The North Texan - UNT Alumni Magazine - Winter 2015 by University of North Texas

Disting uished Alumni page

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.65, NO.4 | Winter 2015

ALUMNI FIGHTING CYBERCRIME TO KEEP DATA SAFE [page

n o r t h texa n. un t . edu

24]

Jeff Coffin [ page 1 4] Student Life Then & Now [ page 20] Faculty Focus [ page 30] | | Documentary Film [ page 32] Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

INSTITUTES OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

AERI features a thriving interdisciplinary research team exploring fascinating questions about our environment and uses basic and applied research to find solutions to the complex problems that we face. The team conducts ongoing research in a wide array of areas related to local, regional, national and international environmental problems.

940-369-5555 | AERI@unt.edu | 1155 Union Circle #310559, Denton, Texas 76203-5017

ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES INSTITUTE AMMPI brings together a diverse group of faculty members who are focused on structural materials, functional materials, computational tools and advanced manufacturing processes. The strength of the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members lies in designing high-performance materials for the aerospace, automotive and energy sectors. 940-565-2316 | AMMPI@unt.edu | UNT Discovery Park, 3940 N. Elm St. #E132, Denton, Texas 76207-7102

B IODISCOVERY INSTITUTE BDI delivers research solutions to underpin the utilization of plants, forest products and other biomass for production of biopolymers, new bio-based materials for construction and transportation, biofuels and bioactive small molecules with applications in both agriculture and healthcare. 940-565-2491 | BDI@unt.edu | 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, Texas 76203-5017

LOGISTICS SYSTEMS INSTITUTE

The

T he LSI research team provides the capability to develop effective solutions to complex problems confronting public and private organizations. Specialties include business logistics, economics, information technology, transportation and operations research.

940-565-2367 | LSI@unt.edu | 1155 Union Circle #311396, Denton, Texas 76203-5017

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

R E S E A R C H . U N T. E D U

Inside

W I N T E R

2 0 1 5

FEATURES

Jeff Coffin Three-timeGrammy winning saxophonist inspires audiences around the world.

By Jessica DeLeón

20 Then & Now

Student life through the years

30 Faculty Focus

Celebrating excellence in teaching

32 Innovative Storytelling Crafting compelling documentaries By Jessica DeLeón

36 Soaring Eagles

Honoring distinguished alumni DEPARTMENTS

F R O M O U R P R E S I D E N T • 3

Honoring our legacy, envisioning our future D E A R N O R T H T E X A N • 4

Time travel ... Dream girl ... Perfect day for golf

Cybersecurity

UNT TODAY • 6

New College at Frisco ... Global Connection ... Ask an Expert ... Mean Green

A C RO S S D I S C I P L I N E S , U N T I S P R E PA R I N G P RO F E S S I O NA L S W I T H T H E T E C H S K I L L S A N D B U S I N E S S

U N T M U S E • 1 7

S AV V Y T O ST O P S O P H I ST I C AT E D C Y B E RC R I M I NA L S

A desire to perform ... Stellar photography ... Eclectic playwright ... Upcoming Events ...

B Y P R EV E N T I N G , D E T E C T I N G A N D R E S P O N D I N G T O AT TA C K S O N N E T WO R K S A N D DATA .

EAGLES’ NEST • 39

By Adrienne Nettles

Cover: Illustration by Kit Young.

Voice Project ... Connecting with Friends ... Legacy family ... Friends We’ll Miss L A S T W O R D • 4 8

Golden Eagles share memories as students from the Class of 1965. Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Online

E X C L U S I V E S

n o r t htexan .u nt.edu /o n li n e

ONLINE FEATURES STANDOUT PLAYER Read about Mean Green volleyball player Carnae Dillard and how she knew she was home the moment she stepped on campus. WOMEN IN STEM Find out why more and more women are choosing to enroll in UNT’s science, technology, engineering and math programs. HISTORICAL TIMELINE Learn more about UNT’s history in an interactive timeline, from our founding in 1890 to this year’s 125th anniversary celebration.

GET CONNECTED Connect with us at facebook.com/northtexas Follow us at twitter.com/northtexan

125 Years of Holiday Cheer!

T H IS SE AS O N, W E’RE C E L E B RAT I N G UNT’S R I C H H I STORY AND IMPACT. OUR TRANSFORMATION THROUGH 12 5 YEA R S IS A S WON D E RFU L A S T H I S YEA R’S H O LI DAY VI DEO. WH EN YOU COMB INE VI S I O N, C REAT I V I T Y AND H A R D WOR K LI KE WE DO AT UN T, S O M E T H I NG M AG I CAL H A PPENS.

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

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Watch us on youtube.com/ universitynorthtexas Follow us at instagram.com/unt 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

Honoring our legacy, envisioning our future STUDENTS, ALUMNI & BOLD DREAMS SHAPE UNT’S LEGACY AND FUTURE

D E SI G N E R S

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

CL I F FTO N C A ST E R

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

(’96 M . E D.)

P H OTO G R A P H E R S M I CH A E L CL E M E N TS

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

AHNA HUBNIK

K E L L E Y R E ESE

G A R Y PAY N E

(’95)

(’03)

(’99)

D I R EC TO R S

V I D EO G R A P H E R S

CH A R I TY B ECK

CH R I STO P H E R B R YA N

K E N N M O F F I TT

B R A D H O LT

M AG A Z I N E STA F F

WRITERS

E X ECU T I V E E D I TO R J U L I E E L L I OTT PAY N E

(’08 )

(’09)

MONIQUE BIRD

(’10 M . J .)

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

(’97)

N A N C Y KO L ST I M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Ahna Hubnik

AS 2015 DRAWS TO A close, we at UNT are giving thanks for the people who’ve shaped our institution throughout our 125-year history — from our students, faculty and staff to our alumni and other supporters. Our transformation has been extraordinary. We started as a teacher training school with 70 students and President Neal Smatresk talks about UNT’s New College at Frisco to open this spring with members a mission to lead the way in educaof the Frisco Rotary Club in November. tion. Today, we are the nation’s 25th largest university with more than 37,000 students and a vision to rise to the top. For 125 years and counting, we’ve created leaders who make a difference in the world. Our students and alumni have made us who we are today. As you’ll read in this issue, their impact looms large in fields like cybersecurity and others (see page 24). As we’re honoring our legacy this year, we’re also envisioning our future. We’ve set our sights on becoming a nationally prominent university. To achieve this goal, we’re leveraging our talent and resources in new ways. This fall, we launched four Institutes of Research Excellence that capitalize on our research strengths and provide a better pipeline for technology transfer and industry partnerships (see inside front cover). We’re also expanding our reach by opening the University of North Texas New College at Frisco, with a soft launch in January. It will be a hub of collaborative, interdisciplinary classes and programs, built to suit business and industry needs by giving students and working professionals the business, communication and technology skills they need to thrive. You can read more about the New College on page 6. These ventures bring new opportunities and expand our horizons. The possibilities are endless and will help us define the next 125 years of greatness for UNT. Have a happy, safe holiday season and a wonderful new year. Be sure to check out our holiday video at northtexan.unt.edu/online or at youtube.com/universitynorthtexas. You’ll see UNT come to life in a whole new way.

U N I V E R SI TY R E L AT I O N S ,

UNT proud,

Neal Smatresk President president@unt.edu @UNTPrez

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

L E SL I E M I N TO N (’88, ’07 M . J .)

(’07 )

A D R I E N N E N E TT L E S S COTT SL E M M O N S

(’94 M . S .)

E D I TO R S

CO U RT N E Y TAY LO R

(’02)

J ESSI C A D E L EÓ N

M A R G A R I TA V E N EG A S

JILL KING

M ATT H E W Z A B E L

(’93 M . S ., ’0 0 M . A .)

(’96 )

O N L I N E E D I TO R

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

M I CH E L L E H A L E

LAURA GARRISON NANCY KENT

A RT D I R EC TO R SE A N Z E I G L E R

(’94 )

E R I C VA N D E R G R I F F (’0 0 )

S O CI A L M E D I A P H OTO E D I TO R

BRANDON TRIPP

ANGILEE WILKERSON ST U D E N T CO N T R I B U TO R S A DV E RT I SI N G J ACK F R A SE R

D E R E K B OY D

(’14 )

C A L E B D OW N S

(’11)

M A D I S O N G OST KOWSK I P R O J EC T M A N AG E M E N T

B R E M A PSTO N

E R I C A B LO U N T

E R I C A M A RT I N E Z

SP R I N G AT WAT E R DONALD WILSON

J O R DA N OTTAWAY J E N N I F E R PACH E

(’01)

A D R I A N A SA L A Z A R J O SH UA W I L L I A MS

T h e Nor t h Texan 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. 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 76203-5017. The UNT System and the University of North Texas are the owners of all of their trademarks, service marks, trade names, slogans, graphic images and photography and they may not be used without permission. The University of North Texas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, political affiliation, disability, marital status, ancestry, genetic information, citizenship, or veteran status in its application and admission process, educational programs and activities, employment policies and use of university facilities. Direct questions or concerns to the equal opportunity office, 940-565-2759, or the dean of students, 940-565-2648. TTY access is available at 940-369-8652. AA/EOE/ADA Created by the Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing ©2015 UNT URCM 12/15 (16-226)

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

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. Online: northtexan.unt.edu (follow the “Contact Us” link) Phone: 940-565-2108 Fax: 940-369-8763 Email: northtexan@unt.edu

Cannon fire When I saw the photo of Boomer the Cannon in the fall issue (“125 Things We Love About UNT”), it brought back memories of the first cannon I know of to be fired on campus. In the 1960s, for one of my industrial arts classes, I built a small four-wheeled naval gun with a wooden chassis. We fired that gun for the first time when they lit the Homecoming bonfire — I don’t remember if it was 1963, ’64 or ’65. It was loud and lit up the sky. My two gunners and I warned everyone we were going to light it, and yelled “Fire in the hole!” but I still remember it scared one of the cheerleaders in mid-jump and she threw her megaphone 40 feet in the air. I have a lot of good memories from my time at North Texas. I was a member of GIX (the ex-serviceman’s fraternity) and lived on $110 a month. I remember Dyche’s and Voertman’s along with

The

No r t h Texa n

Perryman-Williams Drugstore and its club sandwiches, Mom’s Café, the Catacombs, the Tower, the 300-pound eagle at the Sig Ep house, the phantom of Oak Street Hall. Everything north of the old hospital on the hill was a cow pasture. We had some good times. Baxter “Pete” Ireland (’61, ’65 M.Ed.) Sherman

Time travel On page 55 of the fall issue, the caption for the bottom picture reads, “Hamilton examines the contents of the 1962 time capsule unearthed this April,” which shows the presumed contents of the box. But one of the items is a paperback book of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Lonesome Dove was, in fact, published in 1985. The University of North Texas has done many wonderful things but I don’t believe time travel is one of them.

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Mail: The North Texan University of North Texas Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing 1155 Union Circle #311070 Denton, Texas 76203-5017

Otherwise excellent magazine and keep up the good work. Steve Roark via email Editor’s note: Thank you for catching that. We’re sorry to report our time machine is not quite perfected. Instead, that was the 1988 time capsule pictured.

Dream girl I loved the article on Joyce Eaton Pennington (summer 2015) and remembered her immediately upon seeing her face and name. Joyce, good for you and congratulations! It is wonderful to hear about peers from the “old days” and I am happy one of them was you! Joyce was a Sig Ep Dream Girl, something you left out of the article, and you have no idea how jealous I was of her! Robyn Gilliam Reed (’72) Seguin

Condolences I knew Jesús “Jessie” Moroles (“Art in Public Spaces,” spring 2015) back in the late ’70s when we were both finishing our degrees in the arts. I hadn’t talked to him in years, but when I read your article about him, I tracked down his email address and let him know how glad I was for his success. He sent me the link to view his latest project — a project he was driving to this summer when he was involved in a tragic accident that took his life (see page 47). My condolences to his daughter and the rest of his family. Rest in peace, Jessie. Janis Shields (’76) Georgetown

Campus romance

I have enjoyed reading about friendships and romances that were spawned on the beautiful North Texas campus. My parents said that I didn’t set any academic records but I did graduate and make lifelong friendships (pictured second from right with Beta brothers).

My first serious romance was with a coed from Wichita Falls — a great person, honor student and student body favorite. Pearl Harbor interrupted and I spent four years in the Marines. In 1945, while in the South Pacific, I received a Dear John letter from that young woman. However, I met her husband in 1946, a great guy, and she got me a blind date with Nonie Tullos, a beautiful and excellent North Texas student from Palestine. We had a great marriage of 38 years. At Wayland Baptist University, I had a great career serving as athletic director and coach of the men’s basketball team for nine years and later as coach of the Flying Queens women’s team for 18 years. Harley Redin (’42, ’48 M.S.) Plainview

Perfect day for golf

It occurred to me recently that almost-forgotten old campus haunts can be powerful memory stimuli. As I walked past what had once been the first hole of the North Texas golf course following a football game at Apogee, the remembrance of a distant spring day

during my sophomore year came to mind. It was a perfect day for golf. My sticks back then were vintage with proper names such as Mashie, Cleek and Niblick. Approaching the first tee, I could detect the unmistakably sweet “Thwack!” sound a golf ball makes when hit by someone who knows how to play the game. I saw that the someone was a young woman, and I briefly considered asking her if she would like to play a round with me. Closer still, however, I realized that I was just a few steps behind the comely Miss Sandra Palmer (’63) of Kendall Hall (pictured). Sandra Palmer. Homecoming queen and cheerleader, runner-up in the National Collegiate Championship, four-time winner of the West Texas Amateur and winner of the Texas State Amateur in 1963. Play a round with me, indeed. Who did I think I was — Don January (’53)? Desperately trying to keep my Brassie from clanging against my Baffy, I slowly backed down the hill. In the years that followed, Sandra won 21 LPGA tour events, including the U.S. Women’s Open. She won 30 tournaments worldwide and was LPGA player of the year and top money winner in 1975. She is in the Texas State Golf Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Hall of Fame. I may still have an old rusty Spoon lying around some-

where, but I gave up the game a long, long time ago.

