Issuu

A U N I V E R S I T Y of N O R T H T E X A S P U B L I C AT I O N

Vol. 77, No. 2 Fall 2026

BOOM STATE

Texas is booming & UNT’s alumni are helping to lead the growth.

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home sweet home As students moved onto campus, members of UNT’s PUSH (Persevere UNTil Success Happens) got a surprise. The nonproﬁt Greater Than Expectations used ideas from the students, who have experience in foster care, to create personalized rooms. “For a lot of our students, this is their ﬁrst permanent address,” says PUSH coordinator Lindsey Foster. “This is their home. We want to make it special.” — Photography by Ahna Hubnik

contents F E A T U R E S

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A Good Racket Will Johnson’s (’97) path to his career in the independent music scene began in Denton. Researching the Universe Alumni and faculty are going above and beyond as they study the stars. Boom State As Texas grows, alumni lead the way in top roles in government, real estate and more. Cool Classes Students learn unique skills they can use for their career. Widow’s Peak At age 90, K Callan (’64) is receiving the most attention of her career with her role in Widow’s Bay.

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MEAN GREEN M E A N G R E E N P. 4 0

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O N L I N E

northtexan.unt.edu

GIVE TO UNT Your support helps unlock ambition and create meaningful opportunities for students. Support student success with a donation.

FROM OUR PRESIDENT MEAN GREEN MOMENTUM

UNT is fueling opportunity for students and for North Texas Our campus welcomed thousands of new and returning students this fall, and a month into the semester, that early energy has settled into a rhythm — students in classrooms and labs, joining clubs, and building the connections that will carry them through their time at UNT and into their careers. We remain committed to helping every Eagle turn this year’s experiences into meaningful opportunity. That commitment extends well beyond our campuses. UNT sits at the heart of one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and employers, civic leaders, and community partners are counting on us to deliver the talent, research, and innovation that will keep North Texas moving forward. This fall, students are exploring three new degree programs — a bachelor’s in artificial intelligence, a master’s in project management, and a Ph.D. in data science — designed to prepare graduates with skills and knowledge employers need most. UNT was also selected to join the inaugural Innovation Sandbox cohort of the Future Universities Alliance, a global network of institutions organized by Duke University to reimagine higher education. This is a great opportunity for us to learn from innovators around the world while sharing UNT’s own bold approach. Our Texas Talent Accelerator continues to bring industry, education, and workforce leaders together to align what we teach with what our region’s fastest-growing sectors, such as healthcare and semiconductor manufacturing, need. These efforts reflect the same priorities that have guided UNT through a challenging budget year: discipline, creativity, and an unwavering focus on our students. Thanks to the hard work of our entire UNT community, we closed the year in far stronger financial shape than projected, while still investing in the partnerships and programs that create real opportunities for our students and our region. We’re building a more resilient UNT — one built to withstand headwinds and grow stronger because of them. That resilience is paying off in the value of a UNT degree. This year, UNT became one of the first universities in the nation accredited by the Postsecondary Commission, a new national accreditor that evaluates institutions based on the economic outcomes their graduates achieve. Reviewers specifically praised the time to value framework at the center of our Look North: UNT 2030 strategic plan, calling it a potential model for universities nationwide. It’s proof of what we’ve long believed: a UNT degree isn’t just a credential. It’s a launchpad, and its value continues to grow with every step we take toward our vision. None of this happens without you. Our alumni continue to open doors, share expertise, and champion this university, and that support matters now more than ever. As UNT’s state and national visibility continue to grow. I’m grateful for your partnership in helping us unlock the potential of our students, staff, faculty, and alumni across Texas and beyond. Go Mean Green!

“Community partners are counting on UNT to deliver the talent and innovation that will keep North Texas moving forward.”

Respectfully,

Harrison Keller, Ph.D. President president@unt.edu @UNTPrez

north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

NORTH TEXAS WORKFORCE TOGETHER

LET’S BUILD THE

Industry Executives Educational Institutions

The Texas Talent Accelerator unites employers, higher education institutions, and economic development organizations to strengthen the workforce in the fast-growing North Texas region.

Economic Development Partners Industry Associations Philanthropic Foundations Workforce Boards Governmental Agencies

Led by the University of North Texas, in collaboration with other educational and economic partners, this initiative will establish a regional partnership that aligns data and strategy to develop innovative talent solutions. The Texas Talent Accelerator will drive Dallas-Fort Worth’s economic growth and strengthen its global competitiveness.

Learn more about the Texas Talent Accelerator:

texas-talent.org

CAMPUS

chat

Riﬀ Wright (’92) at a party with a friend in the 1990s. He is now president of Fort Worth-based Llebroc Industries, which designs and manufactures marine seating for boat builders.

Email Us northtexan@unt.edu Write Us UNT Division of University Brand Strategy and Communications 1155 Union Circle #311070, Denton, Texas 76203-5017

FINDING HIS BEAT During my days at UNT from 1989 to 1992, I worked a number of jobs while earning my degree. One job that was interesting was working as an assistant in the College of Music for Robert A. Winslow. I drove the marching band’s box van to the practice field every day, and set the large instruments out for the members’ rehearsals. I also enjoyed driving the van full of instruments to and from weekly football games. During the off-season, the job would require me to arrange the orchestra chairs in various rehearsal halls. I got to enjoy the incredible talent that practiced daily. It was a wonderful college job, and I gained such an appreciation for the variety of musical talent for which UNT is known. Riff Wright (’92) | Aledo

LIFE’S WORK I want to tell you about the moment my life changed — and it happened in a UNT classroom. On the first day of my master’s program at the College of Education, a professor screened a professional development video, exploring what it actually feels like to live with a learning disability. I sat in that room as a grown man and, for the first time in my life, understood what had been happening to me since childhood. I have a reading disability, one that had gone unidentified for my entire academic life. At 15, I wrote in my journal: “I hate reading. I think I have dyslexia or something … and everybody laughs at me.” No one acted on it. UNT gave me the language, the framework and the professional identity to transform that wound into a life’s work. For more than 20 years, I served inside public school classrooms — first as a special education teacher, then as an educational diagnostician. Over two decades of making sure the students in front of me got the help I needed and never received. Every evaluation I completed, every individualized education program I wrote, every struggling child I refused to overlook was a direct response to the silence that had followed me my entire life. UNT did not just educate me. It explained me to myself, and then equipped me to spend a career making sure other children would not have to wait as long as I did to be seen. Christopher Khoury (’05 M.Ed., ’14 Ph.D.) | Frisco

STAY IN TOUCH! linkedin.com/school/northtexas @northtexan @northtexas @unt @UofNorthTexas OUR STA FF UNIVERSITY BRAND STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATIONS LEADERSHIP VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS JAMES P. COLL SR. ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT KELLEY REESE (’95) MAGAZINE STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR JULIE ELLIOTT PAYNE (’97) MANAGING EDITOR JESSICA DELEÓN EDITORS SCOTT BROWN (’10) CHRISTIANA DIAK NEIL FOOTE AMANDA FULLER JILL KING (’93 M.S., ’00 M.A.) WALKER SMART (’09) ART DIRECTOR ANGILEE WILKERSON DESIGN EDITOR NOLA KEMP (’92) PHOTO/VIDEO EDITOR GARY PAYNE (’99) PROJECT MANAGEMENT JAN CLOUNTZ (’92) HARSH SANGANI (’23 M.S.)

ADVERTISING SHELBY GIBBONS (’17) CHRISTOPHER KNAPP ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS JACOB KING ERIC VANDERGRIFF DESIGNERS ROBERT BRATCHER CLIFFTON CASTER NATALIE CRAWFORD KAREN DORFF (’85) KENNY FAILES (’17) IVY TANI PHOTOGRAPHERS PETE COMPARONI AHNA HUBNIK (’03) VIDEOGRAPHER CARLOS MARQUEZ TIMOTHY STEVENS (’13) PAIGE THOMAS WRITERS DEVYNN CASE TARA COLEMAN AMANDA LYONS SEAN RIEDEL (’19, ’21 M.J.) BESS WHITBY (’13, ’15 M.A.) AMANDA YANOWSKI (’10, ’17 M.A.) SOCIAL MEDIA MELISA BROWN (’93, ’20 M.S.) CAMERON HEISER GENESIS TATES STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS KATHERINE BROWN SAGE DUNN AUDRA HERNANDEZ MAMADOU KANTE BRADFORD OSBORNE (’26) THOMAS ROONEY OLUWASEUN SERIKI

North Texan North Texan magazine (ISSN 0468-6659) is published two times a year 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 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 Brand Strategy and Communications, 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. Created by the Division of University Brand Strategy and Communications ©2026 UNT UBSC 09/26 EOE/ADA (27-001)

north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

BRILLIANTLY

green

UP FIRST GIVING IMPACT RESEARCH IMPACT

Learn about the latest happenings at UNT at news.unt.edu.

MUSE

partnerships and programs

preserving native prairie Roughly 10 minutes south of the UNT campus, faculty and students are working with the Cole family and Johnson Development to preserve and reintroduce native prairie plants as plans move forward for Cole Ranch, a new 3,000-acre community. “From the beginning, this has been a shared eﬀort to understand what makes this prairie special, protect high-quality areas and ﬁnd ways for native plants to remain part of Cole Ranch’s future,” says Jaime Baxter-Slye, clinical assistant professor in the College of Science. “It gives our

students hands-on experience while helping create a community that understands and values its native landscape.” The Cole family’s careful stewardship of the ranch since the 1930s helped maintain high-quality native prairie across portions of the property. Baxter-Slye developed a proposal for a team to identify, collect and temporarily care for native plants from areas where relocation is needed. The group of four undergraduate interns and about 40 volunteers, including undergraduate and graduate

students and community members, have been helping out since last fall. Calvin Nering (’26), an ecology for environmental science graduate who is pursuing a Ph.D., says, “Knowing that our work will help preserve this prairie and shape how native landscapes are integrated into the community feels great.” — Amanda Lyons

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

UP FIRST

NEWS ROUND-UP

students

Dare to Lead

Ajim Tubuo may only be a freshman, but he’s already made an impact on campus. Tubuo, a ﬁnance major, founded the nonproﬁt Dare to Live, a mental health support organization that has donated $10,000 to the Psychology Clinic to develop group therapy sessions, giving student clinicians new training experiences. Tubuo founded Dare to Live in 2025 to connect young adults to resources for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. He started the organization after experiencing his own mental health challenges and recognizing a need for accessible care and community support. He also founded a Dare to Live club on campus to provide peer support and conversation. While the UNT Psychology Clinic is open to all people regardless of age

or background, many of its clients fall within Dare to Live’s target population. “The goal is to foster a sense of belonging in the student community and encourage them to talk more about mental health,” Tubuo says. Jennifer Schwartz, the clinic’s director and a board-certiﬁed psychologist, called the partnership a natural ﬁt. “Working toward group therapy services has enhanced our student clinicians’ training, and that’s going to make them stronger, more highly equipped clinicians,” Schwartz says.

north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

— Bess Whitby

Lynn Gravley (’87) was appointed to the UNT System Board of Regents this spring. As the founder and CEO of NT Logistics, he has provided clients with transportation services and analytics. He received UNT’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021 and was inducted into the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Hall of Fame in 2025. He previously chaired the board of directors for the Transportation Intermediaries Association and served on the North Texas Tollway Authority Board of Directors. … Eric Dafoe (’06, ’08 M.Ed., ’17 Ph.D.), a clinical assistant professor in UNT’s Department of Counseling and Higher Education, was selected as the 2026 Richard Yepp Award winner, a national honor presented by the American Counseling Association that recognizes individuals who help counseling students, professionals or educators succeed. … Journalism professor Dorothy Bland won the 2026 National Association of Black Journalists Educator of the Year Award. The former journalist, news executive and publisher pioneered UNT’s online master’s of science in digital communication analytics, raised over $2 million and led the rise in enrollment in journalism classes.

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • UP FIRST

UNT and Collin College introduced UNT OnePath, a new co-enrollment partnership that will allow qualiﬁed students to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in business and biology through a coordinated program based in Frisco. Learn more at northtexan.unt.edu/2026/one-path.

