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Denton Record-Chronicle presents UNT: 125 YEARS | 1890-2015
ALUMNUS SAM MOON OWNS SAM MOON TRADING CO., A LEADING SPECIALTY RETAILER OF WOMEN’S ACCESSORIES.
research companies. One of the program’s newest areas of study is aviation logistics. Considering commercial flight has only been around for a hundred years, aviation logistics is a relatively new and often-changing industry. “When I was growing up as a kid in West Texas, if we didn’t make our own wine, we didn’t have any wine,” aviation logistics lecturer Steve Joiner said. “Wine didn’t travel well in those times, so if you weren’t within, you know, a day or so truck drive, you weren’t going to have wine. Well, now, wine flies.” What is taken for granted by the average person, aviation logistic professionals have to spend hours and days coordinating. Medicine, electronics and even prize horses require the use of aviation logistical planning. With as many goods flown into and around the U.S., Dallas has become a central hub for activity. This puts UNT’s logistics and supply chain management program in an advantageous position. Now, the program’s students come to Denton for education and stay in the region to work after they graduate. That comes as no surprise for Joiner, who said the pay scale’s average is around $55,000 per year. Logistics is vital to some degree for almost every big industry, he noted, and private firms and large warehouses are located all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Several of them operate out of Denton. Naveed Amirhekmat, 23, a recent aviation logistics major at UNT, decided to try logistics after an injury permanently removed him from the football field. After spending some time thinking about it, he followed in his parents’ footsteps and enrolled at UNT. “I think the passions I had for the game and because I was part of a team made me
Gabriella Draney Zielke Degree: B.B.A. in finance, 2002 City: Dallas Occupation: Tech entrepreneur and investor How did UNT help prepare you for
realize that I can easily adapt to other things and accept change,” Amirhekmat said. “After I got injured, I was realistic on where I wanted to be long term-wise and I never knew that a logistics degree even existed until I transferred to UNT.” Amirhekmat originally researched Kansas State University, but even with a small scholarship, KSU was too expensive for him. Since his parents and most of his father’s family were UNT graduates, Amirhekmat decided to look into what North Texas had to offer. His decision was not only positive for Amirhekmat — it proved to be historic, too. “I wanted to be the first Iranian-American to graduate with a B.S. in aviation logistics and represent my home country as well,” Amirhekmat said. “No one has ever done it, so it was an honor and a great opportunity to create history.” Amirhekmat credits the networking opportunities and hands-on teaching for making his experience a positive one. Not only did he score an internship with American Airlines, he also managed to nab a job with the multibillion-dollar aviation giant. He is currently working as an agent, but hopes to eventually make it into the company’s “ramp tower” or the operations management division. This transition for Amirhekmat makes perfect sense to professor Joiner, who believes aviation logistics should remain a focal point of the business school for the foreseeable future. With Love Field, Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport and various smaller airports in the area, Joiner said, recent studies show international air cargo contributed $16 billion to the region’s economy in 2013. “Now that’s some money,” Joiner laughed. “That’s some jobs.” ●
the career you chose? UNT helped me gain confidence and clarity in my business dealings. It also introduced me to the world I now work in with the first Murphy Enterprise Center business plan competition in 2002. The real-world experience of my professors allowed me to apply concepts to my business while I attended school. How did your experiences at UNT help shape your life? My experience at UNT gave me a broader awareness and respect for diverse people and their backgrounds. As a CEO and investor, I must be adept at understanding and working with a broad range of personalities, nationalities, age groups, business types, etc. Our culture reflects that, and innovation is the result.
THEN
NOW The University of North Texas College of Education is the one that started it all ... Founded as a teacher’s training institution 125 years ago, UNT is still known for its exemplary College of Education. We prepare more than 1,000 teachers every year, and our alumni taking the state teaching certificationexamhavea97percentpassrate.Ourcounselingprogram is regularly ranked first in Texas and among the top 20 programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. And our Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation is filling a growing need for professionals in fitness, public health and more. We’re proud to be the foundation upon which UNT was built. Much has changed in 125 years, but our goal will always remain the same: To prepare the education professionals of tomorrow.
coe.unt.edu | 125.unt.edu
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