@northtexan

A.B. Thomas (’66) Carrollton

A terrific decision

#UNT opened 125 years ago today with a vision to create leaders ...That vision continues. Happy Birthday #UNT! — @UNTPrez Happy Founder’s Day!! #UNT — @BriannaGlover97

I discovered UNT while on my college visits during the summer after high school graduation. My mother and I visited Kansas State University and then proceeded to drive to San Antonio to visit my cousin. On Highway 35 in Denton, we saw Fouts Field and a sign pointing to NTSU. A decision was made to make a quick visit and what a terrific decision it was. From that tour of what was then a considerably smaller campus, my mind was made up. I feel that the education was exceptional, the professors very professional and the overall atmosphere on campus very friendly. During the summer of 1965, I met my future wife, Susan Bird (’66), and life changed (she bought the NTSU frog at Voertman’s for me in 1966). We will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in 2016. Michael Doucleff (’67) Alton, Ill.

Winter 2015

#UNTHomecoming parade was great! Lots of puppies and waving. — @Kheradihr #UNTHomecoming #Bonfire was amazing. — @MrKK25 The new union made me fall in love with UNT all over again. #GMG — @DanielaOtero In 24 hours, the water fountains in #NewUNTUnion have saved nearly 1,000 plastic bottles. Way to go green #UNT! — @WeMeanGreen Big s/o to #UNT Soccer team for winning the championship!! Love our soccer team! — @DylanJFoster Sept. 16. 125 years and going strong! Happy Birthday #UNT! Proud to call this great university my home. #MGF — @UNT_Summerfield Follow us on Twitter. We look forward to staying connected! @northtexan

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Today

Siemens finalists page 11

Ahna Hubnik

NEW COLLEGE AT FRISCO UNT’s New College at Frisco represents a new kind of thinking, a new way of doing business and a new kind of education that will give students and professionals essential career skills.

Learn about UNT’s New College at Frisco and course offerings for spring 2016 at unt.edu/newcollege.

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

A HUB OF CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, Fortune 1000 companies and thriving startups, the North Texas region has one of the largest, most vibrant economies in the world and is a corporate powerhouse. Collin County and Frisco are at the heart of this economic boom, as one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation and the state. To meet industry needs and keep pace with the demands of this rapidly growing area, UNT will open a new location in Frisco in January 2016 called the University of North Texas New College at Frisco. Strategically located at Hall Office Park, near the intersection of Dallas North Tollway and Sam Rayburn Tollway, UNT’s New College will offer programs and classes

that give students and working professionals the business, communication and technology skills they need for success. There will be a mix of disciplines represented, collaborating to offer classes and programs built to suit the corporate world. The New College will be a collaborative laboratory that meshes traditional learning and hands-on experience in dynamic ways. Because of its proximity to some of the world’s top companies, such as Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Frito-Lay and the soon-to-be relocated headquarters for Toyota’s U.S. operations, the campus will focus on industry collaboration, partnerships and engagement. “We’re building something different at UNT’s New College at Frisco,” President Neal Smatresk says. “We’re taking our creative core and adding a technology backbone to help our students become superior competitors. In doing so, we’re narrowing the gap between the high-tech and corporate worlds and higher education.” Providing essential career skills

The campus will cater to working professionals and college-age students, as well as the Fortune 1000 companies that are located in Collin County and beyond. There also will be courses for middle and high school students focused on technology, STEM fields and college readiness, as well as courses for lifelong learners. The curriculum for all of the programs and classes will have three essential ingredients — a technology component, a communication component and an industry experience component — to give students and participants core skills for any industry. UNT’s New College is starting small, offering classes for current students and professional development courses for working professionals in the spring 2016 semester. By fall 2016, the campus will offer degree program courses, certifications and professional development. It will eventually focus in areas such as big data analytics, cybersecurity, gaming and sports media and management to reflect the growth industries in Collin County. Catering to industry

In preparing for the launch of the New College, Brenda Sims, director, and other UNT leaders talked to numerous industry and corporate leaders about what their employees need to excel so that UNT could best tailor classes and programs accordingly. Corporate leaders said that they wanted employees who are not only knowledgeable in their fields, but who also have business acumen, are tech savvy and can communicate well. That is what the New College will deliver, Sims says. “The New College will offer students an innovative education centered on workforce development,” Sims says. “Students learn from high-quality faculty and industry professionals. The classes will integrate technology, communication and industry experience

so students gain knowledge and hands-on experience. And they will have opportunities to engage with some of the world’s leading companies.” Engaging community

Because professional development is a core component of the initiative, there also will be boot camps, certification programs and continuing education in areas such as social media strategy, big data analytics and visualization analytics. As the college grows, so will the opportunities. Through this strategic initiative, UNT will partner with companies in Collin County and beyond to provide unique learning opportunities. Finley Graves, provost and vice president for academic affairs, says the New College will not replicate the Denton campus or its degree programs. The programs at the New College will be a mixture of disciplines, which will give students a broad set of skills for a competitive edge. Academic excellence and quality will drive progress, as it does in all of UNT’s programs. “We’re breaking the academic mold at the New College by building uniquely tailored, highly relevant programs that will create savvy workforce leaders,” Graves says.

Academic Classes for Spring 2016 Classes will be offered for current students in these areas: • Communication studies • Finance • Criminal justice • Journalism • Decision sciences • Recreation, parks and leisure • Digital retailing • Technical communication

Professional Development Programs for Spring 2016 • Investments/General Securities Training Program for Series 7 exam prepares those without a finance background for careers as financial advisors and for the general securities licensing exam. Jan. 19-May 13 • Executive Social Media Seminar with Certificate for business owners and executives who want to learn more about using social media platforms to build their business. Feb. 19-20 • Social Media Strategist Seminar with Certificate for social media professionals, owners and managers who want to improve the productivity of their businesses and develop greater expertise. Feb. 27-April 23 • Assessing Walkway Safety Certificate for construction professionals working with industrial safety, building safety, risk assessment, building management, incident investigation and safety program auditing. March 15-17 To learn more about UNT’s New College at Frisco and spring offerings, visit unt.edu/newcollege.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Today Pass it on: Great things are happening at UNT. Learn about them here and share our successes with your family and friends. • Arts Walk of Fame. Talented UNT alumni are among the first honorees to be selected for the Denton Arts Walk of Fame, a new project recognizing artists with ties to Denton who have made an impact on the national stage. Granite stones with the engraved names of the artists will line both sides of East Hickory Street. Alumni inductees include musicians Pat Boone, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Norah Jones; members of the bands Brave Combo and Midlake; pianist Bob Rogers, who also served on the music faculty and was named a Professor Emeritus; architect O’Neil Ford; and artists Kerry Gammill and Jesús Moroles (’78). • The Dallas 500. UNT leaders earned a spot on D CEO magazine’s list of the 500 most influential businesspeople in the North Texas region. Included are President Neal Smatresk, UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson, Terry Pohlen, professor of logistics, and 16 impressive UNT alumni. The Dallas 500 list was announced in November in a special edition of the magazine, celebrating regional leaders who have made the Dallas-Fort Worth area a powerful economic engine. See the full list at northtexan.unt.edu/online. • New union opens doors. The Mean Green family has a new 300,000-square-foot University Union that is ec0-friendly and represents the heart of student life with ample amenities for dining, study and gathering. Opened in November, it boasts state-of-the-art features and sleek design, including new space for the One O’Clock Lounge inside The Syndicate.

B R I L L I A N T LY GREEN

Ahna Hubnik

Gary Payne

UNT Kuehne Speaker Series

Richard Fisher, the former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, was the distinguished speaker for the UNT Kuehne Speaker

The

No r t h Texa n

Series this fall. Since its launch in 2013, the series has become an important platform to explore globally relevant topics. It was established thanks to generous support from Ernie Kuehne (’66), an attorney and president and board chairman of Kuehne Oil Co. The spring 2016 speaker will be T. Boone Pickens, one of the nation’s leading businessmen and philanthropists, scheduled for May 10. Learn more at kuehneseries.unt.edu.

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Athletics, music, arts gift

Jerome “Bruzzy” Westheimer (’65), a 2016 UNT Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, has gifted $1.9 million to support Mean Green golf, music, visual arts and educational initiatives. His gifts will fund a new golf practice facility being built at the Meridoe Country Club in Carrollton to advance UNT’s nationally recognized golf programs. They also will support The Valerie Dean Westheimer (’70) Memorial

Fellowship for Visual Arts and Design in memory of his sister, commission a sculpture from the studio of the late Jesús Moroles (’78) for the Union sculpture garden, and fund a UNT Kuehne Speaker Series Lifetime Membership. His nephew, Christian O’Donnell (’86), committed $250,000 to support The Valerie Dean Westheimer Graduate Fellowship in Music and The Valerie Dean West heimer Scholarship in Music.

New home, new peace pole

GLOBAL CONNECTION

The 10-foot pole is a seven-sided, hand-crafted limestone pillar displaying the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in seven of the top languages spoken by UNT students: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Korean and Thai. Peace poles can be found in 180 countries around the world. “UNT is a diverse campus community,” says Amy Shen- berger, interim vice provost for international affairs. “The building and peace pole represent so much of what UNT-Interna-

tional is about — welcoming different cultures and people from across the globe to learn and grow together.” UNT’s Intensive English Language Institute, celebrating its 38th anniversary this year, continues to help international students who want to develop their academic English and cultural skills. The institute serves about 400 international students from more than 30 countries. More than 75 percent of its graduates continue their studies at UNT.

Ahna Hubnik

Fitting for UNT’s 125th anniversary year, UNT-International moved its offices and the Intensive English Language Institute into Marquis Hall, this fall. Built in 1935 as the first dormitory, the building was named for UNT’s sixth president, R.L. Marquis. During the past year, it was renovated to make the space welcoming for UNT’s 3,100 international students and scholars from around the world. This fall, President Neal Smatresk, Marquis family members (see page 40) and several community leaders and Denton ISD students were on hand to mark the reopening, which also included the dedication of a peace pole at the building’s east entrance. Unveiled Sept. 21, on United Nations International Day of Peace, the peace pole represents UNT-International’s primary goal of furthering peace and understanding among nations and people.

Ahna Hubnik

TEACHING AWARD John Ishiyama, Distinguished Research Professor of political science, was honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Political Science Association for his outstanding contributions as an educator. The award recognizes an educator’s contribution to undergraduate and graduate teaching of political science at a two- or four-year institution, spanning an entire career or several years, or resulting from a single project of exceptional impact. Ishiyama is a faculty associate in UNT’s Castleberry Peace Institute and lead editor/editor-in-chief of the American Political Science Review, the world’s premier political science journal, sponsored by the APSA. The journal’s editorial offices have been at UNT since 2012.

From left, José Octavio Tripp, consul general of Mexico in Dallas and dean, Consular Corps of Dallas/Fort Worth; Jamie Wilson (’01, ’03 M.S., ’11 Ph.D.), superintendent, Denton ISD; and Bob Brown, vice president of finance and administration, unveil the Peace Pole.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Today Basketball highlights, punting award, rugby Cheer on Mean Green hoops

Mean Green basketball got off to

with a win over Texas Woman’s University. The team then pulled off the

a great start this fall as the women’s

61-57 upset over the 17th-ranked

team scored the biggest upset in the

Oklahoma Sooners, securing the

program’s history and the men

program’s first-ever win over a ranked

started the season as the nation’s

opponent.

fifth-highest-scoring team.

Under Mitchell, the women’s team

The men’s team beat Jarvis

entered the season looking to play to its

Christian College 112-82 to open the

full potential. The coach played for UNT

season, scoring more than 100 points

from 1998 to 2002 and left an assistant

for the first time in the Tony Benford

coaching position at the University of

era and garnering Ja’Michael Brown

Texas in April to return to her alma mater.

Conference USA Freshman of the

Check the men’s and women’s

Week honors. The team followed that

basketball schedules and get your tickets

with a 110-61 win over Texas College.

at meangreensports.com.

Rick Yeatts

The women’s team, led by new head coach and alumna Jalie Mitchell (’02), opened the season

Rugby teams score big

Top punter

The UNT men’s and women’s rugby

Mean Green punter Eric Keena was

ing for the playoffs. The club was undefeated as it advanced to the finals,

named a nominee for the 2015 Ray Guy

clubs earned spots in championship

but fell to UTSA 24-19 in overtime. Follow

Award, which recognizes the nation’s top

games this year after standout perfor-

the clubs at facebook.com/untrugby and

collegiate punter.

mances on the field.

facebook.com/untwomensrugby.

The men’s club qualified for the

With a few games left to play this season, Keena was ranked 21st in the

American Collegiate Rugby Champion-

nation in punting with a 44-yard average

ship Bowl series in Charlotte, N.C. UNT

and 11 punts of 50 or more yards.

played against Rutgers University, coming from behind to win 19-16 and

The Augusta Sports Council an-

ending the fall season with a 9-0 record.

winner was to be featured live on ESPN

The women’s club is in its first year

during The Home Depot College Football

and captured the northern division of the

Awards Dec. 10.

Lonestar Women’s Conference, qualify-

Find the latest Mean Green news and schedules, and buy season tickets at meangreensports.com.

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Tina Parker

nounced the list of nominees, and the

Gary Payne

Siemens finalists

Amber Lu, Colleen Dai and Shoshana Zhang (pictured from left), students in UNT’s Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, were named regional finalists in the 2015

Siemens Competition. UNT had more regional finalists and semifinalists than did any other school in Texas. As part of a research team, Lu presented her work on using matrices to model hypergraphs, which are complex versions of normal graphs. The work has applications in social networking integrated circuits and neurological modeling. Dai and Zhang presented computational and organic chemistry research, which they conduct

with Bill Acree, professor of chemistry. They are focused on finding alternatives to carcinogenic and toxic substances used in industrial settings. Logistics competition

UNT logistics students captured a three-peat victory at the 2015 Intermodal Association of North America’s fifth Intermodal EXPO Academic Challenge. Seniors Mary Catherine Schoals, Ripley Wren and Laura Catalina

................................................................................

