University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 02-13-2012

Festive celebration: The Maverick Dance Team, Cheerleaders, and Wranglers lead a pep rally outside College Park Center prior to the Homecoming game on Saturday.

Homecoming festivities provide something for everyone

Mavericks showed their pride at the annual Homecoming festivities Saturday by combining new traditions with long-held ones.

"Homecoming this year was a real success bringing together our University community, alumni, and friends in a host of wonderful activities and events," said Frank Lamas, vice president for student affairs. "It was so great to see present and past Mavericks reconnecting on campus, enjoying our spirit-filled traditions, and visiting our new College Park Center."

A Festival on the Plaza, a new Homecoming event, featured live music, food, midway-type games, and barkers who energized the crowd.

The street fair preceded the expanded Homecoming Parade with 74 entries that wound down Pecan Street from UTA Boulevard to College Park Center, then back across campus to the University Center mall. Previously limited to golf carts, the parade included three full-sized floats carrying the men’s basketball team, Homecoming Court, and alumni. BMWs and Mini-Coopers, courtesy of Moritz Dealerships, and modified golf cart floats carried dignitaries and spirit groups.

Jeff Hazelrigs, marketing junior, and Ify Okonkwo, nursing junior, were crowned Homecoming King and Queen at halftime of the men's basketball game, which saw the Mavericks extend their winning streak to 15 with a 73-53 victory over Texas State on Petsche Court in College Park Center.

"I was impressed by the spirit shown by everyone from current students to alumni," said Shelly Frank, director of development for the College of Science. "I talked to several alumni who really enjoyed the festivities and are looking forward to coming back next year."

William Roe ('63 BS), Mark Stevens ('72 BS), and Barbara Williams Vogl ('62 BA) were inducted into the Military Science Hall of Honor, while the classes of 1962 and 1987 celebrated their 50- and 25-year reunions.

Leading up to Saturday's events were old favorites such as the step show Thursday night and Friday's chili cook-off and The Bash celebration.

Look for a slideshow of Homecoming events in Thursday's MavWire.

Tickets available online today to see oceanographer Robert Ballard

Tickets to see oceanographer Robert Ballard are available beginning at 9 a.m. today, Monday, Feb. 13, at utatickets.com.

Ballard discusses "Adventures in Deep Sea Exploration" in the Maverick Speakers Series presentation Tuesday, March 6, at Texas Hall. Tickets are free, but required. Preferred seating can be purchased for $25.

Best known for finding the wreck of the Titanic, Dr. Ballard has made startling undersea discoveries in recent years, both natural and man-made.

He has designed deep-diving submersibles, is the pioneer of the JASON Project that allows schoolchildren to virtually explore the oceans, and has written 16 books.

Most recently he discovered the wreck of John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 and visited Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, indigenous people of the Solomon Islands who saved the PT boat's crew.

Tickets also are available to see CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien on Friday, Feb. 24.

Be aware of parking lot closings for College Park Center events

The UT Arlington campus continues to see an influx of College Park Center visitors in conjunction with women’s and men’s basketball games. Please be aware of upcoming, partial lot closings that may affect parking availability Wednesdays throughout February and on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Campus police encourage visitors and members of the UT Arlington community to park in the Park North and Park Central garages at Center Street and UTA Boulevard or in the large lots south of Mitchell Street and east of South Cooper Street. An additional 700 spaces will open in the southern College Park garage this summer to help accommodate event traffic.

Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 15, one third of Lot 47 (east of Pickard Hall and south of the Business Building) will close at noon for event parking. A third of Lot F13, west of College Park Center, also will close at that time.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, the same partial closures of Lot 47 and Lot F13 will begin at 8 a.m. for event parking.

Interior design council selects work by architecture professors

The Interior Design Educator’s Council announced that the Bohdan Townhouse designed by architecture assistant professors Thad Reeves, Heath MacDonald, and Steven Quevedo was selected for presentation at its 2012 national conference.

An interior renovation of a townhome constructed in 1962 in the Oak Lawn neighborhood of Dallas, the project was completed in mid-2010 after a lengthy construction process involving custom fabrication and installation by the architects.

The project was selected for its creative scholarship merit. It will be presented with 10 other works March 21 at the IDEC conference in Baltimore, when one project will be chosen for a creative scholarship design award.

Pink night Senior Bianca Sauls and other members of the women's basketball team donned pink warmup shirts and pink socks and shoelaces for their cancer awareness game Wednesday. Online donations can be made to the Kay Yow Foundation.

Submit nominations for student awards

Nominate your outstanding students for the 2011-12 Student Employee of the Year award and for Outstanding Student Leader awards.

Student employees must have worked a minimum of six months part time or three months full time during the selection period. Download the nomination form to your computer, and enter the required information. Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17.

Scholarships are awarded to the top students selected, and all nominees will be honored at the Student Employee of the Year awards reception April 12.

For more information, contact Mike Taddesse in the Career Center at 2-5141 or mtadd@uta.edu.

Nomination forms and award descriptions for Outstanding Student Leader awards are on the Leadership Center home page.

Deadline to submit nominations is Monday, Feb. 20.

Volunteers needed for spring job fair

The Career Center needs faculty and staff volunteers for the Spring 2012 Job Fair set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Maverick Activities Center.

In addition to assisting with the job fair itself, volunteers are needed to help with set up, clean up, loading dock crew, and staffing the student and employer check-in tables. Shifts are available in one-hour increments 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

To volunteer, contact Ayanna Parker at ayannap@uta.edu and include your name, department/organization, email address, T-shirt size, and the times you are available. Deadline to volunteer is 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.

