- Departments
- Prospective Students
- Current Students
- Alumni
- Faculty
- Donors
Liberal Arts Student Accolades
Recent Student Accomplishments
Three UT Arlington Alumni win Pulitzer Prize: Three former The Shorthorn reporters are among a team from The Dallas Morning News that won a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography. Tom Fox (B.F.A., 1991), Michael Ainsworth (B.A. 1991), and Brad Loper (B.A. 1993) were on a team that captured Hurricane Katrina’s fury and its human aftermath. The Pulitzer Prize is regarded as the highest honor in print journalism and carries a prize of a gold medal and cash awards of $10,000. This is the first Pulitzer Prize awarded to the former The Shorthorn staffers.
Ashlee Attebury, Art / Photography 2000
Working in the art department for Quick Technologies Inc. in Dallas.
Billy Brumley, Art 2005
Awarded Arlington Arts League for 2004-5.
Sharon Campbell, B.F.A. Art / Clay 2002
and Chris Cunningham (also B.F.A. 2002) are exhibiting their artworks in an exhibition at Upstairs Gallery in Arlington. (Spring – Summer ‘06)
Jason Croft, Art / Film/Video 1999
Producer and Director of photography of “Youngster”, a film screened at Mann Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and also at the Deep Ellum Film Festival.
Chris Cunningham, B.F.A. Art / Clay 2000
Earned MFA from Texas Tech University. Is currently teaching at TCCC Northeast and West campuses and has been awarded Artist in Residence at the Upstairs Gallery in Arlington. He was also awarded Best Show for his artwork at the Irving Art Center’s All Media National.
Kapil Dixit, Art / Painting 2004
Feature artist on Nepalese non-profit website www.suskera.com promoting literature, arts, culture and social activism. Also featured in the Dallas Morning News for donating paintings for a silent auction at Northlake College in Irving, TX. Proceeds from donations went to Hurricane Katrina victims.
Scott Dykema, Art / Painting 2001
Represented by Hue Gallery in Mansfield, TX
Amalia Elmasri, Art / Painting 2002
Exhibited in three person exhibition “Essential Elements” at the Arlington Museum of Art, in five person exhibition "Homage to Pablo Neruda" at the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas, and has been commissioned to do illustrations for articles in the Dallas Morning News.
Jeanine Ford, Art / Metal 2004
Awarded Juror’s Award at the “Metal Arts 2004” exhibition at Ellen Noel Art Museum of the Permian Basin in Odessa, TX.
Tom Fox, Art / Photography 1991
The 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography was awarded Monday to a Dallas Morning News team for its visual narrative of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. The winning entry was a portfolio of 20 photographs, depicting the storm's fury and its human aftermath, captured by photographers Michael Ainsworth, Melanie Burford, Barbara Davidson, Tom Fox, Michael Mulvey, Smiley N Pool and Irwin Thompson" (Dallas Morning News,4/17/06).
Johanna Frieser, Art / Photography 1996
is Associate Director at Light Work in Syracuse, NY. She recently wrote the essay for the work of Kanako Sasaki in the Light Work Publication, Contact Sheet.
Debra Gibney, Art / Art History 2000
Completed her Master of Art at Southern Methodist University. She has taught Art History at Richland College, Plano and currently at The University of Texas at Arlington. Bill and Debbie Gibney are also pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Jaclyn Jean Gibney on July 17th, 2006.
Michael Gonzales, Art / Photography 2000
won first place in competition sponsored by the Agfa corporation. In addition to receiving a Hasselblad camera, his winning image will be printed on packages of multi contrast photo paper for a year. Also winner of the "New Works #9" of the annual En Foco Award. His Boxeo series was shown at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery in New York City in May, 2006.
Jennifer Gooch, Art / Photography 2002
was selected by Joan Davidow, director of the Dallas Center for Contemporary Art, to exhibit her new works in fiber at Women and their Work in Austin, TX. The title of the exhibition was "Stitch in Time: 9 Artists".
Virginia Green, Art / Graphic Design 2001
will be an Assistant Professor (tenure track) in Graphic Design at Baylor University.
Alex Ham, Art / Photography 2000
working as a commercial photographer in Dallas. Check out his work at alexhamphotography.com.
Mary Ann Hightower, Art / Painting 2002
Represented by Hue Gallery in Mansfield, TX.
Kimberly Hubartt, Art / Graphics Design 2005
Won two Gold Addy awards in the Advertising Club of Fort Worth Addy Competition in February. Also won “Student Best of Show”.
Lauren Johnson, Art / Clay
Awarded Arlington Arts League Visual Arts Scholarship.