Quinones Rios bested fellow students from four of the nation’s top logistics programs to win first place, marking the third year in a row a UNT team has won. The event challenged students to find innovative solutions to help the transportation industry address a severe shortage of truck drivers. The students developed creative case solutions to bring millennials and others into the trucking industry.

Ask an Expert

How can you stay fit in a busy workplace?

ith the New Year ahead, staying fit or getting into shape is a key goal for many professionals with busy work schedules and families at home. People forget to move during stressful times at work and they make unhealthy eating choices, says Brian McFarlin, associate professor of kinesiology, health promotion and recreation and director of UNT’s Applied Physiology Laboratory. McFarlin researches the benefits of physical activity and dietary modification. “There are easy adaptations people can make in their lives and at work to stay healthy and active,” he says, offering the following tips:

Be a mindful consumer • Food is generally safe but be careful of foods and snacks with lots of chemicals and substitutes. • Read labels to see what you are actually eating. Remember that products with fewer ingredients are generally better for you. • If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There is no shortcut to good health or to losing weight. It requires patience and discipline. — Jennifer Pache Gary Payne

Make a few changes • Set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you to move every 30 minutes or so. • Use a standing desk instead of a regular desk or swap your chair for an exercise ball to help strengthen core muscles and improve balance and posture. If you prefer, keep both and switch every 30 minutes. • Walk or take the stairs. Park farther away from your building, which gives you a lot more exercise than parking at the front. Or take the stairs in your building for a small workout to begin your day.

Snack smart • Bring your own snacks rather than buying from a machine. Avoid fatty ingredients by choosing healthier items like air-popped popcorn, also easy to make and transport. • Choose fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid those in sugary juices and fruit snacks that are only labeled to look healthy. And drink more water to help you feel full and avoid over-snacking.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Today

Regent appointments

Gov. Greg Abbott reappointed G. Brint Ryan (’88, ’88 M.S.) and appointed A.K. Mago and Laura Wright (’82, ’82 M.S.) to the UNT System Board of Regents this fall. Mago, chair and CEO of Mago and Associates Inc. and

founding chair of what is today the U.S.-India Chamber, was honored in 2014 with the Padma Shri Award, the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, and was named a distinguished alumnus of Leadership Dallas. Wright is the former chief

financial officer and senior vice president of finance for Southwest Airlines Co. A strategic and financial consultant with GSB Advisory LLC, she is a former trustee, audit committee chair, governance chair and executive member of the UNT Foundation and a former member of the advisory board for the College of Business. Ryan, who was first appointed as a regent in 2009, recently began his second term as chair of the Board of Regents. He is chair and CEO of Ryan LLC, a global tax services firm in Dallas.

Mobile air quality

Guido Verbeck, associate professor of chemistry, has developed a portable tool in conjunction with Kenneth Wright at Inficon that will help environmental scientists and crime investigators collect data on the spot. The mobile mass spectrometers, which can check air quality and provide a list of chemicals in the air, are easily fitted onto vehicles. Verbeck is taking the mobile lab to UNT’s sub-Antarctic field station in Chile, where he’ll develop the first database of air quality samples in that region.

UNT Career Connect Every 10 years, UNT undergoes reaffirmation of accreditation, which brings with it an opportunity to enhance student learning. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accrediting body for UNT, requires a quality enhancement plan that focuses on learning outcomes and aligns with the university’s mission. After receiving feedback from students, staff, faculty and alumni and members of the Denton community, and working on four potential plans, the university chose UNT Career Connect for its quality enhancement plan. UNT Career Connect will introduce students to the concepts of communication, critical thinking and teamwork, beginning in their Ahna Hubnik

early coursework and in co-curricular activities. This will be done through community-engaged learning, which often occurs outside of the classroom and in “real-world” experiences.

Already, students at UNT are having these experiences through study abroad, internships, research and community service. Several curricular and co-curricular programs in fall 2015 gave students the chance to learn outside of the classroom to further their skills. For example, senior Lauren Hardgraves, top, worked with Serve Denton, a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits in Denton, to plan and construct a playground at the Wheeler House, which provides services to homeless families. Another opportunity paired students in UNT’s logistics program with industrial machinery manufacturer Flowserve to determine ways to streamline the company’s freight process. Students in the Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals traveled to McKinney’s Heard Museum to train lemurs to jump to their marks, and gained hands-on behavioral modification experience that relates to their behavior analysis studies. “UNT Career Connect gives students a chance to interact with the community, network with professionals in their chosen careers and learn beyond the boundaries of the classroom,” says Finely Graves, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This plan strengthens our commitment to educational excellence.” By expanding the types of experiential learning opportunities UNT has to offer and by assessing the outcomes to see that students are benefiting from these experiences, the university hopes to ensure that graduates from UNT will be ready for the workplace and the world. Learn more at qep.unt.edu.

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Library award

Flu vaccine and insomnia

UNT researchers have found that the influenza vaccine may be less effective in otherwise healthy individuals who suffer from chronic insomnia. Of the healthy college students studied who received the flu vaccine, those who had chronic insomnia — difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep several nights a week for at least three months — were found to have lower amounts of flu antibodies before and after immunization. Daniel Taylor, professor of psychology and director of UNT’s Insomnia Research Laboratory, and Kimberly Kelly, associate professor of psychology, conducted the study, the first to focus on influenza vaccine and chronic insomnia. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Gary Payne

HEATH HEN RESEARCH The heath hen, which once was an important food source for early settlers, is now the subject of a genomic study being conducted as a first step in the possible resurrection of the extinct species. Jeff Johnson, associate professor of biology and project coordinator, is working with more than a dozen scientists to revive the species and reintroduce it back into the landscape where it once existed. The process would involve the use of gene editing technology to exchange unique genomic regions between the extinct heath hen and its closest living relative, creating offspring more similar to the heath hen. Similar methods also are being explored to supplement genomic diversity in endangered species like the Attwater’s prairie-chicken in Texas.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office has recognized the UNT library system as a 2015 Library of the Year in the Federal Depository Library Program. It’s one of three libraries in the nation honored for its leadership, innovation and commitment to providing free public access to federal government information. UNT has worked with the GPO for more than two decades to digitize and preserve government documents and online information, making UNT among the first libraries to begin these efforts.

Deborah Durham Stanley (’88), her husband, Ron Stanley, and UNT Alumni Association board member Juliet Patterson (’71) (right) at the Dallas County reception held Oct. 1 at the Belo Mansion

UNT Alumni Association The UNT Alumni Association hosted the first two of its inaugural Fall Regional Receptions in October. These events focused on two of the largest concentrations of UNT alumni — in Dallas and Collin counties — and provided a great atmosphere for alumni to reconnect with each other and UNT. More than 300 alumni showed up to network and hear an update on the university from President Neal Smatresk at the Dallas County event, held at the Belo Mansion, and the Collin County event, held at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano. “The reception at Gleneagles was a huge success,” says Dave Gorman (’93), president of the Collin County alumni chapter. “This event represented our broad, diverse alumni base well and is a great building block for future alumni programming.” Rob McInturf, executive director of the UNT Alumni Association, says alumni have asked for more programming and events that allow them to network with each other in the areas where they live. “Based on the feedback we received from the alumni survey we sent out earlier this year, we have incorporated these alumni regional events as part of our strategic plan,” McInturf says. “And we are planning more regional events for the spring.” Watch for future events on the UNT Alumni Association’s website at untalumni.com or its Facebook and Twitter pages. Alumni can select the regional event that best fits their schedule and location. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@unt.edu or 940-565-2834. To join the association or learn more, visit untalumni.com, email alumni@unt.edu or call 940-565-2834.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Jeff Coffin

by Jessica DeLeón

Grammy Award-winning saxophone player performs worldwide as a member of the Dave Matthews Band and other groups.

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

s a student, Jeff Coffin (’90) practiced the saxophone from 8 to 12 hours a day. All the stamina and fundamentals he honed at UNT he still uses today, especially when he plays for three and a half hours a night — and for some famously long improvisational numbers — as a member of the Dave Matthews Band. Coffin has carved a two-decade career as a saxophonist who pushes the boundaries of music conventions, and that sometimes includes playing two saxophones at once. His work has resulted in three Grammy Awards, when he was a member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and his own band, Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet. “I go out of my way to play different ways,” he says. “I’m interested to see what the saxophone can’t do. It’s a big experiment.” Coffin, who has played saxophone since he was 10, was attending college part-time in New Hampshire when his friend and fellow saxophone player Dave Pietro (’87) encouraged him to check out UNT. He landed a spot with the Eight O’Clock Lab Band and was happy to be there. “There was so much competition,” says Coffin, who managed practice while taking a heavy course load in music education. “I was there to work really hard.” And the work paid off. He made the One O’Clock Lab Band his final semester. “What we do as musicians,” he says, “it’s not rocket science. There is a lot of selfdiscipline, sacrifice.”

Winter 2015

One of his courses, Music History, challenged him to listen to different genres. And he says through that exposure he was particularly taken by African music. “It put me on this path of listening to these different types of music,” he says. “It completely flipped me around.” After college, he moved to Nashville and has worked with artists as varied as DJ Logic, Willie Nelson, Widespread Panic and Tuvan throat singer Kongar-ol Ondar. His big break came when he was tapped to play for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, infusing bluegrass with unlikely genres like jazz, classical and pop, from 1997 to 2010. “Being visible, consistent, easy to work with, being on time or early and fostering relationships are what got me into those situations,” he says. “Playing well will get you hired once, but it’s all these other things that get you hired the second time.” Coffin and his own genre-busting Mu’tet have released five albums, including two on his label, Ear Up, since forming in the 1990s. A Yamaha and D’Addario Performing Artist, he plays shows around the country, has presented more than 300 music clinics to students, and teaches at Vanderbilt University and at conferences. He co-wrote a saxophone book, The Articulate Jazz Musician, with Caleb Chapman, and is working on another. And he’s about to release a big band CD with Chapman’s Crescent Super Band, featuring high school musicians, with proceeds supporting the National School of Music in Havana, Cuba, where Coffin and the band did a cultural exchange in March. He fits all that in around his world travels with the Dave Matthews Band, which he joined in 2008. “The highlight is to work with the artists and travel,” he says. “I love the feeling of playing live and the immediacy of it. It’s like jumping off a ledge.”

Rodrigo Simas

Jeff Coffin (’90) Nashville, Tenn.

Favorite UNT teacher:

what I still try to bring to my play-

and mystery everywhere and we

improvisational band. This past

ing and teaching. He also is kind of

can all tune in if we take time to

summer we had Charles Lloyd

a John Cleese character — funny,

look and listen. I have to have

and Herbie Hancock sit in on two

quirky, a sort of dry humor, but

quiet space to write. Distractions

consecutive gigs and that was

cares deeply about his students.

or being on the road are too much

certainly a highlight of my musical

We still stay in contact.

for me to dig into that process so

career, to be around those guys

I wait until I’m home. It just sort of

and to make music with them.

comes out when it’s the right time.

They both brought something very

Jim Riggs (saxophone Professor Emeritus) demanded my best

On creativity:

work. He was the kind of teacher

Creativity is a way of life. I want to

his students wanted to please and

be inspired by something every

Working with DMB:

so we all worked really hard for

day and for that to come out some-

We do have set lists. Interestingly,

Visit northtexan.unt.edu/

him. His pursuit of excellence is

where in my art. There is beauty

this band is not a jam band. It’s an

online to read more Q&A.

unique to the stage.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Muse

Check out upcoming events

Larry Levanti

page 19

A DESIRE TO PERFORM Fulfilling a childhood dream, alumna is making a name in New York theatre and TV shows — and helping to bring diversity to the industry. Read more about Adele at northtexan.unt.edu/desire-to-perform.

KRISTEN ADELE (’05) IS MAKING HER MARK IN the arts world both on and off stage. She recently performed in the off-Broadway play, Desire, which featured six short plays of Tennessee Williams. And she’s appeared in episodes of Orange is the New Black, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife and The Mysteries of Laura. Plus, she is working as program director of ArtChangeUS, a nonprofit initiative that explores the effects of the nation’s changing demographics on the arts. Adele, a Dallas native who attended UNT as Kristen Calhoun, enjoys the satisfaction she gets from her work. “I love opportunities to tell stories and create compassion in the audience, to expose people to perspectives and different walks of life,” she says. “That’s what brings me great joy.” Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Muse Ralf Brinkhoff / Brigit Mogenburg

Acting in Europe

Tyler Donahue (’07, ’14 M.A.) saw his first professional play, The Phantom of the Opera, 20 years ago. This year, he got the opportunity to work with that musical’s legendary com poser, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Donahue is performing in the ensemble of Love Never Dies — a sequel to The Phantom — in Hamburg, Germany, where Lloyd Webber perfected his piece with the cast. Don

ahue also appeared in SingAlong in Madrid. He moved to Spain three years ago to teach English. Donahue studied musical theatre, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German at UNT. “It was my first big life lesson in perseverance,” he says. “This led to my moving to Europe to follow my dreams.”

Music Guitar man

Ray Bradley

Dance and Theatre

from a concert when he re ceived a text saying he had won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Guitarist of the Year. “It was a surreal experience,” he says. “It was an honor to win and completely unexpected.” The Edmonton native frequently plays with country artists from Canada. His sec ond jazz recording, Vanished, with the Ryan Davidson Trio will be released in 2016. Davidson says being a stu dent at UNT and performing in the One O’Clock Lab Band changed his life. “UNT has a world-class faculty that inspires students each and every day,” he says.

