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|"Homecoming"
Published in The Shorthorn on February 15, 2005
By James D. Spaniolo
The motto for UTA Homecoming Week, which says "Once a Maverick, Always a Maverick," is a simple statement with an important message: Your graduation shouldn't mark the end of your affiliation with the university. It should be the beginning of a new, long-term relationship.
This is the very reason for Homecoming Week, which we're currently celebrating. While most the week's events, such as the Blue and White Bash and the campus-wide Pep Rally, are student-centered, homecoming is, by definition, for alumni. In fact, I know several alumni who have returned to remember and commemorate their days at the university. These men and women still feel connected here in important ways.
This university has played an important role in the lives of many, although for some it was Carlisle Military Academy, some North Texas Agricultural College, others Arlington State, and many more UTA. For all these alumni, this is their university, too. That will always be true, despite name changes, a System switch, and unimagined growth.
That's because the university is more than a collection of buildings in the middle of what's become a major metropolitan area. We grow and become better as a community, and Homecoming Week is a time to reconnect and reflect on that growth and the importance of that community in our lives. Homecoming Week is a time to return home to our roots and values while sharing in the promise of our future.
For various reasons, the perception persists that our alumni don't contribute, don't care, and don't come back. True or not, perceptions matter. But as our students change-more traditional, more involved, more connected-so do our alumni. In fact, many have already expressed to me their appreciation for and interest in supporting the proposed Special Events Center.
Our alumni know the value of their degrees is directly tied to the reputation of the university, so they're making it the best university it can be in every way they can. Current students realize this, too, and you're beginning a pattern of connectedness now. In the meantime, it's important to realize that you get out of college what you put into it. It's difficult to feel connected as alumni if you weren't plugged in as students.
Unfortunately, there's no single answer. This must be a collective effort. Each of us has a responsibility.
Connectedness must mean more than attending events, joining organizations or wearing UTA apparel, although these are first steps. It's more than a warm, fuzzy affection for your university or your alma mater. Being plugged in can come in many forms. I'm talking about a state of mind, a deep pride, a sense of loyalty that lasts far longer than four years. Connectedness means UTA really does feel like "home"-the spirit of what this week celebrates.
The value for you is in a richer, fuller, more-well-rounded university experience. Providing the strongest possible educational experience for students is our goal. That includes building a strong sense of connectedness, of belonging, of fidelity.
UTA, of course, also benefits by having students who care deeply about the university. An engaged student body means a healthier campus life, a more vibrant university culture, and, ultimately, thousands of alumni who have a lifelong relationship with UTA. This can mean giving back in many ways, including volunteering, word-of-mouth advertising, financial contributions or all of the above.
But mostly it means that once you're a Maverick, you're always a Maverick. Even if you were a Rebel or a Hornet or a Grubb Worm first.
James D. Spaniolo is the university's president.
