions in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards’ mobile design category. As a result, Jackson was invited to attend the International Design Alliance Congress in October in Taipei, Taiwan, and his work was shown at the Taipei expo. Jackson visited two design studios and saw the IDA Congress in action. “We gained insight from some of the world’s top designers,” he says. “It was a great jump out of the classroom and a view into the real world of the design industry.” To see Jackson’s entry, visit www.bradyjackson.adaagallery.com. Printmaking associate professor Lari Gibbons earned an honorable mention in the competition for her work — creating a printing surface from Adobe software and a computer numerically controlled router that can be used in letterpresses. Her innovation allows printmakers to create work if they don’t have or can’t find specific equipment or tools.

Upcoming Events

Exhibits featured in the UNT Art Gallery this spring include Collections, Cultures and Collaborations Series Fifth Anniversary: Celebrating the College of Visual Arts and Design Permanent Collection, Jan. 17-Feb. 11 with an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Jan. 19. Dust and Distance, a site-specific installation in the gallery by visual artist Jill Downen, will be on display Feb. 23-March 24 with an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Feb. 23. Visit gallery.unt.edu for more information. The Places & Spaces: Mapping Science exhibit continues through Jan. 24, except for university holidays, at Discovery Park, 3940 N. Elm St. in Denton. UNT is the first Texas host of

private facilities in the city. Volunteers also set up projects across the Arkansas Delta to help empower people to take a stand against racial discrimination. Wallach and Kirk provide articles on the SNCC’s activities in Arkansas, firsthand testimonies and key historical documents.

Dance and Theatre Faustian tale The Devil’s Sonata, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24-25 and 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Studio Theatre, is a retelling of the Faustian tale in which the devil offers composer Giuseppe Tartini a beautiful piece of music — “La Sonata Del Diavolo in G Minor.” Director Brian Hill, a senior theatre major, originally staged the production in Chicago in 2002.

“The story is not merely a brilliant piece of historical fiction but it turns the Faustian story upside down,” Hill says. “How many of us have cried out to God, pled for mercy, or searched for answers in our grief? How odd to have these very human experiences voiced through the role of Satan. But it works.” Hill adds that audiences will like the play because of how the writing and the design concept engages them in the story. “The fact that we will have a violinist playing live on stage will certainly have an impact on how the audience sees this particular piece,” he says. Call 940-565-2428 or visit danceandtheatre.unt.edu for ticket information.

the traveling 10-year exhibit, which is unveiling 10 new maps each year for a total of 100 maps by 2014. UNT hosts the world premiere of the seventh iteration of maps, “Science Maps as Visual Interfaces to Digital Libraries” (“MACE Classification Taxonomy” by Moritz Stefaner is pictured). For more information, visit mappingscience.unt.edu. A full production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with the UNT Opera and Concert Orchestra is scheduled at 8 p.m. March 2 and 9 and at 3 p.m. March 4 and 11 in the Lyric Theater at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. For ticket information, visit www.thempac.com or call 940-369-7802 beginning Jan. 23. Check music.unt.edu/calendar for the College of Music’s full spring schedule. The Department of Dance and Theatre presents Reefer Madness, a satire of a 1936 cult classic anti-marijuana propaganda film, at 7:30 p.m. March 29-31 and at 2 p.m. March 31-April 1 in the University Theatre. For ticket information, visit danceandtheatre. unt.edu or call the box office this spring at 940-565-2428. Visit calendar.unt.edu for more upcoming events.

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For ticket information for Legend, visit studentaffairs.unt.edu (follow the “Distinguished Lecture Series” link). For tickets for Rollins, visit www.thempac.com beginning Jan. 23.

Music Guest bassist

Grammy-winning bassist John Clayton will perform with the One O’Clock Lab Band and work with students when he serves as guest artist for the Glenn E. Gomez International Artists Endowment for Jazz Studies residency March 5-8.

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Clayton served as the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s artistic director of jazz for two years and conducted and composed music for numerous musicians, including Quincy Jones, Queen Latifah and Diana Krall. He will perform at 8 p.m. March 8 in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. For ticket information, visit www.thempac.com or call 940369-7802 beginning Jan. 23.

Prestigious shows Vocalists at UNT are traveling east for some prestigious performances. The UNT Jazz Singers, the College of Music’s premier vocal jazz ensemble,

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Prague performance Stephen Morscheck, assistant professor of vocal studies, performed at an award dinner in October in Prague, Czech Republic. The dinner honored the dedication of a statue of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson that had been destroyed by the Nazis and featured the inaugural presentation of the Masaryk/Wilson Peace and Democracy Award. Thomas Sovik, professor of music theory and director of Central European studies and exchanges for the College of Music, recommended Morscheck to the American Friends of the Czech Republic, which organized the event. Morscheck sang three selections — two in Czech and one in English.

“It was a very beautiful evening and wonderful to learn about the important role President Wilson played in the history of the Czech Republic,” he says. Morscheck also sang the role of Christ in a performance of St. Matthew Passion at the St. Denis Festival in July in Paris.

Television and Film International award

Joshua Spires

UNT continues its tradition of attracting acclaimed speakers when two Grammy Awardwinners visit campus this spring. Philanthropist and R&B singer John Legend, right, will speak as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the UNT Coliseum. Best known for such songs as “Ordinary People” and “Green Light,” he has worked with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, and his most recent work, 2010’s Wake Up!, is a collaboration with The Roots. Time named Legend one of its 100 Most Influential People in 2009. Spoken word artist, musician, author and actor Henry Rollins will speak as part of the Fine Arts Series at 8 p.m. March 3 at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. Rollins often tells anecdotes about his life in a punk band — he was the lead singer for Black Flag and the Rollins Band — or spouts his opinion on serious topics. He is working on a series for the National Geographic TV channel.

headed to Washington, D.C., in November to make its Kennedy Center debut and to perform with the Grammy-winning group The Manhattan Transfer. Under the direction of Jennifer Barnes, the Jazz Singers performed on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage Nov. 19 and the next day joined The Manhattan Transfer and Howard University’s Afro Blue in the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall with famed jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks. This spring, UNT opera students have been invited to perform in New York at the annual gala concert for the Center for Contemporary Opera — the leading proponent of new opera in the U.S. The gala is scheduled for March 15 at the National Arts Club in New York City.

Joshua Spires’ (’11) cinematography for a short feature assigned in a film class last spring has taken him from Caddo Lake — where the feature was shot — to France, where he will attend an international film festival. Students in the Advanced Film class taught by Eugene Martin, assistant professor of radio, television and film, made The Whale, which tells the story of an abused 10-year-old boy who fantasizes about living on the other side of the lake from his house. Spires, along with writer and director Jaime Chapin (’11) and other classmates, successfully raised money to shoot on location. For his work on the film, Spires won the 2011 U.S. National Kodak Film School Cinematography Competition in the S8/S16 National Competition category, then went on to

advance and win the Americas regional competition. The prize includes a trip to the 2012 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. Spires currently works as a video production associate at Houston’s First Baptist Church and as a freelance cinematographer.

Visual Arts Fashion donation

Gary Payne

The Texas Fashion Collection has expanded its international holdings thanks to a donation from former Pan Am flight

attendant Joy Losee. The 27 outfits, acquired by Losee on her travels and as gifts from friends, include an Afghan burka, Nubian dresses, Middle Eastern abayas, a Turkish caftan and a Thai temple dancer’s costume. The clothes represent traditional garments from northern Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Central America and the Pacific, providing a look into the lives of women of other cultures. The Texas Fashion Collection has preserved and documented more than 18,000 items of historically significant fashion, with strong holdings in postWorld War II western European and American designer pieces.

Laying the Foundation A new exhibition titled Laying the Foundation: UNT Art Faculty,

1890-1970, explores the roots of UNT’s visual arts program by looking at works from early faculty members. The exhibition is on display through Feb. 11 at UNT on the Square. “I have wanted to do something like this for a very long time,” says D. Jack Davis, Professor Emeritus of art who retired this summer after 40 years at UNT, including several years as dean. “We wouldn’t be where we are today had we not had these faculty members building the program.” Among the artists included are Martha Simkins, who taught at North Texas from 1901 to 1906; Cora Stafford, a legendary figure in the program who taught from 1921 to 1964; Carlos Merida, the world-renowned Guatemalan painter; and Gyorgy Kepes, an

experimental photographer from Germany’s Bauhaus. For information, visit untonthesquare.unt.edu.

Young Gun The chalk lettering artwork of Dana Tanamachi (’07) has earned her the honor of being named a “Young Gun” by the New York Art Director’s Club. The club honors emerging artists from around the world ages 30 and younger representing all disciplines, based on their portfolios. Tanamachi works in New York as a full-time letterer and has been commissioned by clients such as Ralph Lauren and Google. She recently collaborated with the modern furniture company, West Elm, to produce its 2011 holiday catalog and in-store wall art at locations nationwide.