LinkedIn Comes to Campus UNT students connected with industry leaders and built practical career skills through a series of on-campus experiences hosted by LinkedIn in April. The LinkedIn Open to Work Lab was designed to help students better understand how to position themselves for success as they enter the

workforce. The main event, a halfday interactive experience, featured a discussion on how artiﬁcial intelligence is reshaping careers, followed by a hands-on workshop focused on using LinkedIn as a tool for career development. The event concluded with a student-focused workshop designed to help participants translate their academic, campus and internship experiences into meaningful career opportunities.

Scholarship Winners UNT STUDENTS — AND THEIR INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND RESEARCH — HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS. LEARN MORE AT NORTHTEXAN.UNT.EDU/2026/ SCHOLARSHIP-WINNERS.

Hadiyah “Diyah” Muhammad (’26)

Megan Byers

ROTARY GLOBAL GRANT

DOLE CAREGIVER FELLOW

The international studies major will study local economic development as she pursues a master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The counseling graduate student who has cared for her husband, a wounded Iraq War veteran, will work with others to raise awareness of issues aﬀecting military families.

Pavan Ahluwalia (’26 TAMS)

Bradley Lin (’26 TAMS)

Aniruth Ananthanarayanan (’26 TAMS)

GOLDWATER SCHOLAR

His research led to his creation of a passivation-coating process for aluminum to mitigate bi-metallic corrosion in copper-aluminum wire bonds.

His work will help scientists identify environmentally safer solvents, and he intends to continue researching solubility and chemical thermodynamics.

He investigated various problems in theoretical physics through the lens of group theory and computational modeling. He is considering a long-term career in translational research.

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

UP FIRST

expert take

Sleeping Strategies When Isamar Almeida began working at a law firm specializing in immigration in 2019, her work there included interviewing clients who had endured traumatic events. “People described nightmares and difficulty falling asleep as daily struggles. That stood out to me because sleep is a central pillar of overall health.” Almeida, who had completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology, knew then that she wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in behavioral science. Once enrolled at UNT, she concentrated her research on the health and wellbeing of immigrant communities with a focus on sleep. Now, Almeida has published a scientific paper with significant findings for the behavioral health field. Her research, published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, shows a connection between cardiovascular and metabolic — or cardiometabolic — health and sleep duration. While the health risks of sleeping fewer than seven hours per night were previously established, this paper demonstrates that sleeping more than nine hours per night is also associated with poor health outcomes. “Most people, including researchers and health providers, usually look at the effects of not getting enough sleep. But consistent long sleep can be an indicator of other health issues, and should also be taken seriously.”

north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

ISAMAR ALMEIDA (’25 PH.D.)

Research project coordinator for Baylor Scott and White Health

“Wearable devices make it easy for people to track their sleep over time, helping them better understand their sleep habits, identify patterns and make changes that support healthier sleep.”

KAYLA FRANCO (’26 M.B.A.)

Health educator and wellness coach for UNT Student Health and Wellness Center

“Limiting caﬀeine— especially within eight hours of bedtime— and staying within recommended intake helps prevent sleep disruption. Avoid eating within two hours of going to bed and limit foods that may cause acid reﬂux or digestive discomfort.”

DANICA SLAVISH

Associate professor in UNT’s Department of Psychology and principal investigator for the Sleep and Health in Everyday Life Laboratory

“If you’re trying to change your sleep schedule, moving your bedtime and wake time by about 15 minutes every few days is much more sustainable than trying to make big changes overnight.”

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • UP FIRST

UNT Homecoming November 2-7

Visit meangreensports.com or call 940-565-2527 to learn more and purchase tickets!

GIVING IMPACT

driven to succeed WRITTEN BY AMANDA YANOWSKI When Steve Willard (’80) graduated, he barely had a B average. “Grades don’t reflect your ability to make it in the real world,” he says. “Sometimes life requires you to work, take care of family or juggle responsibilities outside the classroom. I want to support students who keep going anyway.” Decades later, after a distinguished career culminating as executive vice president of business development at ETAN Industries, Willard and his wife, Barbara Hoffman, turned their attention to the places that launched them. In 2021, more than 40 years after his graduation, Steve committed a planned gift to the G. Brint Ryan College of Business that will establish an endowed scholarship for students with GPAs between 2.0 and 3.0, meant for scholars who often slip under the radar but embody the same determination Willard remembers from his own college years. Willard’s empathy for hardworking students extends naturally to UNT’s first-generation community. Although he

10 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

wasn’t a first-generation student himself, Willard feels a deep connection to those who are blazing that trail. He admires the G. Brint Ryan College of Business programs that surround first-gen students with encouragement and practical tools — especially the Wilson Jones Career Center, which helps them learn how to interview, present themselves and take confident steps toward their careers. “It’s so important how the business school takes those first-gen students, keeps them motivated and guides them to the end game,” he says. Willard has also invested his time and energy, serving as vice chair of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board. There, he partnered with corporate leaders and helped raise more than $1.5 million to strengthen the college. What meant the most to him, though, was hearing those companies consistently praise UNT students for the very quality Willard values most: their work ethic. “That resonated with me,” he says. “I got my first job right here on campus, interviewing with Union Carbide. The people who hired me were UNT graduates. They knew I would work hard, and they knew that hard work produces results.” That lesson has carried Willard from his first job interview to boardrooms around the country — and now, into a well-earned retirement on the Florida coast. In 2023, he was inducted into the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Hall of Fame, honored for his career achievements and his dedication to lifting up future generations.

“UNT taught me the basics and gave me the drive. They showed me that hard work would produce results. Any success I’ve had, I can trace back to UNT.”

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • GIVING IMPACT

The North Texas Network oﬀers alumni the opportunity to stay connected with fellow alumni, grow their professional network and get the latest on upcoming events. Learn more at community.untalumni.com.

2026 Alumni Achievement Awards

A GIFT FOR TEACHERS Bonnie Hardaway (’79 M.A.) has spent most of her life in classrooms. She began to consider becoming an educator in the ﬁfth Outstanding Alumni Service Award

grade, inspired by her teacher that

Each year, the UNT Alumni Achievement

year. By the sixth grade, Bonnie

Awards honor individuals who exemplify the

Presented to individuals who have provided

was fully taken under the wing

spirit of our university. These awards will be

exceptional volunteer service to UNT or their

of another teacher, even helping

presented by the UNT Alumni Association at

community.

grade spelling tests after school.

6 p.m. on Nov. 6 in the UNT Gateway Center

• Erin Hogue (’99)

Her decision at a young age resulted in a 40-year career as a teacher to seventh and eighth graders in Texas, California and Bermuda. Now retired, Bonnie has decided to leave her entire estate to UNT. “My hope for the students who receive my scholarships from UNT is that they will love teaching and have the strength to deal with the unique challenges which teachers

Ballroom. Learn more at untalumni.com/events/ Ulys Knight Spirit Award alumni-awards. Given to an individual or group for noteworDistinguished Alumni Award

thy eﬀorts to show exceptional UNT spirit.

The most prestigious award given by the UNT

• Troy Wolf (’86, ’93 M.S.)

Alumni Association, honoring alumni for

Rising Star Award

professional achievement and noteworthy contributions to society and the university. • Susan Gabbard (’70, ’94 M.A.) • Dave Heacock (’88 M.B.A.) • Troy Phillips (’69)

Recognizes recent graduates for distinguished achievement that has merited the honor and praise of peers and colleagues. • Phil Samson (’22 M.F.A.)

• Vikas Sinha (’23 Ph.D.)

face today so that their careers will be long and successful.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

RESEARCH IMPACT

Above James Webb Space Telescope image of the M90 spiral galaxy.

Above Doctoral student Jake Reinheimer (pictured) will carry on the research of his late advisor, Fakhri Zahedy.

Read more research news: research.unt.edu

BEYOND SPACE AND TIME UNT doctoral student carries on deceased advisor’s James Webb Telescope research dream.

Fakhri Zahedy, assistant professor of astronomy, had been submitting research proposals to the James Webb Space Telescope’s General Observer Program for four years. He passed away two weeks after submitting his ﬁnal proposal in the fall of 2025. Prior to his passing, Zahedy served as an advisor to doctoral student Jake Reinheimer, whom Zahedy listed as a co-principal investigator on the proposal. Now, Reinheimer will have the opportunity to analyze data from the telescope as part of his late advisor’s project. “Losing Zahedy was really hard emotionally,” Reinheimer says. “It’s been a roller coaster, and we have some mixed feelings, but this was his dream for a long time, so I’m excited to keep it going.”

12 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • RESEARCH IMPACT

DRUG BREAKTHROUGH Developing pharmaceutical drugs is a complex and costly process. Xin Cui, associate professor of organic chemistry, is working to make that process more efficient and less wasteful by improving how key molecules are built. Cui and his lab are developing new methods for direct and catalytic construction of chiral molecules. Speciﬁcally, the lab designs metal-based catalysts that enable the efficient assembly of complex molecules from readily available starting materials through the activation of strong chemical bonds that are traditionally difficult to transform. Cui and his team were awarded the $470,000 R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award — the ﬁrst ever received in the chemistry department — from the National Institutes of Health to advance their work.

“This grant has an emphasis on undergraduate education and training in the lab. These experiences help prepare [students] for future careers in the pharmaceutical industry and related medicinal industry.”

ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH David Schless (’89 M.S.) has worked for decades to help advance research, advocacy and education around aging and Alzheimer’s care — work that this year earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. Schless has served as the president and CEO of the American Seniors Housing Association since its inception in 1991. The nonprofit organization represents companies that develop, own and finance senior housing. “We have made enormous progress, particularly as it relates to the options now available to those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” Schless says. “Additionally, I have been able to work closely with the Alzheimer’s Association in their efforts to support families and to increase funding to find a cure for this horrible disease.”

— Xin Cui Associate professor of organic chemistry, on how this grant will impact students

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

RESEARCH IMPACT

Simulating Space UNT researchers are advancing the future of space power with a new way to test next-generation solar cells under the extreme conditions of space. Led by physics professor Bibhudutta Rout, the research team developed an in-situ testing platform that exposes devices to radiation, vacuum, heat and light while measuring performance in real time. Testing metal-halide perovskite solar cells revealed the devices can rapidly recover much of their performance despite initial radiation damage. The ﬁndings could help researchers develop lighter, more resilient solar cells and lower-cost satellites while providing insights into how photovoltaic technologies respond to radiation in orbit.

Future Universities Alliance UNT was selected as one of 49 “proven innovator” institutions, across 23 countries, to participate in the Inaugural Innovation Sandbox of the Future Universities Alliance, organized by Duke University. The Alliance is a global network to connect higher education institutions and accelerate shared learning and innovation. “Participating in the Alliance will give UNT an extraordinary opportunity to learn from some of the most innovative institutions all over the world who are, like us, working to transform higher education to meet the challenging demands of the future,” says UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D. “It will also be an opportunity for UNT to share our work with others, as we blaze new trails for how a public research university can serve its students and society.”

Award-Winning Faculty Across a wide range of research disciplines, UNT faculty members are recognized as experts in their ﬁelds — and their hard work leads to prestigious awards. Jens Neu (pictured), assistant professor of physics, received the 2026 Young Scientist Award from the International Society of Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves for his research into novel materials for solar applications. Jaime Baxter-Slye, clinical assistant professor of ecology education, earned the Texas Recreation & Park Society’s Educator Outstanding Performance Award for 2026. Chemistry professor William Acree was named the 2026 Council on Undergraduate Research Goldwater Scholar Faculty Mentor Award winner, making UNT the ﬁrst university to have multiple recipients after Jannon Fuchs, professor of biological sciences, was recognized in 2023.

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DEVELOP DISCOVER DRIVE As the largest R1 research university in North Texas, UNT is a powerful engine of discovery and a transformative asset for our region, state, and nation.