Guitarist Ryan Davidson (’09 M.M.) had come off stage

Visual Arts Fashion design gift

The College of Visual Arts and Design received a $500,000 gift to assist in the enrichment and renaming of the college’s already noted fashion design program to the Michael Faircloth Fashion Design Program. Lisa Troutt (’85) and her husband, Kenny, gave the first major gift that will support the $2.5 million goal to name the program for the renowned

Stellar photographer Ignacio Torres (’10) had to make a decision. His photography series, Stellar, which uses stills and animated GIFs to make it appear his subjects are moving, had just gone viral. He wanted to be considered for fashion photography jobs. So he listed New York City as his home base and moved there from Texas the next week. “I moved with no money and took out a loan,” he says. “I just jumped in Camilla Sykes

with my eyes closed.” Good decision. Four years later, Torres, left, has made a name for himself in the fashion industry, photographing for Steve Madden, Nine West and others. He also shot the cover of the album Bad Blood by the popular band Bastille. “It just worked,” he says. “I get jobs and projects from putting in the work and then people seeing that.” Torres, who is from El Paso, came to UNT as a transfer student and earned his bachelor’s degree in photography. Several teachers inspired him, including Denise Baxter, associate professor of art education and art history, and Dornith Doherty, Distinguished Research Professor of studio art. After graduation, Torres briefly moved to New York City for an internship at a fashion magazine. “I moved in the middle of winter,” he says. “I was a mess and the city was a mess.” So he moved back to Texas until his success with Stellar propelled him to try New York again and confidence followed. His work has been exhibited in Mexico, Rome and London, and he was awarded silver by the Art Directors Club in Switzerland for photography with KOMET and the Festi’Neuch music festival. Torres now sees his artwork on the New York and London subways and at his hometown Wal-Mart. “It’s so funny to me,” he says. “Oh, cool. That’s my work. It’s just like a great feeling.”

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Eclectic playwright

Michael Clements

A transgender woman trying to survive in Nazi Germany and a mermaid yearning to live on land may not seem like they have much in common. But, for starters, Doug Wright wrote both their stories. Wright won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for his 2003 play, I Am My Own Wife, about the transgender woman, and penned the musical The Little Mermaid, as well as Grey Gardens and Hands on a Hard Body. Wright will discuss his eclectic career, work with students and conduct research for upcoming works as the 2015-16 artist-in-residence for UNT’s Institute for the Advancement of the Arts. Wright, who lives in New York City, visited UNT in the fall and will return in the spring. He says he’s enjoyed the diversity of his career. “I think that I just pursue stories that move me,” the Dallas native says, noting Wife and Mermaid have surprising similarities on the surface. “Both stories are about people who are out of the dominant culture,” he says. “As different as they seem on the surface, they each teach us about human longing and the desire for inclusion.”

designer. Lisa Troutt and Faircloth (’83) first met as students, and their friendship developed into a designer-cli ent relationship. Today, Faircloth, who has continued to work with UNT students, is recognized as a national and international artist.

Dornith Doherty

Lone Star

Research Professor Dornith Doherty the 2016 Texas State Visual Artist 2D from more than 600 nominees. Doherty’s photographs, which have focused on the “complex relationship between the natural environ ment and human agency,” can be seen Feb. 4-March 12 at UNT ArtSpace Dallas. “It is a profound honor to be recognized in my home state,” Doherty says. Museums around the world have exhibited her works. Gaillardia is pictured at left .

Upcoming Events

The Faculty Dance Concert will feature work created by choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez of the Contra-Tiempo dance theatre in Los Angeles as well as works created by faculty members Shelley Cushman and Teresa Cooper and student pieces. Faculty member Robin Lakes is the artistic director. The show is at 8 p.m. Feb. 11-13 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 14 at the University Theatre in the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building. Learn more at danceandtheatre.unt.edu. The Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series will present The W. Kamau Bell Curve: How to End Racism in About an Hour, with Bell using comedy, video and audio to discuss race. It will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 at the University Union Ballroom. Learn more at untuniontickets.com. The multicultural-inspired works of painter Siona Benjamin will be displayed from March 3 to April 2 at the UNT Art Gallery, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. March 3. Learn more at studentaffairs.unt.edu/fine-arts-series. The play Stage Kiss runs at 7:30 p.m. March 10-11, 23-25 and at 2 p.m. March 12 and 26 at the Studio Theatre in the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building. Visit danceandtheatre.unt.edu. Danilo Pérez & Panama 500 will perform with the One O’Clock Lab Band at 8 p.m. March 3 at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. For tickets, visit thempac.music.unt.edu. This performance is made possible by the Glenn E. Gomez Endowment and Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series. Art + Autism will display works of art made by artists who have autism spectrum disorder. The exhibit opens March 31, with a reception from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2 for Autism Speaks “Light it Up Blue Day,” at UNT ArtSpace in Dallas. Learn more at gallery.unt.edu. Scientist Bill Nye from the Bill Nye the Science Guy television series will be speaking as a part of the Distinguished Lecture Series at 8 p.m. April 6 at the UNT Coliseum. Learn more at studentaffairs.unt.edu.

Visit calendar.unt.edu for more upcoming events.

The Texas Legislature has named Distinguished Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Quite a few things have changed about campus life since our founding in 1890 — the size of campus, the number of students, the classes offered, the technology used, the rules followed (or not followed). But take a look with us across the years and see if you agree that, in some ways, the life of a student is timeless. Go to northtexan.unt.edu/online for more about campus life through the decades, and if we missed some of your favorites, let us know (see contact information on page 4).

1890 to 1910s

• 1890 enrollment, first week: 70 • Cost: Tuition for 10 weeks, $13.50; room and board in Denton boarding house, $2.50 per week • Denton population: 2,558, served by 10 passenger and mail trains daily • 1891 campus: 10 acres, 1 building

Sample courses: Ornamental penmanship, elocution, telegraphy, domestic science 1901 library: 500 volumes 1919: First four-year bachelor’s degrees Boarding house rules: No buggy riding at night; no protracted use of the telephone for idle conversation; no leaving the city without the president’s permission; return to boarding houses for the night by 7 p.m.

(I would stay in Denton) from September to Christmas. It wasn’t far down from Fort Worth and it only cost $1.05 to take the train, but you didn’t have $1.05 in those days. — A.B. Jolley (’12), 1905 freshman (UNT oral history)

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

1920s to 1930s

Campus favorites: ’Fessor Graham’s Saturday Night Stage Shows, local fraternities and sororities, swimming at the recreation park 1922: Eagle chosen as mascot 1936: First dorm (Marquis Hall) and master’s degrees 1938: World track record set by twin twins Elmer and Delmer Brown and Blaine and Wayne Rideout Sample courses: Millinery, rural school problems, clogging (athletic dance)

Once, when I got in line (for registration), I got my arm up over my head and couldn’t get it back down for a little bit. It was so crowded. — Elizabeth Teasley (’41), 1937 freshman (UNT oral history)

1940s to 1950s

Campus favorites: Contributing to the war effort, GI Bill, Ugliest Man on Campus, Greek life, Abner Haynes, North Texas Push, Union Coffeecake

Chart toppers: “Love Letters in the Sand,” Pat Boone; “Ooby Dooby,” Roy Orbison (written by students Dick Penner and Wade Moore)

1949-1952: Four national golf championships 1953: First doctoral degree; 1954, 1956: Desegregation 1954 women’s dorm rules: No using the telephone after curfew (10:50 p.m.); no slacks, shorts or rolled-up hair on the street, to class or in the dining room Sample courses: Radio speaking, dance band arranging, beginners’ Russian

(The women) never did go to bed at night. ... They said they washed their hair, and they wrote letters and they visited. They had lots to talk about. — Imogene Bentley Dickey Mohat, recalling dorm life in 1944, her first year as dean of women (UNT oral history)

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

1960s to 1970s

Campus favorites: Joe Greene, basketball in the Snake Pit and Super Pit, marches, protests, paperbacks, Earth Day, streakers, Flying Worm, co-ed dorms

Chart toppers: “Wildfire,” Michael Martin Murphey; “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” Meat Loaf

1961: First University Day Lab 1975: First of six Grammy nominations for One O’Clock Lab Band Sample courses: International relations, use of the slide rule, introduction to computers

It’s usually a good idea to sit near the front (of class). But if there’s a pretty girl in the back, the pursuit of good grades shouldn’t be allowed to interfere with the pursuit of happiness. — New student advice, Johnny Hendrik (’68), 1966, Campus Chat

1980s to 1990s

Campus favorites: Fry Street Fair, Eppy, big hair, teleregistration, hacky-sack, blood drives, Necessary Roughness, recycling, online classes, email

Chart toppers: “Boys of Summer,” Don Henley; “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Deep Blue Something

1988: Name change to University of North Texas; 1990: Centennial 1998: First green building (Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building) 1999: World-class music hall (Murchison Performing Arts Center) Sample courses: On-line information services, introductory game programming, digital photography

Everyone knows college students don’t have any money. That’s why they are in college. — Freshman Iris Perez (’92), commenting in the 1987 Aerie about the price of textbooks (a new book cost $30)

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

2000s to 2014

Campus favorites: Texting, New Orleans and Heart of Dallas bowls, Facebook, sustainability, REAL communities, Big Event, A-train, Apogee Stadium, Twitter Chart toppers: “Come Away With Me,” Norah Jones; “Nuthin,” Lecrae

2002: Discovery Park development 2003: Pohl Recreation Center 2010: First LEED-certified building (Life Sciences Complex) Sample courses: Aviation logistics, biomedical instrumentation, migrants and refugees, digital retailing strategies

I’m far away enough from home where my parents can’t just show up over the weekend, or I’m also close enough where they can still reach up and zap me if they need to.

— Student commenting on UNT’s prime location, 2000

2015

• 2015 enrollment: 37,231 • Campus: 900 acres; 172 buildings, including 15 residence halls • Library: 7 million print and digital items • Latest Denton population estimate: 128,205 • Student organizations: More than 400

Campus favorites: UNT tartan, free Wi-Fi on the square, albino squirrel, Instagram, new Union, celebrating 125 years

We have five different dining halls, plus tons of retail options — and coffee shops, because caffeine’s probably going to be the most important part of your day. — Student talking about campus life as part of a UNT virtual tour, 2015

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

by Adrienne Nettles

hen a passenger aboard a United Airlines’ flight in April bragged that he was able to control the aircraft by hacking into the in-flight entertainment system, Dan Glass (’00, ’03 M.S.), chief information security officer for American Airlines, was called in to brief the airline’s board of directors about the claim and its impact on the airline industry. Glass is responsible for identifying potential security breaches at the airline, from cyberattacks on flight controls and passenger information to the equipment used by ground crews. The April incident, investigated by the FBI, made his job more important than ever. Based at American’s corporate headquarters at DFW International Airport, he works to keep customer and company information secure by protecting the airline’s massive networks, data and computer systems from attack. “As the world’s largest airline serving more than 530,000 passengers on 6,700 flights a day,” he says, “we are targeted by many external threats, great and small.” In today’s wired world, people rely on computers and the Internet for almost everything they do, whether it’s airplane navigation, security and ticket sales to travel, email and cellphones to communicate, online stores and credit cards to shop, or equipment and medical records to stay healthy. It is imperative to protect sensitive personal and business information — not just by detecting and responding to cyberattacks, but by preventing them. Glass and other alumni are using their tech savvy and best business practices to help protect global computer networks and data for some of the largest companies. They are part of a growing field in high demand — cybersecurity professionals who have specialized industry knowledge and technology backgrounds capable of fighting today’s most sophisticated cybercriminals. And UNT is at the forefront of preparing such careers, starting with the Center for Information and Computer Security, directed by Ram Dantu, professor of computer science and engineering. The National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated the center a National Center for

Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research, making UNT one of about 60 such research centers in the U.S. And UNT’s New College at Frisco, opening in January, will place an emphasis on preparing students and helping professionals further their careers in cybersecurity and forensics fields, among other concentrations. “With our emphasis on cross-disciplinary initiatives,” Dantu says, “graduates of our programs are well-prepared for careers with today’s top employers.”

For Glass, it’s critical to ensure that the airline’s security policies, procedures and guidelines are always followed in order to keep its extensive financial data and other information secure, as well as its passengers and employees. Working with the U.S. Department of Defense, he keeps a close tab on travelers flagged as threats and is privy to classified information from federal agencies. “Our flight and ground crews depend on my organization to protect this information and to get our customers to their intended destination safely,” says Glass, who began his career at American as an information security architect and served in other security roles before being promoted to his current position. “We protect private information for our millions of customers and more than 100,000 global employees,” he says. “And we take this responsibility very seriously.” A transfer student who double-majored in economics and finance, he also has a master’s degree in information technology management from UNT. His experiences working as a junior finance analyst at Nortel Network and a help desk analyst for PepsiCo, a job he landed through the UNT Career Center, helped prepare him for the work he loves. He also gained valuable experience while working as a computer system manager in UNT’s then Computing and Information Technology Center. “I recall lessons I learned in courses as a student when discussing cyber insurance with underwriters, contract law with lawyers, Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

budgeting and accounting,” says Glass, who also credits his success to supportive faculty mentors like Kari Battaglia, lecturer in economics, and Leon Kappelman, professor of information technology and decision sciences. “UNT gave me such rich experiences and a toolbox to lead the technology and cybersecurity risk management programs,” he says. “When I graduated to seek out success in the private sector, I had an advantage.”