Theodora

Handel’s oratorio Theodora marks the latest in a series of collaborations between UNT’s early music studies program and Graeme Jenkins, music director of the Dallas Opera. UNT and Jenkins began presenting Handel’s oratorios in 2001, working with groups across the region. The performances are accompanied by an orchestra using period instruments. “It’s always an exciting challenge to put such a big production together in its authentic setting,” says Paul Leenhouts, director of early music studies and the Baroque Orchestra. UNT’s program is one of the largest and most esteemed early music programs in the country with more than 70 students, 250 period instruments and a variety of small and large ensembles. Jenkins will conduct Theodora, bringing together groups such as the Baroque practice. The oratorio was only performed three times in 1750 because of an earthquake in London the week before the premiere, Leenhouts says. “But Theodora was Handel’s favorite oratorio, which the composer himself ranked higher than his Messiah,” he says. The oratorio will premiere at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at UNT’s Murchison Performing Arts Center. Ruth Smith, a University of Cambridge expert on Handel’s work, will speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Murchison’s Instrumental Rehearsal Room. The concert also will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. Smith lectures at Hamon Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Michael Clements

Orchestra and Collegium Singers along with leading vocal soloists skilled in performance

In collaboration with the UNT early music studies program, Dallas Opera Music Director Graeme Jenkins conducts the 2009 performance of Handel’s oratorio Saul. The 2012 collaboration, Theodora, will be performed at UNT Feb. 23 and in Dallas Feb. 24.

For tickets, visit www.thempac.com or call 940-369-7802 beginning Jan. 23 for the Denton performance, and www.attpac.org or 214-880-0202 for the Dallas performance. Winter 2011

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hen a frail 8-year-old girl’s pneumonia became a dangerous infection, Benjamin Olsson (’99), left — a pediatric critical care physician at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas — began treatment in the middle of the night, after her long day of surgery. But she began having seizures, and a blood clot in her brain caused a stroke. Her lungs were severely injured, so Olsson quickly placed her on a ventilator. He then walked into the waiting room to break the news to the parents. And as the little girl’s dad, an NFL lineman more than 6 feet tall and 300 pounds, slept in the small waiting room chair by his daughter’s bed night after night, Olsson’s dedication to the girl only grew. “Using my skills to save children’s lives is great,” he says. “But it also is important that I’m bedside talking to families when their child is sick or even dying. I want to care for the entire family.”

Saving lives, discovering cures and educating communities for healthier living by RANDeNA HUlsTrAND

“I was interested in how and why they develop,” he says. Ramos, whose mother emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico before he was born, studied biology at UNT. His curiosity for nature was fostered by the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which offers undergraduates firsthand research experience and encourages first-generation or underrepresented students to prepare for doctoral study. “I applied to UNT because I knew

Olsson and other UNT alumni are some of the best trained physicians, researchers and health educators around because of the solid start in science and research they got at UNT. Some use their comprehensive undergraduate educations to go on to the finest medical and graduate schools in the country. For others, UNT is the destination for research. They are drawn by state-of-the-art facilities and lab spaces that encourage interdisciplinary and

I applied to UNT because I knew it was a place where I could do real research. — Edward Ramos (’97) it was a place where I could do real research,” he says. Ramos earned a master’s degree in biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology and a doctorate in genetics from Penn State. He continued on to Johns Hopkins for a National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellowship studying the role of insulator proteins in higher-order chromatin organization, which may help treat diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. “The hallmark of a cancer cell is a bizarre organization of chromosomes, a big black box we don’t understand,” he says. “I’m interested in how genes turn on and off, and what controls that regulation.” At Johns Hopkins, he also discovered the impact of his own experiences on other ethnic minority students. “I was approached by some Hispanic undergraduates who felt out of place and were looking for help with real-life experiences so they could assimilate into graduate school,” he says.

collaborative study. And they are eager to work alongside world-renowned faculty researchers developing software to improve colonoscopies, using light for diagnosis of oral cancer tissues, putting nanophotonics to use for bone repair and drug delivery, exploring plant signaling mechanisms in search of cancer treatments and developing techniques to prevent noise-induced hearing loss from music overexposure. These UNT experiences inspire students who in turn use their talents to discover new therapies or raise awareness about diseases that plague the world. As compassionate mentors, educators and volunteers, these alumni play important roles in their communities and in individual lives.

In the lab Edward Ramos’ (’97) first lab was his small family farm in South Texas, where he raised poultry and pigs and observed nature. He was intrigued by the natural order of genetics in plants and animals.

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This led him to co-found MInDS (Mentoring to Inspire Diversity in Science), an organization dedicated to the recruitment and retention of minorities and women in science. He also co-coordinated a program aimed at exposing high school students to biological research. Now a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University, Ramos mentors inner-city school children in Atlanta, bringing them to his lab to learn about research inspired by his own work. “It makes me happy to expose kids to the lab and my research,” he says. “We still don’t have a cure for cancer, but during the last 10 years, we’ve made progress with drug discoveries to slow the disease down. We’re moving in the right direction.” At UNT, investments in collaborative, multidisciplinary research clusters also are leading the way to new discoveries that may help solve some of the largest medical problems of our time. Members of the Developmental Integrative Biology cluster are using the new state-of-the-art Life Sciences Complex for research in developmental physiology, genomics and the interactions of genes and their environment. Pudur Jagadeeswaran, a professor of biological sciences using zebrafish as a model for prostate cancer research, is one of the first researchers in the country to use the fish to model human disease. His lab — one of the largest zebrafish facilities in the nation — offers valuable learning opportunities for students. “Zebrafish also are an ideal model to use in studying various types of blood diseases,” says Seongcheol Kim, a research assistant professor who came from Korea to study and work with “Dr. Jag.” “He is my mentor, not just my employer,” Kim says.

Bryan Meltz/Emory University

Postdoctoral fellow Edward Ramos (’97), in his genetics lab at the Rollins Research Center at Emory University, studies chromosome organization to better understand cancer cells.

A good experiment Sharon Y.R. Dent (’80) also has spent her career trying to uncover the mystery of cancer cells, teaching other researchers along the way. She was a biochemistry undergraduate who knew that she wanted to teach science. But she discovered the excitement of research while learning how to spot her first paper chromatogram, identifying substances of compounds in her campus job as a lab tech assistant. “It took me hours to do, but I loved every minute of it,” she says. “It was a turning point for me.” Dent was a member of the Honors Program, which she says helped her develop camaraderie with other like-minded students and introduced her to a broad education.

“When I first started at UNT, I didn’t know what graduate school was,” she says. “But working in the lab opened my eyes to the possibilities.” Dent earned a doctoral degree from Rice University, and today, is a professor and J. Ralph Meadows Chair of the Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis and director of the Center of Cancer at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Science Park at Smithville. The Dent Laboratory, under her supervision since 1993, is making strides in cancer research, examining the role of chromatin and chromatinmodifying proteins in regulating cellular processes. She says that every cell has the same blueprint, the DNA genome, but different cells read it differently. Winter 2011

“We’re helping to better understand how cancer develops and providing new avenues for different therapies,” she says. “But one of the best parts of my job is the science. I love a good experiment.” At UNT, getting students excited about research includes providing them with opportunities for exchange. David Chi, a student in UNT’s Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science — an accelerated residential program for gifted teens who complete their first two years of college while earning their high school diplomas — aspires to be a physician. In November, he presented his research on health care barriers faced by the Dallas-Fort Worth homeless population at the North American Primary Care Research Group conference in Banff, Alberta. |

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Gary Payne Courtesy of Oscar Sosa/U.S. Navy

Above: Sharon Y.R. Dent (’80), professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, works in her lab at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Science Park in Smithville. Below: Lt. Michael Kavanaugh (’05,’08 M.S.) speaks to school children in Guyana about mosquitoes that carry infectious diseases, during a Continuing Promise 2010 community service event.

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“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with students and faculty alike in an interdisciplinary manner,” says Chi, president of TAMS’ medical society. “ It’s exciting to be able to share my ideas with professionals in a field I am very passionate about.”

A bug for bugs Michael Kavanaugh (’05, ’08 M.S.), a medical entomologist in the U.S. Navy, worked in Jim Kennedy’s biological sciences lab at UNT as an undergraduate. There, he got the bug for bugs. A disease vector specialist now engaged in world health education and protecting military personnel from infectious diseases, Kavanaugh was a McNair Scholar at UNT, where he developed an interest in vertebrates and published research about storm drains that influence mosquito densities and potential human exposure to arboviruses. “As an undergraduate, I was given master’s level research and opportunities to lead projects and present at national symposiums,” he says. After earning his master’s in biology and serving in Afghanistan, Kavanaugh began volunteering for Continuing Promise 2010, a group of military and civilian volunteers who bring medical and engineering services to communities that need it most. He’s worked in South and Central America providing medical treatment, education and public health services. “I study a wide range of diseasecarrying insects, pests that can infest facilities and ships, and provide guidance on proper pesticide use,” he says. He’s also helping to protect national security by monitoring against vectorborne diseases entering the continental United States. “By instituting control strategies,” he says, “we prevent populations from large outbreaks of disease.”

