You Say Good-bye, and I Say Hello

Good-bye, UTA students and hello, Maverick alumni! This past weekend, the University of Texas at Arlington conferred a whopping 5,600 degrees in several commencement ceremonies held at the College Park Center. This represents the largest graduating class in the University’s history, an 8 percent increase in degree conferrals over Spring 2016.

“UTA graduation figures continue to fuel the North Texas workforce,” said State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, a UT Arlington alumna and Senate Finance Chair. “These highly educated graduates will quickly find jobs across North Texas and our state – making significant economic contributions to our region and beyond.”

The newest graduates join the ranks of more than 214,000 UTA alumni around the globe. Among the Class of 2017 is Laura Nedderman, who earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Laura comes from a family of engineers including her father, mother, brother, two uncles and grandfather, Dr. Wendell Nedderman, founding dean of the then School of Engineering and a former UTA president. Laura credits listening to her mother’s experience working for NASA and other family engineering stories with sparking her interest in the field.

The joint’s still jumping

Now that thousands of students have graduated and others are taking the summer off, does the UTA campus shutter over the summer? Hardly. In addition to a bustling summer school schedule for current UT Arlington students, other newcomers to campus will experience life at a University for the first time.

Summer camps and campers have been flocking to UTA for decades, and this summer is no exception. Maggie Quinn, Assistant Director of University Center and Guest Services at UTA, looks forward to welcoming guests every year and giving them a taste of University life.

“Having campers join us during the summer really opens the door to showcasing UT Arlington and the great programs and facilities we have to offer,” said Quinn. “Participants walk away knowing that UTA has a vibrant on-campus life, exceptional academics and an amazing community of people.”

You might be surprised at the number of campers who visit UTA each year. “We typically have between 8,000 and 9,000 guests stay with us during the ten-week summer camp session,” said Quinn. “Between day and overnight programs, we serve close to 10,000 guests each summer.”

Many of the groups build time into their schedules to explore Downtown Arlington, says Quinn, because most campers come from outside of Arlington and the DFW area. Her hope is that those numbers continue to grow. “The University proactively seeks opportunities to partner with programs and camps from within and outside the metroplex,” Quinn said, “and as new residential facilities open on campus, we hope to increase the number of guests we serve each summer.”

Everything might be bigger in Texas, but everything’s bigger and better at UTA.

About the University of Texas at Arlington

With a global enrollment of over 57,000 for Academic Year 2016-17, the University of Texas at Arlington is one of the largest institutions in the state of Texas. A Carnegie Research-1 “highest research activity” institution, UTA was recently cited by U.S. News & World Report as having the fifth highest undergraduate diversity index among national universities. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans in Military Times’ 2017 Best for Vets list. See more #MavGrad2017 stories and videos on the University’s website.

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About Downtown Arlington

An official State of Texas Cultural District, Downtown Arlington, Texas blends a unique mix of activities, sights, tastes and sounds that attract visitors and locals alike. Within its less than a two-mile radius, Downtown is home to a top tier public research university, prolific fine and performing artists and arts institutions, live entertainment, exciting NCAA and professional athletics, one-of-a-kind dining and retail, and a supportive business climate. Downtown Arlington brings together a plethora of cultures and inspirations with a character all its own.