When patients check into any of the 40 Children’s Health locations in the Dallas area, their personal information is gathered by doctors and nurses to create an electronic health record. This information, which includes their Social Security number, medical history, address, phone number and other sensitive information, is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and therefore privacy is of utmost concern. It’s also the kind of sensitive information that cybercriminals want, says Anita Karim (’04), an information security architect helping to protect and secure the hospital system’s sensitive data such as financial and medical records. “Our goal is to ensure that our data is protected and secure for our patients,” she says. “It’s important to monitor our network and environment but also to educate our employees on what they can do to keep patients’ data secure.” Karim reviews software tools that can better help the hospital monitor and track suspicious activities on its network. She’s also responsible for conducting internal network audits to ensure that the hospital’s policies and procedures are being followed. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving with new technology, says Karim, who earned a biology degree at UNT and teaches technology courses for the Dallas County Community College District and Colorado Technical University. She also is a board member of the DFW Health Information Management Systems Society and a member of the Information Systems Security Association and Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Technology. “At Children’s Health, we are proactive about protecting children’s data by staying up to date with the new vulnerabilities and risks,” she says. “Knowing that I can make a difference to help prevent harm to our patients’ data is really important.” Karim, the first in her family to go to college, credits UNT’s supportive faculty and strong academic programs for giving her the foundation she needed. While a student, she landed a job at a healthcare software company that was a vendor for electronic health records, piquing her interest in technology. “UNT helped me to learn that you have to work hard and work smart,” she says. “For me, that means keeping up with technology. As technology grows and changes, so does the security we use that goes with it.”

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

In Tom Bresnahan’s (’85, ’92 M.B.A.) most recent assignment for PepsiCo in Dallas, as head of global cyber risk management and resiliency, he implements processes to identify threats, protect data systems, detect vulnerabilities, respond and recover. Bresnahan has gained a global perspective, working for 13 companies in diverse areas such as IT, corporate audit and supply chain management with big names like Exxon, Mobil Oil and PepsiCo. He helped establish PepsiCo’s information security program, serving as its acting chief information security officer and growing his career as chief information officer of PepsiCo Brazil before his recent transition back to information security. “Cybersecurity is more relevant than ever as organizations retool and digitize for growth,” Bresnahan says. “The cyber threat landscape is ever changing and requires continuous vigilance.” Born in the U.S. to missionary parents, Bresnahan spent 10 years as a child in Mexico before his family returned to Denton. One of eight children, seven of whom attended UNT, he enrolled on a soccer scholarship where he led the top 10 nationally ranked team in scoring. He sampled business computer informa-

tion systems — a forerunner of UNT’s information technology and decision sciences program in the College of Business — and was impressed with the vision and quality of the professors building the program. He took classes with his wife-to-be, Jacque Vogel (’91, ’92 M.B.A). “It was a unique field and just evolving,” he says. “UNT was at the leading edge.”

One of the key ways consumers reduce their vulnerability to cyber threats is by using antivirus programs on computers and other devices, says Shameka Johnson (’07), an information security specialist at Intel Corp. She works as part of a team making sure that security best practices are followed daily to protect Intel’s IT systems and assets. She also has been involved in the development of Intel Security products, such as True Key and McAfee antivirus products, which protect millions of consumers. “Being involved in these security products before they go to market is exciting,” says Johnson, who has spent her career in computer programming, including working as an information

security analyst for UT Southwestern Medical Center and as a web security engineer at McAfee. She is a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, is certified through the Certified Ethical Hacker program and participates in industry forums driving today’s security standards and governance. Intel, like any company or organization, is vulnerable to threats, says Johnson, a subject matter expert in governance, risk and compliance at Intel. She helps determine threats and vulnerabilities to the company’s key business units, products and services. “Managing IT risk is core to managing any organization,” Johnson says. “Understanding IT systems and their associated risk is important to helping companies reduce their cost of compliance, increase network security and protect information assets.” When organizations fail to recognize that risk management is key to their survival, they can set themselves up for serious security breaches, financial losses and possibly compliance fines, she says. Johnson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in applied technology from UNT, says faculty members and her father encouraged her drive to work in the computer field. “My father introduced me to computers at 8,” she says. “UNT

110000101100011011000110110010101110011011100110010000001100001011011100110010000100000011010010110 100011001010110111001110100011010010111010001111001001000000110110101100001011011100110000101100111 developing innovative solutions to protect companies. faculty and advisors reassured me about the path I wanted to take.” 110010101101101011001010110111001010100001000000110000101100011011101000110100101110110011001010010 As an international student from Nairobi, Kenya, Shah was Johnson has formed a nonprofit organization, Girls Into Fitness 000011000010111010001110100011000010110001101101011001000000110000101110011011110010110110101101101 drawn to UNT’s computer science and engineering program and Technology, to inspire young girls to pursue engineering and 110010101110100011100100110100101100011001000000100001101101111011011000110110001100101011000110111 and its highly respected faculty, like Dantu, Krishna Kavi and technology careers, as well as health and fitness. 100011010010110111101101110001000000100111101110000011001010111001001100001011101000110100101101111 Mahadevan Gomathisankaran. “I want to make an impact by increasing the number of women 110111001110011001000000110001101101111011011010111000001110101011101000110010101110010001000000110 “I have always been inspired by secret agent movies like Mission who choose cybersecurity, technology and engineering-related 110011011110111001001100101011011100111001101101001011000110111001100100000000010100100001101101111 110110101110000011101010111010001100101011100100010000001001110011001010111010001110111011011110111 Impossible,” says Shah, who earned his bachelor’s in computer career paths,” she says. 010011010110010000001000100011001010110011001100101011011100111001101100101001000000100000101101110 science with a minor in math and a master’s in computer science 110000101101100011110010111001101101001011100110010000001000011011011110110111001110100011010010110 specializing in security at UNT. “The technology was cool and I 110011101010110100101110100011110010010000001101111011001100010000001001111011100000110010101110010 wanted to be on the cutting edge of innovation.” UNT alumni not only safeguard records for consumers and 110000101110100011010010110111101101110011100110010000001010000011011000110000101101110001000000110 Today, Shah is pursuing that desire as a senior research businesses. They also are behind the creation of some of the 011011100100110100101110100011010010110001101100001011011000010000001101001011011100110011001110010 engineer at Armor, where he creates cloud solutions for healthcare, very security software these industries rely on to protect their 110000101110011011101000111001001110101011000110111010001110101011100100110010100100000011000010110 110011001000010000000001010011010110110010101111001001000000111001001100101011100110110111101110101 financial, retail and other data and assets. 111001001100011011001010111001100100000011101000111001001100001011001100110011001101001011000110010 industries that help to Tawfiq Shah (’13, ’15 000011011000110100101100111011010000111010000100000011100000111001001101111011101000110111101100011 minimize the dwell time, or M.S.), a UNT comput110111101101100001000000100001101110101011100110111010001101111011011010110010101110010001000000101 the amount of time it takes er science and engineer011011001010111001001110110011010010110001101100101001000000110000101101110011001000010000001010100 to identify cybersecurity ing graduate, works at 110010101100011011010000110111001101001011000110110000101101100001000000101001101110101011100000111 threats. Armor’s specialized Richardson- based 000011011110111001001110100001000000110010001100001011101000110000100100000000010100110000101100111 110011101110010011001010110011101100001011101000110100101101111011011100010000001100100011001010110 cloud programs, such as Armor, where he’s 011011100100111100101110000011101000110100101101111011011100010000001100100011010010111001101110100 111001001101001011000100111010101110100011001010110010000100000011001000110010101101110011010010110 001011011000010000001101111011001100010000001110011011001010111001001110110011010010110001101100101

Armor Complete, are a resource for healthcare companies needing secure cloud infrastructures to comply with HIPAA and to help prevent data breaches. He also works to imitate the tactics and techniques that cybercriminals use so that he can help in developing security architectures to prevent them from infecting computer systems with malicious viruses. Shah says the work is important to helping Armor researchers create innovative solutions for companies to detect and remove new and ever-evolving cyberthreats from their networks. “The goal is to protect the customer’s assets and brand name,” he says. “By creating newer and more innovative security solutions, I am able to create an environment where businesses and organizations can use their network systems without worrying that the systems will be compromised.”

— Monique Bird contributed to this story

Focus

Ahna Hubnik

FA C U LT Y

Angela Wilson, Regents Professor of chemistry, receives the Eminent Faculty Award cash prize from UNT Foundation board member Bob Sherman and President and CEO of the UNT Foundation Mike Mlinac.

Saluting Excellence UNT celebrates faculty for their extraordinary teaching, scholarly research and community service.

UNT faculty go above and beyond in teaching and in creating national and international connections through their research. The university honored that dedication this fall as part of our Salute to Faculty Excellence Week in September. The week’s festivities culminated with an awards dinner at Apogee Stadium, where we celebrated the contributions of outstanding faculty, including the UNT Foundation’s top four honorees. “Our dedicated faculty members are standout teachers, internationally prominent researchers and scholars, and caring mentors,” says Finley Graves, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Watch videos of the award recipients “This year’s event was extra special because it coincided with our at northtexan.unt.edu/online. 125th anniversary celebrations, making for a great occasion to reflect on our founding as a teachers college and the dedication of those who make UNT a great place to study and learn.”

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

E M I N E N T F A C U LT Y A W A R D

Angela Wilson, Regents Professor of chemistry, earned the UNT Foundation’s Eminent Faculty Award, for outstanding and sustained contributions to scholarly-creative activity, teaching and service. Through the Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling, which Wilson founded and directs, UNT has formed one of the largest computational chemistry programs in the country and has brought together researchers from chemistry, physics, materials science, computer science and other areas to solve problems common to those fields. She is a fellow of the American Chemical Society and national associate of the U.S. National Academies, a National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient, a fellow of the American Physical Society and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

}

O U TSTA N D I N G L EC T U R E R AWA R D

Lesli Robertson, principal lecturer in fibers, received the foundation’s new Outstanding Lecturer Award. The award recognizes a full-time lecturer who has made significant and sustained contributions to the university as evidenced by the quality of his or her teaching and service. Robertson brings a creative spark to her work and students thanks to her expertise in installation artwork, community engagement, weaving and Ugandan cultural arts. She recently led workshops exploring new weaving patterns based on traditional patterns found in Bedouin culture as a Fulbright Specialist in Kuwait and as a College of Visual Arts and Design faculty member who teaches advanced weaving students.

F A C U LT Y C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T A W A R D Donna Emmanuel, associate professor of music education, received the foundation’s Faculty Community Engagement Award. The distinction is given to a faculty member who has the sensitivity to understand and work across organizational boundaries and the leadership to build bridges among community institutions. Emmanuel founded and coordinates UNT’s Mariachi Águilas, an ensemble for credit within the College of Music, open to any student on campus. She also directs a residential mariachi summer camp for middle and high school students. Emmanuel serves as the chair of the College Music Society’s national committee on community engagement, looking at meaningful ways that university members can interact with the broader community, both on and off campus.

}

{ {

F A C U LT Y L E A D E R S H I P A W A R D David Mason, Regents Professor of political science, was honored with the foundation’s Faculty Leadership Award. The award acknowledges a faculty member who makes a significant impact on the academic enterprise through innovative initiatives, leadership and service. Mason is co-founder of UNT’s Castleberry Peace Institute, the only peace science and human security research center in the southern United States. The institute has become internationally recognized for its research on conflicts within and between nations, attracting substantial amounts of grant funding and producing some of the most widely cited studies on civil conflict and conflict resolution.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Innovative Storytelling

Alumni of UNT’s

documentary studies graduate

program are changing lives

through their award-winning, thought-provoking films.

The

No r t h Texa n

by Jessica DeLeón

Students and faculty call it “running the gauntlet.” It’s the challenging work that students have to go through in the documentary production and studies graduate program. In the first weeks of the two-year program, in which students earn a Master of Fine Arts degree, they are tasked to find a subject for the first film they will produce and direct — and it will be shown publicly. “They’re thrown into it immediately,” says Melinda Levin (’92 M.A.), the program’s director and professor of media arts. During their second year, students make another documentary while serving as camera operator, sound recordist and editor for two classmates’ films. At the same time, they are researching the subject for the thesis film they are required to make that final year. And there are peer reviews, writing assignments and other classes. This rigorous workload has yielded some big results. Graduates go on to be part of productions that have won major national honors, including the DuPont-Columbia Award and the Peabody Award. Their work can be seen on PBS, HBO and top websites. Now celebrating its 10th year, UNT’s program — known for its state-of-theart sound, editing and camera equipment and a nurturing community of student, faculty and alumni filmmakers — is impacting the creative culture of the North Texas region and beyond. Several alumni have created festivals to spotlight documentaries, including Denton’s Thin Line Fest founded by Joshua Butler (’06) in 2007, and Dallas’ Arab Film Festival Texas, started by Tania Khalaf (’07 M.F.A.), associate professor of media arts, in 2013. One thread runs deep among the filmmakers — the desire to tell stories that can make a huge difference in how viewers see the world. “Documentaries can be profoundly life-changing for people,” Levin says. “You can get that in fiction, but the immediacy of documentaries really hits the nerve.”

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Mark Spooner/Gordon College

Scott Thurman (â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 M.F.A.)

Finding characters

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Sara Masetti (’13 M.F.A.)

Winter 2015

Estelle Caswell

The

Denny Thomas (’13 M.F.A.)

Zeke Spector

Abbey Hoekzema (’14 M.F.A.)

Jeremy Wilburn/Georgia Southern

When Scott Thurman (’10 M.F.A.) showed clips during a class peer review from his movie The Revisionaries, which highlights controversial figures in American education, one classmate said he was falling asleep during some interviews. But he also said that he was engaged in the film when Thurman focused on Don McLeroy, a dentist and member of the Texas State Board of Education who tried to rewrite the state’s textbooks to reflect his conservative philosophy. The critique confirmed Thurman’s feeling that he should focus more on McLeroy. The Revisionaries, released in 2012, received great acclaim, including the Special Jury Award from the Tribeca Film Festival and the DuPont-Columbia Award. It also appeared on the Independent Lens series on PBS. Before coming to UNT, Thurman was working as a cameraman for an Amarillo TV station. He decided that he wanted more control over the footage he shot. “I wanted to tell my own stories” he says. Thurman now teaches what he learned at UNT to his students at Gordon College in Boston. And one of the most important lessons was that subjects must be threedimensional. For his first film at UNT, Smokey, he focused on “Smokey” Binion Jr., an Elvis Presley impersonator from Stinnett. “I began to see that the Elvis character had endearing qualities,” Thurman says. “When you round out the characters, it makes the story ring true.” That philosophy carried over to The Revisionaries. McElroy thought Thurman’s portrayal of him was well-balanced, and he participated in question-and-answer sessions with him at showings of the film. “That’s what I love about documentary,” Thurman says. “It ’s something that teaches and entertains you.”