Grassroots education

to help teach people how to change behaviors to prevent and minimize the disease,” she says. “These are real outcomes.”

While UNT’s alumni are making important global medical impacts, they also are affecting the daily lives of people in their own communities. Elizabeth Wagner Carter (’74), who was elected president of the JPS Health Network staff in Fort Worth, holds a faculty position in JPS’ Department of Family Medicine, training future family practice physicians. Carter also oversees physician quality and quality improvement programs. “Learning how to better prevent falls and infections is proactive, ground-

Community care In 1992, Bridgeport’s community hospital closed after serving the Wise County community for more than 50 years. But in 2008, Shawn White (’90), a family physician, and Steven Longacre (’92), an emergency care physician, pooled their medical expertise with 10 other physicians to open North Texas Community Hospital there. The

We’re helping to better understand how cancer develops and providing new avenues for different kinds of therapies. — Sharon Y.R. Dent (’80) changing behavior for physicians,” says Carter, who also sees patients and specializes in acupuncture and geriatrics. Her major in social work laid the groundwork for her career as a physician. Carter spent some time as a field social worker for child welfare and nursing homes before attending medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. “In addition to learning good interviewing skills and how to connect with people, I have an understanding of real poverty and social issues,” she says. This perspective guides Carter in community projects on colon cancer and diabetes screening. As the lead for collaborative work through the state of Texas and the UNT Health Science Center’s Community Health Worker Program, she’s educating at the grassroots level about diabetes. “By going into churches, recreation centers, schools and homes, we’re able

Winter 2011

nonprofit community hospital serves the general medical and surgical needs of the county. The two doctors, friends since high school, now run the 52-bed hospital with services ranging from diagnostic care, physical rehabilitation and women’s health to surgical and emergency care. “After I had a rough first semester of college, Steve was responsible for reinvigorating my scholarly endeavors,” White says. “He introduced me to Jean Schaake, the pre-med advisor, and got me involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-med honor society, which we became officers of in each of our senior years. This was key to helping me navigate college and I learned that science was dynamic rather than static.” While at UNT, White not only studied science with his friend, he also met his wife, Debbie White (’89). She is the hospital’s human resources director.

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such as cranial facial deformities, infections, seizures, diseases, drug overdoses and drowning accidents. He discovered his interest in medicine as an undergraduate at UNT. “I wanted to study music, but I fell in love with my science classes,” says Olsson, who was a member of UNT’s basketball band. “A light switch went on, and I took off. The environment at UNT made it one of the most meaningful times of my life.” Olsson pursued his interest in the sciences with the help of faculty mentors and worked on a research project in his physiology class growing

White attended UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed a residency at JPS Hospital in Fort Worth. Longacre attended medical school at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, completing his residency at Palmetto Richland Hospital in Columbia, S.C. “UNT absolutely prepared me for medical school and the real world,” Longacre says. “In addition to the curriculum, the pre-med advisory committee primed us with pre-interviews so we knew what to expect.” He and White come back to campus each year to talk to and inspire current UNT pre-med students. Since opening the hospital in 2008, they have seen more than 200 patients each week. “In November, I delivered my 1,000th baby in Wise County,” White says. “That little girl is the fifth generation of one of the families I’ve had the privilege to care for.” Longacre agrees that the need he fulfills for their county is rewarding. “People in the street say thank you for the care I’ve provided,” he says. “I’m part of a community.”

Center’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is the only osteopathic medical school in Texas and is ranked as one of the top for primary care. Olsson discovered a natural fit in pediatrics as he and his wife, Lara Olsson (’98), adopted his niece while he was still in medical school. He completed his residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, followed by a fellowship at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. He has used hiaas training to focus on care that makes a difference. After three weeks of diligent treatment, Olsson’s stroke patient was taken off of

We’re able to teach people how to change behaviors to prevent and minimize disease. — Elizabeth Wagner Carter (’74) neurons on glass plates. When suffering from early symptoms of diabetes as a student, he visited the campus Health Center under the care of Daniel Forrer and gained insight into the philosophy of osteopathic medicine. “I became intrigued with the notion of the body as a whole,” Olsson says, adding that Forrer encouraged him to apply to the UNT Health Science

Circle of life The community Olsson is a part of is mostly made up of children. He treats kids of all ages suffering from conditions that become life threatening,

the ventilator and slowly started gaining enough strength to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Now, Olsson serves on the board of directors of her father’s foundation to assist families who have children in pediatric intensive care units with severe illness. “Often we can help turn kids around and see them walk out of here,” he says. “For me, that’s the best part.”

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Learn about Deborah Jones’ (’96 M.A, ’98 Ph.D.) research on AIDS and her HIV prevention education in Africa and India, and Courtesy of Deborah Jones

other alumni who are making a difference as pioneering phyisicians

and researchers at northtexan.unt.edu/deborahjones. Watch a video of Lt. Michael Kavanaugh (’05, ’08 M.S.) teaching about the health hazards of mosquitoes at northtexan.unt.edu/online.

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Gary Payne Gary Payne

Above: Elizabeth Wagner Carter (’74), president of the JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, trains future family medicine practitioners. Below: Physicians Stevaaen Longacre (’92) and Shawn White (’90) helped open North Texas Community Hospital in Bridgeport in 2008. The nonprofit hospital serves the medical and surgical needs of Wise County.

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Johnny Quinn

by Leslie Wimmer

hether he’s training with Team USA Bobsled with an eye toward the Olympics or expanding his business into Europe, Johnny Quinn (’06) is focused on the future. Growing up in McKinney, Quinn knew he wanted to play professional football one day. In his senior year of high school, he led the state of Texas in receptions. He came to UNT in August 2002, and his success as a student-athlete led to his induction in UNT’s Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. Quinn is the all-time leading receiver in the history of Mean Green football with 2,718 yards and ranks third in all-purpose yards with 3,835. He was a three-time all-conference selection from 2004 to 2006. “I’m very fortunate and blessed,” Quinn says, adding that many people aren’t aware of his experiences with UNT track and field. “I walked onto the track and field team and that was really humbling for me, because the first two years I took last place in every event I ran in. It helped me learn to run, though, and competing in the spring really set me up well for football season.” After graduating, Quinn played for the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers. He later spent a year with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League but was cut after injuring his knee in the last game of the 2009 regular season. His injury didn’t slow him down. Less than a year later, he was invited to Salt Lake City to try out bobsledding once

The Mean Green’s all-time leading receiver followed up his record-breaking college career with a stint in the pros and founded a company to help young athletes. Now the new UNT Hall of Famer is thinking about Russia in 2014.

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team trials had concluded. But one of the brakemen at the trials was over the weight limit, so Quinn instead flew to Lake Placid, N.Y., the night before the four-man trials. “My first push ever was on ice. My team finished third and I’ve been bobsledding ever since,” says Quinn, who has been sliding in Switzerland, Italy, Austria, France, Canada and Germany, as well as the U.S. He says if he can continue to afford the sport, he plans to compete for a spot on the 2014 Olympic team. When he isn’t barreling down an icy course, Quinn works as the founder and president of The Athlete Watch, giving young athletes a web-based platform to market themselves to colleges. “The passion behind The Athlete Watch is to help kids who have the hopes, dreams and desires of playing at the next level, just like I did,” Quinn says. The company provides the athletes with a profile containing their academic, athletic and personal information, sports action photos, and the option of video content. They can then take their profile and get in contact with universities nationwide. The company is based in McKinney and also has locations in Kentucky and Wisconsin. In September, it expanded into the U.K. UNT Athletic Director Rick Villarreal says Quinn’s leadership qualities and positive attitude at UNT truly stood out. “In addition to being one of the most dedicated and hard-working athletes I have had the pleasure to work with in my career, he was a very conscientious and successful student,” Villarreal says. Today, Quinn is putting that dedication toward his bobsledding career. “We’ve got three years until the Olym pics, so a lot can happen,” he says. “I have to continue to improve as a push athlete, and if I do that, I will have a chance to make the team. That’s all you really want as an athlete, that chance.”

Jonathan Reynolds

Johnny Quinn (’06) McKinney Degree in: Criminal justice with an emphasis on pre-law

Born in: Harrisburg, Pa., but my family

Idea behind The Athlete Watch:

What a bobsled run is like:

When I was in high school, my

You’re getting thrown around the

Most memorable UNT game:

family was under the impression

sled and getting buried into it in

The 2004 home game versus the

that if you have the game stats, if

high-pressure turns, pulling up to

University of Idaho. That night,

you have the film and you score

4 to 5 G’s. Personally, I get motion

Jamario Thomas (’08) set the

the touchdowns, you’re going to

sickness, so I have to ride with my

single-game rushing record,

get scholarships. Well, that’s just

eyes closed so I don’t throw up.

offensively everyone played

not how it works. You have to be

lights out and we clinched our

pro-active and market yourself.

moved to McKinney when I was 6, so I’m pretty much Texan.

