President Smatresk and UNT mascot Scrappy presenting at the 2016 University Day.
University Day -- one of the most festive days on our campus -- was extra special this year with Scrappy and UNT's Student Government Association unveiling a time capsule for opening in year 2041.
Straight from Smatresk

Dear Alum,

For 125 years, we've stood out because of our bright, talented students, successful alumni and our nationally recognized faculty and staff whose work is helping to change the world for the better.

University Day ribbon cutting ceremony with Chancellor JacksonIn April, our campus community celebrated our legacy in teaching and transformation into a top-tier research university of 37,000 students with Wingspan Week. For the week, we held a series of events -- including the dedication and ribbon-cutting for our new University Union -- across campus to commemorate our founding in 1890 and highlight our yearlong 125th anniversary celebrations.

Wingspan Gala, UNT President Neal Smatresk present awardsAt our April 16 inaugural Wingspan Gala -- the week's centerpiece event -- we premiered 2016 Grammy-nominee and UNT jazz professor Rich DeRosa's 125th anniversary composition Suite for an Anniversary and honored faculty, student and alumni excellence. It was my pleasure to recognize four of our award-winning merchandising and digital retailing students, renowned plant scientist Richard Dixon and generous alum Ernie Kuehne with presidential awards, and so many others in our UNT family for their dedication to UNT.

We are thankful for the support of Mr. Kuehne, who received the Wings of Eagles Presidential Award, and our many other generous alumni and friends because you have helped us achieve our vision of greatness and the mission we began 125 years ago -- to create leaders and visionaries. By shinning a spotlight on our outstanding faculty, students and supporters at the gala, we saw clearly just how far we've come as a university.

Together, we'll continue to define the next 125 years of excellence for UNT.

UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President
President Smatresk on Twitter @UNTPrez

The Inside Scoop
UNT TAMS
Kevin Ong and Anagha Krishnan
Students create app that may dectect cancer, clinch Goldwater scholarships

UNT's TAMS program is an entrance into serious STEM education for young researchers like Kevin Ong and Anagha Krishnan (from left) and our new Goldwater scholars. Kevin and Anagha are working to develop an innovative smart phone app that may detect cancer. Anagha joins TAMS students Emily Hu, Sachit Menon and Tony Liu as newly named 2016 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars, a prestigious honor for students planning careers in STEM fields. With this year's winners, UNT has produced 59 Goldwater Scholars since 1996, leading all Texas public and private universities. Congrats to these young researchers and their faculty mentors for helping UNT shine.
 
Learn more about our scholars'
innovative research »
NSF CAREER award
Alexandra Ponette-González
Oak trees working as urban air filters

Tree canopies may have additional benefits for humans besides providing shade and generating fresh oxygen. Alexandra Ponette-González, assistant professor of geography, is studying how post oak and blackjack oak trees in full foliage can improve our air quality when air pollutants fall on their branches and leaves -- and eventually the ground. She recently earned a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award to further her research, which could help urban planners see the benefits of planting trees to serve as urban air filters in cities. Kudos to Dr. Ponette-González, who is the 11th UNT researcher to earn this prestigious honor for young investigators.
 
 
Learn about UNT's Department of Geography and the Environment »
Research institutes
Close up of equipment in the Guido Verbeck-lab
Industry leaders join UNT advisory boards

As a Carnegie Classification top-tier research university, UNT is attracting top industry leaders and nationally recognized scholars to consult with faculty researchers and serve as Board of Advisors members for UNT's recently created Institutes of Research Excellence. The individuals will help identify opportunities for faculty to expand their solutions-based research in meaningful ways to have greater impacts in the market and on society. Through these new research collaborations, our researchers will embark on important discoveries to improve lives and solve real-world issues.
 
 
See members of each institute's
Board of Advisors »
College of Music
Photos of Brendon Wilkins with flute, saxophone and clarinet
Music student to play at Disneyland

Jazz studies and music education student Brendon Wilkins will spend his summer at Disneyland. Brendon beat out fierce competition from other top college musicians nationwide to land a spot in the 2016 Disney All-American College Band on saxophone and piccolo. The 21-piece ensemble performs at the Disneyland Resort in California for 11 weeks each summer. Brendon is a great example of what you can achieve when you work hard and believe in yourself.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read about Brendon's grueling
Disney audition »
Shining a green light
Sherasa Thomas
Careers with a Cause
When families share with Sherasa Thomas, director of educational initiatives for Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star in Irving, that they're unsure their children can go to college, she gives them hope. Thomas is among UNT alumni who have turned their careers into causes they believe in to make an impact in the communities they serve. Read how UNT alumni are changing lives through nonprofit work in the spring issue of The North Texan.
UNT President Neal Smatresk modeling a scarf, kilt and sock with the UNT tartan pattern.
Show your #UNTGreen every day

Every day our students, alumni, faculty and staff display Mean Green pride in what they wear and in spirit. I recently showed off my green pride by sporting gear featuring our official UNT tartan, which was created for our 125th anniversary year. You, too, can display #UNTGreen wherever you go. I'm picking six individuals to give away a UNT tartan tie or scarf to in a random giveaway. Enter by emailing president@unt.edu with "#UNTGreen" in the subject line by May 1.

Melinda Levin and Joseph Klein
Pursuing creativity in film, music

As UNT's 2016-17 IAA Faculty Fellows, Melinda Levin, professor of media arts, and Joseph Klein, Distinguished Teaching Professor of composition, will pursue ambitious creative projects for a semester. Ms. Levin's documentary Middlesex: 42. °N, 71. °W mixes innovative film technology and the web to capture sites of historical, environmental and cultural significance in Middlesex County, Mass. Dr. Klein will fine tune his 70-musician and 24-ensemble composition, An Unaware Cosmos, which was conceived as a celebration of humankind's quest for knowledge through scientific inquiry and skepticism. It's great to see these two professors exploring their #UNTCreativity.

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