Diane Kieselhort, Art / Clay 2001
Earned MFA in Clay and Sculpture from the University of North Texas.
Matt Kurtz, Art / Film/Video 1999
DVD release of the first feature film, “Falling Hard”.
Ray Latham, Art / Graphic Design 2000
The team at the Sibley Peteet Design Studio in Dallas awarded two silver and four bronze Telly awards for art direction, writing questions, and interactive puzzles for Trivial Pursuit DVD Star Wars Saga Edition game.
Cheyne Little, Art / Art History 2006
graduated with honors. She started “Bourgeois Bags” a business that sells handmade purses, handbags, saddles bags and now necklaces and headbands. She lives in Arlington and plans to travel to Thailand for at least 4 months and perhaps work on her MA.
Jason Lujan, Art / Painting 1998
Received internship at the New York Museum of Modern Art. He completed his MFA in painting at UC Boulder, Colorado.
Sarah Mendez, Art 2004
Award from Office of the Dean to attend the Southern Graphics Council.
Carolyn Natishyn, Art / Painting 2005
Exhibition in one-person show at the Arlington Museum of Art.
Elizabeth Newman, Art / Painting 1990
A juried competition, “Viewpoints” in Lewisville, conferred their “Barnes & Noble Award” on her large scale triptych named, “The Fall”.
Elizabeth Newman-Box, Art / Painting
Exhibited in Warehouse Living Arts Center Gallery. She paints, sculpts, and creates assemblages and teaches in the Arlington AISD.
Matthew Patterson, Art / Glass
Awarded Arlington Arts League Visual Arts Scholarships.
Matt Pavel, Art / Photography
Won first place in The Worldwide Adobe Photoshop Competition. Will be published in upcoming issue of Photoshop User Magazine.
Oscar Gustavo Plascencia, Art / Photography 2002
presented in Spring 2006 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition at the University of Colorado Art Museum in Boulder. The Exhibition is called "Effusion". Oscar plans to spend next year working in Spain.
Erica Reynolds, Art / Painting 2002
Curated an exhibition at the Andrea Meslin Gallery in New York City.
Clair Roberson, Art / Art History 2000
Completed MA at Texas Christian University on full scholarship two years ago, finished internship at Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and has begun her PhD at the University of Kansas.
Leslie Roberson, Art / Film/Video 2003
Awarded Women in film scholarship for film production.
Barry Rodges, Art 2004
Award from Office of the Dean to attend the Southern Graphics Council.
Jonny Rutledge, Art / Film/Video 2004
Producer short film, “Separated by the Light’ one of three American Films screened at international student film festival, Karafilm in Pakistan. This film also won at the 26th Annual Telly Awards. Chosen at the Houston Film Commissioner’s Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase 2005 as prizewinning films. His films were exhibited at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary.
Olivia Saldivar, Art / Film/Video 2005
“Ana’s House” was chosen at the Houston Film Commission’s Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase 2005 as prizewinning films.
George Sellars, Art / Clay 1989
subject of a four page article in Paper City, an arts design, and fashion publication in Dallas. He has since opened a public gallery, design business, and a studio in Dallas.
Saj Selvarajan, Art / Film/Video 2001
Director of short film, “Separated by Light”, one of three American films screened at international student film festival, Karafilm, in Pakistan. This film also won at the 26th annual Telly Awards. Chosen at the Houston Film Commissioner’s Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase 2005 as prizewinning films. His films were exhibited at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary.
Nada Shabout, Art / Painting 1988
Featured in November 18 Star Telegram on the front page with a photo (UNT educator on trail of art lost in Iraq war) and 3B (UNT Educator works to recover lost Iraqi Art). Assistant Professor of Art History at UNT, he earned four degrees at UTA- BS Arch- 1984, BFA- Painting, 1988, MA and PHD in Humanities in 1991 and 1999.
Christopher Simpson, Art / Film/Video 2003
Producer and cinematographer of short film, “Separated by Light” one of three American films screened at international student film festival, Karafilm, in Pakistan. This film also won at the 26th annual Telly Awards. Chosen at the Houston Film Commissioner’s Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase 2005 as prizewinning films. His films were exhibited at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary.
Ratsammee Suvannachakkham, Art / Photography 2002
invited to participate in an exhibition called "Naturalis" at the Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas. The curated exhibition of 32 visual artists features images dealing with themes of nature and the environment.
Laila Marie Talley, Art / Film/Video
Awarded Women in Film Scholarship.
Don Tarvin, Art / Photography 2000
working as a commercial photographer in Dallas. He works at Rusty Hill Photography on Dragon Street.
