DSA Newsletter
Program Spotlight
Texas Leadership Scholars Learn to Live and Lead in Bold, New Ways
Texas Leadership Scholars is a premier leadership program designed to guide Texas high school graduates to develop their leadership skills and continue their education at a Texas University. In 2022, UTA was designated as one of 18 founding institutions to implement this groundbreaking initiative. That year, UTA selected an exceptional group of students to represent the first cohort. Today, the Student Leadership Center facilitates programming and ensures that 100% of tuition, fees, housing and meals are covered.
Texas Leadership Scholars application for current high school seniors will open Nov. 1.
Participant Reflections
“Texas Leadership Scholars allows you to be more involved on campus and helps you find your comfort zone. It’s given me the opportunity to grown as a student and a leader. TLS has allowed me to expand my leadership skills through a community of my peers and with a support system of professional staff in the Leadership Center. Overall, TLS has provided the resources and tools for an easier transition to college.” --Matthew
“The Texas Leadership Scholars grant has allowed me to focus on my academics without the chaos of worrying about how to pay tuition. It has provided me the opportunity to be part of an organization that helps me grow my leadership skills, be more involved on campus, and meet new people. Through TLS, I know I have people who believe in me and support me along the way.” --Natali
Celebration Central
UTA Health Services and CAPS Accredited with AAAHC for 12th Straight Year
UTA Health Services and CAPS have reaffirmed accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation distinguishes the student health center and mental health services from many other outpatient facilities through its adherence to rigorous standards of care and safety. Only 10% of the approximately 2,000 student health centers that exist in the United States are accredited by AAAHC, with 10 of those in the state of Texas.
Health care organizations seeking AAAHC accreditation undergo an extensive self-assessment and onsite survey by AAAHC expert surveyors. While the onsite survey is an important component of the process, ongoing compliance and continuous improvement are part of the accreditation maintenance mindset that a facility should integrate into its daily activities long after the survey has been completed. UTA Health Services has proudly maintained accreditation since 2011. For more information visit https://www.aaahc.org/accreditation/.
DSA, DSS and TPS Earn Groundbreaking NASPA Designations
Through a collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs and the Division of Student Success, UTA was named to the NASPA First-Scholars Network Designation in May and is one of only 72 schools in the country to earn this designation. In addition, UTA’s Transition Programs and Services received the NASPA First-Gen Celebration Grant funding in the amount of $1,000 to fund the First of Firsts initiative launching this fall.
All Majors Job Fair
UTA’s All Majors Job Fair was held on September 20th and saw a record number of attendees. 1842 students attended the fair, up from 1218 last spring, along with 142 employers. Students checking in for the fair were provided a printed name tag at the table that included their name and major; this was a new feature this fall. Employers were provided with a QR code that provided students immediate access to their Handshake profile for easier contact following the fair. A headshot booth was provided for students which sent digital photos directly to the student’s account.
Accolades for The Shorthorn
The Shorthorn is a 2023 Pacemaker Award national finalist for print newspaper, news website and multiplatform journalism (3 finalist awards). This recognition places UTA’s trailblazing news source among the top 1% in the country.
Staff Spotlight
New FSL Director, Amanda Perez, Aspires to New Heights
Amanda Perez wanted to serve. But she’d hit a roadblock and struggled to see a way around.
Perez had only just completed her first semester as a college student at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas when the urge to serve kicked in. After applying to become an orientation leader for the spring semester, Angelo State’s then Director for Student Involvement Rick Greig performed a routine grade check and realized Perez wouldn’t academically qualify for the position.
“He pulled me aside after pulling my grades and, very fairly but leading with kindness, just kind of asked me what happened,” Perez said.
This conversation proved to be a touchstone in Perez’s ascendance to her current position as UTA’s newest Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, which she assumed in July. That initial conversation led to others, which ultimately promoted Greig to forward Perez to the university’s tutoring center, which was then run by his wife. From there, Greig would check in on Perez monthly, popping in his head to make sure she was making progress on her grades while working toward her goal to become an orientation leader.