MUSE

Giving Life to Movies Barak Epstein (’01) leads the renovation of a Denton landmark. Back when Barak Epstein (’01) was a media arts student, the Denton Fine Arts Theatre sat mostly unused on Denton’s Downtown Square. Since graduating from UNT, Epstein has started his own production company and supplies ﬁlm equipment through his other business, Texas Film Gear. He connected with business partner Jason Reimer and found new passion projects in the renovation of the Texas Theatre in Dallas in 2010 and the founding of Aviation Cinemas. Epstein has spent the last several years involved in the renovation of Denton Fine Arts Theatre, alongside Reimer and Brad Andrus of Axis Realty. It is expected to open this fall as a two-screen venue, likely showing repertory and mainstream movie events. “I think me, and obviously lots of other people, were like, ‘Man, it would be great if this theater came back to life,’” he says. — Thomas Rooney

Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/ barak-epstein

16 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • MUSE

“We’re trying to map the line between an accessible, fun conversation about horror and some kind of accessible, academic take on horror.” Brian Onishi (’16 Ph.D.), co-host of the podcast Horror Joy and associate professor of philosophy at Penn State Altoona

Rising to the Occasion

Books

Follow Your Art

Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/follow-your-art

A History of Heartache Patrick Strickland (’10) The general studies alum and journalist captures life in North Texas in these 14 short stories, his first collection of fiction.

As co-owner of Austin-based Goodtype studio, Katie Johnson (’13) often heard the same question at workshops — “How do I find my style as an artist?” She’s co-written Follow Your Art: Uncover and Unleash Your Creative Voice with fellow artist Ilana Griffo, a workbook that uses reader questions to help uncover their choices, motivations and certain throughlines that come up through their personality and artwork. Johnson is happy with the success of the book, especially since she dreamed no one would show up at book signings. “But the community really showed out, and I definitely wasn’t sitting there by myself. Since then, it’s just been a snowball of goodness.”

War in Modern China: A Military History Harold M. Tanner The history professor examines change and continuity in China’s strategic thinking from the Qing dynasty through the country’s emergence as a 21st century maritime power.

From Classic Detective Fiction to Post-NeoNoir: The Aesthetics of Crime in Mexican Narrative, 1940–2020 Maria CarpioManickam The senior lecturer in Spanish covers the evolution of Mexican crime fiction and how authors depict Mexico’s realities in their literature.

Clarissa Cross (’15), a.k.a. DJ Dawn, puts a spin on music. From gracing the airwaves at KNTU to being the DJ on the 2025 Ulta World Beauty stage, Clarissa Cross (’15) has shaped her lifelong enthusiasm for music into a career. Cross graduated with an integrative studies degree focusing on communications, marketing and journalism. She quickly entered the corporate world but found little work/life balance. “I checked all the boxes, but I wasn’t happy,” Cross says. “You need to live your life for you.” She developed the idea of DJ Dawn — which is her middle name — and made noise at lounges, clubs, weddings and private and corporate events in Dallas, leading her to land major collaborations with companies like AT&T, the PGA, McLaren and Nike. Going into a male-dominated ﬁeld, Cross noticed a lack of community for female DJs, so she dedicated the last few years to organizing She Spins — a safe space where women in music can support each other by sharing skills, stories, songs, opportunities and more. “I get to do what I love every single day,” Cross says. “It feels so good to say.”

Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/ dj-dawn Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

MUSE

Telling Her Story

No Ceilings When composer Lisa DeSpain (’97) arrived at UNT from Utah in the early 1990s, she knew one thing: she wanted to immerse herself in jazz in the College of Music. “I remember thinking, ‘This is like Jazz Disneyland!’” DeSpain says with a laugh. “I realized I could pursue my training — chase any knowledge I wanted as far as I wanted. I didn’t feel there were any ceilings.” Three decades after earning her bachelor’s degree in music composition, DeSpain returned to UNT in April for the premiere of her original opera, That Hellbound Train. A jazz pianist by training, she built a career writing across genres including musical theater, dance, and choral, chamber and wind ensembles. Returning to UNT gave DeSpain the opportunity to mentor the next generation of musicians and composers. Throughout rehearsals, she encouraged students to embrace collaboration, kindness and curiosity as they begin building their careers. “No one in this industry rises alone. We rise as a community,” DeSpain says. “Raise your community with you.”

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A filmmaker, writer and producer, Ryan Cameron (’20) describes herself as laid-back, but her resume says otherwise. Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Cameron’s current goal is to reimagine Southern filmmaking through an authentic lens. Her first short film, Forks in the Road, was screened as part of the New York No Limits film series and at the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival. She’s since started her own production company, Rose & Rod Productions, and is currently in post-production on her second short film, Clear the Air. “You don’t get into this because you want fame, you want glory, you want awards. You get into it because you love storytelling, and you have something that you want to say.”

Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/ ryan-cameron

In the Moment As a teacher, Anné Hughes (’83) has directed her theater students with learning differences to perform on stage, even speaking the words of Shakespeare with confidence and fluency. “I’m always scanning the ensemble to see if I can find one person who’s not in the moment on stage, and I can’t,” she says. “They are consistently in the moment.” Hughes serves as fine arts director at the Dallas-based Shelton School, a private institution that supports students with learning differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia. The school nominated her for the national Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by the Tony Awards and sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University, and she earned one of 18 honorable mentions from thousands of entries. “The success of our theater department comes directly from the passion, perseverance and heart our students pour into each production.” Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/annehughes

BRILLIANTLY GREEN • MUSE

D Magazine’s 25 Most Inﬂuential Dallas Recording Artists includes eight honorees with UNT connections — Centro-Matic, Don Henley, Norah Jones, Midlake, Polyphonic Spree, Power Trip, Bobby Sessions and Snarky Puppy.

Cubic Feat

Cinderella Story When Kylee Withers (’16, ’17 M.B.A.) was a student in the Disney College Program, she chatted with guests as she worked in the Cinderella Castle. “One family saw that my nametag said, ‘Kylee, University of North Texas,’ and they were a family from the DallasFort Worth area. I got to know them a little bit. I think that moment was really cool because it connected me back to people that grew up in the same place I did,” she says. “I gave the kids and the family some Disney stickers and spent time with them before the show started and created a little bit of unexpected magic that day.” She became a cast member at Walt Disney World in 2014, working in telecommunications, commercial strategy and ﬁnance through the years. Now she’s a Walt Disney World Ambassador, sharing news happening at the resort and representing the resort’s cast members. “I’m lucky. I get to work at Walt Disney World, so I see characters and joy every single day in our parks. Bringing that joy of Disney into the community is just so powerful.”

Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/kylee-withers

At the age of 32, Kyle Wright (’15) was diagnosed with autism. He needed to find a way to harness his deepseated desire for order and routine. He turned to the Rubik’s Cube. Thousands of Rubik’s Cubes later, he’s now known as Kyle Cubes online, where nearly 30,000 YouTube subscribers watch him use those cubes to create works of art. He finds zen in the process of choosing a design, creating a pixel art pattern in Photoshop and then configuring hundreds of Rubik’s Cubes to replicate that pattern. His designs range from original mosaics and animals to popular video game and anime characters. “For me, creating Rubik’s Cube art has been far more than just making pictures — it has genuinely changed my life,” Wright says.

Read more: northtexan.unt.edu/2026/kyle-wright

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H O J L L WI

OHNSON A GOOD RACKET

FROM HIS DAYS AS A STUDENT PLAYING DENTON CLUBS TO HIS YEARS WITH CENTRO-MATIC AND NOW AS A MEMBER OF JASON ISBELL’S 400 UNIT BAND, WILL JOHNSON (’97) ALWAYS HAS TO BE MAKING MUSIC. TEXT BY JESSICA DELEÓN | PHOTO BY JACKIE LEE YOUNG When Will Johnson (’97) first arrived on campus in the late 1980s, Denton was lined with clubs like The Library, Dr. Smith’s and, later, Rubber Gloves and the original Dan’s Bar, with the sounds of Ten Hands and Billy Goat emerging from their stages. “I don’t think I realized how much I was taking it in subconsciously,” Johnson says. “And how much just being around that kind of energy was informing me as to who I might become.” Decades later, the Austin-based Johnson has become one of the top singer-songwriters and guitarists in the independent music scene, playing with numerous bands, including his own Centro-matic, and now with Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit band. He is so well-regarded that Isbell and other musicians have written essays about him in the book Patience for the Ride: The Art and Life of Will Johnson, released this spring. His path began at UNT, where he says soaking up the live music scene, writing songs and studying English “were tributaries to why I wanted to start performing music and making recordings. The pursuit of my degree and the crossroads I was at in my personal and creative life, and the energy of the Denton scene, all just fueled my energy and my desire to make music.” Johnson’s first stint at UNT was from 1989 to 1991. An English major, he played drums in several bands before he moved to Dallas to focus on music when his band, Funland, took off. He returned to campus in 1995 at age 24, aspiring to be a college professor. He also was starting to play the guitar and, that spring, he formed Centromatic as a side project. The Argo had just opened, and the Good/Bad Art Collective organized visual art shows with performances. “The energy of that collective inspired me as much as anything,” he says. “But also, it was a time in Denton where you would go to an open mic night, maybe at the Argo or at J&J’s Pizza down on the square, and you didn’t know who or what you were going to see. There was a fearlessness about the scene back then. If you were just starting to write songs, the attitude was, ‘Get up on stage and play them, let’s see how it goes.’” The week he moved back to Denton, he borrowed a four-track Tascam recorder from Funland. “I sat in my little room on Hickory Street

and just started trying to hammer out songs with lyrics. The first few came out right along that time that I had moved back and that turned into the very first Centromatic cassette release later that fall.” In between studying for classes, he hand-dubbed these 8-song cassettes and sold them for $5 a piece around town. He didn’t play his first solo show until a friend booked him for a gig at the Argo in March 1996. “I was terrified when he told me that,” he says. “My response was, ‘Absolutely not, there’s no way, man, I’m not ready yet.’ And he said, ‘You have three weeks, and I’ve already made the posters.’ “It was a pretty full room, and I knew I had to get out and play those songs live sooner or later. And fortunately, the show went really well. I think I played a whole nine songs, just with a distorted electric guitar, but I did take my glasses off just so as not to see the detailed expressions on people’s faces if they didn’t like it.” Johnson still thought about becoming a professor. But he kept on making records and going on tours with various bands. “It felt like the writing was on the wall that I was bound for a life of music. I couldn’t stay away from it.” As he’s grown older, he’s found more creative outlets. In 2008, he took up painting portraits of his favorite baseball players. He also released his first novel, If or When I Call, in 2021. Johnson’s most prominent current project is as a member of Isbell’s 400 Unit band. The friendship began 25 years ago when Isbell was playing with his band at the time, the Drive-By Truckers, at a pre-Homecoming game party near Fouts Field. “And outside, there’s bounce houses and face painting and snow cones,” Johnson says. “But then there’s this tent where I can hear electric guitars starting to crank up, and we stick our heads in the tent, and it’s the Drive-By Truckers on stage. And that was the day that Jason and I met.” Johnson took the band out to Steve’s Bar-B-Q, and he opened for them when they played a show at Dan’s Bar later that night. “I’ve always been into the idea of making a good racket with close friends that I trust and love. Some of those close friends are not full-time musicians. They just love music as something to supplement their happiness. Some of those close friends are Grammy Award-winning musicians. But the point is to make something with people that you love.” Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

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Danielle Danielle Da Da Costa Costa (’22) ('22)

RESEARCHING THE UNIVERSE UNT ALUMNI, STUDENTS AND FACULTY TURNING CURIOSITY INTO DISCOVERY TEXT BY AMANDA LYONS

For thousands of years, from the ﬁrst myths to today’s space launches, humanity has been enamored with the secrets of the universe and what lies beyond the stars. UNT alumni and current researchers are working every day to unravel those secrets, driven by their passion for knowledge. Whether they’re building advanced telescopes or studying how life could handle the extreme conditions of space, these researchers are paving the way for learning more about the universe we live in.

Ready, Set, Launch

Danielle Da Costa (’22) will tell you she has one of the best jobs in the world. “I think what I’m doing is the most fun,” Da Costa says. She works as a mechanical engineer at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and has been working on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope since joining the team. The telescope, which launched this August, will have a ﬁeld of vision at least 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope and will be able to see planets in other galaxies and planet-forming disks. “I’ve been working on integration and testing, so creating hardware and putting it through diﬀerent extremes to make sure it’s ready for the launch and space,” she says.