Join Staff Advisory Council volunteers at Humane Society

Join the Staff Advisory Council’s Outreach Committee for a day of volunteering at the Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.

Activities may include walking dogs, filling water bowls, socializing with animals, unfolding newspapers, and bathing and grooming animals. Participants are not required to stay the full four hours.

To participate, bring a signed volunteer waiver. The Humane Society is at 1840 E. Lancaster in Fort Worth.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Lewis at mlewis@uta.edu.

Bookstore to close Saturday for annual inventory

Plan ahead for your school supply and Maverick gear shopping. The UT Arlington Bookstore will be closed Saturday, Feb. 18, for annual inventory.

Citizen Police Academy

Members of the campus community can better understand the everyday operation of the UT Arlington Police Department through the Citizen Police Academy. This is the second year for the academy. Applications. Registration closes Friday, Feb. 17. Free. 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 21-April 24, Maverick Stadium. Citizen Police Academy.

Rape Aggression Defense Program

Learn prevention, risk reduction, and risk avoidance while progressing to the basics of hands-on self-defense training. Free for female faculty, staff, and students. Register. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, Room 135, Maverick Activities Center. UT Arlington Police.

Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder

Examine the psychological, physiological, social, and educational characteristics of individuals who have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder. Call 2-2581 for faculty, staff discount fee of $79.50. 6-8 p.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 21-March 6. Continuing Education.

Social Media Marketing

Improve your business or brand by using one or more social media strategies. Call 2-2581 for faculty, staff discount fee of $99.50. 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays, Feb. 22-29, Room 219, Trimble Hall. Continuing Education.

Mindful Moments

Take a break with Mindful Moments. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, Room 236, Business Building. Health Services, Marie Bannister, 2-2771.

Employment Information

Check out employment opportunities at uta.edu/jobs. Have questions? Call Human Resources/Employment Services at 2-3461 or TDD 2-8139, or email employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Monday, Feb. 13

Engineering Speaker Series Cory Doctorow, right, science fiction novelist, technology activist, and co-editor of the weblog boingboing.net, discusses "What We Talk About When We Talk About Internet Regulation." Free. 7 p.m., Lone Star Auditorium, Maverick Activities Center. Reception at 6 p.m. in second floor lounge. Engineering Speaker Series.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

Advising Association Conference Mark Taylor, a recognized educator dedicated to helping universities better understand and serve students, delivers the keynote address. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., E.H. Hereford University Center. Advising Association Conference.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

'Lives Worth Living' Documentary on the disability rights movement and the fight for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, followed by a discussion led by Sarah Rose, assistant professor of history, and Penny Acrey, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities. Light refreshments. Free. 5 p.m., Room 108, University Hall. Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society, Department of History, Office for Students with Disabilities. srose@uta.edu.

Monday, Feb. 20

State of the Black College Student A seminar for faculty and staff led by Darryl Scriven. 2-4 p.m., Lone Star Auditorium, Maverick Activities Center. Watch Scriven's film and stay for a question-and-answer session starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Lone Star Auditorium. Part of Black History Month. Multicultural Affairs.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

'India Unveiled' revealed in Library parlor Images by photographer and author Robert Arnett create the India Unveiled exhibit in the Central Library sixth floor parlor. The collection of 35 photos were taken throughout India by Arnett, who lived with several Indian families for more than 19 months to study Indian art, culture, and religion. His resulting book, India Unveiled, is the source material for the photos and the slide program. Arnett's images were donated to UT Arlington by the author in early 2008 thanks to Sathya and Nandini Rangaswamy of Frisco, Texas, and the Indian American Education Foundation in Seattle. The exhibit continues through May 26. Sixth floor parlor hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. For more information, contact Erin O'Malley at 2-2179 or omalley@uta.edu.

Monday, Feb. 13

Downtown Arlington Music Mondays Lunchtime concert featuring Music Department faculty and students. Lunch served after the concert. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m., First Baptist Church, 300 S. Center, Arlington. Music, 2-3471.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

A Night of Soul Features performance by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Part of Black History Month. Free. 6 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

$2 Movie: Valentine's Day Intertwining couples and singles feel the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day. Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Women's Basketball Mavericks vs. Stephen F. Austin. Free, but tickets are required. 7 p.m., College Park Center. Athletics, 2-2261.

$1 Movie: Immortals This fantasy rooted in classic mythology features special effects and action. Rated R. Free fresh-popped popcorn with admission; other concessions for sale. 8 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities, 2-2963.

Thursday, Feb. 16

Symphony Orchestra Concert Conducted by Clifton Evans, the UTA Symphony Orchestra presents music by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Winners of the UTA concerto competition featured. Tickets $5. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

Friday, Feb. 17

Bassoon Week Recital Guest artist recital with Saxton Rose of the University of North Carolina, the principal bassoonist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and the newest member of Zephyros Winds, a New-York based wind quintet. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

Ongoing

There's No Sun Shining Through Exhibit by graduate student Corey Gossett ('06 BFA), whose works explore personal disappointment, fear, dread, and despair. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Saturday, March 31. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Impressions of the West: Works of Art from Special Collections The American West comes alive in more than 30 paintings, sculptures, and prints. Includes bronze sculptures by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Saturday, April 28. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library, 2-3393.

Planetarium Bring your sweetheart to the Planetarium for a Valentine's Day couples-only show, Romancing the Stars. 6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14. Planetarium, 2-1183.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)