It’s like a controlled car crash.

Visit northtexan.unt.

fourth consecutive Sun Belt title

edu/online for more of

and fourth New Orleans Bowl bid.

Quinn’s answers.

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Gary Payne

The Incredible Scrappy Homecoming 2011 takes alumni to new adventures.

Filled with excitement, friends and fun, October’s Homecoming week kicked off with a campus pep rally and included the Golden Eagles reminiscing about 1961 and Willis Library celebrating its 40th birthday. After dancing to the Aces of Collegeland and gathering for the Spirit March and parade, alumni tailgated, reunited and celebrated at UNT’s Apogee Stadium in thrilling Mean Green style. This year’s theme — “The Incredible Scrappy” — brought tradition and spirit to new superhero heights as the Mean Green prevailed against the University of Louisiana-Monroe, 38-21.

View a Homecoming photo gallery, watch a video of the Golden Eagles reunion and the pep rally, and post your own Homecoming stories, photos or videos at northtexan.unt. edu/homecoming-2011. The

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Left: The Green Brigade marches in the Homecoming parade. Right: Mean Green players pat “Spiriki,” the bronze eagle, before the game. Middle row: From left, spirited fans cheer at UNT’s Apogee Stadium; band members show their pride during the campus pep rally.

Jonathan Reynolds

Bottom row: From left, Scrappy mingles with the cheerleaders at the pep rally near the stadium; the Homecoming Queen and King are crowned; alums and students gather for the Spirit March.

Jonathan Reynolds

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Upcoming Alumni Gatherings

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Legacy Families

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In the News

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| Friends We’ll Miss

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Michael Clements

EAGLES’

Nest

IN THIS SECTION | Connecting With Friends

FLYING WITH THE THUNDERBIRDS UNT alum enjoys his first season as an operations officer with the famous U.S. Air Force team.

Read more about Lt. Col. Jason “Buzzer” Koltes and his flying days at northtexan.unt.edu/koltes.

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LT. COL. JASON “BUZZER” KOLTES (’94) LOGGED his first flight hours as a teenager at the Denton Municipal Airport with his father. “I got my first pilot’s license when I was 16 on a Wednesday, and on Friday my brother and I flew from Texas to Canada,” says Koltes who, upon joining the military, graduated from small recreational planes. He now flies F-16s with the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds. Koltes met his wife, Heather Taylor Koltes (’93), in UNT’s Air Force ROTC program. He returned to the area for the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show in October. The team performs at about 70 shows a year.

EAGLES’

Nest

C O N N E C T I N G

W I T H

Keep up with the latest developments in the UNT family and tell your peers what you’ve been up to since leaving the nest. Send your news to The North Texan (see contact information on page 5). Members of the UNT Alumni Association are designated with a . Read more, share comments and connect with friends at northtexan.unt.edu.

1948

Friends

(’69 M.Ed.), into the Texas

Christian University Letterman’s Hall of Fame in September. He competed in track and field and football at TCU and ran at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1957 and later became a teacher, administrator and coach. He passed away in 2008.

Keith Galitz,

1964

Canby, Ore. ::

J.B. Floyd (’50 M.M.),

Miami, Fla. ::

completed his 30th year as a piano professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, with a total of 62 years of service in higher education. His latest CD, Another Time and Place (MutableMusic), featuring his music for Yamaha Disklavier and piano soloist, was released this summer, and he continues to perform and compose. He says the decision that changed his life was signing up for summer band camp at North Texas in 1944 as a 15-year-old trumpet player. It led to his discovery by Silvio Scionti as a talented pianist. He says, “Thanks to all the patient professors who helped me overcome such limited musical knowledge and stunted development. I have tried to be that kind of mentor to my students all these 62 years.”

George ‘Digger’ O’Dell (’69 M.S.), Encinitas, Calif.

retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, was inducted into the U.S. Special Operations Commando Hall of Honor by U.S. Navy Admiral Eric Olsen in recognition of his leadership and significant personal achievements while serving in special operations forces. At North Texas, he was the president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

1967 Mona Curtis, Bedford :: attended the induction of her late husband, Bill Shelton Curtis

was named to the board of directors of CHR Solutions. He has more than 30 years of experience in telecommunications. Since 2004, he has served as the president and general manager of Canby Telcom, a CHR shareholder. Before joining Canby, he served for two years as president of the Oregon Division of Advanced TelCom Group, and he spent 25 years with Mountain Bell/US West/Qwest.

1968 Roger Durham, Dallas :: was elected to a second term as regional vice chair of American Mensa Ltd., the high IQ society. During his two-year term, he will represent Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas on the organization’s board of directors. He has been actively involved in Mensa locally, regionally and nationally.

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Douglas Skinner (’73

M.M.Ed.), Austin :: retired as

professor of music at Texas State University after 38 years. He has performed concerts in Russia, Poland, England, Turkey, Scotland, Mexico and the Czech Republic and released three recordings with the Nova Saxophone Quartet. He also served as interim director of the TSU School of Music four times. He is married to Vicki Froelich

Skinner (’70, ’73 M.L.S.).

1973 Freddy R. Gonzales, Richardson

retired from the Dallas Police Department’s Reserve Battalion as a reserve lieutenant after 31 years of service. He retired first in 1992 from the U.S. Army Reserve as a captain, after serving in the Marine Corps. His second retirement came in 2009 after a career of almost four decades in employee relations and sales and marketing. With the Reserve Battalion, composed of volunteers, he supervised reserve officers assigned to the North West Police Division. He received the Reserve Officer of the Year Award in 2005, in recognition of his dedication and service and his actions in stopping an attack on a DART bus driver.

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EAGLES’

Nest

1974 M. Mark McKee (’75 M.Ed.), Naperville, Ill. :: a clinical child

psychologist with 30 years of experience, published the book Raising a Successful Child (The Manual) (CreateSpace), detailing what parents need to know to establish healthy relationships with their children and raise them to be successful.

Sciences this summer at the 42nd annual Lower Great Lakes Regional Emmy Awards ceremony. He won for the musical score he wrote for the PBS documentary Harp Dreams. The program also earned two other regional Emmy awards and the 2010 Cine Golden Eagle Award for outstanding work in film, video, television and new media.

1988

Bill Staples Jr., Chandler,

Ariz. :: has a new biography out

Flower Mound

D. Wayne Stiles II,

Cynthia Roepke-Breeding

Aubrey

(M.Ed.), Corpus Christi :: an

author of historical romance and urban-fantasy, released Camelot’s Enchantment (Highland Press) this summer. Also out from Highland is her book The Last Pirates, telling the stories of three pirates in the service of Jean Lafitte and three equally daring women.

1982

serves as executive vice president at Insight for Living. He earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary, doing extensive research on the benefits of understanding and experiencing the lands of the Bible.

1992 Derrick White (’97

Del. :: began

his term as president of the Delaware State Bar Association in July. He is a senior attorney with the Community Legal Aid Society Inc. and practices poverty law.

1987 Cary Boyce (M.M.), Bloomington, Ind. :: won a regional

M.F.A.), Tyler

:: art profes-

sor at Tyler Junior College, exhibited his artwork in a solo exhibition at the Tyler Museum of Art July 24 to Sept. 11. His art, which includes sculpture and paintings, has been shown in exhibitions across Texas and the country. He says it is typically characterized by a fusion of brush strokes, mixed-media collage and screen printing.

Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and

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:: (right) received

the 2011 Volunteer Excellence Award from the American Lung Association, one of just three given by the national office this year. He is chair of the American Lung Association of the PlainsGulf Region’s Dallas Leadership

titled Kenichi Zenimura, Japanese American Baseball Pioneer (McFarland). Zenimura worked to export the American style of baseball to Japan and established a 32-team Nisei league at Arizona’s Gila River Internment Camp during World War II. Bill is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and a board member of the Nisei Baseball Research Project.

Upcoming Alumni Gatherings UNT alumni gather to celebrate their green pride. Here’s a sampling of what’s coming up: UNT Career Fairs: Career and internship fairs offered by the UNT Career Center are free to alumni job seekers. Visit careercenter.unt.edu for a full schedule.

Jim McGiffin, Dover,

The

1994

Steve Conwell (’93 M.S.),

1980

Advisory Council and a member of the Dallas Fight for Air Climb Committee.

1993

Winter 2011

Great Conversations 2012: Share dinner, dessert and stimulating discussions from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Gateway Center Ballroom with community leaders, writers and UNT faculty members. Buy tickets at honors.unt.edu/greatconversations. Proceeds benefit Honors College programs and scholarships. Contact Diana Dunklau at 940-565-2474 or diana. dunklau@unt.edu to learn more. Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament: Join other alumni, wear your Mean Green gear and support the Mean Green basketball teams March 3-6 in Hot Springs, Ark., in their quest for the conference tournament championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Contact Rob McKinney at 940-565-3162 or robert.mckinney@unt.edu. Spring Etiquette Dinner: Help students learn business etiquette by having your company sponsor a table March 14 in the Gateway Center Ballroom. Contact Janet Denny at 940-565-3151 or denny@unt.edu to learn how to get involved. For more information or to join the UNT Alumni Association, call 940-565-2834 or go to www.untalumni.com.