Da Costa has been working with NASA since she was a junior studying mechanical engineering. She earned an internship with NASA that year and took oﬀ school for the role. When she came back, she then started a position with NASA’s Pathways internship program and was hired after graduating. “I actually interned for the Roman Space Telescope during my program,” Da Costa says. “It’s amazing to see how far it’s come. We were working on drawings when I was an intern, and now we’re ready to launch.” To prevent the possibility of contamination and unwanted particles going into space, Da Costa works in a dedicated clean room while wearing frocks and face masks. Not many visitors can enter, but it does have a large viewing window. “The public can come see our hardware and ask questions. I feel like that’s very important,” she says. “A lot of kids come to visit, and they get really excited to learn. They’ll ask what all our equipment does.” Da Costa takes her love of sharing knowledge outside of her work as well. She volunteers as a mentor with the College Bound program in D.C., which helps underrepresented high schoolers get into college and partners mentors and students with similar interests. “My sister was the ﬁrst in my family to go to college, so

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

everything was still new to me,” Da Costa says. “I love helping people with a similar background as me. I think everyone belongs in this ﬁeld as long as they’re driven and motivated.”

researchers hope to better understand how self-powered biological systems could function in the closed environments required for spaceflight. “In spaceflight, we can’t allow molecules, waste products and atmospheric gases to leave its closed system,” D’Andrilli says. The researchers will conduct some experiments in the field and bring samples back to UNT laboratories for further study. D’Andrilli will be joined by Jim Junker, clinical assistant professor of biological sciences, and Brandon Gaesser, assistant professor of media arts. Gaesser will document the research and help turn the team’s work into educational and outreach materials. “I want this to become an opportunity to broaden outreach and expand educational resources for increased public engagement,” Gaesser says. “Together, we’re turning science into storytelling.”

Life in Space

Finding Your Spark

Brandon Gaesser, Jim Junker and Julianna D’Andrilli

Some of the toughest organisms on Earth could offer clues about one of the biggest challenges of space exploration: how to sustain life beyond Earth. That question is taking a UNT research team to two extreme environments — Chile’s Atacama Desert and Brazil’s hypersaline lakes — where scientists will study the energetic interplay between ecosystem resources, such as sunlight, nutrients and temperature, and microorganisms, known as extremophiles, which thrive in harsh conditions. “We’re excited to learn whether the ways they survive on Earth could help us understand how they may fuel self-powered devices in spaceflight or on other planets,” says Juliana D’Andrilli, associate professor of biological sciences and lead investigator on the seven-member team. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research is funding the project as part of a larger initiative exploring ways to develop systems that can support life in space. D’Andrilli’s team will focus on how extremophiles take in and use energy under natural and additional stressful conditions and what they produce in the process. The team will expose the microorganisms to three stressors — light, water and dissolved organic matter — and measure the methane and carbon dioxide they release as they survive. By studying how organisms use energy and respond to changing conditions, the

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Jonathan Pond (’24 M.S.)

After a slight detour, Jonathan Pond (’24 M.S.) is now following his passion for space. “I’m retired Navy, but I always said when I grew up, I was going to be an astronomer,” Pond says. When he was a kid, Pond wanted to be an astronaut, but he learned he couldn’t because of his poor vision. Then one day, his parents brought home a special board game. “It was a knock-oﬀ Monopoly game called Solarquest where you buy the planets and moons, and all the deed cards came with factoids. That’s probably where my desire to be an astronomer came from.” While in the Navy, Pond earned a history degree. Once he retired, he joined UNT and earned his master’s degree in astronomy. “I was really struggling at ﬁrst because my education background is bad. I’m a high school dropout so I never really had math down. I remember asking if this is something I really wanted,” Pond says.

“Then I took two courses with Duncan Weathers and Alexander Barr,” he says. “Those made me realize ‘Yes, I really do like physics. I want to learn this stuﬀ.’” Pond also gives credit to Ryan Bennett, UNT’s astronomy program director, who led him to UNT’s Monroe Observatory near Gainesville, which would serve as an inspiration for his studies. “We cleaned the place up. I rebuilt some telescopes and got them working again,” Pond says. “I was able to take some images of planet transits and light curves — and that was my thesis.” Pond’s research focuses on transit photometry and exoplanets — planets in other galaxies. “In a nutshell, you wait for a planet to pass in front of a star and then take a bunch of pictures,” he says. “That’s how most exoplanets have been discovered in the past few decades.” Pond is now working at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as part of SPARK, A Student Pathway to Astrophysical

“I think what I’m doing is the most fun.” —Danielle Da Costa (’22)

constellations in the sky. He decided to give it a try at home and was instantly hooked on space. He followed that passion and earned a double major in physics and mechanical engineering at UNT. He worked in the research lab of Richard Zhang, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and, after graduation, he interned at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida where he worked on lunar dust experiments. “There’s no atmosphere on the moon, so lunar dust is extremely sharp and abrasive. We tested the adhesive and abrasive effects lunar dust had on different materials.” When his internship ended, he applied to the Space Force. He was selected in March 2025 and is currently undergoing training with the organization. “We’re developing our foundation as Space Force officers while getting exposure to the different mission areas across the service. We also learn how those capabilities can support the other service branches while protecting our nation’s and our allies’ interests in the space domain,” Sears says. He hopes he’ll be assigned to a position in space electronic warfare, missile warning, acquisitions or engineering when training is complete. “I’m drawn to these fields because they’re very technically focused and directly connected to space operations. Whether it’s protecting our capabilities from an adversary or developing the systems we use in space, there’s a lot of problem-solving involved,” he says. In the meantime, Sears will work on what he sees as the most important thing in the sector dedicated to the great, wide unknown: making connections for the journey. “You never know who you’re going to meet, and the Space Force is a small community. The relationships you build can lead to people vouching for you in rooms you’re not in and help open new opportunities,” he says.

Research Knowledge, a postbaccalaureate research program at one of the largest astrophysics research institutes in the world. “The program is for folks who don’t have a traditional path to graduate school,” Pond says. “I couldn’t get into a Ph.D. program because I didn’t have a lot of research internship experience, but those kinds of internships are for undergraduates. So, this is the perfect helping hand to help me get to a doctoral program.”

Defending Home

Isaiah Sears (’24) looked around at his job options in aerospace and decided to get in on the ground level. “Originally, I wanted to go into the Air Force, but when I found out about Space Force, I thought that was something completely new, and I wanted to be a part of the foundation,” Sears says. “It’s a service all about space, and I’m all about space.” Sears remembers visiting the planetarium in his hometown of Killeen and how it taught him to ﬁnd

Isaiah Sears (’24)

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Texas is growing rapidly and UNT’s alumni are helping lead the way with top roles in government, real estate and business in the North Texas region and beyond.

Mean Green

FA2026 TEXAS

BOOMST8 THE LONE STAR STATE

STATE WRITTEN BY JESSICA DELEÓN | GRAPHIC DESIGN BY ROBERT BRATCHER When Jay Chapa (’93 M.P.A.) served as economic development director for the city of Fort Worth in the late 2000s, he wanted more for the city’s Near Southside neighborhood. Back then, the area lacked any life. It had few restaurants or businesses other than professional offices. Now Near Southside is thriving. Restaurants and unique shops, such as a record store and an ice cream shop, line the streets. The area hosts quirky events, such as “The Mutant Bazaar,” a one-stop shop for fans of obscure media, art and collectibles, started by Greg TeGantvoort (’08). Texas Highways called it one of the city’s “trendiest neighborhoods” and an article in Texas Monthly touted its “spark.” It’s one of the biggest achievements in Chapa’s long career in city planning. “When I started working in local government, I saw the things you do are so impactful. You can work on something and see it up a year later,” he says. “When my daughter was younger and I’d drive her by there, she’d hear me talking about the project and then see it under construction. Years later she’s driving through there with friends and says, ‘You know, my dad worked on that.’

The state’s population is expected to surpass 35 million within the next decade. — Texas Demographic Center

“That gives you a lot of pride in how you help the city,” Chapa says. “And as they say, you try to leave things better than they were.”

LEADING THE CHANGE Chapa is not the only UNT alumnus who is transforming the North Texas region — and the state of Texas — as it experiences a huge boom in population and business. The state’s population is expected to surpass 35 million within the next decade, according to the Texas Demographic Center, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area will become the nation’s third-largest metropolitan area with more than 10 million residents in the coming years, according to U.S. Census Bureau projections. The region boasts more than 20 of the state’s Fortune 500 company headquarters, reports Fortune magazine.

UNT alumni are leaders of government, with three members from the class of 1993 serving as city managers for Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth, and many other alumni serve dozens of cities and towns across the state. On the business side, developer Rex Glendenning (’79) is one of the most prominent dealmakers in the state, creating subdivisions and enterprises such as The Star in Frisco. Other alumni are overseeing infrastructure and creating jobs at a variety of levels in communities around Texas. With UNT’s Texas Talent Accelerator, an initiative producing insights on the skills students need to compete in tomorrow’s workforce, UNT also is shaping a competitive job market that ﬁts the needs of the region. Jay Fox (’13), project manager of Hensel Phelps, a construction company that handles projects across the country, says Texas oﬀers lots of land and enthusiasm. “Texas has the room to grow, and they have leaders who are trying to push and promote that growth. That’s why you’re seeing the results today.”

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SETTING THE AGENDA The city of Fort Worth is grabbing national attention. It’s been featured on the TV show Landman, with the ﬁlming of such programs adding $1 billion to the region’s economy, according to economic consulting ﬁrm TXP Inc. The Fort Worth Stockyards is one of the state’s most popular tourist destinations. And Fort Worth just became the 10th largest city in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In his three decades of service to the city, Chapa has led the way. “We’re having a moment and I’m thrilled,” Chapa says. “And the fact that we are doing well, it makes it easier to sell the city. But with it comes a lot of responsibility to ensure that our citizens in Fort Worth are getting the services they need and they feel safe and that we’re delivering decent roads, clean water, code enforcement and all the things that cities do that people don’t think about sometimes.” As city manager of Austin, T.C. Broadnax (’93 M.P.A.) understands his residents’ concerns. Known for its state politics and music scene, the city has erupted with tech companies and other corporations moving into the area. Austin reached 1 million residents in 2026, and the metro area has seen a 27 percent increase over the last 10 years. “You know what? Yes, there is quite a bit of traffic,” Broadnax says. “I often remark, ‘I’m wondering where all of these people are going all at the same time.’ It creates an exciting opportunity for people in leadership to work alongside the community to ensure that, the things they love about their community, they’re able to keep, and then invite others in to enjoy that same type of environment.” The city managers wanted to serve in this profession to make change. UNT’s M.P.A. program with a specialty in local government management,

ranked 1st in Texas and 8th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, has prepared them to do just that. In the program, they learned skills such as budget implementation to manage their cities responsibly. Bob Bland, Endowed Professor Emeritus of local government, was a game changer, says Kimberly Bizor Tolbert (’91, ’93 M.P.A.), city manager of Dallas. “I enjoyed when I took the public finance course with him, because what I learned is that the backbone of everything that we do ties to our resources and how we effectively utilize those resources to meet the needs of our communities,” she says. That lesson continues to shape Tolbert’s leadership. As the ninth-largest city in the country, Dallas has one of the nation’s most diverse economies and has grown into the nation’s No. 2 financial market. Tolbert is building on that momentum through the continued growth of “Y’all Street.” Dallas is the only U.S. city with three major exchange operations — TXSE, NYSE Texas and a Nasdaq Center of Excellence — while companies including Scotiabank and Goldman Sachs are making significant investments that will bring thousands of jobs to the city. She is focusing on turning that momentum into long-term opportunity by strengthening infrastructure, developing the workforce, creating quality jobs and encouraging investment throughout the city. The job of a city manager can be tough. Chapa can work as many as 70 hours a week, with meetings taking up as much as 10 hours a day. In addition to enduring the long meetings, they juggle the often-conflicting priorities of residents, mayors and city council members. “That’s what makes local government management so exciting,” Broadnax says. “You can’t plan for a day because

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TOP: Fort Worth City Manager Jay Chapa (’93 M.P.A.). MIDDLE: Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert (’91, ’93 M.P.A.). BOTTOM: Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax (’93 M.P.A.). (Photos by Pete Comparoni)

you’re immediately going to be doing something diﬀerent. But again, if you have a heart for public service, being a city manager, as well as a local government employee, is right where you need to be because you get so much out of going to work every day and helping people in your communities.”

