Dear Alum,
I'm curious to know if you're working in the professional field you envisioned during your time as a UNT student. Perhaps your career has been predictable based on your major or you're in a position that didn't exist a decade ago. It used to be that students came to college knowing what they wanted to do and majored in a closely aligned field. Aspiring biologists, such as myself, studied biology, hopeful teachers studied education and individuals intrigued by building studied engineering.
Today's students have a different mindset. Gen Z, those born between 1995 and 2010, make up the majority of our first-time-in-college undergraduate population. These students live their real-world lives seamlessly with technology and are incredibly entrepreneurial — with 63 percent interested in taking courses in how to found or run a business. They don't want to be lumped into standard academic programs. They want to invent their own future, and 60 percent expect to have multiple careers, not jobs, by age 30. Rather than study one field, we're often hearing that students want to study a little bit in multiple areas, then figure out how to meld that knowledge into a career following graduation.
As a Tier One research university and top producer of graduates in the North Texas region, it's our job to prepare students for undefined job futures and provide them with the abilities that will sustain them throughout every step of their career path. We're focused on making sure our students are effective, hardworking critical thinkers, communicators and team players. Through a deep, innovative curriculum, and personalized advising and career advice, we help our students match their skills to careers currently available in the marketplace, while preparing them for future roles that have yet to be created.
At UNT, we aim to provide our students with rich experiences so they are prepared for careers in a rapidly changing world. And we want you to tell us how you're seeing your profession transform, so email me at president@unt.edu.
UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President
 @UNTPrez |
