Feeding the World

When alumnus Bob McClaren (’80 BBA, Accounting) gazes across the rolling pastureland of 44 Farms in Cameron, Texas, he sees much more than an industry-leading Black Angus operation. He’s reminded of a journey shaped by family, passion, and UTA.

McClaren chose the University for deeply personal reasons. His father became paralyzed after back surgery during McClaren’s teenage years, making it essential for him to stay close to his family in Grand Prairie. UTA offered the value, flexibility, and foundation that would ultimately guide his life’s work.

“UTA was the right place at the right time for me,” he says. “Not many weeks go by that I don’t think about some experience there that I can apply to our business.”

Today, those experiences—and a lifelong love of ranching—anchor his approach at 44 Farms, the fifth-generation enterprise his great-grandfather named in 1909. It’s a place he’s always cherished, and as president and CEO, he has grown the family ranch into a 20,000-acre footprint renowned for superior cattle lineage, care, and quality.

Hundreds of Walmart locations in the southeast and southwest United States offer the ranch’s all-natural beef and hot dog products under the McClaren Farms brand. Yet at its core, the business follows a simple philosophy: empowering partners to succeed.

“How do we help people who are devoted to feeding the world become more profitable and successful?” McClaren asks. “If we’re helping others achieve their goals, then our bottom line will take care of itself.”

His pride shines through when talking about the 1,200 cattle producers he supports and the opportunities he’s found to strengthen the their efforts, advance the 44 Farms legacy, and build a brighter future for the beef industry.

“My time at UTA changed the trajectory of my life and set the stage for the rest of my career,” McClaren says. “And I did not compromise one bit on the quality of the education.”

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Last September, more than 400 alumni, administrators, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in the Bluebonnet Ballroom for the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards. The honorees were:

Trey Yelverton (’88 BA, Political Science)

Xavier Egan (’11 BBA, Finance)

Linda (’01 BBA, Marketing) and Dan Dipert

Allan Saxe (former UTA faculty member)

Waded Cruzado (’90 PhD, ’84 MA, Spanish) began her presidency of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) in July 2025. Here, the two-time UTA graduate shares what drives her higher education advocacy.

What has the last year as APLU president been like for you?

The transition has been a whirlwind, but also a dream come true because of my passion for land-grant universities. There was a time in American history when higher education was not accessible to all. It took an act of Congress to open those doors, and in 1862 Congressman Justin Smith Morrill’s bill for land-grant universities was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. During one of the darkest times in our nation’s history, the middle of our Civil War, we were still able to envision a better and brighter future because of one promise: higher education for all.

When I was given an opportunity to serve as president of the APLU, I took it with a great sense of devotion and inspiration.

What inspired you to be an advocate for higher education?

I was born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, a city whose claim to fame is that it’s home to the island’s land-grant university. My parents always talked about the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez in a longing manner, and as a child I would ask myself why. They certainly didn’t lack the talent or intelligence to attend. I came to learn that the answer was opportunity—that’s the only difference between my parents and me. Someone opened the door for me to pursue higher education, and that opportunity transformed my life, the lives of my children, and the life of my community.

My advocacy stems from my desire to make sure more individuals have that chance.

What advice would you give to others looking to advocate?

Times are very difficult for higher education, but that has only cemented my conviction that the most important thing we can do on behalf of our colleges and universities is to tell our stories—to let the public see the incredible lives that our graduates have thanks to the degree they earned from their alma mater.