MAKING THE DEALS When Rex Glendenning (’79) was growing up in Celina in the 1960s, the area was considered a small town. Now he’s transformed that part of Collin County into one of the fastest growing areas in the country — the county’s population has increased from 782,000 in 2010 to 1.3 million in 2025. One example of that transformation is a deal he made in 1994. Glendenning sold Jerry Jones his first piece of land in Frisco — about 10 to 12 miles south of Celina — for a 550-acre masterplanned single-family subdivision, Starwood. Frisco had a population of about 7,600 at the time. Two decades later, Glendenning convinced the Dallas Cowboys owner to move the football team’s World Headquarters and training facility to Frisco. In 2016, The Star in Frisco, a bustling mixed use development in a city whose population had skyrocketed to 250,000, opened. Glendenning led negotiations, snagging $130 million worth of economic incentives from the city of Frisco within a 45-day window. “To be able to say that I was able to relocate the Cowboys from Irving to Frisco and create The Star, and to do projects like that is not only financially rewarding, but it’s fulfilling to have a vision, and then to see it be created, and unfold, and happen the way you hoped it would happen,” Glendenning says. “It’s been a lot of fun.” As the creator of more than 20 developments in Arlington, Celina and Prosper, Glendenning has been one of the biggest personalities in Texas’ real estate scene. D CEO magazine put him on its cover, saying he “largely operates under the radar, despite orchestrating many of DFW’s most notable developments.” The Wall Street Journal says he “has everything a casting director could ask for in a Texas land baron: the

Real estate developer Rex Glendenning (’79). (Pete Comparoni / UNT)

late-July drawl, a herd of prized Longhorns and the handmade alligator-skin boots embroidered with the golden REX Realty logo.” He’s also a member of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors Hall of Fame, as well as the recipient of the 2025 Stemmons Service Award. Raised in a family of ranchers in Celina, the real estate major — who played on the North Texas football team under head coach Hayden Fry — put every dollar after taxes and overhead into buying another piece of Texas since he started his career in the 1980s. His hometown of Celina is now the fastest growing city in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, surging from 6,000 people in 2010 to 64,000 in 2025.

“We’ve cobbled together land up here for about 35 years or so, and now the market has ﬁnally come to us,” Glendenning says. “You have to have enough patience to buy in a location that the demographics, transit, roadways and infrastructure are all leading to, and have enough vision and guts to get ahead of that curve and put yourself in position to be there when the market gets there.”

“[Rex] has everything a casting director could ask for in a Texas land baron.” — The Wall Street Journal

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BUILDING THE VISION When Jay Fox (’13) was looking for jobs as a College of Engineering student, he was flying in and out of Dallas Love Field Airport. “I saw their billboards and signs everywhere,” he says. “I was like, ‘Man, that’d be cool to work on an airport.’” He launched his career with the renovation of Dallas Love Field — serving as field engineer for the construction firm Hensel Phelps — when the airport was expanding its non-stop flight destinations beyond the Texas border states.

“It was seeing the growth of DFW right there. ... The airport needed to get bigger and be modernized for all the people that are moving to Texas.” — Jay Fox (’13)

They had to build amenities, such as a 5,000-car parking garage to accommodate travelers, as well as a police station and other buildings, as the airport soared from 4 million in 2013 to more than 17 million passengers a year. “It was seeing the growth of DFW right there,” Fox says. “The gates had to expand, the

TEXAS TALENT ACCELERATOR

airport needed to get bigger and be modernized for all the people that are moving to Texas.” Fox majored in engineering technology with a specialization in construction, combining his knowledge of math and desire to work with people. As he’s climbed up the ranks to project manager, Fox has helped oversee construction for buildings, handling everything from field to office, from safety to quality, and collaborating with all stakeholders, from architects to government officials. One of his major projects was the 975-room Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, which features a waterpark and arcade on its 1.5 million square feet of land. The site was originally a field in Round Rock, near Austin, so Fox’s team oversaw a completely new power infrastructure, updated the power grid and installed water and sewer lines. “Eventually, the goal is the surrounding retail,” he says. “We built this giant attraction, and right around it, we started to see it the last six months we were there. Gas station, coffee place, all these other buildings started to get developed around our resort, so that was cool to see.”

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UNT is playing its part in navigating the soaring growth in North Texas and the state. Last fall, it launched the Texas Talent Accelerator, a collaborative to help align education, training and workforce development efforts with the needs of regional industries to drive economic growth and opportunity in North Texas. In June, industry, education and workforce development leaders discussed workforce needs in some of the region’s fastest-growing industries, including healthcare, where employers continue to face hiring challenges, and semiconductor manufacturing and energy, whose companies are investing in new facilities and infrastructure across Texas. “Occupations and fields are changing quickly with AI and other industry trends,” says Ben Magill, executive director of the Texas Talent Accelerator. “The issues we want to tackle require all of us to work together. No single employer or institution can solve this alone.” Laura Ward, president and CEO of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, says increasing awareness of career pathways will be critical to meeting employer demand. “People may not understand what the good jobs are, but if we can educate them about the pathway to get there and the first credential they need, we can connect more people to opportunity,” Ward says.

SETTING THE ATMOSPHERE While alumni are developing and constructing the homes and buildings, others are providing services to attract homeowners and tourists to the area. Kyndra Outlaw (’14 M.S.), for example, has captured a niche market, staging homes and apartments to appeal to potential buyers. The name of her business, Atmospheric Home Staging, is derived from a paper she wrote about merchandising in stores while pursuing her master’s degree in merchandising at UNT. “When you’re walking into a store, what music is playing, what does it smell like, what is the atmosphere like?” she says. “I want to create that atmosphere when you walk into a home. What feelings does it evoke? Do buyers want to stick around for a while? Do they want to purchase the home they are touring?” Based in Dallas’ Design District, Outlaw helps homeowners sell their property by decluttering and depersonalizing the home with neutral paint colors or art. She also brings in furniture and accessories for vacant properties for apartment complexes and model homes. Her business began 10 years ago as a one-woman show as she scurried across DFW from job to job. Now she employs a team and a regular stable of contractors. About three-fourths of her clients are for new construction. “That just shows me that North Texas is continuously growing,” she says, “and we are getting quote requests all the time from new construction clients, so that’s the green ﬂag for me.”

Chad Enloe (’93) also knows about setting the atmosphere, but he does it for cities. The city has hosted big events for visitors to have a good time and bring their dollars to the Lone Star State. As senior vice president of sales for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Enloe promotes the city that is home to AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Six Flags Over Texas, attracting international sporting events and concerts, such as the FIFA World Cup and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Enloe has worked his whole career in the hospitality business, starting as a waiter in college, advancing through various TOP: Owner of Atmospheric Home Staging, Kyndra Outlaw (’14 M.S.). (Pete Comparoni / UNT) BOTTOM: Chad Enloe (’93), senior vice president of sales for the Arlington positions at hotels, Convention and Visitors Bureau. (Ahna Hubnik / UNT) and then pivoting to sales leadership. Now he sells the city so it can ﬁll up its hotels, convention center and other venues. According to a 2025 survey by tourism study research company Longwoods International, Arlington brought 16.3 million people to town who spent $3.1 billion in 2024. Enloe notes North Texas is in a great position thanks to Dallas-Fort it creates a very strong fabric of a Worth International Airport, which destination and economic impact.” gives travelers access to both U.S. coasts in three hours. “Our spirit of hospitality sets us apart,” he says. “Our selling message and our value proposition are pretty strong when you compare us to other cities and other parts of the country. When you complement events and sports with conventions and groups,

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

UNT UNT delivers delivers excellence excellence in in core core academic academic courses, courses, and and it it also also provides provides classes classes that that teach teach unique unique skills skills students students can can take take to to their their career career and and life life after after graduation. graduation.

Learning by doi earn 3 : i

WRITTEN BY BESS WHITBY | PHOTO BY AHNA HUBNIK On a cool, sunny day, sitting in the shade of old growth trees outside the UNT Language Building, four students are pondering the same question: Why don’t people spend more time outdoors? “Some people just don’t like nature,” says Jorge Guzman, a senior international studies major focusing on business and economics. “But for some, it’s a structural issue — some people don’t have that access.” Guzman and his classmates are discussing a project for their Introduction to International Studies class, taught by lecturer Sing Hui Lee. The project asks students to identify and create a plan to address “a global issue with local impact” — or, as Lee’s syllabus calls it, a “glocal” issue. “It’s easy to develop a mindset of, ‘This issue doesn’t concern me,’” Lee says. “I want my students to leave UNT ready to go out and do good with empathy, integrity and altruism.” The class has been researching the cognitive beneﬁts of access to green space, especially for children with anxiety, stress and developmental disorders like ADHD.

“Separation from the outdoors goes hand-in-hand with being stuck on phones or social media, especially when it comes to children,” says Claire Hood, a senior in UNT’s Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. “Getting them outside even for a small amount of time boosts their mental health, cognition and communication skills.” To address the issue, the group partnered with the Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, which offers activities like bird watching, guided hikes and field experiences for children and adults. The students are focusing on practical ways — including slide presentations and videos — to educate local parents on LLELA’s resources and the benefits of outdoor time. To Sri Dulla, a freshman international studies major focusing on global conflict, the project offers a small-scale opportunity to make a big impact. “If you’re able to do on the local level something that affects people around the world, you start to see how those solutions can be applied everywhere,” Dulla says.

Photo by Pete Comparoni

ing

NATURE’S REMEDY

From left to right: Students Sri Dulla, Cimara Garrett, Claire Hood and Jorge Guzman.

MUSIC MECHANICS WRITTEN BY JESSICA DELEÓN PHOTO BY PETE COMPARONI

Top: Student Marco Alzaitoun Bottom: Student Maria Sotello

Students gather around a table in the instrument repair room in the Music Annex Building. It’s like a hospital for ailing instruments. At one table, junior music performance major Marco Alzaitoun is putting balls into the horn of the trumpet as he tries to repair the dents. In another corner, senior music performance major Zuzanna Belka and junior music education major Maria Sotello work together to ﬁx the strings in a French horn, reconnecting its levers and valves. Justin Cooper, musical instrument repair coordinator, talks to senior music education major Ezven Gonzalez about corrosion in instruments. Repair and Maintenance of Musical Instruments, taught by Cooper, enrolls about eight students each semester to learn how to repair brass instruments. This class gives the students, who are planning to become school band teachers or musicians, skills that can help save money and time down the road. The class alternates between lectures — such as how to clean instruments and take out dents — and lab days to demonstrate the process. They even use ﬁre when they are soldering, a process similar to welding. Sotello, who wants to be an elementary school music teacher, notes, “The dent work requires a lot of muscle” — and patience. They have to go over it many times before the dents are gone. Belka, a trumpet player who wants to be a private instructor, says it’s given her a new perspective on her art. “I’m actually understanding what makes this instrument work.” Cooper says he’s seen several horns that have been run over by cars. “Kids can mess horns up in very, very unique, interesting ways and it almost seems like never the same way twice. Each repair is its own little creative thing of problem solving.”

MEDIA FOR THE MASSES

Senior Lecturer Brittany McElroy with students Landry Brady and Maddie Holston

WRITTEN BY BRAD OSBORNE | PHOTO BY AHNA HUBNIK On the first day of Media Performance for News and Public Relations, students dive right into the material. They perform a mock newscast at the full-service broadcast suite in Chilton Hall, using high-tech camera and audio equipment. “It’s my favorite day of the semester,” says award-winning multimedia journalist and senior lecturer Brittany McElroy. “It gets them out of their comfort zone.” That’s her overarching theme for the course, with the goal that students explore their abilities — and have fun doing it. They perform mock reads, live shots and press conferences and create social media content focused on public

relations, sports and traditional news. “I love going into the studio,” says Alexandria “Allie” Driver, senior public relations major. “It’s given me chances to practice using unique resources, like green screens and fancy microphones, and it’s provided some great pieces to include in my portfolio.” Throughout the semester, McElroy provides lectures on camera tips and brings in guests from various industries. Students, who dress professionally and shoot in the studio, are tasked to develop several professional and self-performance critiques as the course progresses, using feedback they’ve received from their teacher and peers.

