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.

In 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.

At 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
@UNTPrez