Creative problem-solving Abbey Hoekzema (’14 M.F.A.) was sleeping in her dorm at Virginia Tech in 2007 when another student began a massive shooting spree on the campus. Hoekzema was unharmed physically, but she was angry about the media’s negative portrayal of the college and community. She expressed that frustration by making a documentary about students’ reactions to the shooting for a student-run website. The experience inspired Hoekzema to change her major from marketing to film at Virginia Tech and then to pursue her master’s at UNT. Now a tenure-track professor at Georgia Southern University, she enjoys watching students go through the creative process. “I really stress creative problem-solving,” she says. “Being confident in your idea is the first step to being an impactful filmmaker and storyteller.” Hoekzema finds ways to be innovative. She’s currently working on a film about undocumented youths from Mexico who travel thousands of miles to cross the U.S. border. But since she needs to protect the subjects’ identities, she’s using stop motion animation to reenact their stories. Her films featured in festivals across the nation include Photos in the Wind, which she made in her second year at UNT. It depicts how community members around Joplin, Mo., cleaned and returned photos lost after a 2011 tornado. “The most rewarding part is that the people in the film liked it,” she says.

Changing lives Denny Thomas (’13 M.F.A.) looked at his computer screen in shock. A Palestinian filmmaker was able to get inside the terrorist group ISIS. Thomas and other members of Vice News watched intently as they saw terrorists recruit children as young as 10 and villagers ignore executions in city squares.

“That’s what I love about documentary. It’s something that teaches and entertains you.” — Scott Thurman (’10 M.F.A.)

Opening worlds

“Most of the stuff we were seeing was blowing our minds,” Thomas says. As an assistant editor for Vice for HBO, the Emmy-winning documentary series, Thomas not only helps make provocative documentaries, he also is winning awards and changing people’s lives. Thomas helped edit the filmmaker’s footage for The Islamic State, which won a Peabody Award, the most prestigious prize in electronic news media. Other Vice projects that he’s worked on include Killing Cancer, which helped raise $1 million for cancer research. Fixing the System, in which President Barack Obama talked to federal inmates, got presidential candidates talking about justice reform. “They are very real, very visceral,” Thomas says of Vice’s documentaries. “They are entertaining, but they are illuminating.” Thomas was making documentaries while working in radio in his native India when a couple of his friends mentioned they were going to UNT. He enrolled in the documentary program and worked at the KNTU radio station. His first-year film, Black Dog, was about how dark-haired dogs are adopted less often and euthanized more than lighter-haired dogs. For Thomas’ final-year project, Rickshaw Man, he followed a rickshaw driver in India and a pedicab driver in Dallas, showing their differences and similarities. After graduation, he worked for several reality shows, My Crazy Obsession and My Dirty Little Secret. An avid screenwriter, he is developing a drama pilot and hopes to make his own TV show one day. But for now at Vice Media, he feels as though his team is making a difference. “We can see tangible results,” he says. “That definitely feels amazing.” Winter 2015

As a child in Italy, Sara Masetti (’13 M.F.A.) lived in Sarzana, where the movie theater was just 30 feet from her house. “It started out as a pure fan experience,” she says. “And I wanted to be part of that industry.” Masetti sought out UNT for its strong documentary film program and has since reached her goal. She works for one of the Internet’s hottest websites, Vox Media, and her films have won her several honors. One of the films she made while at UNT, Undocumented Dreams, won the Rising Star Award at the Canada International Film Fest in Vancouver and an Award of Merit at the Best Shorts Competition online. The film focused on a student who was undocumented while legislation was being considered about the fate of students like him. Her other films made at UNT included Fundamentally Good, which featured Muslim men living in Dallas trying to reconcile Sudanese roots and American dreams, and The Ocean in Between, a personal account about coming to terms with her bicultural identity. After graduation, she moved to New York City and worked for Hearst Magazines’ video department as a production assistant. She then served as an editor for the i-Italy weekly TV program and for shows on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel. Last January, she landed at Vox Media as an assistant editor for the website. “Everything I know about documentary I owe to the program at UNT,” she says. “It opened a world to me. I was able to discover what I’m really passionate about. To see and learn more about alumni film projects, go to northtexan.unt.edu/online.

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Eagles

Ahna Hubnik

SOARING

Pictured with President Neal Smatresk, third from right, at the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards Dinner are, from left, Julie Anderson (’91, ’91 M.S.), Bob Kimmel (’61), Tiffaney Dale Hunter (’01), Leroy Whitaker (’50, ’52 M.S.), Cathy Bryce (’91), Barbara Crosby Polansky (’77) of the Hoke family and Kyle Miller, son of Mark Miller (’70, ’80).

Alumni Awards 2015 UNT honors extraordinary alumni for their notable careers and service.

Alumni were honored during Homecoming Week at this year’s UNT Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards for entrepreneurship, philanthropy and service to their communities and university. The awards program, marking its 50th anniversary, celebrated the achievements and service of seven recipients. Honors included the Distinguished Alumni Award, one of UNT’s most prestigious, presented since 1965 to individuals who have earned prominence and accolades for their professional accomplishments. The Distinguished Young Alumni Award honors alumni under 40 for distinguished achievement. “We’re so proud of our alumni award winners. This year’s recipients are an impressive group of visionaries and leaders who are making a difference in the world and bringing distinction to UNT,” President Neal Watch videos of the award recipients Smatresk says. “Our alumni are such a big part of who we are at UNT at northtexan.unt.edu/online. They are our legacy.”

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Distinguished Alumni Award Julie Anderson (’91, ’91 M.S.)

Julie Anderson is chief financial officer at Texas Capital Bank, and controller and chief accounting officer for its parent company. She manages accounting and external financial reporting functions, as well as financial planning and funds management. Texas Capital Bancshares was a start-up in 1998 and has grown to more than $10 billion in assets. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, she began her career in assurance services as a CPA with Ernst & Young LLP. She and her husband, David Anderson (’99), owner and founder of Anderson’s Pro Flooring in Lake Dallas, are active members of the Mean Green Club and serve as club representatives. Bob Kimmel (’61)

Bob Kimmel is the past president and CEO of Davis H. Elliot Co., which he grew from 500 to more than 1,700 employees, and owns BK Energy, a gas and exploration service company in Tulsa, Okla. He is chair of the UNT Foundation board and has been a campaign action team member for the College of Business and the athletics department. He previously served as a board member of the UNT Alumni Association. After earning his accounting degree from UNT, he graduated from Harvard Business School in 1982. Leroy Whitaker (’50, ’52 M.S.)

Leroy Whitaker is retired from Eli Lilly and Co., where he started work as a patent attorney and advanced to general patent counsel and assistant secretary with 30 attorneys and agents reporting to him in a job that took him all over the world.

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry at North Texas, later receiving his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois. He went on to become the first research chemist working for Shell Chemical Co. and later worked for Jefferson Chemical Co. before moving to Eli Lilly. He serves on several advisory boards at UNT and is a life member of the UNT President’s Council. He established the Whitaker Charitable Trust to fund the Dr. Leroy Whitaker Scholarship.

UNT ALUMNI AWARDS

• O U TSTA N D I N G SE R V I CE AWA R D Presented to honor individuals who have provided exceptional volunteer service to UNT.

Cathy Bryce (’91) is a retired Highland Park ISD superintendent whose career as an educator spanned 34 years. She has had decades of service with school administration groups, task forces and advisory boards, and has received 16 community honors and recognitions.

Distinguished Young Alumni Award

• U LY S K N I G H T S P I R I T A W A R D Presented to an individual or group that has made noteworthy efforts to sustain spirit among the UNT family.

Tiffaney Dale Hunter (’01)

Tiffaney Dale Hunter is the chief communications officer for the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and formerly the president and CEO of Tiffaney Dale Public Relations, a full-service marketing and public relations company in Dallas and Houston. A highly respected communications strategist, she leads strategic campaigns for clients in the hospitality, construction, real estate, retail, healthcare and technology industries. She has served on the host planning committee for several organizations, including the Children’s Defense Fund and Community Partners of Dallas. She also was a judge for UNT’s inaugural Sherman/Barsanti Inspiration Awards. She received the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 “Quest for Success” Business Award, received the 2012 “40 under 40” awards for both the Collin County Business Press and the Dallas Furniture Bank and was selected by Sterling Bank as a nominee for “Texas’ Most Inspiring Women.”

Winter 2015

Mark Miller (’70, ’80) has been an active supporter and champion for UNT and Mean Green athletics. He is a member of the UNT President’s Council, the UNT Alumni Association board of directors and the Mean Green Club. He established a charity basketball game to support the UNT Cheer Squad scholarship fund and manages a charity flag football game that benefits an athletic scholarship fund. He also helped create and sell spirit items during UNT football and basketball seasons, and has helped host events for UNT and Denton community members.

• G E N E R AT I O N S O F E X C E L L E N C E AWARD Presented to a family for extraordinary service to and advocacy for UNT through multiple generations.

The Hoke family’s UNT legacy spans four generations and includes several teachers who collectively contributed 250 years in education. Read more about their history and their strong support for the university on page 42.

Nominate alumni for the 2016 awards by April 1 at awards.unt.edu.

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

Celebrating 125 Years of UNT’s Excellence April 14-17, 2016

This series of events celebrates the expanse of excellence across UNT’s history and future. UNT’s 125th anniversary year celebration in April, Wingspan, will include the grand opening and dedication of the new University Union, open houses and tours, concert series and the Wingspan Gala honoring excellence in teaching, student success and notable alumni. For schedules and details, visit 125.unt.edu.

Wingspan Gala

6:30 p.m. April 16, 2016

Ballroom New University Union For ticket information, visit 125.unt.edu.

Wells Fargo is a presenting sponsor of Wingspan

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

EAGLES’

Nest

Get connected at upcoming alumni gatherings page 43

Ahna Hubnik

VOICE PROJECT Alumna’s nonprofit is helping Parkinson’s patients with speech loss learn to speak up.

Read more about Elandary’s nonprofit model, in which patients pay it forward to help others, at northtexan.unt.edu/voice-project.

SAMANTHA ELANDARY (’91, ’92 M.A.) WAS BORN with a cleft palate and received speech therapy as a child. She studied English at UNT and added speech and hearing sciences classes because of her own experience. After earning bachelor’s degrees in both fields and a master’s in speech-language pathology, she followed a career serving patients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders. In 2005, she founded the Parkinson Voice Project, a Richardson nonprofit that provides speech therapy and trains other speech pathologists working with speech deficits associated with Parkinson’s. “One of the mindsets from years ago is that because Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, speech therapy won’t help these patients,” she says. “But that is not true. They can get better.” Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

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 4). Members of the UNT Alumni Association are designated with a . Read more, share comments and connect with friends at northtexan.unt.edu.

Friends

advanced to the state playoffs. The retired teacher and coach runs the A&B College Exposure Program, assisting high school student-athletes in earning college athletic scholarships.

1976

Sparky Koerner (M.M.Ed.),

Ahna Hubnik

Texas City ::

Descendants of R.L. Marquis, UNT president from 1923 to 1934, gather around the President Marquis memorial bench during their Sept. 21 visit to UNT for the dedication of the newly renovated Marquis Hall, home to UNTInternational. Read more on page 9.

was reappointed chair of the fine arts department at the College of the Mainland in Texas City, where he’s worked for 31 years. He is involved in teaching and directing the concert band, jazz combo and jazz ensemble. He also plays with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra and The Galvanized Brass and leads Sparky’s Jazz Express. One of his favorite memories at North Texas was working in the lab band office under the direction of

Leon Breeden.

1980 1969

1972

Sharon Tate McAnear,

Charles Gongre (Ph.D.), Port

Aaron Bonds, Cor-

Durango, Colo. :: released The

Hometown Texas Girl Trilogy (Barbour). It includes the first three books of her series about a girl coming of age in the Texas Panhandle in the 1960s, on her way to working out her own faith and path in life.

The

No r t h Texa n

pus Christi ::

former Mean Green linebacker, was inducted into the Alice Coyote Athletic Hall of Honor this fall as a member of William Adams High School’s 1967 football team that

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Neches :: who earned his doctorate in English, retired in May after 38 years as a teacher and administrator at Lamar State College in Port Arthur. The college honored him with the title of Professor Emeritus. He lives in Port Neches with his wife, Lisa.

Judson Moore (M.Ed.), Mauricetown, N.J. :: was elected

mayor last year of Commercial Township, N.J. He has served as a local fire chief and is president of the New Jersey State Fire Chief ’s Association. He retired as township administrator and chief financial officer of Commercial Township in 2011. At UNT, he was a two-term president of the Student Association while serving as a Kerr Hall resident advisor.

1982 Vickie Pease Collins (’89

M.Ed.), Denver, Colo. :: gradu-

ated from the University of Denver with a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies. Her dissertation was titled “Listening to the Voices of African American Female Principals Leading ‘Turnaround’ Schools.” She is the dean of students at Denver Public Schools. One of her favorite North Texas memories was listening to the lab bands in the Union.

1983 Gary Bernstein (M.S.),

Louisville, Ky. :: published his

first textbook, The Principles of Sport Marketing (Sagamore Publishers). He teaches sport administration at the University of Louisville, where he also is involved in community engage-

Vinny Minchillo, Plano :: published his debut novel, Spare Me, an action comedy about murder, the mob and the world of high-stakes bowling. Vinny earned his degree in journalism at North Texas and is the creative director for Glass House Strategy, an advertising agency. He remembers “feisty discussions” in Tom Doron’s Advertising Cases class. “Even then, I knew I was around some very special people,” he says.