“Performance is really important in communications, but it’s hard to teach without practice,” McElroy says. “I can lecture all day, but until students actually do it, they won’t learn it.” For their final, students write original scripts, produce two performance materials from the course selection on any topic and present them on the last day, reflecting on their growth. “This is an elective, so I want it to be enjoyable and not stressful,” McElroy says. “It’s all about improvement, not perfection, so I just want students to be brave and willing to try new things.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

CREATING CAREER PATHWAYS WRITTEN BY BESS WHITBY PHOTOS BY PETE COMPARONI Stephanie Murphy (’05, ’11 M.A.) came back to the classroom this fall. She popped in online, providing tips to students as a leadership coach for the Braven Career Accelerator course. “As a first-generation college student from a low-income, immigrant household, I didn’t have clear guidance on how to navigate higher education or my career. A program like Braven would have made my path much easier,” says Murphy, who serves as director of state policy and research at HCM Strategists in Mesa, Arizona. The course is offered to students looking to succeed in today’s competitive job market, many of whom are first-generation college students. UNT partnered with nationally recognized nonprofit Braven in 2025 and launched the course for transfer students in Spring 2026. Students work in small groups led by two industry professionals serving as leadership coaches. Throughout the semester, students build professional portfolios, network, develop leadership skills and collaborate on a capstone project. For her project, junior political science major Madeline Ledesma created a program in which Capital One, one of Braven’s corporate partners, offered challenges to encourage its employees to volunteer more. Braven also connects UNT’s extensive alumni base and employer network with current students. With more than 324,000 UNT alumni living and working in North Texas, Braven students have greater access to career paths, mentorship and community-based leadership roles across the area. Ledesma says the course has gotten her closer to her goal of attending law school. “I talked with leadership coaches about the different paths and how to stand out as a prospective law student,” Ledesma says. “They helped me create a plan and identify the steps I need to take to get there.” Murphy, the mentor who makes up part of that community, says it isn’t just the students who benefit from Braven. “For me, it’s been incredibly rewarding to see what the students have gotten from this experience.”

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Top: Braven Career Accelerator course facilitator William Kim Bottom: Senior director of Braven UNT Camille Ojinmah

COSTUME CRAFT WRITTEN BY AMANDA LYONS A dressing room behind UNT’s University Theatre comes to life with the voices of students. However, they’re not preparing for a career on stage, but for a career behind it. This small group makes up UNT’s Costume Crafts course as part of the theater program. “There’s a lot of students with creative drive who don’t want to sew,” says lecturer Alex Heder, who oversees the class. “There are so many things that go into creating costumes that aren’t stitched like shoes, hats, armor and jewelry. That’s where Costume Crafts lives.” Heder teaches his students three diﬀerent techniques in his course: leatherworking, sculpting and foam thermoplastics working. “I structure it as a skills-based course and expect them to be familiar enough with them all so they can start selling their work as soon as they’re done,” says Heder. Classes are split into either demo days or workdays. Heder will teach his students how to use the necessary tools and proper handling techniques on samplers ﬁrst. After that, they’re tasked with making items tied to the techniques: sword holsters, masquerade masks and derby day hats. Students also need to write a contract before starting their work.

They must list the cost of the materials used plus their time and eﬀort. “I want to make competent and marketable artists in the theater and craft world. So, if you join this class, come in ready to work,” Heder says. For the ﬁnal project, students need to combine all the techniques they learned into making an armor set. “You learn a lot, and you realize that if one thing doesn’t work out for your project, you can switch to another because you have that understanding,” says Ronnie Jackson, a junior studying theater tech and design. “And what other class lets you make derby day hats?”

From left to right: Students Madison Robinson and Ronnie Jackson

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Robert Clar

Brett Freedman

WIDOW’S PEAK K CALLAN (’64) ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AN ACTRESS. AT THE AGE OF 90, SHE IS RECEIVING THE BIGGEST ACCLAIM OF HER LONG CAREER FOR HER ROLE IN WIDOW’S BAY. WRITTEN BY JESSICA DELEÓN “Actors don’t retire,” K Callan (’64) says. “They’re retired all the time in between shows.” There wasn’t a time when Callan wasn’t acting. She played her first role when she was a baby. She won significant parts in the 1970 movie Joe and in TV classics like All in the Family and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. But in the last decade, she snagged big attention — first, in the 2019 movie Knives Out, stealing the film from an all-star cast, and now at 90, with a pivotal role in this summer’s buzziest show, Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay, winner 0f 14 Emmy Awards. “My goal was to be a working actor, and thank God, I am. I just am happy to still be working.”

“Every job is a happy surprise. You never know what’s going to happen. That’s one of the things I like about it.” Callan’s ﬁrst appearance on stage was in the Christmas play at Sacred Heart Cathedral School in her native Dallas. “I was the baby Jesus. No lines, but lead part,” she says. That and Betty Grable movies inspired her choice of a career. “I can’t remember when I didn’t not only want to be an actress, but just know that I was going to be one.” In 1955, while a drama major at North Texas, Callan was attending a rehearsal of Inherit the Wind at the famed Margo Jones Theatre in Dallas. In addition to building Dallas’ theater scene and having her name on the theater itself, the legendary Jones was directing the world premiere of the play. “I was just sitting there, and somebody didn’t show up. And Margo turned to me and said, ‘Are you an actor?’ And I said, ‘Yes,’ and she said, ‘Get up there!’ And so I was like, ‘OK.’ I didn’t understand the importance of who she was and what her theater was. And it was a little part — it’s a member of the crowd. Well, I thought, ‘I won’t get to do this. I have to be back in the dorm at 10:50 at night. The dean’s never going to let me do this.’ I was ﬁne, I wasn’t nervous.

I just got up there, so I was perfectly natural and did a great job. Then I went back to campus, and Imogene Bentley, who was the dean of women, was like, ‘No, this is a wonderful thing. Of course, you should do it.’ And then I got to ride back and forth with (student) Tommy Jack Wright. I did two more shows there that summer, so I had my professional beginnings. What a gift! And that was because of Tommy Jack and North Texas.” Callan attended North Texas for two years, then taught drama and physical education at Our Lady of Good Counsel Academy in Dallas. She planned to move to New York City to pursue her career, but she stayed at the school to build a theater in the round. She completed her degree from North Texas a decade later by taking summer classes and courses by mail. At age 32, Callan finally was pursuing her professional goals. “When I first went to New York in 1968, I was alone, and with three kids. But then I got this independent film that everybody was sent in for. When I got there that day, there were people on the floor and all over the place. I was going to have to be there all day long, and I was like, ‘I can’t stay here for this, I got to go make a living.’ I came back at the end of the day, and I auditioned, and I got it. That was a film called Joe, with Peter Boyle, that made everybody’s 10 best list, and that was just, like ‘Wow!’ It didn’t make me a star, but it put me in the system.” Callan continued to work consistently through the decades. She played the partner of Edith’s cousin in All in the Family, Clark Kent’s mom in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Lily’s grandmother in How I Met Your Mother, a political candidate in Veep, Elizabeth in The Chosen and Daniel Craig’s secret weapon in Knives Out. She’s appeared in the TV shows Rhoda, One Day at a Time, ER, Carnivàle and Justified and the movies A Touch of Class, A Change of Seasons and American Gigolo. When she read for Widow’s Bay, a combination of mystery, horror and comedy, she only had access to the pilot and had no idea where the story was going. She recurs on the show as secretary to the mayor, played by Matthew Rhys. Widow’s Bay has been picked up for a second season, but Callan doesn’t know what will happen. “I am beyond grateful. What a gift to get to play Ruth and to receive all the love. Sometimes I just sit and cry happy tears.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

MEAN

green

Read the latest UNT Athletics news at meangreensports.com

Embracing the Challenge Head football coach Neal Brown is ready to “embrace high expectations” in his first year with the Mean Green. Mean Green football head coach Neal Brown knows expectations are high for his first year in Denton. Coming off the best season in program history in 2025, fans developed a taste for winning that may be difficult to satiate given the wholesale roster turnover that followed. As if that wasn’t a big enough challenge, shortly after taking the position, Brown found out the first game of the season would be on the road against the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers. He’s not one to shy away from a challenge. “I think you embrace high expectations,” Brown says. “What Eric Morris and his staff did last year was

tremendous. Everybody here is super proud of what they were able to accomplish.” After serving as head coach at Troy and West Virginia, Brown came to UNT to build on the momentum of last season. He recognizes that just because his predecessor raised the bar for Mean Green football fans, that doesn’t mean he can’t raise it further. “Now we’ve got to build oﬀ that. There’s still work here to be done,” Brown says. “We haven’t won an American Conference championship. We haven’t been in the College Football Playoﬀ. We haven’t had consistent success at a high level within North Texas football. That’s what we want to do.”

Listen to Coach Brown’s interview on the Happy Friday, North Texas! podcast. unt.edu/podcast

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Brown knows that achieving that level of success starts with him leading by example, and he’s literally putting his money where his mouth is. That’s why the Brown Family Foundation donated $100,000 in support of UNT football in March. “I just didn’t feel like I was in a position to go ask other people to invest in our program if I hadn’t done the same,” Brown says. “We’ve been blessed, and I think it’s important that we give back. From a leadership standpoint, you’ve got to set the standard.” While donations are critical to program success, Brown also knows his team has to set the standard on the ﬁeld as well. After a ﬁrst-ever sellout of DATCU Stadium when UNT hosted South Florida last October, Brown plans to give fans a reason to make sellouts a more regular occurrence going forward.

MEAN GREEN

“We’ve got to continue to grow our fan base,” Brown says. “We’ve got to win while playing an exciting brand of football in oﬀense, defense and special teams to put people in that stadium so we can continue to grow.” With the right mix of emotional and ﬁnancial investment, Brown believes UNT has what it takes to stay in the national conversation. “We’ve got to push from a football perspective to be in the top of the American Conference,” Brown says. “If we’re able to do that from a competitive standpoint and an operating budget standpoint, then we’re going to be in the conversation year in and year out to play in that conference championship game — or to host that championship game right here in Denton. “North Texas has a unique opportunity right now within the landscape of college athletics. I fully believe that we’re an ascending program. There’s never been a better time to be part of North Texas Athletics.”

By the Numbers

0.634 UNT’s conference-best winning percentage across football and men’s and women’s basketball since joining the American. Some of UNT’s other conferenceleading stats include the best combined basketball home winning percentage (0.796), the second-highest overall winning percentage in team sports (0.587) and the second most team sports wins (320).

FALL 2026 UNT HOME GAMES OCT. 8 SOC vs. FAU OCT. 9 VB vs. USF OCT. 10 FB vs. CHARLOTTE OCT. 18 VB vs. TULSA OCT. 25 SOC vs. MEMPHIS OCT. 25 VB vs. UAB

“There’s never been a better time to be part of North Texas Athletics.”

OCT. 29 FB vs. FAU OCT. 30 SOC vs. UTSA NOV. 6 VB vs. WICHITA STATE NOV. 7 FB vs. RICE NOV. 11 VB vs. UTSA NOV. 28 FB vs. UAB

Schedule subject to change. Get tickets: meangreensports.com

Engineering Her Future Loredana Fouonji (’26) likes to plan ahead. Fouonji, who moved to Houston from Cameroon on her fifth birthday, transferred to UNT from Division II Saint Martin’s in Washington state to face a higher level of competition on the volleyball court. Although it meant she would ride the bench her entire sophomore season, she didn’t mind playing the long game. “I loved getting to watch the game and get into it more in depth, especially at this level,” Fouonji says. “I’m very grateful for that time because I learned a lot.” Now, that preparation has enabled her to add a new role, serving as team captain this season while working on a graduate certificate in data science. “I plan for the future all the time, so I’ve been excited for this last season for a while,” Fouonji says. “I am a little nervous because I’m definitely taking on a different role than what I’m used to.” As a student at UNT, Fouonji joined several organizations for engineering and computing students on her way to earning her bachelor’s in information technology in May. She thinks her dedication in the classroom will help her be a better leader on the court. “School has taught me discipline, accountability, consistency and how to keep showing up even when things are difficult,” Fouonji says. “Those are the same qualities I try to bring to the team every day.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

EAGLES’

nest

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS RETROSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE

“The really cool thing is you get to experience Alaska with all of your senses,” says Delaney Murphy (’17). As co-owner of Out to Sea Expedition Company, she draws on her merchandising and digital retailing degrees to share the wilderness of the state’s southeast coast with tourists. Read more at northtexan.unt.edu/2026/delaney-murphy.

