I can still remember the smell of the Central Library's fourth floor, that wonderful old-book smell. I remember the seemingly endless rows of books and so many shelves wedged together that you had to turn a crank to widen the row and find the book you wanted. Most of all, I remember the suite tucked into a back corner of the fourth floor—the Writing Center.
I started working as a tutor at the Writing Center my sophomore year, and it very quickly became my favorite place on campus. For the first time, I was getting paid to work with words! Moreso, I was helping other students become better writers. I loved my coworkers and made lifelong friends. It's even the place where I met my husband.
There are other places I remember fondly, of course. Lipscomb Hall, where I lived my freshman year and met my best friend. The Pizza Hut (long gone) next to the Fine Arts Building where my friends and I regularly ate lunch. The old P.E. Building, where I took a volleyball class with friends. (I was terrible at it.)
Now as an employee, I've had the unique opportunity to reconnect with the University and the campus on a whole different level. I've gained new favorite places—the CAPPA building is full of art and interesting nooks—and I've seen how my old favorites have changed. Some a little, some a lot. (Ransom Hall isn't a computer lab anymore!)
If you haven't had the chance to visit the campus in a while, you might be surprised at the incredible growth we've experienced, especially in recent years. Our feature "20 Places on Campus You Didn't Know You Missed" will reacquaint you with the campus, give you a little window into what the campus looks like now, and offer a peek at what it will look like in the near future. It also provides you with lots of great information about how you can reconnect with UTA.
We hope the feature and the rest of this issue inspire you to visit your alma mater, either for an upcoming event or just to take a literal stroll down memory lane. You'll find the University is always ready to welcome you back with open arms.
– Amber Scott ('01 BA, English)