Kim McCoy Lusk, McKinney :: earned certification as a

professional in human resources. The PHR certification is awarded by the HR Certification Institute, affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management. Kim is a senior recruiter with Ryan LLC, a tax solutions firm, and is married to her UNT sweetheart, David Lusk (’95).

is the director of the Jane Justin School at the Child Study Center in Fort Worth, where he uses behavior analysis to serve children with developmental and learning differences.

Sandra Odom Hall, Irving :: and her husband, Michael, welcomed their son, Charles Russell, in December 2010. He weighed 7 pounds, 7.2 ounces and was 20 inches long. One of his grandfathers, Louie W. Hall, also is a North Texas alum.

Adam Wilson

1996

Research at the bottom of the world

1998 When Kimmy Mighell (’11) set off on the more than Jason ‘Jay’ Barry, Centen-

nial, Colo. :: wrote Throttling

Lisa L. Rollins, La Vergne,

Tenn. :: is chair of the Depart-

ment of Communication at Langston University. She and a Langston student visited with Mitch Land (’82 M.J.), former interim dean of the Mayborn School of Journalism, who was a featured speaker at the Society of Professional Journalists regional conference they were attending in Norman, Okla.

1997 Anthony Cammilleri (M.S.), Fort

Worth :: was

a recipient of the Fort Worth Business Press’ 40 Under 40 Award, given to the top 40 business leaders in the community under the age of 40. He

the Bard, a novel he describes as “Don Quixote meets Easy Rider.” It follows an English professor in trouble with a student loan corporation and a graduate student hoping for dissertation comments as they take a motorcycle ride across Nevada. Along the way they encounter “everyday Americana,” including Burning Man.

10-hour flight to Chile last winter, she wasn’t sure what to expect. What she got was a life-changing research experience that opened doors to an internship at the Chicago Field Museum. Mighell was one of eight students awarded a National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students grant, which allowed her to spend three months conducting research at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park in Puerto Williams, Chile. The park, which sits on an island just north of Antarctica, is the main site for research and educational programs associated with the SubAntarctic Biocultural Conservation Program coordinated by UNT in the United States and the University of Magallanes and the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity in Chile. The program is developing innovative ways to address issues such as

Jan Henning

global ecological change and sustainable development. Every winter, a UNT

(M.A.),

study abroad course introduces students to the diverse Chilean ecosystem.

Arlington ::

was named to a two-year term on the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She is a benefits counseling and special projects coordinator for the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging and is pursuing a doctorate in applied gerontology at UNT.

“The isolation there fostered a collaborative environment,” Mighell says, “and I made friends from around the globe.” To explore the biological relationships in the Cape Horn Biosphere, she studied a moss species that uses flies to disperse its spores. She also spent three weeks on a crab boat surveying the non-vascular plant population around Puerto Williams. The contacts she made there led to the internship at the Chicago Field Museum, where she has been working on a variety of projects, including helping with a new book on liverwort flora of Chile. The internship runs through the spring and she is applying to graduate school. “Chile was really the perfect place to spend my final semester,” Mighell says. — Alyssa Yancey

Winter 2011

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

EAGLES’

Nest Tony Robinson

1999 Michael Novotny

(M.S.), Dallas

:: is an adjunct professor in environmental sustainability at Southern Methodist University. He is on the board of advisors for the Energy and Resource Technology HUB – North Texas and is president of Axis DesignBuild Inc. He recently published two books: High Performance Buildings: A Guide for Owners and Managers (Fairmont Press) and The Boundary Layer (Ekstasis Editions), his first book of poetry. He is co-editor and publisher of Transformation: A Journal of Literature, Ideas and the Arts.

(M.Ed., ’09 Ed.D.),

Salado :: was

named superintendent of schools of the Salado ISD. He previously worked as superintendent of the Moulton ISD and as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston-Victoria. He and his wife, Laura (’00 M.Ed.), have three sons.

2000 Joren Cain (M.M., ’10 D.M.A.), Valdosta, Ga.

:: who was a

student of Jim Riggs at UNT, was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of music at Valdosta State University. He teaches the saxophone studio and courses in the jazz area and directs the New Jazz Ensemble. He recently married Sarah Turley Cain (’04 D.M.A.), who was a student of James Gillespie.

James Michael Floyd (D.M.A.),

Hewitt :: is

the public services coordinator for the Crouch Fine Arts Library at Baylor University. He is the author of Composers in the Classroom: A Bio-Bibliography of Composers at Conservatories, Colleges and Universities in the United States (Scarecrow Press),

Five Sparks For five young women beginning their first year of teaching in 1959 in an unknown city, renting a house together on Sparks Street seemed a fitting metaphor for their new adult lives. A lot was set in motion from that quiet street in Midland: the joy of teaching young children, a sisterhood that would survive distances and life changes, and ultimately a $25,000 scholarship for UNT’s College of Education from the women to help support elementary education majors. The Five Sparks Education Scholarship commemorates the lifelong friendship of Phyllis Wright Tate (’59), Elaine Parker Boane (’59), Anita Rambo Dunlap (’59), Julia Edwards Wilson (’59) and the late Dianne Stroope Kelsch (’59). “We’ve often said, ‘Where would we be without our education from North Texas?’” Tate says. “UNT started us on life’s path together, and we believe it’s important to give something back.” After separating to marry and raise families, the women never let the bonds of friendship fray. They began a tradition of girls-only weekends and often took trips together. Jerry Thomas, dean of the College of Education, says the Five Sparks have left a wonderful legacy of their friendship. “The College of Education is grateful that they chose to give their alma mater a scholarship and the lesson that comes with it — the importance of sharing your life with good friends who will be there for you with each new adventure,” Thomas says.

For information about ways you can support scholarships at UNT, call 940-565-2900 or email giving@unt.edu. T h e N o r t h T e x a n | northtexan.unt.edu | W i n t e r 2 0 1 1

Above: From left, Judy Edwards Wilson (’59), Phyllis Wright Tate (’59), Elaine Parker Boane (’59), Dianne Stroope Kelsch (’59) and Anita Rambo Dunlap (’59) at a bed and breakfast in Tyler in 1995. Right: From left, Dunlap, Tate, Boane and Wilson at the Monahans Sandhills State Park near Midland in 1959.

chronicling the work of more than 120 composers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. He also is the co-author of Choral Music: A Research and Information Guide 2nd Edition (Routledge), an annotated bibliography listing books, videos, recordings and websites on choral music.

Kyle Sharp, McKinney :: and his wife, Erica, celebrated the birth of Emerie Peyton Sharp in June. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 inches long. She joins two sisters and one brother, “all hopeful future UNT alums.” Kyle says Emerie should be wearing Mean Green by 2029 if all goes according to plan.

Chris Watson, Fort Worth :: and his wife, Amanda, welcomed their second child, Max Christo-

LEGACY

Families

HARD WORK PAYS OFF Robert “Harry” Bishop (’53) came to North Texas, knowing the value of hard work. Growing up on his family’s farm near Krum, he learned a work ethic and the importance of earning an education. Harry’s mother, Margaret Miller Bishop, attended North Texas in the 1920s, along with her sister, Eurice Miller Bass (’31), and her brother, Claude Miller (’41), who met his wife, Helen S. Miller (’40). As the second generation of his family to attend, Harry continued a tradition for the Bishops that would eventually span seven decades, with 12 family members connected to North Texas between the 1920s and 1986. “It was the school we knew about,” he says. “My mother, aunts and uncles had all gone to North Texas and encouraged me to go. I could live at home and commute, and tuition was affordable at $40 a semester.” The family’s legacy was honored in September, when they received the Generations of Excellence award for their loyalty and service. Harry is proud to say that he worked his way through school, helping his dad work their cattle and livestock and harvesting wheat in the summers. He adds that his professors encouraged him to finish his degree. Harry majored in business administra-

From left, Robert Kirkpatrick (’86), Mary Margaret “Maggie” Bishop Kirkpatrick (’84) and Robert “Harry” Bishop (’53) during Family Weekend at UNT’s Apogee Stadium.

tion and management. But he put his studies on hold in 1948 to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After returning to finish his degree, he landed his first job in West Texas for Sun Oil. From there, he worked for Texaco and then Samedan Oil Corp., before launching his own company in 1974, Bishop Petroleum Inc., in Houston. At North Texas, Harry met and married Barbara Bishop (’52). He remembers attending basketball games and going to movies in the Administration Building on Saturday nights. They had two daughters, one who continued the legacy. Mary Margaret “Maggie” Bishop Kirkpatrick (’84) studied art education at UNT. While living in Clark Hall, she met her future husband, Robert Kirkpatrick (’86). Like her dad, he was a business student, majoring in production and operations management. Robert also works in the oil business in Houston. “I came to UNT for the well-known art department,” Maggie says.