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Find out the latest campus events, from concerts to plays, happening this fall. calendar.unt.edu

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS

CLASS NOTES 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).

1971

DAVID W. MARTIN (’75 M.S.), Denton, was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the Metroplex Senior Citizen Softball Association and USA Softball of Texas this year. David is a softball umpire with more than 45 years of experience who has donated his time and expertise to various groups and is umpire-in-chief for the North Texas Umpire Association.

1980

ROSARIO “ROSIE” CARBÓ, San Antonio, published her creative nonfiction book Maria Antonia y sus retoños: Legacies of Motherhood. The book centers on the life of her grandmother and details the intergenerational conflict between Rosie’s mother and grandmother. Rosie wrote freelance articles for The Dallas Morning News and worked as a staff writer for several publications.

1990

DOROTHY P. WARD (Ph.D.), Santa Teresa, New Mexico, has published the novel Light, Which Impresses, which follows a 91-year-old photographer describing executions, smuggling and encounters with ﬁgures like Pancho Villa and General John J. Pershing during the Mexican Revolution. Dorothy, who studied English and American Literature at UNT, taught and worked as an administrator for more than 30 years at the University of Texas at El Paso.

1992

CHERIE CLARK, Hico, published the novel Olive and the Blue Dragon, which follows two women as they navigate new romances while they tackle environmental and other personal crises. Cherie worked in health care administration for 30 years.

1995

JASON HENSEL, Dallas, has written the book For the Love, which chronicles the history, community and ongoing impact of Kettle Art, a gallery in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas. Jason has worked as a writer, editor and musician.

1998

CHRISTINA GREKSTAS CRAIG, Sachse, a clinical nurse in oncology for Texas Oncology, was named to the 2026 D Magazine Excellence in Nursing Awards. She earned her master’s degree in nursing from UNT Health Fort Worth in May and is starting her nurse practitioner program at Texas Woman’s University this fall.

1998

NICK KNIRK, McKinney, has released Gypsy Spirit Suite, a CD that explores how contemporary jazz manouche music has evolved from its traditional quintet format to larger ensembles and contemporary harmonic inﬂuences. The project grew out of his thesis research for his master’s degree in music composition at Stephen F. Austin State University.

DOCTOR UP When Eeshan Joshi (’21 TAMS, ’23) went on rotations during medical school, patients were surprised to learn he was so young. At age 23, Joshi graduated in May as one of the youngest graduates of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, part of UNT Health Fort Worth. He’s now a resident at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple. His journey began thanks to accelerated programs with UNT’s Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science and TCOM’s 3+4 Pathway Program. One of his most rewarding experiences during medical school came when he talked to a patient who felt nervous about their diagnosis and treatment plan. “By the end of our hour-long talk, they seemed much more relieved. Moments like that reminded me how much of medicine is about human connection.” — Jessica DeLeón Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/eeshan-joshi

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS

legacy family

Legacy of Grit

The Hutmacher and Green family shows oﬀ their class rings. Pictured are (from left to right) Greg Hutmacher (’88), Christine Hutmacher (’92), President Harrison Keller, Ph.D., senior Grant Green, Anne Green (’24) and Georgia Green White (’22) holding Evelyn White.

Gregory (’88) and Christine (’92) Hutmacher met on the first day of a freshman journalism class in the basement of the General Academic Building in the fall of 1980. Their romance quickly began, and before they knew it, there was a beautiful twist: they were expecting a baby. “They were 19 at that point, and you’ve got to make money and figure things out,” says that child, Anne Green (’24). “My mom stayed home with me for about a year and my dad went to work in a sheet metal shop. They were both just trying to support their new family.” With the addition of two sons over the next few years, it certainly wasn’t easy for the Hutmachers to finish college, but they took night classes and did everything they could to ensure their children were well taken care of. During that time, Anne, Eric and Brian practically grew up on the UNT campus, attending classes with their parents. “I remember going to classes with my mom, and some of the professors really stepped up to make sure that she was supported,” Anne says. “She was doing photography classes, and there was a professor who bought crayons, coloring books and toys so that my mom could bring us with her to classes.” Several major switches and several years later, Gregory graduated with a finance degree in 1988 and went on to work as a director for T-Mobile. Christine was able to return to school in a regular capacity — earning her photojournalism degree in 1992 and working with Sally Beauty Company. “My parents both went on to have really successful careers that they never would have had without those degrees, not ever,” Anne says. “They provided a life that can only come from having mobility and they wouldn’t have had that mobility without the degrees.” Anne began coursework at UNT in 2000 and now

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works as director of development for UNT’s College of Engineering. Her brother, Eric (’10), graduated with a degree in emergency administration and disaster planning and currently works as a branch manager for FEMA. Anne’s oldest daughter, Georgia (’23), earned her degree in the same field and is pursuing her master’s degree in disaster science at UNT. Anne’s son Grant is a senior construction management major and daughter Carolina is a junior public health major. When Anne’s children got their class rings, she decided her parents should have rings of their own. She surprised them at the UNT Ring Ceremony and Eagle Ring Dive last year, allowing the whole family to celebrate. “I think the real message is: Don’t quit,” Gregory says. “I have a specific memory of when I was working at a warehouse and had barely accumulated enough hours to be a sophomore, and I thought, ‘I’m never going to graduate at this point,’ because it was just taking forever. There were definitely some low moments where we didn’t think we were ever going to get there, but we didn’t give up — neither one of us.” — Sean Riedel

Scrappy and a friend have fun at the 2026 ring ceremony.

EAGLES’ NEST • CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS

2000

ADHY SANTOSO, Jakarta, Indonesia, was appointed president director of PT Bumiyasa Indonesia Energi, one of Indonesia’s leading renewable energy developers. After UNT, Adhy went on to earn an M.B.A. from California State University, East Bay. He later worked at the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco and served as CEO at Innovez One Indonesia. Adhy is currently pursuing a doctorate in international relations at Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

2001

APRIL L. MORETON (Ph.D.), Dallas, was appointed vice president for advancement at Dallas Theological Seminary. She has 25 years of experience as a fundraiser and adjunct faculty member for Christian higher education. She also served as executive director of advancement and communications at The Evangelical Alliance Mission.

2005

JANET KELLOGG RAY (Ph.D.) Lewisville, wrote her most recent book, Fish with Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God, which oﬀers readers an understanding of humans’ biological story while honoring spiritual identity. She also released The God of Monkey Science and Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Janet is an adjunct professor of biological sciences at UNT.

2008

DANIEL GARCIA, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is an actor and producer who wrote, executive produced and starred in the short ﬁlm Separate Roads, which won Best Short Film at the LGBTQ+ Toronto and LA Film Festivals. Based on true events from Daniel’s life, the ﬁlm depicts the bittersweet reunion

between former high school sweethearts Daniel and Tyler. Daniel has appeared in the animated series Dream Defenders as well as the TV shows Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Mr. Robot and Succession.

2015

SHELBY TAMURA, Los Angeles, is co-creative director of Mother Los Angeles, a creative agency that made Adweek’s Creative 100 Rising Talent for its work on various projects, including the Battleﬁeld 6 online game, Peloton and Orangetheory.

2019

SASA SAVKOVIC, Fort Worth, is senior vice president of Coyle Capital LLC, a registered investment advisor ﬁrm. He has worked for the ﬁrm since 2024 and previously worked at Charles Schwab Corp. from 2020 to 2024. While at UNT, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

2024

CHENXI GAO (M.F.A.), Roanoke, Virginia, is an artist and educator who uses prints and mixed media in her work. Her solo exhibition, “Tracing the Traces,” ran at the Oak Cliﬀ Cultural Center in Dallas this spring. Chenxi has worked as a teaching fellow at UNT and as an instructor at the University of Arkansas, and is currently an assistant professor in printmaking at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. Chenxi’s work has been featured at juried exhibitions in China, France and the United Kingdom.

HISTORIC WORK Holly Carter’s (’99 Ph.D.) workplace is majestic. It’s Belvoir Castle, an hour outside of London. Carter assists Emma Manners, the 11th Duchess of Rutland, and the castle has been the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Rutland since 1703. Carter’s career has focused on public health science and international education, and now she helps with the American Friends of Belvoir Castle foundation. “The best part of Belvoir is just being here with the other people who work here. And knowing that you’re a tiny part of the history of the place. There’ll be a day where someone will say, ‘Oh yeah, this American woman from Texas worked here, and she helped with the foundation.’ My favorite times are just the normal days where a bunch of dedicated people are in here, making a castle work.” — Jessica DeLeón Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/holly-carter

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

“

I like meeting wonderful, interesting new people. Be careful if you’re around me. I like to keep pushing.”

BOOK SMART THANKS TO HER GO-GETTER PERSONALITY AND BUSINESS DEGREE, HALF PRICE BOOKS PRESIDENT KATHY THOMAS (’84 M.B.A.) HAS NAVIGATED THE CHAIN THROUGH AN EVER-CHANGING INDUSTRY. WRITTEN BY JESSICA DELEÓN | PHOTO BY PETE COMPARONI Kathy Thomas (’84 M.B.A.) was frustrated with her job. Thomas had already been through a change in positions at her workplace, KERA-FM radio station in Dallas, while earning her M.B.A. at North Texas in the mid-1980s. One day, a friend saw an opening for a marketing director at Half Price Books, a national chain that sells used books, records and more. “It was really good timing for me, because sometimes you have to be pushed to change jobs,” she says. “You have to have a bad day, and you go home, and you’re like, ‘I’m going to leave.’ I didn’t have a current resume. I had finished my M.B.A. And I loved where I worked — I loved the people. It was just a bad day, but it was the perfect day because then I got home. I put a resume together and have never looked back.” She got that job in 1989 and, after years of navigating the book industry’s drastic changes, now serves as president. The job is perfect for her personality — always a go-getter, but also an avid reader. “I had applied at different jobs in my life, and I can’t see myself selling Fritos,” she says. “I mean, selling books is so much more fun, and it’s something that I absorb. I eat it like candy, you know?” Her M.B.A. from North Texas helped pave the path. She drove from Dallas to Denton for her classes so she could continue building her career while working toward her degree. “North Texas went above and beyond for its professional students and rearranged schedules so they could fit me in, because I couldn’t go at noon or had to go to a night class.” As marketing director at her new company, Thomas spearheaded new ideas — such as printing 10,000 bookmarks instead of just 1,000 at a time — to make the business run more efficiently. She brought in advertising and she learned about new markets around the country, helping the chain expand from 28 stores in seven states to its current 115 locations in 19 states. Through the decades, she’s seen other chain stores, such as B. Dalton and Borders, close and other companies, such as Amazon, transform the industry from brick-and-mortar to online sales. One major change in the industry came when the traditional paperback was phased out for the bigger-sized trade paperback, affecting the space for Half Price Books’ stores.

But the company has also relied on their faithful customers, who Thomas says are different from online consumers. Thomas notes they are concerned about the environment and they love the printed page. “We’ve always been a shopper’s treasure hunt — a place for people to browse and discover and get inspired. There’s not a lot of people, but there’s enough for us to survive.” Through the years, Thomas worked her way from marketing director to chief strategy officer to president, a position she earned three years ago. “I’m constantly challenging myself and I challenge my teams,” she says. “I don’t want us to go under. I mean, everyone says, ‘When are you going to retire?’ And I say, ‘I can’t retire unless I know that we’re going to be in business forever!’ “I’m a pusher. I say, ‘Let’s try this, let’s try that. Why are we doing this?’ We have to diversify everything we do because, I hate to say it, there are less people shopping. But when you do come in, we have to make sure you buy vinyl, and you buy movies, and you buy stuffed animals, and you buy everything else.” She keeps busy when she’s not on the job. She started several of her own businesses. First there was Ready Ritas, a margarita mix in different college colors. Then she and a few relatives pivoted to creating Texas Party Bingo, in which state icons — such as the state flag, bluebonnets and tacos — are used instead of the traditional numbers. It was inspired by her family, who played bingo on Sunday afternoons on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas also serves as a member of UNT’s School of Merchandising & Hospitality Management Advancement Board and the board of Feed the Children. “I have to do something, and I literally get to go and feed the homeless — not just sit on the board, but get to meet the people. So, I’ve done a lot of civic and nonprofit work, and I like it. I like meeting wonderful, interesting new people. Be careful if you’re around me. I like to keep pushing.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS

From left to right, Ahou Vaziri Line (’23 Ph.D.), Nickolas Hight (’22), Charlie Hunter (’21), Hailey Sutton (’18 M.A.), Madison Humphrey (’22), Brittney Huﬀ (’19 M.P.A.), Samantha Taylor (’16, ’20 M.P.A.), Sivanesh Palanivel (’16 Ph.D.) and Patrick Powers (’17).

