Dear Maverick community,

Welcome to the start of the 2023 spring semester! I hope you all had a wonderful and restful winter break and that you have arrived at The University of Texas at Arlington ready to take on every opportunity ahead.

The spring term is always an exciting time, as it often marks a very important stage in the academic journey for our students. For some, it may be your first semester, while for others, it may be the last stretch before graduation. No matter where you are, I am confident that you will enter the workforce prepared to take on today’s leading issues and make an impact.

Maverick Experience

This spring semester at UTA is packed full of activities. We have some high-energy and beloved events, both new and returning, and I hope to see you at them this semester!

Every new semester starts with our Maverick Stampede. This marks the official kickoff to the new year and is filled with events that offer students the chance to have fun, make new friends, and get acclimated to life on campus. Our Division of Student Affairs and several of our colleges have events already planned; see the full schedule and join the stampede here.

Part of being a Maverick is finding your fit on campus, and with over 300 student clubs and organizations, there is something for everyone. I encourage all students to join us at UTA’s Activities Fair Day on Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. in the UC Mall. UTA student organizations, departments, and community agencies will be there to showcase their services, interests, and involvement opportunities to the campus community. It represents a prime opportunity for new and continuing Mavericks to meet face-to-face with an array of campus and community resources and is a great way to begin or expand your cocurricular involvement.

Then, join us March 21 in Texas Hall for our next installment of the Maverick Speaker Series, with special guest Indra Nooyi. Indra has held executive positions at major companies all over the world, and notably was the chairman and chief executive officer of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019. She is a member of the board of Amazon and an adviser to several early-stage companies as well. In 2021, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She will have professional and personal insight that I know our entire Maverick family will find valuable.

March will also feature the UTA Bed Races, happening March 29 at Maverick Stadium. Whether you’re a bed race pro or brand new, you won’t want to miss out on the fun. This is our longest-running tradition on campus, where teams of five race to get wheeled beds across 40 yards in the fastest time. It is fun to compete in and watch, and I’ll be there to cheer you on!

It is an exciting semester for our athletics as well. Our men’s and women’s basketball seasons continue this spring, and our 2023 softball and baseball schedules and season tickets are now available. Join us on Jan. 28 for UTA softball’s inaugural First Pitch Banquet, where you can meet first-year head coach Kara Dill and the entire 2023 team. There will be a Q&A with Coach Dill, a silent auction, and more. Then our 2023 softball slate will begin with the first four games on UTA's home turf of Allan Saxe Field, hosting Texas Tech and Tulsa as part of the Maverick Invitational on Feb. 10-11. Our first home game of the 2023 baseball season will be on Feb. 21 against Dallas Baptist at Globe Life Field. Good luck to all our student-athletes this semester. Be sure to turn out to our games and show your support.

Campus Updates

You may have seen, or perhaps even have a class in, our new School of Social Work/College of Nursing and Health Innovation Smart Hospital building. I am excited to share that the building is now operational, and that our students will begin learning in this new state-of-the-art facility this semester. We plan to host an official ribbon cutting for our new building later this spring.

Other facility updates include our Life Sciences building renovation and new addition, which was approved in November 2022 by the UT System Board of Regents. We will keep you updated as this project progresses.

UTA has so much to be proud of as we kick off 2023. I appreciate your continued commitment and trailblazing spirit as we enter the new semester. I wish you all the best of luck on your academic journey this spring, and I can’t wait to hear about your many successes throughout the semester.

I hope to see you at the exciting events and activities we have scheduled!