Constance Tilden, Art / Painting 2003
In Biomedical Communications Graduate Exhibition (five person show) at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
Carla Tillman, Art / Photography 2005
entered into the MFA Program at the University of Texas, San Antonio.
Lorena Tinajero, Art / Painting 2003
Awarded Arlington Arts League Art Scholarship for 2003-04.
Breanne Trammell, Art / Printmaking
Award from Office of the Dean to attend the Southern Graphics Council. Awarded an International Education Fee Scholarship to study printmaking in Florence, Italy.
Chris Weidner, Art / Film/Video 1997
DVD release of first feature film, “My Comfortable Stranger”.
Marianna Williamson, Art / Art History 2003
Awarded full scholarship for Master of Art at Texas Christian University.
Jennifer Bird, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech 2004
joined the Ellipse Group team in August 2005 as a Web Programmer. Jennifer is excited to be a part of such a positive team of professionals. She brings a smile to work each day because as her favorite quote says, “A smile is the light to your face that lets people know that you’re at home.”
George W. Daye III, B.A. Communication 2002
Start up of BarServ (Star Telegram on September 25th).
Kim Duncan, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
works at Verizon SuperPages.com as a Web Developer. She designs and maintains web sites for over 150 clients
John Engleman, B.A. Communication / Broadcast 1989
Sports Director/Main Sports Anchor at KDBC 4, CBS affiliate in El Paso.
Stephanie Farmer, Communication
Asst. Manager for Business Sales, Tiffany & Company (corporate office, NYC)
Genise Flores, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
“I work for Arkeo, Inc. in Fort Worth, TX. I am the graphics designer. Basically I design layouts and create graphics to illustrate different ideas within a website.”
Regina Parker, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
was hired to teach technology in the Dallas Independent School District. "I am certified to teach Early Childhood-12th Grade Technology Applications. This entails everything from basic word processing and spreadsheet programs to Multimedia classes and Web Design/Mastering. I am a 'technology teacher.' I'll be going to a brand new school this next fall and I'll be the instructional technologist. I was selected for Teacher of the Year by my principal this year."
Michael Peters, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech 2004
joined the Ellipse Group team in December 2005 as a Creative Consultant. He spent the previous 4 years working at the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office in Communications while maintaining their Intranet. He is excited about the opportunity to use his design and web experience in the professional world.
C. Raigosa, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
has been working at The Data Center, a division of Texas State Bank since 2001. "I work in the Electronic Delivery Systems Department doing various tasks. I help maintain multiple servers, SQL and Access databases. In the past 6 months, I have begun designing the internet banking websites for our client banks, of both their consumer and business products."
Elvira Reyna, B.A. Communication 1989
campaigning for Texas House District 118.
John Robinson, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
is web master for the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth. "I’m surrounded by art, culture, and many intelligent individuals. The majority of my time is spent coding, designing, researching, and cooking up cool new ways to enhance the museum’s online presence. In addition to Web work, I do occasional print work. No job would be complete without its perks. I get to attend all the museum’s exhibition openings and travel to places such as Washington, D.C. and Vancouver, B.C., all expenses paid of course!"
Paul Schrodt, B.A. Communication / Speech Communication
Asst. Professor, University of Kansas.
Robert Spence, Communication / Radio/TV 1988
Is AISD media production specialist, running AISD TV.
Joan Tri, B.A. Communication / Comm Tech
works for Tribal doing multimedia devopment: "pretty much all flash, some of my colleagues use director sometimes for a part of a project. But we basically take what the art directors design and make magic!"
Please contact the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice directly to find out about their students' accomplishments - 817-272-3318
Robert Flack, English
Is working as an application developer at HRSmart.
Richard Gonzales, B.A. English 1972
(& MSSW, Social Work 1977), is Deputy Assistant Director of Tarrant County Juvenile Services in Fort Worth. His past jobs have involved working as a community organizer, hospital social worker, juvenile services administrator and freelance writer. Mr. Gonzales said of all his jobs, he has enjoyed writing the most, and has been published many times in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as a guest columnist and now as a regular contributor. Mr. Gonzales’ writing, which he describes as being controversial, focuses on Latino political, educational and social issues, and generates both good and negative feedback. He has also written for magazines in Texas and California and his articles have been printed in several states, including Washington, New Mexico, Michigan, Alabama, and North Carolina. In addition, Mr. Gonzales has written short stories that have been published in a Texas literary journal. Mr. Gonzales lives in Arlington, is married and has two children.
Prisna Virasin, M.A. English 2004
has a job as an Academic Advisor for Dedman College at SMU.
Lydia Wilmeth, English
Is in graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin.
