Message from the Editor
· Spring 2013 · Comment ·
In his acceptance remarks at the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Gala, honoree Wayne Watts suggested we call UT Arlington the University of Opportunity.
His reasoning? A top-notch education combined with great value and support helps students from all walks of life earn degrees and pursue their career dreams.
Watts himself is a shining example. The first in his family to attend college, he graduated in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and went on to law school. He’s now the senior executive vice president and general counsel for AT&T, overseeing all legal matters for the communications giant.
This issue of your magazine is full of similar stories of alumni, students, and faculty who are capitalizing on the opportunities UT Arlington affords them.
In “Career Switch” we examine the growing trend of professionals who change occupations. You’ll meet four alumni who chose UT Arlington to prepare them for their new careers: the Wall Street banker who started a nonprofit to prevent child abuse, the aircraft mechanic turned airline executive, the engineer who’s now a nurse, and the military veteran who became a teacher.
You’ll read about Maverick Battalion Commander Ben Carroll, who went from a self-described directionless community college student to a straight-A scholar. Carroll is ranked in the top 1 percent of the nation’s nearly 6,000 Army ROTC cadets. He graduates in May and eventually plans to start his own business.
Then there are those who help the University provide opportunities. Like Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, whose record $7.5 million gift will aid researchers battling disease. Like the 6,500 benefactors in our annual honor roll of donors, whose generosity fuels advancements in the classroom, laboratory, and beyond.
Their commitment ensures that, at the University of Opportunity, anything is possible.