Maggie and Robert, avid Mean Green fans, come back to campus regularly for football and basketball games. “There are five couples from Clark Hall who we still get together with regularly,” Maggie says. Robert is proud to be part of the legacy. “The history is very special,” he says. Harry is a member of UNT’s President’s Council. He supports the university’s Emerald Ball, which generates support for UNT’s Emerald Eagle Scholars program, helping academically talented students with financial need go to college. He also established an endowment to fund scholarships for the men’s basketball team. “It’s very simple. I have made a living for myself, and through UNT’s training, I became an entrepreneur,” Harry says. “North Texas gave me and my family the care and the education.” — Randena Hulstrand

Read about other UNT legacy families at northtexan.unt.edu/ legacy-families and share the story of your own UNT legacy.

Winter 2011

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The

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Nest pher Watson, in April. He is the younger brother of Samantha Kate.

Engineering opportunity Growing up, Tyler

DeLaCerda (’03, ’06 M.B.A./M.S.) dreamed of

2002

Stan Weeber Charles, La. ::

But after a physical revealed he was colorblind, he had to rearrange.

is an associate professor of sociology and criminal justice at McNeese State University, where he was awarded the 2011 President’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

2001 George Rambow, Denton ::

“It was one of those bummer moments when a lifelong dream gets crushed,” recalls DeLaCerda, now a program manager at B/E Aerospace. “But I picked up and kept moving forward. I’ve always loved tinkering with things, fixing things, wondering, ‘How can we make this better?’ So I decided to go into engineering.”

Society for Technical Communication

(Ph.D.), Lake

flying planes in the U.S. Air Force.

was selected to receive a 2011 Fund for Theological Education Congregational Fellowship. He is a Master of Divinity student at Princeton Theological Seminary and was nominated for the fellowship by Denton Community Church.

Louellen Sue Coker (M.A.),

Oak Point :: (center) was named

an associate fellow of the Society for Technical Communication, one of the society’s highest ranks. She is the founder and chief content coach for Content Solutions, a Texas-based communications firm specializing in developing content for print and online publications.

At UNT, DeLaCerda studied mechanical engineering and then found his way back into airplanes at Vought Air Craft in Dallas and again at Recaro Aircraft Seating, where he spent nearly six years. At Recaro he served as senior program manager and led a team — which included other UNT alums — that designed the SkyCouch for Air New Zealand’s new Boeing 777-300s. The set of three plane seats for economy seating has adjustable leg rests and head rests, retractable arm rests, adjustable video screens with touch-screen ordering, and configurable tray tables. It won the international Crystal Cabin Award for Excellence in Passenger Comfort, and GQ called it the 17th “Best Thing in the World.” DeLaCerda says his experience at UNT taught him to overcome challenges and intelligently evaluate and address problems. He lives in Seattle with his wife, Nicole (’02), and their daughter, Maggie. “The best advice I could give is just to go where your heart tells you to go,” DeLaCerda says. “Things happen for a reason. If I hadn’t been colorblind, I probably wouldn’t have gone into an engineering field and never would have had the opportunities presented to me.” — Brooke Nottingham

The

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Winter 2011

Heather Schimp Test, Dallas ::

accepted a position as lecturer in French horn at Texas Christian University, where she teaches private lessons, studio class and brass techniques and performs with the TCU Faculty Brass Quintet. Previously, she worked as an adjunct at the University of Texas at Arlington. She was a student of William Scharnberg at UNT and earned her degree in horn performance.

Jennifer Trejo Day (’09

M.B.A.), Corinth :: and her

husband, former UNT student Nick Day, welcomed their first child, Isla Autumn Day, in November 2010. She weighed 8 pounds and was 21 inches long. Isla’s family of UNT supporters includes her grandfather Rey Trejo (’73) and her grandmother Kaaren Day, retired education professor. They look forward to her attending UNT in fall 2028.

Elizabeth Del Toro, Cincinnati, Ohio :: is a

new member of the board of trustees of The Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation, which administers college scholarships on behalf of businesses, individuals and foundations in the Cincinnati area. She works as a public and community relations manager at GE Aviation.

Claudette Rushing, Baltimore, Md. :: passed the Maryland Bar

exam and was sworn into the Maryland Courts in June. She completed a J.D. degree from the University of Maryland in 2010.

2003 Brian Bianco,

Dallas :: was

named the new managing supervisor of The Powell Group, supervising the public relations firm’s current accounts and helping to coordinate new business development. He earned a master’s in sports management from Texas A&M University.

2004 Gregory W. Monroe,

Fort Worth ::

was promoted to shareholder at Law, Snakard & Gambill PC. His practice is devoted to commercial real estate, develop-

ment and banking transactions. He also is a board member of the UNT Alumni Association. He and his wife, Elizabeth

Thurmond Monroe (’04), welcomed a second daughter in September.

the Trial Practice Group of Thompson & Knight LLP. She previously was a judicial intern for a justice at the Supreme Court of Texas and for the Denton County District Attorney’s Office.

Shingi Mutasa, New York,

Pamela Thompson (M.S.), El

Paso :: is a young adult librarian,

book reviewer and blogger who has a weekly young adult book review column in The El Paso Times. Her blog is called “Young Adult Books — What We’re Reading Now.”

2006

N.Y. :: became part of Teach for

America’s 2011 teaching corps, joining 9,300 other corps members teaching in high-need public schools around the country. After three years in the corporate world, Shingi is teaching ninth-grade algebra at Williamsburg Prep High School in Edmond Chan, Philadelphia, Brooklyn. Pa. :: a baroque violinist, was accepted to the American Bach Jenna Soloists Summer Academy, an O’Brien, audition-only program. He also Allen :: who performed with Tempesta di earned her Mare at the International Fasch D.O. from Festival in Zerbst, Germany; with the UNT Health Science Center Opera Lafayette in Washington, in 2008, graduated from the D.C., and Lincoln Center; with pediatrics residency program at The Washington Bach Consort Penn State Children’s Hospital in D.C.; and with The Handel in Hershey, Pa. She moved back Choir of Baltimore. He perto Texas to join TLC Pediatrics formed a Vivaldi violin concerto in Allen as a general pediatriat the St. Cecilia Music Festival cian. Jenna was a member and in Austin. His UNT degree is in president of Alpha Phi at UNT. biochemistry. She also was a member of NT40, Order of Omega and the Student Michael Gallia, Fort Worth Government Association. :: traveled to Auckland, New Zealand, and Tahiti with Rotary 2005 International Group Study Exchange. He visited small manuLeslie R. facturing facilities, the Port of Chaggaris, Auckland and Air New Zealand Dallas :: was Maintenance Repair Overhaul. named a fellow He also toured the new Boeing of the Dallas 777 before its inaugural flight. Association of Young Lawyers Foundation. She is an associate in

Winter 2011

Jason Bond Huett (Ph.D.), Carrollton, Ga.

:: received

tenure, was promoted to associate professor and was appointed associate dean of online development for the University of West Georgia. His new book is titled The Next Generation of Distance Education: Unconstrained Learning (Springer).

Leslie Obinegbo, Mesquite :: is a new associate in the corporate and securities group at the Dallas office of Strasburger & Price LLP. She counsels private and public companies in a variety of industries. In her previous job with a national law firm, she focused on mergers and acquisitions, securities, strategic transactions, corporate governance and general corporate matters. She earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law.

2008 Amanda Allison (Ph.D.), Fort

Worth :: is an assistant professor

of art education and coordinator of the art education program at

northtexan.unt.edu

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...... I N T H E //

➺

News

Chance Foreman (’11), who was completing a degree

Texas Christian University. She also serves as the lead editor of Trends, the peer-reviewed journal of the Texas Art Education Association. Her first child, Arthur Allison, turned 2 in October.

in radio/television/film in December, made news this fall with his portraits created from torn pieces of duct and gaff tape. Originally using duct tape for one sketch as an inexpensive replacement for paint, he later was inspired to create more pieces. His subjects include

Czarina Reyes (Ph.D.), Carrollton :: welcomed the birth

of her daughter, Sophia Czarina Reyes, in June. Czarina earned her doctorate in higher education at UNT.

2010

celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock, Johnny Cash and The Beatles (the portrait of Ringo Starr, above, is one of his favorites). The art, featured on several CBS news stations, was on display at La Cima Club in Las Colinas and J Black’s in Dallas this fall.

➺

Dallas-Fort Worth NBC 5 anchor

Kristi Nelson (’94)

not only donated a kidney to her mother this August, she documented the process in a series called “Kristi’s Gift” to raise awareness of kidney disease and the need for organ donation, especially among ethnic minorities. She reports that kidney failure rates are higher for African Americans and Hispanics due to higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure, with access to health care and cultural barriers also playing a role. The three-night series, which aired on the station’s 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, included a reporter tweeting live from the operating rooms.

