UTA Magazine Online

Happy campers
Summer youth programs in science, music, engineering and athletics make learning fun for hundreds of young students.

Not just for kids
Area music and science teachers also benefit from UTA summer camps.

A stroke of luck
"This is UTA's superstition: If you need some help on a test, come by here and rub his head for good luck."

Mystery solved
The bones unearthed at the Giddings cemetery in 1998 are those of notorious 19th-century outlaw Wild Bill Longley.

On-the-job training
Internships build partnerships with industry and often lead to permanent jobs.

Jazz with a German flair
Jazz Orchestra shines in Bad Königshofen, Arlington's sister city, where concert-goers demanded three encores.

It's not business as usual
eBusiness program helps companies compete in a digital society.

Alumni Association to recognize 13 at Distinguished Alumni Gala

School of Architecture

As founding principal and president of the Dallas office of Design, Robert Meckfessel heads a multidisciplinary firm offering architecture, interior design and graphic design services.

Meckfessel earned both his bachelor's (1975) and master's (1979) degrees in architecture from UTA. His firm has received 19 awards for design excellence from professional and industry organizations and was named the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dallas Firm of the Year in 1999. Meckfessel served as president of the Dallas Architecture Forum this year and is a past president of the AIA Dallas chapter. He is also a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Central Dallas Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, Real Estate Council and the Urban Land Institute.

Department of Athletics

DaimlerChrysler executive Gary L. Henson, who graduated with a degree in psychology in 1975, played basketball for Arlington State College (now UTA) from 1959 to 1961.

After working at the Arlington General Motors Assembly Plant while attending college, he became plant quality director and general superintendent at GM's St. Louis Assembly Plant in 1978. He continued moving up the corporate ladder and in 1992 was named president and managing director of GM de Mexico. In 1994 Henson retired from GM and joined Chrysler Corp. as vice president of large and small car, Jeep and truck assembly and stamping operations. Today he serves as the company's executive vice president for manufacturing and oversees assembly, stamping, powertrain and component manufacturing for all Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth products worldwide.

College of Business Administration

John McMichael earned his master’s degree in business administration from UTA in 1979. Today he is executive vice president of business operations for Southwest Sports Group (SSG).

He oversees all ballpark and arena operations for the group’s companies, which include the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, KXTX-TV Channel 39 and the Mesquite Rodeo. McMichael joined the Rangers in February 1984 as the club’s controller and moved to his current position in 1996. Outside the sports world, he works with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is an at-large trustee on the foundation’s national board of directors. He has worked with the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate since 1992 and was chairman the past two record-breaking years. He is also on the UTA College of Business Administration Advisory Board.

School of Education

M. Heloiza Novaes-Carman, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, earned her master’s degree in education from UTA in 1992 and added a midmanagement certification in 1994.

Today she serves as the liaison for the Arlington Independent School District’s (AISD) ESL Partnership Project. The program works to provide English as a Second Language courses to classroom teachers to help them better meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. An adjunct professor at UTA, she teaches courses in reading, social studies and diversity. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English, Novaes-Carman also is familiar with Italian and is certified as a multicultural sensitivity trainer. She was named AISD Teacher of the Year for the 1999-2000 academic year.

College of Engineering

James Royce Lummus Jr., a member of the UTA College of Engineering Hall of Achievement, graduated in 1972 with a master’s degree in aerospace engineering.

He returned to earn a Ph.D. in the same discipline in 1980. Dr. Lummus is the director of cross-product integration operations and advanced development programs at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., where he is responsible for operational management of product improvements and derivatives programs for the company’s aircraft systems product lines. He supervises a staff of 600-800 at three locations. He is also president and partner of Consulting Services International, based in Fort Worth, and is an adjunct professor of engineering at both UTA and the University of Dallas.

College of Liberal Arts

T. Keith Alcorn is the “A” in DNA Animation, a Dallas-based company that is currently creating a $14 million feature for Disney using animation techniques reminiscent of Toy Story.

He studied art at UTA, finishing in 1981. The company’s first animated network special, Santa vs. the Snowman, aired on ABC television in 1997. DNA has also worked on several projects with comedian and producer Steve Oederkerk of Ace Ventura fame. The “D” in the company logo is for partner John Davis. The duo, who met in college, have worked together for more than a decade. Since 1992, Alcorn has served as creator, writer, designer and director of an ongoing animated series of short features that have appeared on Comedy Central, Showtime and MTV. In 1984, he co-founded the Southwest Independent Film Festival.