Jennifer Lauren Allen, Ph.D. History 2005
Received the Wolfskill Award for Outstanding Dissertation.
Gilbert Bailon, MA History 1992
publisher and editor of Al Dia, the Spanish-language daily newspaper published by the Dallas Morning News, co-chaired the National Assoc. of Hispanic Journalists’ 23rd annual convention in Fort Worth.
Robert Dean Barker, M.A. Student History
Was awarded the Wolfskill Award for Excellence in MA Studies and the Jenkins Garrett Award in Greater Southwestern Studies this Spring.
Darrell Castillo, BA History 1979
a political science instructor at Tarrant County College ran for election as a DISD trustee.
Blake Ian Collier, B.A. Student History
Was chosen to receive Phi Alpha Theta’s Kenneth R Philp Undergraduate Merit Award for 2006.
Derek Cook, B.A. Student History
Received the Laverne Prewitt PreLaw Scholarship award.
Deana Covel, M.A. History 2004
Has taken a job with Javelin Direct Marketing as a Junior Archivist.
Sharon Curtis, BA History 2001
had a great year in 2006, completing an MA from Colorado State U. and giving birth to her first child, Charles. Congratulations to them.
Nicole Dana, BA History 2005
is enjoying her first year studies at Northeastern Law School in Boston. A former winner of the Kenneth Philp Undergraduate Merit Award, Ms. Dana is especially interested in criminal law.
Brian Farda, MA History 2003
is teaching history and coaching at Fort Worth Country Day School.
Jeff Freels, MA History 2005
is an adjunct instructor at the College of Southern Maryland in La Plata, MD, teaching western civilization and global history since 1500. He continues to be interested in modern culture, an interest encouraged during his classes with Dr. Jerry Rodnitzky at UTA.
Ronnie Hall, MA History 2004
has been named to the law review at Texas Wesleyan School of Law.
Marshall Harkins, BA History 2006
graduated as both a History major and member of the Honors College. Marshall is a recipient of the Freshman Honors Scholarship, the Robert Riley Scholarship and he is also a US Army National Reserve Scholar.
Mary Hayes, MA History 2005
is a processing archivist at Navarro College and recently contributed an article on the League of Women’s Voters in Arlington to The Compass Rose, the UTA Special Collections Newsletter.
Holly Heatley, BA History 2004
a McNair Graduate Assistantship winner and History MA student, was honored in February as the 2006 UTA McNair TRIO Achiever at a ceremony in the University Center.
Wendall Allen (Alex) Hunnicutt, M.A. History 2003
(& B.A. English 1991) was awarded the Snell Prize for his paper, “Visual and verbal depictions of criminal punishment in Tudor and Stuart London.” The prize honors the best seminar paper in European history written by a student at a Southern college or university within the past academic year. This is the first time that a UTA student has won the Snell Prize in the 44-year history of the honor.
Laura Lacey, MA History 2002
the official historian of the 6th Marine Division and high school teacher, has written a book titled, Stay Off the Skyline: The Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa – An Oral History, about the marines who served in the sixth division during the Battle of Okinawa during WWII. An article about Ms. Lacey’s book appeared in the Town & Country insert of the Free Lance-Star newspaper of Frederiksburg, VA. Ms. Lacey is a history teacher at Brook Point High School in Stafford County Virginia.
Alistair Maeer, PhD History 2006
and Tia Peasner (BA 2004) were married in Fort Worth this spring. Congratulations to them. Alistair will be a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Eastern Kentucky University in Kentucky.
Eric Martin, MA History 1996
went on to earn his PhD from Northeastern U. (Boston); he has been awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He also serves as co-editor of the H-World listserv that goes out to H-Net for World History.
Emmanuel Mbah, PhD History 2006
has accepted a position as Assistant Professor at CUNY, Staten Island.
Jenny McMillen, MA History 2005
is the new Education and Tour Program Coordinator for the Legends of the Game Museum at Ameriquest Field for the Texas Rangers.
Randall Miller, BA History 2005
has completed his first semester at South Texas College of Law in Houston.
Remsey Nash, B.A. History 2004
Is working toward a graduate degree in Library Science at the University of North Texas and working for a major law firm in Dallas.
Samuel D. Nix, II, BA History 2004
is employed by AISD as a junior high history and athletics teacher and was recently named Teacher of the Year. He is being considered for an award for innovation in the classroom.
Angela Pennycuff, BA History 1995
is a former officer in Phi Alpha Theta and has a successful law practice in Houston.
Sarah Sicking, BA History 2006
is a recipient of the Riley Scholarship.
