Latest & Greatest


The news and events we’re excited to celebrate

LeVar Burton and students

Take a Look, It’s in a Book

The 2023-24 Maverick Speakers Series kicked off with beloved actor and TV host LeVar Burton. Burton talked to a sold-out crowd at Texas Hall about his career, the importance of reading, and more.

student wearing eclipse glasses

Total Eclipse of the Sun

You’re all invited to a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. This major celestial phenomenon is charting a path right through the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and the UTA Planetarium is planning several events to commemorate the rare occurrence. Check the UTA Planetarium website as the date approaches to learn more.

Lowell Kent Davis

Welcome Aboard

Lowell Kent Davis joined UTA in summer 2023 as the new vice president for student affairs. Dr. Davis previously served as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. “I believe student affairs professionals are in the business of changing lives, and I am overjoyed to do this work with a team of committed professionals,” says Davis.

Lou Diamond Phillips and students

A Star Comes Home

Alumnus Lou Diamond Phillips (’85 BFA) returned to UTA this year for a weeklong residency in the College of Liberal Arts. A Distinguished Alumnus, Phillips is best known for his portrayal of Ritchie Valens in La Bamba and his role as King of Siam in the Broadway revival of The King and I. “As an actor, writer, and director, it’s in me to pass the torch to the next generation and ignite their passion for the craft,” he said.

reunion of UTA 1973 volleyball team

A Fabulous 50th

This October, UTA celebrated the 50th anniversary of its 1973 volleyball team, which went 33-9-3 in the program’s first-ever season and captured the state championship. That squad was recruited and coached by the legendary Jody Conradt, who also coached the women’s basketball team at the time. Conradt would go on to build a Hall of Fame career as head coach of women’s basketball at UT Austin for 31 years. The legacy of the 1973 team lives on as they started one of the winningest programs in NCAA Division I volleyball history. In 50-plus seasons, UTA has compiled a 1,153-688-8 all-time record, which puts them 16th nationally in all-time wins.

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Shadi Nazarian

Architecture Excellence

Marking a major milestone and signaling a new era of excellence and innovation for the College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA), Shadi Nazarian was selected as the college’s first H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, Chair in Architecture.

dog

The Ruff-est Bar in Texas

Every good businessperson needs a guiding mission. Leslie Paetschow (’12 BA, Anthropology) has a good one: She wants to “pet all the dogs.” Every day at The Watering Bowl, an outdoor dog park and bar that she owns and operates in South Austin, is an opportunity to do just that.

Solano Caffarena and Francisca Emilia Vergara

The Maverick Aces

Game, set, Maverick domination. Get to know the global talents of UTA’s men’s and women’s tennis teams as they reign as champions on the court and succeed as top students in the classroom.

Winter 2024 Magazine

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