It took less than a year before Perez reached it, and Greig was the one to call and let her know she’d reached her goal.
“I remember letting him know that if it wasn’t for him,” Perez said, “I don’t think I would’ve even been here.”
That moment is crystalized in Perez’s mind because it’s the same sort of tangible, personal and laser-targeted impact she hopes to have on Greek life at UTA. After graduating from Angelo State in 2012, Perez earned her Master’s from UT San Antonio in 2014 and spent a decade there in various roles in the fraternity and sorority sphere as well as more generally with student organizations. She immediately discovered that this work called to her, in a way that pulled her ever deeper into impacting the lives of students in a real, tangible way. Even, and perhaps especially when it's messy.
So why UTA? As she reflects now, the fact that fraternity and sorority life on campus is unique, diverse and extremely reflective of UTA’s rich student tapestry was a major part of the puzzle.
“They’re very representative of the student body,” Perez said. “Well over 75 percent of them work, if not work full time jobs. They are caretakers of their families; they are taking full course loads. I think there’s a stereotype that fraternity and sorority members are very privileged and live a different experience from other college students. But these are true UTA peers, and so in that they are going to have shared experiences with other UTA students.”
One of Perez’s chief goals in the early part of her tenure is to knit FSL into the rest of the university in a deeper, more tactile way. She recognizes that a portion of her students may need assistance, much as she did as a college freshman, in order to rise into leadership roles on the various Greek leadership councils UTA offers. So, she’s actively hunting for ways to bring in both on and off-campus partners to provide workshops and assistance in myriad ways to propel those students forward. If anyone recognizes the need to meet students where they are so they can achieve bigger things, it’s Perez.
Her visibility is already paying dividends. Perez has only been in her role since July, but she already has a lengthening list of experiences to draw from. Perez’s experience at UTA’s frenetic Panhellenic Bid Day only confirmed that she’s found her place.
“Amanda has hit the ground running,” said Senior Associate Vice President Paul Kittle, who oversaw Perez’s search process. “She has been active coordinating the team, meeting with student and advisors, and planning for several new events this fall such as the Alumni Advisory Committee mixer and NPHC Step Show. She has been very present during events and shows great care for our staff and students.”
One of Perez’s goals, and perhaps the biggest, is to leave a legacy at UTA that allows the university to build from a place of strength. Whether that’s integrating with other departments and divisions around campus or pulling invested alumni into more visible and creative roles, Perez is thinking big.
And if she can pay it forward from her college experience, she’ll continue to be right where she wants to be.
“I think as a community, as a division UTA is so supportive of fraternity and sorority life,” Perez said. “There are hardly any “no’s.” They have great resources for this community, so to see the division have such strong support of this community I think is amazing. You’re not going to find that in many places.”
Department Spotlight
Transition Programs and Services Provides Support for Students and their Families
The Transition Programs & Services Department advocates and provides a support network for the successful transition for students and families through the following programs and initiatives: Transfer Student Programs, Parent & Family Services, Off-Campus Maverick, First-Generation Initiatives, & Transition Support Initiatives. With a robust menu of programs each year, the department hosted over 70 events in 22-23 with approximately 5,300 students attending. The department’s work to support first generation college students and their families has been recognized by NASPA and was awarded a $1,000 grant for new first-generation initiatives.
Parent and Family Services has a long history of engaging and supporting Maverick families, having started their program in 2007. The Parent and Family Association has over 1,900 members and provides scholarships for students each semester. Each October, the department sponsors Friends and Family Weekend. This year’s event will take place October 20-22nd and has a fun-filled calendar of events to extend our Maverick Spirit to our friends and family network. We would love to have our colleagues and partners on, and off campus join us on Friday, October 20th at J. Gilligan’s from 5-7pm as we welcome families for the weekend or on Saturday at Brazos Park from 6-8pm for an evening of music, entertainment, and family friendly fun. For a full schedule of events, please visit our website.
What’s New?
UTA Study Abroad is expanding horizons.
