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Features

Investing in the Future

December 16, 2020 by Tori Miller

Jason Lamin, a 2020 Pro Bene Meritis award recipient, shares what he values in this moment and where he finds inspiration.

Kaleidoscope pattern with symbols representing gender, health and relationships.

Celebrating a Lifetime of Achievement

December 16, 2020 by Caroline Barta

The American Sociological Association honors Jennifer Glass, Debra Umberson and Gloria González-López for their contributions to the field.

Stuart Stedman at Faith Ranch.

Stepping into the Wild

December 10, 2020 by Tori Miller

Stuart Stedman, a 2020 Pro Bene Meritis award recipient, uses his liberal arts education to gain perspective.

A portrait of Turan Vural smiling slightly and standing in front of a beige backdrop.

Liberal Arts Alumnus Receives Prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship

December 8, 2020 by Emily Nielsen

Turan Vural, a 2019 German and electrical and computer engineering alumnus from The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded a Schwarzman scholarship to study in Beijing.

Jamie Pennebaker stands in a field at sunset with cityscape in background.

A Psychologist’s Award-Winning Word Play

December 4, 2020 by Rachel White

Before his research helped discover the healing powers of writing and the Secret Life of Pronouns, Jamie Pennebaker’s curiosity killed the crab.

Illustration of a silhouette with a dimensional archway leading to landscape and eye with a heart at the center.

Landscapes: Latino Studies’ Journey to 50th Anniversary

December 3, 2020 by Mallory Laurel

Celebrating this milestone may look and feel different this year, but it is in the act of remembering that we preserve our future.

Mary and Randy Diehl with Yellowstone Park in background.

Teaching, Learning and Living

November 30, 2020 by Alex Reshanov

Randy and Mary Diehl, 2020 Pro Bene Meritis award recipients, share a dedication for championing education and a joy for lifelong learning.

Political themed collage with Statue of Liberty, U.S. Capitol Building, mail-in ballots, unemployment chart, coronavirus, and protest viewed through magnifying glass with American flag background.

2020 Vision: Examining Some of the Country’s Big Issues

October 30, 2020 by Rachel White

Experts from UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts weigh in on some of the major issues facing our country and the president-elect over the next four years.

Michael Stoff sits at desk with an open book.

Understanding Your Past

October 29, 2020 by Alex Reshanov

Michael Stoff, a 2020 Pro Bene Meritis award recipient, teaches his students to approach history with respect, empathy and context.

Jacqueline Jones with Garrison Hall in background.

Giving Voice to History

October 23, 2020 by Alex Reshanov

Jacqueline Jones, a 2020 Pro Bene Meritis award recipient, discusses why it’s essential to learn the history behind today’s headlines.

A moving illustration of a large scene. In it, we can see vertical windows looking to a peaceful night cityscape, with twinkling stars overhead. The windows are in the shape of a cellphone battery icon, and illustration slowly turns to a bright, cheerful day scene. The buildings all come to life in a bright, multi-colored wash of color. Around the border of the window, we can see stylized illustrations of people in various poses. We see people having fun with computers, people playing with their pets, families, riding bikes, reading. We also see a medical doctor with a mask waving. There are also wires leading from each person that connect with the battery-shaped window in the middle, giving life to the city.

Rebooting Our Lives After COVID-19

May 7, 2020 by Rachel White

The world’s new reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to confront issues and critically think about how to revive communities slowly, safely and sustainably.

Stylized illustration of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with social media superimposed over his face.

Ukraine’s Social Media Presidency

May 5, 2020 by Alex Reshanov

UT Austin student researchers delve into the state of democracy in Ukraine, and the role of youth political engagement and social media.

Margaret Siu sits in a chair while holding a microphone up to her mouth. She is laughing happily at what is clearly a public speaking event.

No Stopping Her

February 13, 2020 by Emily Nielsen

Margaret Siu, a Plan II honors senior from Dallas, is the recipient of a 2020 British Marshall Scholarship. The scholarship will fund her graduate education at the University of Oxford.

various pieces of arrowheads made of stone on a black background with a scale of 0-2cm at the bottom

Gault Site Reveals Ancient Origins of Texas

February 13, 2020 by David Ochsner

More than 90 years ago the first anthropologist at the University of Texas, J.E. Pearce, began digging at a site near Florence, Texas, in effect turning the first pages on a story many millennia in the making.