Mia Spann, B.A. Student History
Received the Laverne Prewitt Pre-Law Scholarship Award.
Candace Stringer, BA History 1994
former officer in Phi Alpha Theta, is teaching AP US History in the Lost Angeles Unified School District and recently celebrated the birth of her granddaughter.
Joanne Sundell, B.A. History 1986
Is teaching at Erie Community College (SUNY system) and has developed a new distance learning course in American History. She is married an has two children.
Vicki Via, Ph.D. Student History
Has an article “Comparison of the Colonial Laws of Jamaica under Governor Thomas Lynch 1681-1684 with Those Enumerated in the John Taylor Manuscript of 1688” I The Journal of Caribbean History 39, 2 (2005): 236-248.
John White, BA History 2003
presented “Rebellion or Imperial Collaboration in Irish History: An Attempt at a Synthesis” to a colloquium of the Center for Theory at UTA.
Please contact the Department of Linguistics and TESOL directly to find out about their students' accomplishments - 817-272-3133.
Cptn. Ross E. Joslyn III, Military Science 2001
reported in November to the Military Science Department. He is currently assigned as Executive Officer, and will probably begin instructional in the Fall semester.
Perry Lu, Military Science 2003
was commissioned through the College of Liberal Arts Military Science Program. Fort Worth Star Telegram has story in Tues, March 28 edition about three Lu brothers, currently serving as officers in U.S. Army, holding reunion in Iraq.
Please contact the Department of Modern Languages directly to find out about their students' accomplishments - 817-272-3161
Danny Mekonnen, Music / Jazz Studies 2004
former UTAJO lead tenor - is entering Harvard University for 2006-07. He is only one of two people who are entering the Ph.D. program in Music at Harvard from a state school and one of the few students without an Ivy League or conservatory background.
Chad Kidd, B.A. Philosophy 2004
recently began his graduate work in philosophy at the University of California, Irvine. He was awarded one of their Chancellor’s Fellowships -- one of UCI's most prestigious awards given to their most distinguished incoming graduate students (according to their website); specifically, students considered to be in the top 5% of admitted applicants into a particular program of study leading to either a Ph.D. or M.F.A degree. Chad is working toward the Ph.D. in philosophy.
Please contact the Department of Political Science directly to find out about their students' accomplishments - 817-272-2991.
Please contact the Department of Sociology and Anthropology directly to find out about their students' accomplishments - 817-272-2661.
Billie Bryant, B.F.A Theatre Arts / Theatre Performance 2004
has been busy this summer at Theatre Arlington appearing in RUMORS.
Nicole Burchfield, BFA Theatre Arts
Working in Chicago various places. Spent a year with Joffrey Ballet. Possible full time teaching and considering Dallas University.
Adam Dill, Theatre Arts
Currently working on the Millinery for SideShow. Designed a children’s show that is now on tour and also working on the design for She Loves Me, our Spring musical.
Lori Fox, Theatre Arts
On tour with a rock band from Sweden called “Blindside” and acting as assistant for tour managing and merchandising.
Natalie Gaupp, B.F.A. Theatre Arts / Theatre Performance 1993
& M.A. Interdisciplinary - 1999 - is currently working towards a Ph.D. in Humanities at UT Dallas, and has been appointed a visiting assistant professor and student academic advisor in the Department of Theatre Arts effective this Fall 2006. She has been busy this summer at Theatre Arlington appearing in RUMORS.
Melanie Mason, B.F.A. Theatre Arts / Theatre Performance 1993
graduate has been busy this summer at Theatre Arlington appearing in RUMORS. She is currently working on two Masters Degrees; Information Science & the other concentrated in Storytelling, and is an adjunct instructor with our Communication Department.
Steven Morris, B.F.A. Theatre Arts / Theatre Arts 1991
(& BA Journalism 2003) has been busy this summer at Theatre Arlington appearing in RUMORS. He is also a journalist who works for Allied Theatre Group in Fort Worth, as well as theatre instructor at Lamar High School in Arlington
Chad Ray, Theatre Arts
Currently deployed in Iraq.
Dixie Sedgwick, Theatre Arts
Ended a run of Bonnie at the John Houseman after a CBS Vice president contacted her for an interview. Now auditioning for commercials and on standby for one now. Shot a trailer for Deep Ellum Film Fest.
Christian Melendez, Women's Studies
Recently graduated from UTA. While here, she completed an internship with the Spanish television station Telemundo in Dallas and is currently employed fulltime with the station. The internship was so successful that we are working on a more permanent internship with Telemundo.
UT Arlington Home | College of Liberal Arts Home | Office of the Dean | Make a Donation | Contact Us