Department of Military Science

Maj. Gen. Walter H. Baxter, U.S. Air Force retired, was a student at North Texas Agricultural College (now UTA) in 1944 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.

He was involved in aviation for more than 40 years, first as a student pilot, then as a fighter pilot in Korea and Southeast Asia, and as an instructor pilot. He commanded Air Force units at every organizational level, from element to squadron, wing, division and numbered air force, before retiring in 1982. Since then he has served with the Texas Aviation Board, the Rio Grande Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Vegetable Association. He is a founder of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, a member of the Texas State Bank Board and a trustee of the Marine Military Academy at Harlingen.

School of Nursing

Sandra L. Bruce, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, graduated from UTA in 1991 with a master of science degree in nursing.

She is certified in two specialty areas: critical care nursing, and nursing continuing education and staff development. An experienced course supervisor and instructor, she lectures nationwide on staff development and management topics. She currently serves as chief of Air Force nursing education at Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio. She is also a member of the editorial board for the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development and serves on the board of the Army Nurse Corps Continuing Health Education Program. Last year she was named Air Force Medical Service Field Grade Nurse of the Year.

College of Science

F. Thaddeus Arroyo graduated from UTA in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics with a computer science option.

He has worked in computer technology for almost two decades, with companies such as IBM, Southwestern Bell and Sabre, where he served as senior vice president of product marketing and development. Today he is chief information officer with Cingular Wireless, based in Atlanta, in charge of more than 3,000 information technology professionals, with a $1 billion combined annual expense and capital budget. He is responsible for the company’s internal information technology infrastructure, including both intranet and Internet services, as well as end-to-end infrastructure operations, applications development, and strategic business and technology planning.

School of Social Work

Colleen McCall graduated from UTA in 1980 with a master’s degree in social work. Today she is based in Amarillo, where she serves as regional director of the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

She has worked in Amarillo since 1976, when she started out as a Child Protective Services caseworker with the Texas Department of Public Welfare. She has been involved with children’s welfare ever since and has also worked with the local school district’s regional education program for the deaf. She serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at West Texas A&M University and is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers.

School of Urban and Public Affairs

David R. Gattis earned his master’s degree in urban affairs from UTA in 1981 and is currently a Ph.D. candidate.

Since 1988, he has served as assistant city manger and director of community development for the city of Benbrook. His responsibilities include supervising all aspects of comprehensive planning, zoning, inspections, code enforcement and economic development. He also works as a consulting planner and has advised several area communities, including Argyle, Dublin, Justin, Lake Dallas and Ponder. In addition, he teaches graduate courses as an adjunct assistant professor in UTA’s School of Urban and Public Affairs. In 1995, Gattis received the distinguished service award from the City Planners Association of Texas. He is a fellow in the Texas Academy of Science.

Distinguished Alumni Service Award

State Sen. Royce West began his political career at UTA as the first African-American president of Student Congress.

He earned two sociology degrees from the University, a bachelor’s in 1974 and a master’s in 1979, then earned a law degree from the University of Houston. After several years in the Dallas County district attorney’s office, where he became the state’s first African-American chief felony prosecutor, he was elected to the Texas Senate in November 1992. He serves District 23, which covers parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties. Following the 76th legislative session in 1999, Texas Monthly magazine named him one of the “Ten Best Legislators in Texas.” He is also a senior partner with the Dallas law firm Robinson, West and Gooden.

Honorary Distinguished Alumni Award

Honorary alumnus Tom Cravens has a long family history in Arlington. His great-grandfather, J.M. Carlisle, established one of the University’s predecessor institutions, Carlisle Military Academy, in the early 1900s.

His father, Carlisle Cravens, is also a distinguished alumnus. Tom worked his way from bank teller to CEO and chairman of the board at First National Bank and has served as an officer at several local banking institutions. In 1994-1995, he was president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and today is president and CEO of Northwest National Bank of Arlington. He was named Arlington’s Citizen of the Year in 1996, received the Richard Greene Community Service Award in 1999 and was named an Arlington High School Distinguished Colt in 1998.