➺ Mari-Rae Sopper

Gymnastics as a student, was remembered at countless memorials marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A passenger on the plane that hit the Pentagon, she was a former corporate and U.S. Navy lawyer traveling to the University of California-Santa Barbara to begin her dream job as a college gymnastics coach. In the Sept. 11, 2011, issue of The Pantagraph, her family notes she was leaving a $98,000 job for a $28,000 one-year contract to turn the gymnastics program around. “She was a risk taker,” her sister told the newspaper. “She was a little person who carried a big stick.”

The

No r t h Texa n

Aubrey ::

who earned her degree in journalism and creative writing, published her first children’s book, Two Foals, a Dash of Sprinkles and a Cherry on Top! (Caballo Press). She shows American Paint Horses and has earned several world and reserve world championship titles. A portion of the book’s proceeds will benefit Rein In Cancer, an organization that supports care for cancer patients.

(’93 M.S.), who earned her master’s

degree in kinesiology at UNT and coached Junior Olympic

Brittany Bevis,

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2011

Megan Farrell,

Lewisville :: a

kindergarten teacher in the Lewisville ISD, was selected as the district’s First Year Teacher of the Year in the elementary school category. She says she faced some challenges her first year but wants to let UNT education students know that teaching is

worth the effort — “the triumphs are the things that make it all worthwhile.”

Justin Pierce, Denton :: makes indie games through Overpowered Games in Denton. This summer, he released FishMoto, a 2-D game for the iPhone that stars a motorbike-riding catfish trying to collect bags of fish. Justin, an alum of UNT’s program in new media art, says the game’s art style is “a unique hybrid cartoon/craft aesthetic.”

2011 Joe Louis (Ph.D.), University

Park, Pa. ::

received the 2011 International Congress on Insect Neurochemistry and Neurophysiology Student Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry, Toxicology and Molecular Biology from the Entomological Foundation. The award is based on his UNT doctoral research with Jyoti Shah, identifying plant genes and mechanisms involved in plant defense against the green peach aphid. Joe is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Entomology at Penn State, where he continues his research on insect-plant interactions.

F R I E N D S

W E ’ L L

M I S S

UNT’s alumni, faculty, staff and students are the university’s greatest legacy. When members of the Eagle family pass, they are remembered and their spirit lives on. Send information about deaths to The North Texan (see contact information on page 5). Read more, write memorials and connect with friends at northtexan.unt.edu.

1930s

join the faculty of Texas Woman’s University, where he became chair of the Department of History and Government. At UNT, he was a member of the 1890 Society.

1940s Jackye Anderson Bruner Plummer (’42), Wichita Falls

:: At North Texas, she studied

English and physical education and was the associate editor of the Campus Chat, an assistant in Terrill Hall and a member of Alpha Chi, Kappa Delta Pi, Sigma Tau Delta and the Green Jackets. She was a junior meteorologist for American Airlines before teaching and becoming assistant principal of Rider High School in Wichita Falls. She was an avid Girl Scout for 60 years and wrote romance novels and genealogical histories.

Verna Ross Cook Schuhmann (’44), La Grange :: She worked for General Electric, then as an administrative assistant for American Airlines in San Antonio, New Orleans and Houston before becoming a homemaker and community volunteer. At North Texas, she was a member of Kappa Theta Pi and the Mary Ardens.

Estalene N. Lloyd Schultz (’46), Henrietta :: She was

Alonzo Jamison (’39), Denton :: A student leader and

government major at North Texas, he was elected to represent Denton County in the Texas House of Representatives in 1954 and served seven consecutive terms. In 1965, his district was enlarged to include Cooke County. Serving in an anti-aircraft artillery unit in World War II, he was awarded the Bronze Star and later was active in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel. He briefly served on the North Texas faculty and left the Legislature in 1968 to

University Community

ment of Management at Texas Tech

who worked at UNT from 1980 to

He later was assistant director of the

University. His academic special-

1995, died Aug. 6. He joined North

President’s Commission on Crime

Robert Sexton Adams (’58,

ization was strategic management

Texas as the director of the Criminal

in the District of Columbia and was

and policy. During his teaching

Justice Institute. He researched and

appointed to the U.S. Parole Com-

career, he published a number of

wrote about juvenile delinquency,

mission in Washington, D.C. In 1974,

’61 M.B.A.),

books and articles on business

community counseling and criminal-

he established the U.S. Parole and

Georgetown,

Sally Dixon Stoner (’38), Wichita Falls :: She taught elementary school for more than 30 years in Palo Alto, Calif., earning a master’s in education from Stanford University. After retiring, she and her husband enjoyed golfing and traveling. She was in the Mary Ardens at North Texas.

a school teacher for 33 years and spent 29 years teaching in Henrietta. At North Texas, she was a member of the Green Jackets and played in the band and the symphony, pit and string orchestras. Survivors include her husband, former graduate student

Wilburn William Schultz. Archbishop Dmitri (’47), Dallas :: The archbishop, who attended North Texas as Robert

management and conducted

ity and also taught at Georgetown

Probation regional office in Dallas.

professor of management at UNT

numerous management develop-

University and American University.

He earned a doctorate from the

from 1968 to 2001, died Oct. 11.

ment programs and workshops.

Amos was a U.S. Army veteran, serv-

University of Maryland.

After earning his degrees from

ing as a military police officer during

William Earl Amos,

the liberation of Nazi concentration

doctorate in business administra-

camps and recalled to active duty

Fred H. Bleil, Houston,

tion from Louisiana State Univer-

Dallas, Profes-

during the Korean War. He became

former as-

sity. Prior to joining the North Texas

sor Emeritus of

a Secret Service agent in 1956,

sistant football

faculty, he taught in the Depart-

criminal justice

assigned to presidential protection.

coach for the

North Texas, he went on to earn a

Winter 2011

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The

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Royster, converted to Orthodox Christianity in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army as a Japanese interpreter during World War II. In 1954, he was ordained to the priesthood and founded St. Seraphim Church in Dallas. After serving as the first ruling bishop of the Diocese of Dallas and the South, he was elevated to archbishop in the 1980s. He retired from active duty in 2009.

Colleen Kidd Ward (’47), Garland :: She was employed by Varo Inc. for 27 years as an executive secretary and was an integral part of Write-Way Prison Ministries for the last 13 years. She met her husband, the late Doyal Ward (’49), at North Texas.

Bill C. Candler (’49), San Antonio :: He was a Professor

He played basketball at North Texas, graduating after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. His siblings Nell Candler (’43, ’47 M.S.) and the late Bob Candler (’49) also attended North Texas.

1950s George D. Minter (’51), Stuart, Fla. :: He was a member of the original One O’Clock Lab Band and went on to serve in the 4th Army Band, playing saxophone and penning arrangements for Vic Damone and other singers. He later worked in Washington, D.C., as a comptroller for the U.S. Navy and played piano in the area. He moved to Florida in 2003 and continued to play and entertain after his retirement.

She enjoyed traveling, flowers and playing bridge and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Denton for more than 60 years.

Tommie Sue Bartley Townsend (’54), Temple :: She was a retired school teacher. She earned her degree in home economics and was a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

The Rev. Harold Victor Meissner (’57), Cranfills Gap :: He and his family were missionaries to Nigeria, and he served for 49 years as a Lutheran pastor in Stephenville, Mineral Wells, Dallas and Aleman. He earned his doctorate from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. Survivors include his wife, Shirley Creswell Meiss-

social worker for Child Protective Services. She and four fellow alums started the Five Sparks Education Scholarship Fund to honor the role UNT played in their lives and give the same opportunities to others (see page 40).

1960s W.B. Abram (’60 M.A.), Fort Worth :: He spent 35 years as a teacher in the Fort Worth ISD, at Kirkpatrick High School from 1955 to 1971 and at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School from 1971 until he retired. He was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church for more than 50 years.

Kenneth Earle Newton, Hurst

:: He had worked at the Ameri-

can Airlines Flight Academy as a photographer and publications supervisor. He attended North Texas from 1962 to 1965 and was a member of Delta Sigma Phi.

Emeritus at San Antonio College, where he taught for more than 35 years and served as chair of the physical education department. The Physical Education Center there was re-named in his honor.

Arleen Brammer Morrison (’51 M.Ed.), Denton :: She

ner (’57).

taught in Denton for four years and spent the next 40 years as a partner in marriage and business investments with her husband.

Dianne Stroope Kelsch (’59), Ennis :: She was an avid antiquary who worked as a teacher before spending 18 years as a

Gerald Wayne James (’65), Safety Harbor, Fla. :: He and

Mean Green, died Sept. 26. Bleil

land Patriots, was an all-conference

Yale University, Foster started the

Foster was an Army veteran who was

was defensive coordinator at UNT

selection while

astronomy program at North Texas.

stationed throughout Europe during

in 1997 and 1998 and returned in

playing for Bleil. Bleil played foot-

He also was an avid fan of North

World War II.