EMERGING ALUMNI LEADERS Jacob-Aidan Martinez (’25 M.S.) earned his master’s degree in educational psychology from UNT entirely online and wasn’t able to attend commencement. This April, he was honored for his work as the director of student life at San Antonio College as part of the first annual 10 Under 10 Awards. “I felt that it was the universe finally allowing me to take time out of the day to enjoy the full achievement — graduating and receiving this acknowledgment. When I walked across the stage to accept my 10 Under 10 Award, it was symbolic for me to finally walk across a UNT stage.” The awards, hosted by the UNT Alumni Association in partnership with the Graduates of the Last Decade Alumni Network, celebrate alumni within 10 years of graduation who exemplify the Mean Green spirit by making a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

The other honorees were: Nickolas Hight (’22), entrepreneur; Brittney Huff (’19 M.P.A.), finance director for the city of White Settlement; Madison Humphrey (’22), content creator; Charlie Hunter (’21), community leader and strategist; Ahou Vaziri Line (’23 Ph.D.), mental health therapist and author; Sivanesh Palanivel (’16 Ph.D.), engineer whose work has advanced manufacturing and sustainable innovation in the electric vehicle industry; Patrick Powers (’17), educator and nonprofit leader; Hailey Sutton (’18 M.A.), sports journalist for CBS Sports; and Samantha Taylor (’16, ’20 M.P.A.), office director and emergency management coordinator for Denton County.

CHASING LIFE Chelsea Burnett (’14) has always led an unconventional life. “I like pushing my limits. I like seeing how far I could go.” And Burnett, who is based in Little Elm, has been fascinated by severe weather since she was a child. Now she has a career as a freelance storm chaser, delivering information on livestreams on social media and as an educator for the organization Storm Science. Every day, she’s monitoring reports from the Storm Prediction Center, planning on where to go next. The business major says she loves the chaos and “just watching the process happen and the storms develop. No two storm chase experiences are the same. That complexity and that guesswork keeps me going.” — Jessica DeLeón

— Sean Riedel

Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/emerging-alumni-leaders

48 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/chelsea-burnett

Mean Green Pride 1

GOLDEN AGE

NOVA ADAMSON (’80) represented UNT while on a trip to Antarctica in January 2026. She says it was a “fabulous trip with numerous educational opportunities.”

APRIL REESE AND JILL COFFEE (’00) met in Clark Hall in 1996 and have continued their friendship since then, getting tattoos to mark 30 years of friendship. They met at a slumber party for first-year college students. “After meeting, we changed up our rooming arrangement, and the rest is history,” Coffee says. “We’ve seen each other through marriages, kids, careers and moves. While we haven’t lived in the same city since our fateful meeting in Denton, our friendship is stronger than ever. We wanted to commemorate our 30 years with a permanent reminder of the start of our journey.” Coffee, an English literature and education major, is an educator. Reese attended UNT before getting her nursing degree from the University of New Mexico. She currently owns 4 Connection Home Care in Fort Worth.

2 THE REYES FAMILY got into the

Mean Green spirit as Kota Reyes enters her freshman year as a music education major. “After visiting the UNT bookstore and stocking up on the best Mean Green swag, we couldn’t wait to share all our experiences with Kota’s 98-year-old great grandmother,” her mother, Jennifer Reyes, says. Pictured are Kota; Jennifer; stepfather Bryan George; and great-grandmother Anita Frederick.

William D. Tate (’64) was 30 years old when he was ﬁrst elected as mayor of Grapevine. “I was the kid mayor, and now I’m the oldest mayor,” he says. “Can you believe that?” This year, Tate marked 50 years as mayor of the suburb that sits between Dallas and Fort Worth. He’s transformed the farming community into one of the state’s most popular cities. Grapevine is the home of big chain retailers and a thriving Main Street ﬁlled with shops and restaurants, and is host to an array of festivals. Tate’s dedicated nature shines in all aspects of his life. He’s been married for 57 years to Betty Curtis Tate (’65 M.S.) and has been practicing law for 58 years besides being mayor. “The job became a part of my persona, it became a part of my nature. And just for people to stop me on the street and tell me how much they love living and working in Grapevine is energy enough to keep you wanting to do the good works.” — Jessica DeLeón Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/william-tate

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS

YOU AND TEA

Left to right: John Sponsler (’99), Jessica Nemergut (’01), Alicia Sidey (’12), Rylee Sepulveda (’22, ’24 M.B.A.), Jonathan Maniet (’18) and Jordan Foreman (’07).

STARS BEHIND THE SCENES For the alumni working for the Dallas Stars, life just means more green. UNT alumni who work for the Stars include John Sponsler (’99), director of broadcasting; Jessica Nemergut (’01), director of people and culture; Jordan Foreman (’07), video production manager; Alicia Sidey (’12), merchandise coordinator; Jonathan Maniet (’18), manager of game presentation; and Rylee Sepulveda (’22, ’24 M.B.A.), senior foundation coordinator. “I view it as an activity with a paycheck. I don’t really have a job,” Sponsler says. “I know that sounds kind of weird to say, but I truly love coming to work every day and I don’t view it as a grind or a hard job. It’s a fun job. Every game oﬀers something diﬀerent.” Foreman oversees all video production for the hockey club, everything

from hype videos that play in the arena to behind-the-scenes social content to online post-game recaps. His love of hockey started with a simple quack. “I was in that generation growing up in the mid- to late-’90s where, after The Mighty Ducks came out, every little town in the South that had a 5,000-seat arena wound up with a minor league hockey team,” Foreman says. “I worked for a minor league hockey team in my hometown my senior year of high school doing on-ice promotions. I always loved hockey. I never thought I would work in hockey all these years later, but here I am!”

Read more: northtexan.unt. edu/2026/dallas-stars

50 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

— Scott Brown

Read and listen to more stories about your fellow alumni. Visit our website, northtexan.unt.edu, to learn about: • Danielle Bakic (’13), Argyle-based swimming coach and entrepreneur • Ashton Campbell (’03), documentary filmmaker and co-director of the 2026 Oak Cliff Film Festival in Dallas • Darlene Lanham (’98), executive director of Asian Family Support Services of Austin • Paige Mejia (’02), of McKinney, lead pyrotechnician and co-owner of Pyrotex, a fireworks company • Greg TeGantvoort (’08), founder of Fort Worth Community Cinema and The Mutant Bazaar • Jenny Walker (’02), executive director of Literacy Texas in Texarkana Look for Happy Friday, North Texas! wherever you get your podcasts so you can listen to stories and interviews that keep you connected to UNT while you drive, exercise or do the dishes!

FRIENDS WE’LL MISS Read obituaries for alumni, faculty and staﬀ members who have passed away.

RETROSPECTIVE

adventures in time Top left: In 1959, the landline was a lifeline. Top middle: The feline obsession with keyboards actually started with typewriters. Top right: The cool kids in the 1980s were toting these boom boxes. Bottom left: In 1961, students waited in line to register. Bottom right: The camera let everyone get in the picture.

in some ways, the typical life of a college student doesn’t change much through the years: There are still friends to be made, adventures to be had and courses to be conquered — usually with little money or sleep and an endless supply of caffeine. But many items and activities that once were necessities for college life are not even identifiable to today’s students. As we welcomed the Class of 2030 this fall, we made a list of experiences they might find it hard to relate to from days gone by. • Waiting for their turn to use the phone in the dorm hallway, or using any phone with a dial tone and a curly cord. • Finding library materials through the card catalog, or having a library filled almost exclusively with books. • Using white-out on a paper they typed on a typewriter or wrote by hand. • Lining up to register for classes, or registering by phone.

• Reading a printed catalog or schedule of classes. • Trying to make it back to the dorm by curfew (there isn’t a curfew these days — only quiet hours). • Taking photos of their friends around campus and dropping the ﬁlm oﬀ to be developed. • Writing a letter home, addressing an envelope, adding a stamp and taking it to the post office. • Buying the latest 8-track, cassette or CD — we’d add vinyl to the list, but it’s popular again! • Signing a yearbook, like this inscription from the 1935 Yucca (where “T.C.” stands for “Teachers College”): “I’ll always remember the shop days together in T.C. when we had such good times. They were swell.”

Fall 2026 | northtexan.unt.edu | north TEXAN

PERSPECTIVE

Illustration by Daria Kirpach c/o Theispot

encouraging words

MY CAREER AS AN AUTHOR began with an index card and the encouragement of a teacher. During an icebreaking activity for my master’s degree in library sciences in 2008, associate professor of information science Yvonne Chandler passed out an index card to everyone in the summer institute class. She had us all jot down four things about us that most people know on each corner. In the center, she wanted us to write something that hardly anybody knew about us. Then she read a few cards to see if we could identify who the card belonged to. After a few failed guesses, she would ask the individual whose card it was to stand up. It was the little-known clue about me that got her attention: “I am the oldest sibling in my family, but I’m not the firstborn.” Immediately, everyone started to look around in hopes of being the first to identify this individual. I did the same to make it seem like it was not me. After four or five incorrect guesses, Chandler asked the individual to stand up. There I was, standing up reluctantly with a bit of obvious jitters. Chandler asked me to explain how I was

52 north TEXAN | northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2026

the oldest but not the ﬁrstborn. I proceeded with my very personal response. It was something that I hadn’t shared with many people, so divulging this to more than 100 strangers had me feeling vulnerable. I described how my parents had my older brother, Heriberto, in 1969. Since he was born premature, his heart hadn’t fully developed, and he had straddled the line between life and death. Months after Heriberto’s birth, my father was drafted for the Vietnam War. Heriberto only lived to be 10 months old before his heart gave out. My father needed to come home immediately to bury his only child. For a moment, my father wished he had been killed in war to not have to receive the news he had hoped he would never hear; it was too late, he was alive, and his newborn son was not. A few days later, back home in McAllen, he and my mom buried the brother that I never had the privilege of meeting. I was born the following year. After divulging this to my classmates and Chandler, I realized I had tears running down my cheek that I hadn’t noticed. I felt my face turn warm with embarrassment. It was then that I realized that I was unconsciously looking down at my feet during most of my sharing, so I didn’t really see others’ reactions. Before I looked up, all I could hear was the faint, echoing chorus of sniffles from all directions of the room. Aside from that, everything else was silent.

Chandler eventually broke the silence after taking oﬀ her glasses to wipe her eyes with a resounding, “Oh, child! I don’t think I’ve ever cried during one of my courses before. I’m so sorry!” Just before dismissing us for lunch, Chandler thanked me for sharing such a personal and heartfelt story with people I didn’t know, and jokingly stated, “Jaime, you should write a book about that. I know I would buy it!” At that time, I was a high school English teacher who loved reading and writing, so I ﬁgured this was something I should try. I just had to jot it down and gather more information through many profound conversations with my parents. It wasn’t until a few years later, while attending a Texas Library Association conference during Chandler’s tenure as TLA president, that I got the chance to thank her. I’ll never forget her glowing smile when she said, “Oh yeah, I remember you and your story. You made me cry in front of everybody. I should have failed you for that!” I gave her a copy of Through You because she was on the run to a meeting. I don’t know if she ever got to read it, but I do know that she gave me the encouragement I needed to get it written. That’s more than enough for me. Jaime Perez (’09 M.S.), a librarian for Valley View ISD, has written three books: Through You, A Risky Yet Worthwhile Endeavor and The Vacant Space. Chandler passed away in 2020.

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