President Gretchen M. Bataille welcomes the Board of Visitors at the board's first meeting.

Dear Alum,

UNT is a thriving university growing more prominent by the day, as illustrated by our peer recognitions and recent U.S. News & World Report ranking. We have achieved this momentum by charting our course for success.

But to ensure that the university doesn't grow in a vacuum, I have formed a Board of Visitors made up of successful individuals from different industries who will serve as a dedicated group of advisors.

The board members will provide guidance, feedback and insight so that UNT continues evolving as a modern university, providing the best education possible and cultivating a strong work force to help our nation advance. The board will not have governing authority; rather, it will provide guidance for UNT to carry out its goal of becoming a top national university.

The board is made up of prominent leaders and executives — including several alumni — from business, media, publishing, the arts, education, the energy industry and more. Bill Lively, an alumnus who is the president of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, is serving as the Board of Visitors' chair. In addition to helping guide UNT, members will be university ambassadors, sharing news of our success with others around the world.

After holding our first meeting last week, I was excited by what the future holds for UNT with these distinguished advisors. They see our promise and are ready to help us forge an even brighter future.

With green pride,
Gretchen M. Bataille
President

Features

See the basketball teams wrap up the season

The men's and women's basketball teams are gearing up for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament March 6-10 in Hot Springs, Ark. Before they go, there's still time to see them play at home. I'm giving away one Family Fun Pack for the men's last home game, which is Feb. 25 against Louisiana-Lafayette, and one Family Fun Pack for the women's last home game, which is Feb. 24 against Louisiana-Lafayette. To enter the random drawing, e-mail me at president@unt.edu with "Mean Green women" or "Mean Green men," depending on your preference, in the subject line by 5 p.m. Feb. 1.

Moving Forward: UNT is the first Texas public university to offer four-year aviation program

Starting this fall, students will be able to earn a bachelor's degree in aviation logistics, a program that will give students the education and the experience needed to pursue career opportunities in all facets of the aviation industry. The program will offer a track for students interested in becoming commercial pilots and another for students interested in careers related to passenger and freight movement. UNT is the first Texas public college or university to offer a bachelor of science in aviation logistics. UNT's internationally ranked logistics and supply chain management program and the university's location in Dallas-Fort Worth, a major logistics hub, provide a perfect setting to launch the first-of-its-kind program.

Attend Feb. 27 Emerald "Super" Ball to support the Emerald Eagle Scholars program

Graduating its first scholar and earning a top state award, the Emerald Eagle Scholars program had a banner year in 2009 and we'll be celebrating those successes at this year's ball. I hope you will join us Feb. 27 for the Emerald "Super" Ball at the Gaylord Texan to support the scholars whose lives are changed because of this program. Your support will go a long way in giving students like Ivonne Pereira opportunities for a limitless future. In December, Pereira became the program's first graduate, a little more than two years after beginning at UNT as part of the first class of scholars. Pereira, who earned a bachelor's degree in international studies and is continuing on as a post-baccalaureate student, will be joined this spring by more scholars who will graduate early. Helping bright, yet financially challenged students attend college and graduate in a timely manner are the key goals of the program. And because of the program's success, UNT earned the highly competitive Texas Higher Education Star Award this year for the third year in a row, which recognizes achievements in closing gaps in education.

Business Leadership Building

New football
stadium

UNT breaks ground on new business building, football stadium

Our newest facilities and renovations will ensure that we continue providing the three As: great academics, great arts and great athletics. As the new home of the College of Business, the Business Leadership Building will put learning center stage with modern classrooms, cutting-edge technology and numerous student and team study areas. The new stadium will be the centerpiece in UNT's Mean Green Village, serving as a multi-purpose facility with increased tailgating space, capacity for about 30,000 fans, luxury suites, an amenity-filled club level and a Touchdown Terrace. When the new facilities open in 2011, they will join the soon-to-open Life Sciences Complex as part the university's new family of green buildings. Each is expected to achieve at least LEED Gold certification, which means they adhere to stringent green building standards. We also are currently remodeling the Concert Hall and have updated the Recital Hall with new seating and lighting.

Faculty Focus: Jincheng Du

Jincheng Du, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, is helping to develop a new and more effective way to obtain 3-D images, which could have significant applications in physical and life sciences. Dr. Du worked with a team of researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Colorado on the findings, which are detailed in the January issue of Nature. Dr. Du is a member of the Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling (CASCaM) and the Materials Modeling Research Cluster.

UNT Traditions: UNT Preview

As many as 90 percent of the prospective students who join us for UNT Preview end up attending the university after seeing all the great things UNT has to offer. After hosting record crowds for the past two years, we expect another big turnout of up to 4,000 people for this year's Preview on April 10. Prospective students and their families are able to tour the campus, see residence halls, visit with current students and meet with academic, admissions and financial aid advisors to get their questions answered. For more information about the preview schedule, visit http://untpreview.unt.edu/.

Featured Link: Emerald Eagle Scholars in South America

Sixteen Emerald Eagle Scholars — many of whom have never traveled outside of Texas — got the experience of a lifetime when they spent three weeks during the winter break learning about the environment, culture and history of Argentina and Chile in an interdisciplinary course. Through their photos, videos and Twitter posts, you can see for yourself what made their trip special. This was the third Emerald Eagle Scholars Study Abroad trip. Scholars also have been to Thailand and Costa Rica to learn about sustainable living.

UNT Alumni Association

The UNT Alumni Association and the UNT Career Center have partnered to offer a new Career Workshop Series for alumni featuring timely, career-related topics. The monthly workshops will be scheduled through the spring in Chestnut Hall in Room 120A and 120B and also will be available as webinars for those who can't attend in person. The workshops will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:

• Feb. 24 - The Art of Networking
• March 24 - Social Media Networking and the Job Search
• April 21 - Navigating a Career Transition

To participate in the webinar, which will be available only at the day and time of the scheduled workshops, visit www.untlive.horizonwimba.com and follow the "Setup Wizard" steps. For more information on the Alumni Career Workshop series, contact the UNT Career Center at careercenter.unt.edu or 940-565-2105. For more information about the alumni association, visit www.untalumni.com or contact the alumni association at alumni@unt.edu or at 940-565-2834 or 800-868-1153.