UNT Insider: President's newsletter

UNT President Neal Smatresk shakes hands with Jerome Max Westheimer Jr at the 2019 Wingspan event

Straight from Smatresk

Dear UNT supporter,

Neon lights, dazzling performances and Rat Pack-era crooning recently transformed UNT into the city that never sleeps for this year's Wingspan Gala, "Viva North Texas," an evening to celebrate UNT's excellence. The event featured our North Texas Dancers, members of the One O'Clock Lab Band, an Elvis impersonator and the presentation of the most prestigious Wings of Eagles Presidential Award to alumnus Jerome Max "Bruzzy" Westheimer Jr. ('65). These event and photobooth images catch a glimpse of the fun!

The Wings of Eagles Presidential Award celebrates creativity, spirit and innovation at the university and is awarded to an alumnus or friend who embodies what UNT represents: engagement, generosity and affinity. Bruzzy is one of our university's biggest supporters, giving with his heart to help many areas of campus, including the arts, academic scholarships and athletics. As this video showcases, whenever there is a need, Bruzzy jumps in to help.

An avid golfer, Bruzzy has made multiple gifts to the North Texas men's and women's golf programs, including funding customized vans for the teams and a new on-campus practice facility that will encompass a driving range, short-game area, putting green and an indoor meeting space. Construction of the facility will begin in December. He also has funded curation and digitization resources for UNT's Texas Fashion Collection as part of the Gloria and Bruzzy Westheimer Texas Fashion Collection Research Gallery and he commissioned the campus' SHIELD sculpture by his close friend and late UNT alumnus, Jesús Moroles ('78).

Bruzzy continues to support students through scholarships in the College of Visual Arts and Design and the College of Music, an alumni scholarship and the Bruzzy Westheimer Graduate Fellowship in Human Security. Additionally, he started and supports the Westheimer Business Plan Competition and provided funding for the Westheimer Science Research Fellows Program, which is specifically designed to support undergraduate research in the Dr. Linda Truitt Creagh Statistician Lab. The Westheimer Science Research Fellows Program is personal because it supports Dr. Helen Wang's cancer research. Several years ago, he was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, and understands the importance of the research happening in the lab.

It's because of alumni like Bruzzy, who give with their heart and have contributed to scholarship funds for more than 40 years, that UNT continues to thrive. Thank you for all you do to help the next generation achieve their dreams.

UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President
@UNTPrez

The Inside Scoop

One O'Clock to perform
at Lincoln Center

Our premier jazz ensemble, the One O'Clock Lab Band, will perform Jan. 18-19 at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of the Jack Rudin Jazz Championship. The One O'Clock Lab Band is one of only 10 collegiate jazz ensembles across the country asked to compete in this inaugural event. Wynton Marsalis, an internationally acclaimed musician and managing and artistic director for Jazz at Lincoln Center, sent me a personal letter inviting our jazz ensemble, which I graciously accepted on behalf of the university's students and faculty. I'm excited that our College of Music students will be pioneers of this event and for the opportunity it gives them to meet and learn from the country's top jazz musicians.

West Hall eatery free from
"Big 8" allergens

Our never-wavering commitment to providing the UNT family with delicious, unique and healthy dining experiences just got even better. We're now home to Kitchen West, the nation's second all-you-care-to-eat dining experience completely free of the "Big 8" food allergens – milk, eggs, fish, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and shellfish. As the Chronicle of Higher Education and Culture Map Dallas reported, we transformed the dining experience at West Hall to ensure members of our community who have food allergies can dine worry-free. UNT Dining Services is known for opening specialty dining halls. In 2011, we opened Mean Greens Café, the nation's first all-vegan collegiate dining hall, and we also are home to Champs Cafeteria at Victory Hall, which focuses on sports nutrition and offers meals that help student athletes meet their performance goals on and off the playing field.

Join us for a meal
at Kitchen West »

Spotlight on Excellence

The air we breathe can impact weight gain

Amie Lund, a cardiovascular toxicology researcher in UNT's College of Science, has found that exposure to certain air pollutants may cause weight gain, especially when coupled with a high-fat diet. Dr. Lund is investigating how pollution from automobile exhaust affects the growth and signaling of fat cells called adipocytes. She determined car exhaust can trigger responses in the body that can lead to increased adipocyte growth and inflammation, which are associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Lund recommends limiting time spent outdoors on days with high levels of air pollution and staying away from high-traffic areas and roadways that can increase exposure to pollutants. Her research is part of an ongoing study funded by a $437,964 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Women's soccer wins conference, appears in NCAA tournament

The North Texas soccer team claimed the Conference USA title for the third straight year with a 5-2 win over Florida Atlantic to end the season. Our women's soccer team consistently outperforms its opponents, having earned 16 conference titles in its 25-year history, and eight of which have come since joining Conference USA in 2013. The team's impressive season ended in a NCAA Tournament appearance against the Arkansas Razorbacks. I'm so proud of our team and coach John Hedlund for their fantastic representation of the Mean Green and for another successful season.

Texas Fashion Collection featured on D Magazine cover

Nearly 1,400 pairs of shoes, 2,500 hats and 750 handbags have a home within UNT's 19,000-piece Texas Fashion Collection. As D Magazine's November 2019 cover story details, UNT is home to "a trove of designer labels including 387 designs by Hubert Givenchy, 301 by Oscar de la Renta, 151 from the House of Dior, and an impressive 340 by Cristobal Balenciaga." Originally started by Dallas' Marcus brothers in the late 1930s, UNT became custodian of a few thousand garments via a 1972 donation to UNT's fashion design programand today is a valuable historical resource for researchers and students. About 90 percent of the collection came from individual donors, most with connections to North Texas, and access to the collection is available by appointment.

Follow me on Twitter

Connect with UNT

Office of the President

University of North Texas
Hurley Administration Building, Room 201
Mailing Address:
1155 Union Circle #311425
Denton, Texas 76203-5017
940-565-2108

Return to the Insider home ·
Subscribe to our newsletter ·
Unsubscribe from our newsletter

Copyright © 2019 The UNT System and the University of North Texas are the owners of all of their trademarks, service marks, trade names, slogans, graphic images, music, photography and videography and they may not be used without permission. If you have questions about using any of this material, please contact the UNT Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing at 940-565-2108.