Three women sitting in an empty movie theater

It’s More Than a Movie

November 19, 2019 by David Ochsner

There is so much to be learned from film studies — about ourselves and the world around us — if we view it through a liberal arts lens.

Taqueria La Reyna Taco Truck

The Taco Truck: Author Takes His Research to the Streets

November 19, 2019 by Rachel White

Robert Lemon examines the evolution of taco trucks and how it transforms U.S. cities.

A group gathered around a collection of royal crowns and artifacts

Moral Fuel: Energizing a New Internship Program

November 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Students explore work and social justice through Jewish teachings.

Alyssa Ashcraft in front of the Washington Monument.

Truman #22

November 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Government and humanities senior Alyssa Ashcraft received one of the country’s premier graduate awards, which she will use to pursue a dual degree in law and public policy. As a 2019 Truman scholar, Ashcraft received $30,000 toward graduate school and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to help prepare for a career in […]

Portrait of J. Thomas “Tom” Ward.

Solving the World’s Most Pressing Issues

November 18, 2019 by Alex Reshanov

J. Thomas “Tom” Ward Photography by Brian Birzer  Education: B.A. Government ’54, The University of Texas at Austin; and M.S. Educational Administration, University of Southern California Hometown: Austin, Texas Tom Ward is a retired foreign service officer formerly with the U.S. Agency for International Development, based in Washington, D.C. After serving in the U.S. Army, […]

Portrait of Brian P. Levack.

History Not on Repeat

November 18, 2019 by Alex Reshanov

Brian P. Levack Photography by Brian Birzer  Education: B.A. History ’65, Fordham University; and Ph.D. History ’70, Yale University  Hometown: New York, New York  Brian P. Levack is the John E. Green Regents Professor Emeritus in History at UT Austin, where he has taught for nearly 50 years while earning distinguished teaching awards. During his […]

Portrait of Sara C. Bronin.

Building for the People

November 18, 2019 by Alex Reshanov

The Pro Bene Meritis award is the highest honor bestowed by the College of Liberal Arts. Since 1984, the annual award has been given to alumni, faculty members and friends of the college who are committed to the liberal arts, have made outstanding contributions in professional or philanthropic pursuits or have participated in service related to the college. […]

Temple Scholars Mercedes Holmes and Isaac James.

Rising Stars: Q&A with the 2019 Larry Temple Scholars

November 8, 2019 by Kaitlyn Trowbridge

Starting the semester with an extra $11,000 in the bank is an experience that two liberal arts sophomores have every fall, thanks to the Larry Temple Scholarship Endowment. The award was established by the UT System Board of Regents to help outstanding liberal arts students enjoy university life and learn from their campus experiences. The […]

Illustration of the side young man on two side of a siren. On one side three small dots indicate calm thought, the other side has black and red lines and exclamation points to indicate stress.

Three Questions to Ask When You’re Stressed Out

October 8, 2019 by Rachel White

From big class presentations and midterms to navigating the social scene and balancing a large workload, the school year — and life in general — brings on stress, but asking yourself three questions can help fight anxiety with curiosity rather than panic. Jasper Smits, a psychology professor and director of the Anxiety & Stress Clinic […]

Man casting his vote in blue box located on folding chair with sheer lavender curtains as background.

Why the most popular candidate in a close election will probably lose

September 19, 2019 by Rachel White

The Presidential elections of 2000 and 2016 were controversial, in part, because it seemed like the wrong person won. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore by 5 electoral votes after losing the popular vote by about 540,000. And in 2016, Republican Donald Trump garnered 27 more electoral votes than Democrat Hillary […]

A smock maker sits at a table surrounded by his work.

The Color Complex: Student Research Abroad in Ghana

September 18, 2019 by Kaitlyn Trowbridge

This summer, an International Relations and Global Studies senior was awarded the experience of a lifetime when her student research team received the UT President’s Award for Global Learning.  Christina Cho and a team of three other undergraduates traveled to Accra, Ghana, for 10 weeks to research colorism and how to mitigate its effect on […]

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