Dear UTA campus community,

I was a Maverick long before today. Many of you may know that I grew up here in Arlington and attended summer camps and took classes here at UTA. It was really fun to have those early experiences of connecting to this great university. That’s why it’s so meaningful to me to return home and begin my tenure today as the 10th president of The University of Texas at Arlington.

Since the announcement of my appointment earlier this year, I have found myself energized and inspired by your talent and accomplishments. It is now time to chart where we will go next—what future we will imagine and how we will, as a community, come together to realize our collective vision. I believe that The University of Texas at Arlington can be one of the nation’s most inclusive and impactful research universities.

We owe it to ourselves and to the state of Texas to achieve this goal. Our state needs us to dream big. With our commitment to making college education affordable, we have the passion and the programs to provide access to a college education for ordinary Texans and help them lead extraordinary lives.

Thanks to you, I am confident UTA has the assets needed for us to realize this bright future. We have outstanding and dedicated faculty and staff. Our students are innovative, hardworking, and passionate in creating their impact in the world. Our devoted alumni and steadfast supporters know that their help is key to UTA’s role in the economic and cultural growth of our region.

A key priority in my first few months is filling senior leadership roles. I am happy to share that the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Search Committee has narrowed our strong and diverse pool of candidates to a set of esteemed finalists. Their campus visits are currently scheduled for May 6-10, during which time we will host virtual forums to give faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to engage with each candidate. Keep an eye on your email for more information about these opportunities.

Also in the coming weeks and months, I will be sharing more details about a strategic focus in four thematic areas:

In the meantime, I plan to learn and observe, to ask for your help, to team up with this incredible community, and to chart together a path to where we will go next. I encourage you to visit the Office of the President website, where I will be regularly providing updates on our progress, and I encourage you to share your ideas around our four themes. You can also see what I’m up to on Twitter.

Thank you for the warm welcome into the UTA family. It’s good to be back home, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together. MavUp!