1984 George W. Aldridge, Belton :: a doctoral student in comparative politics in the 1980s, is a U.S. Foreign Service officer who received his third Superior Honor Award in June from the U.S. Department of State. He also holds seven Meritorious Honor Awards. A U.S. diplomat for 26 years, he completed an assignment as senior economics and commercial officer in Sudan in September. In his final State Department assignment, he is serving as director of the Middle East Partnership Initiative office in Beirut, Lebanon.

Linda Kleinhaus Beeman

(M.B.A.), Houston :: published

the book On Angels’ Wings, the culmination of a two-year project that began when she first visited the Malayaka House

orphanage in Entebbe, Uganda, with photographer Justin Calhoun. The book is full of artwork and writings by Klein Oak High School students who were inspired by the children they connected with through the photos. Proceeds go to Malayaka House.

1987 Patty Donaldson, Lufkin :: won the 2015 College Educator of the Year award from the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She has been coordinator and instructor in the physical education department at Angelina College in Lufkin since 2007 and a TAHPERD member, officer and presenter since 1998. She also is active in the Texas Outdoor Education Association and Texas Experiential Resources Association.

1988 Todd Austin Gibson, Tex-

arkana :: received his master’s

in educational leadership last year from Arkansas State University. He is now teaching in the Texarkana ISD.

Lydia Mann (’96 M.A.),

Plano :: published her first

novel for middle grade readers, The Nightmare King (Shadow of Dragons 1), under the name L.M. Mann. The book is fantasy packed with action, with life lessons mixed in. She says it was while she was at UNT, studying radio, television and film and

Margaret Swanzy

ment, alumni relations and fundraising for the College of Education and Human Development. He is president of Bernstein Group and Associates LLC.

Exploring culture Amy Bishop (’04) uses her love of radio and classic music to help her dig deeper into the stories she reports at News 88.7 in Houston. “It’s all about being able to tell a story,” says Bishop, who covers arts and culture for the station. Bishop wanted to work in radio since high school but decided to major in German because of an interest in different cultures. As a UNT freshman, she jump-started her radio career at campus station KNTU as the early Sunday morning disc jockey. She worked her way up to weekday shifts, joined the paid staff and was program director her senior year. She says news manager Mark Lambert influenced her to be better at what she does. “He runs it like a mainstream radio station,” she says. In her second year, she studied abroad in Tübingen, earning advanced German credits toward her degree. After graduating, Bishop worked as an anchor and reporter for KRLD and Texas State Network in Dallas. A year into the job, she became an airborne traffic reporter for KRLD. “It was fun but stressful,” Bishop says. “After an engine failure with an emergency landing in Collin County, I was ready for a change.” In 2009, she was invited to WRR 101.1 Classical in Dallas as the new host of its morning show. She later was host of the station’s midday show, At Work with Amy, before she moved back to her hometown of Houston in 2012. While at WRR, she earned a spot on Dallas’ Wall of Honor on two different occasions. The award is offered to city employees for the quality of their work and how it enhances the quality of life in the city. “I don’t know who nominated me other than that the first award was the result of a nice email from a listener,” she says. “It was a huge honor.” Outside of the studio, Bishop is a self-proclaimed Beatles know-it-all and dance enthusiast. She says pursuing a career in radio is competitive, but she encourages students to stick with it because the climb is worth it. “It’s important to set your ego aside, especially when you’re starting out,” Bishop says. “It’s an endurance test.” — Jordan Ottaway

LEGACY

Families

THE FAMILY RULE

Ahna Hubnik

There was one household rule for Martin Luther Hoke Sr.’s nine children after high school — if you stayed at home, you had to go to college. “He wanted each of his children to attend,” says Barbara Crosby Polansky (’77), Hoke’s granddaughter. Born and raised in Richards, Hoke Sr. was passionate about education and family, Polansky says. He earned a teacher’s certificate from North Texas around 1916 and later he moved his wife, Ethel, and children to Denton, because it was a college town. Eight of the Hoke children attended the Demonstration School on campus and six continued on to North Texas. The family rule was passed along — in all, 29 family members in four generations have attended UNT spanning 101 years. This fall, the family received the Generations of Excellence Award at the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards for extraordinary service to and advocacy for UNT. UNT senior and soccer goalie Jackie Kerestine, Hoke’s great-granddaughter, is the most recent family member to attend. She plans to become a teacher “like a lot of other women in my family,” including her mother, Diane Williamson Kerestine (’85), who received her degree in elementary education. Her father, Phillip Paul Kerestine, lettered for the Mean Green football team in 1978 and 1979. “I am really glad to be able to carry on a family tradition,” Jackie says.

Members of the Hoke family received the Generations of Excellence Award at the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards this fall. Polansky, who earned a physical education degree and has been a P.E. and math teacher for 38 years in the North Texas region, says UNT’s high ranking as a teacher’s college and close-knit environment all played a role in her relatives choosing the university. “And it kind of was a way of continuing on what my grandfather wanted,” says Polansky, whose parents, Richard Crosby (’49) and Patty Hoke (’49), also are alumni. Her relatives who are UNT graduates include a sociologist, aerospace engineer, lawyer, journalist, and many teachers. Starting with her grandfather, Polansky says that her family members collectively have spent 250 years in the education field. Through the years, Polansky has maintained her UNT connections with College of Education professors, and she comes back to lecture at the university regularly. “Sharing my knowledge with the next

generation is a privilege,” she says. Polansky says that she and so many in her family are inspired to continue their support and service to UNT because of its caring professors and first-rate academic programs. She also doesn’t forget the great student experiences UNT provided, remembering dorm life in Kerr Hall and College Inn and marching in a parade on campus when her father became a Silver Eagle, an honor that was bestowed on alumni 25 years after graduation. Polansky says her family is proud to support the university’s mission and is dedicated to community service, something UNT embraces for its graduates. She was moved when the university honored her family’s service this fall. “My grandfather was the beginning force for all of us,” she says. “Because of him and UNT, we are lifelong learners.” — Adrienne Nettles

Read about other UNT legacy families at northtexan.unt.edu/ legacy-families and share the story of your own UNT legacy. 42

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

creative writing, that she realized writing was something she loved.

1991

Mark Fennell (M.S.), Cedar

Selene Petrides Folkesson,

Lake Geneva, Switzerland :: is

turning the bra strap into a multi-use accessory with her start-up company, Brappz. Two years of research across industries and focus groups led to the colorful silicon spaghetti straps with detachable hooks that also are used as sport and event accessories, hair ties, headbands and shoelaces.

1995

Eddie Tealer, Highland

Park :: published the book Introduction to Gravity Strings (CreateSpace), focusing on his recent discovery regarding gravity. He also is making presentations on the new model he’s developed.

Phillip Ferguson, Celina :: works at Hartford Insurance Co. as a national agency manager.

1996

Village :: was

appointed vice president of business services at North Lake College in Irving. He was previously executive director of business services for Dallas County Community College District. He earned his Ph.D. in leadership studies from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio in 2014. He also teaches at SMU.

1994 Becky Villareal, Garland :: published her first book, Gianna the Great (Anaiah Press), in March. The book focuses on different aspects of teaching, genealogy and the Hispanic culture. She has been an elementary school teacher in the Dallas ISD for 21 years while mentoring many new teachers. She says, “Thank you, UNT, for laying that wonderful foundation!”

River this fall. His score for the production of Icarus was featured at the Region VII Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in 2013.

1998

Kingdom. He has 18 years of international human resources experience, including work for Microsoft, Nokia, Maersk and Aetna U.S. Healthcare. At UNT, he was a member of NT40 and Kappa Sigma.

Byron Clayton, London ::

Roy Fletcher, Pinehurst ::

joined AstraZeneca as vice president of human resources for Europe. Working outside the U.S. for 16 years, he has lived in Finland, Thailand, Singapore, Denmark and now the United

founded his own record label, Raynbyrd Records, and a publishing company, Dashboard Guru Music. He also released a CD called God Fingers. He has played guitar for members of the

Upcoming Alumni Gatherings Kristy Mouser (M.B.A.),

Fort Worth ::

joined the board of directors of Texas Center for Arts + Academics. She also is on the board’s resource development committee to help the organization with its conservatories and two charter schools — the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and Texas School of the Arts. She is the principal and insurance advisor with Mouser Risk Management.

1997 Kevin Salfen (’99 M.M., ’05

Ph.D.), San Antonio :: was granted tenure at the University of the Incarnate Word, where he is associate professor of music. He is a member of the international troupe Theatre Nohgaku, with which he performed the classic Japanese play Sumida

Alumni and friends celebrate UNT. Here’s a sampling of events: Growing Up Green: 1941-2015: This anniversary exhibit of UNT’s special collections covers the university’s history since World War II. The exhibit runs Jan. 19-May 6 except for university holidays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday in the Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room (Room 437) on the fourth floor of Willis Library. Call 940-565-2766 or visit exhibits.library.unt.edu for more information. The Big Event: Join thousands at UNT who volunteer to help our communities as part of The Big Event, a nationally recognized day of service that will be celebrated by the UNT community on April 2. Each spring, volunteers contribute more than 10,000 hours of service in more than seven cities in Denton County. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and student organizations are all welcome to participate. Visit studentaffairs.unt.edu/big-eventbig-event to learn more. Official Ring Presentation Ceremony: The official class ring ceremony is a UNT tradition that reminds students of their college graduation and success. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremony starts at 7:15 p.m. April 28 in the new University Union. For more information, call the UNT Alumni Association at 940-565-2834. Alumni Cruises: The UNT Alumni Association invites you to explore Northern Europe June 13-24 with your fellow alumni from London to Copenhagen aboard Oceania Cruises’ Marina, with stops in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden. Another cruise is set Oct. 14-22 from Barcelona to Rome aboard Oceania Cruises’ Nautica, with stops in Spain, France, Monaco and Italy. Learn about these upcoming alumni cruises at untalumni.com. For more information or to join the UNT Alumni Association, call 940-565-2834 or go to untalumni.com.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

EAGLES’

Nest Duke Ellington Band and America and has opened shows for artists like Dick Dale, David Gray and Al Green.

husband, Aaron, who attended UNT in 1988, have a 2-year-old son, Easton.

Jamie Wilson (’03 M.S., ’11

Passion Hayes (’03 M.P.A.),

China Jorrin

Addison ::

Winning debate Some of David Register’s (’07 M.S.) debate students at Bard College must wait for him to give them data to support their position on a topic. They can’t go to the Internet themselves, and they can only go to one library. Aside from those limitations, the members of the Bard Debate Union at Eastern New York Correctional Facility are “the same as any other debate team” and as competitive, says Register, who’s taught public speaking at Bard’s main campus in Annadale-on-Hudson, New York, for three years. He travels weekly to the prison in Ulster County to direct the Eastern team. “Coaching them pushes me to be a better teacher at every step,” he says. “We usually meet only two hours a week, and I have to be prepared whenever I see them because they never skip assignments.” The 20 team members also are students in the Bard Prison Initiative, which enrolls incarcerated men and women in academic degree programs. During a public speaking class at Eastern’s BPI campus in 2013, several students told Register that they wanted to learn policy debate. A year later, the campus held its first debate against a team from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Since then, Register organizes one debate each semester, inviting teams and judges from other universities to the prison. In September, BPI debaters at Eastern defeated a Harvard University team on the topic of public schools having the ability to deny enrollment to undocumented students. The win received national and international media attention after Register wrote a column for The Guardian, which led to a Wall Street Journal story. Eastern’s BPI team is preparing for its next debate in April — the third against a West Point team. The series stands at 1-1. “It’s rewarding to know that anyone can excel at debate,” Register says. As a master’s student in communication studies at UNT, he was an assistant with the debate team, where he also learned about teaching. “I learned from faculty who were the best in the business,” he says. Read Register’s column in The Guardian at northtexan.unt.edu/ winning-debate.

— Nancy Kolsti

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

was nominated for the Human Resources Management Professional of the Year by the Texas Municipal Human Resources Association for significant contributions to the field. She has been the human resources director for the town of Addison since 2008. She previously worked for the cities of Denton and Fort Worth and for Denton County.

Ph.D.), Denton :: superinten-

dent of the Denton ISD, received a 2015 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration. He was cited for his many innovations in the district. He was previously assistant superintendent for secondary academic programs, principal, assistant principal, science department chair, coach and teacher.

2002

Kimberly McDermid,

Atlanta, Ga. :: received a mas-

ter’s in wildlife ecology and management from the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Her research focused on infectious pathogens in free-ranging African lions and the link between infectious agents and domestic animals, livestock and lions in Botswana. She returned to Botswana in May to help develop a large carnivore conservation strategy for the region.

Tim Campbell, Bedford ::

2001

and his wife, Faith, have a new Eagle in the nest. Their daughter, MacKenzie Lee, was born in April. They say her older brother, Gavin, is ready to show her how to cheer on the Mean Green, just after she learns to crawl. Timothy teaches at Hurst Junior High School.

Marissa Moses Bates, Aus-

Amber Gattis Teamann,

tin :: was promoted to assistant director of prospect research at St. Edward’s University in April. She also was accepted into St. Edward’s graduate school to earn a master’s degree in college student development. She and her

Murphy :: was named a national 2015 Emergent Leader by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and hosted a session at the 2015 Digital Learning Day, sponsored by the Alliance for

Excellent Education and the U.S. Department of Education, in Washington, D.C. She also was named principal of Whitt Elementary in the Wylie ISD. She says her involvement with Alpha Delta Pi at UNT and her education classes helped mold her into who she is as an educator today.

problem of families who can’t afford diapers for their babies. She has coordinated two diaper drives since 2013 that distributed more than 3,000 diapers to social service organizations in Texarkana.

2011

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

➺

News

Senior theatre major Joe Bessner made news in

November for his part in pulling a person from a burning car in College Station. He and a friend were the first to come across the one-car accident, and Bessner was later joined by two Texas A&M transportation services workers and a police officer in rescuing the victim. “My friend and I were

2007

the only people there, so I felt obligated to help,” Bessner

Justin Reeves (’07 M.S.),

all the credit for the rescue to the police officer, Patricia

told The Bryan-College Station Eagle, adding that he gives Marty. “She was just without hesitation when she attended

DeSoto :: is a CPA who was

promoted to partner in tax and strategic business services at Weaver, an independent accounting firm. He joined the firm as an intern and has 10 years of experience in public accounting. He is an active member of the Dallas Estate Planning Council and other professional organizations.