Studying abroad gives students the opportunity to learn and grow through transformative, immersive global experiences. Students who study abroad learn to interact effectively with diverse cultures and populations, adapt to new situations and circumstances, and have a competitive edge in employment and further academic studies. On all UTA Study Abroad programs, students earn UTA resident credit for coursework completed abroad, allowing students to maintain their academic progress and fully integrate study abroad into the UTA student experience.
While many may think that participating in or developing study abroad programs can be cost prohibitive, UTA Study Abroad offers several resources to reduce these financial barriers.
Faculty-Led Program Development Grants
Faculty-led study abroad programs provide a vast array of opportunities for students and faculty, and over 70% of UTA students who study abroad participate in faculty-led study abroad programs. With funding provided through the Maverick Advantage initiative, faculty may apply for study abroad program development grants, up to $2,500 to support the creation of new UTA faculty-led study abroad programs or to enhance existing faculty-led programs.
International Education Fee Scholarship
All UTA students who participate in UTA Study Abroad programs are eligible to apply for the IEFS, and scholarships are awarded in tiers based on the length of the program abroad.
Maverick Advantage Passport Grants
Maverick Advantage Passport Grants help Pell-eligible students at UTA obtain their first U.S. passport to study abroad. Obtaining a passport is an integral step in the study abroad journey, and this grant aims to eliminate this “out-of-pocket” expense barrier and enable students to study abroad when they would otherwise be discouraged from doing so.
Study Abroad Scholarships
Students are eligible to utilize their regular UTA financial aid and scholarship packages for study abroad, and in addition to the IEFS, there are numerous UTA and national scholarship opportunities for students studying abroad. A list of these scholarships, as well as qualification guidelines, may be viewed online here. UTA Study Abroad also hosts scholarship and other funding workshops each semester to assist students with their scholarship applications.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To learn more about the hundreds of study abroad programs available to UTA students, consider attending the Study Abroad Fair! Held each semester, this event showcases available study abroad options, including current faculty-led programs. The Fall 2023 Study Abroad Fair is Wednesday, September 13 between 11am-2pm in the UC, Palo Duro Lounge, and the Spring 2024 Study Abroad Fair is Wednesday, January 31 between 11am-2pm in the UC, Palo Duro Lounge.
Events Calendar
Homecoming 2023 Events & Activities
11/3 Decorate Downtown Arlington
11/6 Chalk the Mall, Library Mall, 9am
11/6 Paint Your Ride, West Hall Parking Garage & Arlington Hall, 11am
11/6 Men’s Basketball Opener, College Park Center, 7pm
11/7 Mum Mania, Central Library, 11am
11/8 National First-Generation Celebration, Red River, 11am
11/8 Chili Cookoff, Palo Duro, 12pm
11/8 Career Development Center (CDC) Open House, UTA CDC, 4pm
11/8 Hump Night, Bluebonnet Ballroom, 7pm
11/8 Saarang Dance Party, Red River, 8pm
11/9 Golf Tournament, Tiera Verde Club, 9:30am
11/9 Hispanic Alumni Chapter Mixer, Hooligan’s Pub, 5:30pm
11/10 Faculty/Staff Mixer, Maverick Activity Center, 11:30am
11/10 Women’s Basketball, College Park Center, 5pm
11/10 Black Alumni Chapter Happy Hour, Texas Live!/Troy’s, 6pm
11/10 Street Festival, Spaniolo Drive, 6:30pm
11/10 Student Leader Alumni Reception, Palo Duro, 7pm
11/10 LGBTQ+ Alumni Social, 1851 Club, 8pm
11/10 Bash, Brazos Park, 8pm
11/11 5K Run/Walk/Roll, Maverick Activity Center, 10am
11/11 Tailgate, Spaniolo Drive, 12pm
11/11 Parade, 3:15pm
11/11 Men’s Basketball, College Park Center, 5pm
11/11 NPHC Step Show, Bluebonnet Ballroom, 7pm
11/12 Home Run for the Heart, Allan Saxe Softball Field, 2pm