2006. He was head coach at New

ball at Northern Iowa and earned

Texas athletics, taking his children

Mexico Highlands University from

a bachelor’s degree from Westmar

to basketball and football games in

1979 to 1982, where he was named

College and a master’s from Eastern

the 1960s and ’70s, and later having

William T. Hagan, Bed-

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

New Mexico University.

his grown children take him to the

ford, professor

games. In 1960, Foster was awarded

of history at

Coach of the Year and AFCA College

Bruce Parks Foster, Denton,

a Fulbright scholarship to lecture in

North Texas from 1950 to 1965, died

spent eight years as secondary and

physics at the University of Pesha-

Aug. 5. He also was a distinguished

special teams coach at San Diego

Professor

war in Pakistan. He also taught and

professor and acting vice president

State and coached at New Mexico,

Emeritus of

coached basketball at Forman Chris-

for academics at the State Univer-

Division Coach of the Year. He

Utah State, Tulane and Texas State.

physics who worked at UNT from

tian College in Lahore, Pakistan. He

sity of New York at Fredonia. After

Former UNT standout Brian Waters,

1953 to 1990, died Sept. 21. After

was born in Mussoorie, India, where

retiring from the SUNY System in

now playing with the NFL’s New Eng-

earning his doctoral degree from

his parents were missionaries.

1989, he joined the history faculty

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his wife moved to Florida in 1985, where he served as singles minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater. He co-owned and operated a drapery manufacturing business with his brother in Hurst for 25 years.

Flags for fallen Eagles UNT is honoring currently enrolled students who pass away with the lowering of UNT’s green and white flag for seven days at its new pole south of

1970s

:: He spent the majority of his

adult life in Denver until fishing in the Gulf of Mexico called him back to Florida. His family says he was a passionate fisherman, an excellent cook, an avid reader and a diehard Denver Broncos fan.

1990s

Jonathan Reynolds

Michael Claiborne Stewart (’70), Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Willis Library on Highland Street. The UNT flag pole and poles for the American and Texas flags were dedicated in August. The UNT flag is placed at half-staff when the Dean of Students Office is informed of the death of a student. Students, faculty, staff and alumni who have died also are honored at the university’s annual Flight Memorial ceremony. The 2012 ceremony is set for April 18 at the Shrader Pavilion.

2000s

visiting the Great Wall of China when he died in Beijing.

Martin J. Hellmann (’07 M.S.), Cincinnati, Ohio ::

LaQuinton ‘Teddy’ Brock (’07), Cedar Hill :: He earned

2010s Laura Nicole Hernandez, Arlington :: She was a freshman

nist, he worked with several jazz groups in San Francisco and had spent time in Florida performing in bands and on cruise ships. He wrote two musicals and also was involved in commercial real estate.

For many years, he worked on the library computer support staff at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and an accomplished photographer. He hiked and photographed throughout the western United States and had just completed his lifetime goal of

of the University of Oklahoma and

II. He earned his doctorate from the

his junior year, he was president of

Memorials

retired in 1995. Hagan’s research

University of Wisconsin.

seven campus organizations. He

Send memorials to honor UNT alumni and friends, made payable to the UNT Foundation, to the University of North Texas, Division of Advancement, 1155 Union Circle #311250, Denton, Texas 76203-5017. Indicate on your check the name of the fund or area you wish to support. Make secure gifts online at www.development. unt.edu/givenow. For more information, email giving@unt.edu or call 940-565-2900.

Christopher McLaughlin (’91), Novato, Calif. :: A pia-

specialty was American Indian his-

his degree from UNT in sociology.

Henry Lee Langford (’08), Denton :: He earned his business degree in finance and was a mortgage assistant for the Texas Mortgage Co.

returned to North Texas in 1965 as director of student personnel and

the American Society for Ethnohis-

Jack D. Wheeler (’61,

tory and the Western History As-

’61 M.B.A.),

president before he was named

sociation, and received the Western

Salado, former

vice president for university rela-

History Association Prize in 1989 for

vice president

tions. He worked for the University

tory. He served as president of both

served as special assistant to the

scholarly contributions to the field

for public affairs who worked at

of Texas Health Science Center

of American Indian history. He was

North Texas from 1965 to 1976, died

in Dallas and then moved into

inducted into the Oklahoma Histori-

Sept. 25. Wheeler was president

government relations for the private

cal Society’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

of the student body at North Texas

sector. Survivors include his wife

He joined the U.S. Army in 1942, and

in 1960 and active in Sigma Phi

of 47 years, Kate Blair Wheeler

was an anti-aircraft officer in the

Epsilon, which he ultimately served

(’62, ’65 M.Ed.).

Southwest Pacific during World War

as national grand president. During

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criminal justice major who played intramural volleyball and worked for Dallas Entourage.

Joseph Michael Weldon, Flower Mound :: He was a military veteran who served in Afghanistan and was a freshman pre-engineering student.

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Green Jackets organization at the same time and so enjoyed the activities. The Baptist Student Union was a central focus for me during my four years. The people were so special and enriched my life, along with teaching me to play a mean game of ping pong. The jazz bands were super, too. — Eulalie Perdue Hartman (’61), Denver, Colo.

GOLDEN MEMORIES Members of the class of 1961 were on campus to witness North Texas becoming a university, but the achievement came too late for them to receive diplomas bearing the new name. Recognizing the disappointment among the newest graduates, President J.C. Matthews said in his commencement remarks: “Someday the fact that you were here on University Day will loom much larger in your mind than the fact that the word ‘university’ is not on your diploma. You will feel a bit sorry for those who are only recipients of the goal and not participants in the quest.” Indeed, many still fondly remember that first University Day. Here are a few of their memories from their time on campus.

One of my most memorable experiences was when North Texas won the Missouri Valley Conference and played in the Sun Bowl. Although we lost the game, it was a thrill to be one of the cheerleaders. It was always a treat to enter the UB on a cool fall morning and enjoy the fragrant aroma of coffee cake baking. Following classes and returning to Kendall Hall through the UB, there were crowds of kids doing the “Push” to Jimmy Reid music. Others were playing bridge and smoking or sipping sodas at the UB Snack Bar. The Big Wheel Dance on the UB slab was always an exciting way to start the school year. — LaQuita Noble McMillan (’61), Amarillo

I lived for three years in Bruce Hall. I met many great girls from all over Texas who lived on my second floor. As time went on, some had access to cars and we would hear “lake time” shouted out and off we’d go to the lake. I also fondly remember “University Day,” when North Texas became a university. — Emily Ledbetter Shamaly (’61), Houston

My memorable experiences from my years at North Texas center around wonderful friends and activities such as summers at Lake Dallas, Coke dates, shopping at Voertman’s Bookstore,

My time at North Texas was great! My sister and I both became a part of the

dancing the North Texas “Push” at the Sweat Box in the UB, Wednesday night dances at the Golf Course Clubhouse. I managed the Varsity Apartments on Hickory Street and spent many days on the balcony watching the girls go by. If it hadn’t been for Dean Imogene Dickey, Dr. Ben Chappell and Dr. Mary Evelyn Huey and many others, I would not have made it out. — Tony Goolsby (’61), Dallas Finance professor Marten Rooney was late for a class, so Tom Rathheim and I, while waiting, made a wager that every chair in the room (more than 40) had gum stuck to the bottom. The professor walked in as we were verifying the last few chairs and we told him what we were doing. He permitted us to finish our inspection. I won $5 but offered Tommy a chance to win his money back with a wager on whether Dean Curry’s office chair was laden with gum. After class, we approached Dean Curry and advised him of our “research,” and he permitted the inspection of his chair. I lost that wager, but Dean Curry’s chair sported gum after our inspection. — Nicholas Ricco (’61), Carrollton Read more memories and see a video at northtexan.unt.edu/ goldenmemories-2011.

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Karen Aston, head coach, North Texas women’s basketball Karen Aston doesn’t just preach about practice to her student-athletes. She practices what she preaches. With a record-breaking 86 wins in four seasons at Charlotte, Aston proved how a winning culture is created through a strong work ethic, mental toughness and patience. Aston’s charge is to build an equally successful program at UNT and, more importantly, to help young athletes realize their potential in the classroom and take pride in all of their achievements. At UNT, we’re helping student-athletes succeed academically, personally and professionally.

Experience the new Mean Green women’s basketball team by purchasing tickets online or by phone today.

800-UNT-2366 | 940-565-2527 meangreensports.com Winter 2011

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Michael Clements

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing 1155 Union Circle #311070 Denton, Texas 76203-5017

PA RT I N G S H O T The Marriott Culinary Lab opened this fall, giving UNT hospitality management students a workspace mirroring the finest industrial kitchens. The lab was made possible by a $300,000 gift from the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation that matched $300,000 in Higher Education Assistance Funds to renovate an existing lab. The new, more eďŹ&#x192;cient lab has stainless steel work tops and new equipment.