2010 Rebecca Finberg, Denton :: is the executive director of the Denton Animal Support Foundation. She has worked at the North Texas Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Children’s Medical Center. Also, she is pursuing a UNT master’s degree in public administration, specializing in nonprofit management. When she was an undergraduate, she was active in the Student Government Association and Delta Gamma and was an orientation leader.

Lisa Sewell, Wake Village :: is in the early stages of starting a nonprofit called ALT Diaper Bank, to bring attention to the

to the driver and the fire. It’s really amazing to me that this is something that she deals with day in and day out.”

➺

The finding that unsweetened dark chocolate helps

improve the brain’s alertness made the research of Larry

Alison and Carlos Rodriguez (’11), Houston :: were married in Galveston in May. Alison works for Landry’s Inc. as a sales coordinator and Carlos works for Bruegmann USA in sales. Alison, a member of Delta Gamma, and Carlos, a member of Phi Gamma Delta, met at UNT while working on a Homecoming float for their sorority and fraternity.

Stevens (’76 M.S., ’83 Ph.D.) popular with everyone this year. The professor of psychology at Northern Arizona University and his team were the first to use EEG technology, which takes images of the brain while it is performing a cognitive task, to study the effects of consuming chocolate with high-cacao content. They also found that another ingredient not yet commercially available in chocolate, the amino acid L-theanine, immediately lowered blood pressure. The study first published in the journal NeuroRegulation was picked up by media such as discovery.com, Yahoo! Health and The Academic Minute.

➺

2012

MacBeth of Mtsensk with the English National

Katie Grivna, Philadelphia,

Opera this fall,

Pa. :: earned her master’s degree

in nonprofit leadership from the University of Pennsylvania in May. At UNT, she was active in the Public Relations Student Society of America and North Texas 40 and worked on the North Texas Daily.

After performing

the title role in Lady

award-winning opera soprano Patricia

Racette (’88) performed a program of cabaret and jazz favorites from her album Diva on Detour for the San Diego Opera. In an interview with broadwayworld.com, she says her original intention when she arrived at UNT was to pursue a jazz/cabaret career, but because there was no vocal jazz degree offered she took classical voice lessons. “My voice teacher nabbed me and convinced me via Suor Angelica and Renata Scotto that my path to opera was born!” she says.

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

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 4). Read more, write memorials and connect with friends at northtexan.unt.edu.

1940s

General Electric after graduation. She later taught at the Children’s Center of the First Community Church in Dallas for 14 years and served as director for the remainder of her 41-year career.

Ward and Pan American Oil Co. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and at the Pentagon as liaison for the Air Force budget. He served during World War II and as a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He was preceded in death by his wife,

Joyce Britt Dutton (’55). Douglas D. Wiehe (’51, ’55 M.A.), Seguin :: He was a high

including Don Wiehe (’83 M.M.) and Angela Woodbridge (’88 M.M.), and was preceded in death by his brother, Larry Wiehe, who attended North Texas in the 1940s.

Mary Jane Busby Scribner (’55, ’58 M.Ed.), Farmers Branch :: She had a 35-year career as an elementary school teacher. She was voted the Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year in 1985 and worked as a substitute teacher and reading tutor after retiring. She is survived by her husband, Andy Jack Scribner (’52), and her brother Roy Busby (’59, ’66 M.B.A.) and his wife, Jo

first women to serve as a class president at North Texas when she was elected in 1943. She also was active in the Mary Arden Club, the Green Jackets and Kappa Theta Pi, now known as Chi Omega. She worked at

accountant for Montgomery

school and college music teacher and band director for 46 years, including at North Texas from 1966 to 1968, and was director of fine arts at Brazosport ISD for 25 years. He served with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Donna (’51), and three children,

University Community

graph, The Professional Counsel-

uate studies in music education

igan and a doctorate in music

or: Competencies, Performance

from 1962 to 1987, died March

education from Indiana University

Joe Dameron, 85,

Guidelines and Assessment,

27 in Denton. He conducted the

in 1959. Memorials may be made

describing all major facets of

women’s chorus and served as

to the David C. and Katherine I.

Professor

counselor and guidance associate

the organizational director of the

McGuire Music Education Schol-

Emeritus of

work behaviors. He earned his

percussion ensemble before the

arship fund at UNT.

education,

Ouida Owen Johnson (’45), Longview :: She was one of the

1950s Hubert W. Dutton (’50), Fort Worth :: He worked as an

Ann Ballentine (’92 M.J., ’08 M.S.).

bachelor’s degree from William

college had a full-time percussion

died Aug. 18 in Sun City, Ariz. He

Jewell College and his master’s

faculty member. Students named

taught at UNT from 1968 to 1990.

and Ph.D. from the University of

him an “Honor Professor.” He

While at UNT, he was one of the

Kansas.

attended Southwestern College

Edwin Dale Odom (’55, ’56 M.A.),

in Winfield, Kan., and served in

86, Professor

the U.S. Army during World War II

Emeritus of

largest state counseling associ-

David Charles McGuire,

ation in the U.S. He was the first author and editor of an American

only people to twice be elected and serve as president of the Texas Counseling Association, the

Counseling Association mono-

The

No r t h Texa n

before completing his bachelor’s

history, died May 26 in Denton.

degree in music education at

Odom specialized in teaching

92, Professor

Southwestern in 1947. He earned

U.S. economic history for 35

Emeritus of

a master’s in music education in

years. After retiring in 1994, he

1948 from the University of Mich-

continued to teach every other

music and coordinator of grad-

northtexan.unt.edu

Winter 2015

Robert Moore Estes (’58 M.Ed.), Denton :: He began his career as a teacher and principal at Walt Disney Elementary School in Anaheim, Calif. He later served as a teacher and principal in the Denton ISD and as headmaster at what is now Selwyn College Preparatory School. He also was a church organist for many years and active in many organizations.

National Bank of Baird and later purchased other banks in Beaver, Munday and Weatherford. His organization eventually expanded to include several bank branches and a bank software company.

1960s James William ‘Cotton’ Moore, Tool :: He played tackle

in the Bay District Schools in Panama City for 33 years, serving as the head basketball coach at Bay High School for 25 years. He was active in his church. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in the 25th Infantry Division.

for the North Texas football team from 1961 to 1965, when he was drafted by the Detroit Lions as a linebacker. He was named to the All Missouri Valley Conference first team and All-Opponent first team. As a junior letterman, he also was named honorable mention on the Associated Press All-American Team.

Joe E. Sharp (’59), Colleyville

1970s

Charles Seal (’59, ’60 M.A.), Panama City, Fla. :: He taught

:: He began his accounting career with Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co. prior to establishing his own accounting practice in Amarillo. In 1984, he acquired the First

semester at UNT until 2003. He received degrees in history from North Texas and a doctorate in history from Tulane University. He was a member and served as chair of the Denton County Historical Commission from 1971 to 1979. He also was the author of many scholarly articles and book chapters. He wrote and published An Illustrated History of Denton County, Texas: From Peters Colony to Metroplex with his wife,

LaVerne Masten Odom, who worked for the history department for several years and died earlier this year.

and Florida Lyric Opera. He served as choral director at Skyline High School for 13 years, directed several church choirs and was a Dallas ISD board member. Memorials may be made in Peavy’s name to the College of Music.

Bob Belden (’78), New York City :: He was a Grammywinning saxophonist and jazz producer who played with a variety of artists, including Prince and the Beatles. He attended North Texas at age 16 and was a member of the One O’Clock Lab Band. He and his band Animation, which included young alumni of the One O’Clock, recently completed a tour of Iran. He received a UNT Distinguished Alumni award in 2007.

Jesús Moroles (’78), Rockport Carver Daniel ‘Dan’ Peavy (’70), Dallas :: He sang with the Santa Fe Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Houston Grand Opera

:: He was a granite sculptor

Smithsonian Institute, among other locations. One of his best-known pieces, Lapstrake, sits in the heart of New York City. In 2008, he received the National Medal of Arts. Other honors included a UNT Distinguished Alumni Award, the Texas Medal of Arts, an Awards in the Visual Arts fellowship and a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

2010s Terry Lawrence (’15), Denton

:: She was a senior majoring in

information science and minoring in biology. Her degree was awarded posthumously.

Marqualla J. Melvin, Waco :: She was a junior studying psychology and criminal justice.

renowned in the art world, with his work viewed in Egypt, China, India, the White House and the

Memorials

Don L. Rives (’56),

to his alma mater when Gov. Ann

80, a former

on UNT’s Board of Regents from

member of

1992 to 1997. He later served on

Send memorials to honor UNT

UNT’s Board

the UNT Athletic Council. He

alumni and friends, made payable

of Regents, died March 27 in

graduated from North Texas sum-

to the UNT Foundation, to Univer-

Austin. He served as the assis-

ma cum laude with a double major

sity of North Texas, Division of

tant district attorney for Harrison

in government and history and

Advancement, 1155 Union Circle

County in 1959, specializing in

earned his juris doctor from the

#311250, Denton, Texas 76203-

real estate and probate law. As

University of Texas Law School.

5017. Indicate on your check the

a member of the Constitutional

He was admitted to the State Bar

fund or area you wish to support.

Revision Committee of Texas, he

of Texas in 1959.

Or make secure gifts online at

Richards appointed him to serve

was appointed to help rewrite

development.unt.edu/givenow. For

the Texas State Constitution. In

more information, email giving@

1974, he moved to Austin to serve

unt.edu or call 940-565-2900.

as executive assistant to Lt. Gov. William P. Hobby. He returned

Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

T H E LAS T

Word

GOLDEN MEMORIES In 1964-65, UNT’s enrollment was 11,878. This fall, as enrollment topped 37,000, members of the Class of 1965 gathered for their 50th reunion. Here are a few Golden Eagle memories. Gary Payne

My fond memories are of dorm life in Kendall, despite not having air conditioning, and the great friends I made. I mostly dated Delta Sigs. I especially loved homecomings when the Gamma Lambs (those pinned or dropped to a Delta Sig) helped with the float or the yard decoration, the White Carnation Ball and other theme parties. My major was business education as my mother wanted me to be a teacher and I wanted to be in the business world. I will never forget accounting. I took the two required courses on more than one occasion. Finally, the last semester of my senior year, I received the B I needed to graduate! — Phala Williams Finley (’65)

From left, Phala Williams Finley (’65), Jim Hightower (’65), Tony Altermann (’65, ’68 M.S.) and Cora Wright (’65) attend this fall’s Golden Eagles reunion. had contracted with individuals in the city to house the African American students. Although I wasn’t allowed to live in the dorms, the homeowners I lived with across town, Mrs. Alexander and Ms. Estella Garrett, were very nice. A very sad day came in November 1963 as I walked to the hospital to work. It was such a beautiful day, too. As I checked in, I was told that President Kennedy had been shot and killed — a day in my life never to be forgotten. — Cora Wright (’65)

When I enrolled at North Texas, I was Cora Lee Green, and in December 1964, I became Cora Green Wright, which means that I recently celebrated two golden anniversaries. We are a UNT family: my husband, Roy Wright (’64), and our daughters, Rebecca (’89) and Corene (’94). My brother, Charles Green (’63), also is an alumnus. Other than my academics, my most rewarding activity at North Texas was being a member of the Baptist Student Union. I worked part time as secretary for the executive director of the BSU and at Flow Memorial Hospital. The university

The

No r t h Texa n

northtexan.unt.edu

My major professor was Dr. Stanley K. Hamilton, who was head of the drama department. He was a brilliant man who looked like a short, heavier version of Lenin. He would join the students daily in the Green Room. We would discuss a wide range of topics and he would challenge every word that came out of sophomoric mouths. Once I made a statement that I thought was profound, and the other students appeared to accept what I said. I felt good about myself. Then Dr. Hamilton started to chuckle and it advanced to full-blown laughter.

Winter 2015

With tears streaming down his face he asked me to please leave because I was causing his stomach to hurt. The next day I was back, with my thoughts more organized, and ready for him to challenge me again. I loved the man and he added great value to my life. — Tony Altermann (’65, ’68 M.S.) North Texas offered both an affordable education and excellent teachers who not only imparted knowledge, but also taught us to be independent thinkers and engaged citizens. I was involved in student government, including being student body president my senior year, but my most valuable government lessons came from the grassroots political activism on campus at that time. I was a junior in 1964 when I reached voting age — 21 back then — and received my certificate of exemption from the poll tax. That tax, designed especially to keep African Americans from voting, was one of the civil rights issues that sent me down the populist path. — Jim Hightower (’65), former Texas agriculture commissioner

Senior Acheil Tac plays some mean ball. As a starting forward, Tac has helped the women’s basketball team bring home victories and national recognition. Her career-high 19 rebounds in a single game tied for the most by any C-USA player last season, and she is third in program history for career shooting percentage from the field (.516). Tac isn’t just a great athlete. As an integrative studies major with a focus on marketing, she’s made the Dean’s List every semester since her freshman year. And she’s maintained a 3.5 GPA while making time to give back to her community through the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee. Thanks to the support from her coaches and teammates, she strives to play for the WNBA after graduation.

— Acheil Tac

Women’s Basketball Forward

Buy your tickets now and cheer the Mean Green on to victory!

800-UNT-2366 / 940-565-2527 MEANGREENSPORTS.COM Winter 2015

northtexan.unt.edu

The

No r t h Texa n

The North Texan

Alex Hernandez

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 Congratulations to the Mean Green soccer team, the Conference USA regular season and tournament champs, who made an appearance in the NCAA postseason tournament. The Mean Green Nation is beaming with pride for the entire team, which beat Marshall University 1-0 to secure the conference tourney championship and NCAA bid. The team finished 19-4-1, setting a school record for wins in a season. 2 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 5