News

Pioneering UNT grad becomes first female to earn top honor for achievements in commercial airline engineeringAfter nearly three decades of building a career rooted in top-tier aviation safety and reliability for millions of travelers at American Airlines, Stacy Morrissey (’21 M.B.A.) has been announced as the 2026 airline recipient of the Airlines for America Nuts & Bolts Award, which recognizes i

The wait is over — official UNT Alumni Association gear is here. As part of an ongoing commitment to meaningful engagment and strengthening alumni connections, the UNT Alumni Association is excited to offer alumni exclusive access to a dedicated online gear store as a special benefit to UNT alumni and friends. Through our licensed partner, JK Custom Apparel, alumni can now shop a curated collectio

For David Schless (’89 M.S.), leadership in American senior housing has always been about people, families and dignity. Over a career spanning decades, Schless has helped advance research, advocacy and education around aging and Alzheimer’s care — work that this year earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alzheimer’s Association.Since its inception in 1991, Schless has served as the pres

Mentors at UNT helped shape one student’s path from a small Texas Town to education leadership, and now he’s helping students across North Texas find their own.The town of La Villa sits deep in South Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, where most graduating classes are small and many families have known one another for generations.David Saenz grew up there in a class of about fifty students. His moth

Distinguished UNT alumnus Victor Rodriguez (’55, ’62 M.A.) has many accolades associated with his name, having lived a life fulfilled with distinction, meaning and purpose. This past fall, at age 93, he was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame — further recognizing his storied athletic career and his contributions to the larger community. Rogriguez grew up in Edna, Texas, and attended

The Details That MatterOn any given night in Dallas–Fort Worth and across the nation, thousands of hotel guests slip into crisp sheets, dry off with plush towels and head to dinner without ever thinking about what makes that seamless comfort possible.Mark Nordick does think about it.Because behind every bath towel, pool towel and restaurant napkin is a hidden vulnerability that Nordick built his n

We're Excited to Announce the Honorees!The finalists have been selected for the inaugural 10 Under 10 Awards — a celebration of alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years and are already making an impact in their professions, organizations and communities: Nickolas Hight ('22)Brittney Huff ('19 M.P.A.)Madison Humphrey ('22)Charlie Hunter ('21)Dr. Ahou Vaziri Line ('23 Ph.D.)Dr. Jacob-Aidan

UNT talent works behind the camera on “One Battle After Another,” turning the spotlight toward El Paso. In the years since graduating from the University of North Texas, David Velez (’19) has been able to utilize his talents in media arts across numerous avenues — working in news, freelancing and, along with two other UNT alums, co-founding Watchale, a Texas-based collective of Latino filmmakers t

Samuel Golden (’74)On the morning of his 70th birthday, Samuel P. Golden (’74) had a letter waiting for him — a handwritten letter from his daughter, Jaclyn Golden Malone (’06), encouraging him to put his own pen to paper and tell his life story in his own words for future generations of Goldens.Jaclyn’s letter sparked a fire in Golden, and he began typing that very morning, thus beginning the thr

For Krislyn Massey (’23, ’25 M.A.), receiving a UNT Ring Award was the shiny topper to an already rewarding journey through higher education that expanded her worldview and led her to find community.It all culminated in Krislyn’s moment on the UNT Ring Ceremony stage in December, followed that very afternoon by her graduation with a master’s degree in human security.“Human security is all the pers

Kylee Withers (’16, ’17 M.B.A.) quite literally hit the ground running as a student athlete on the track and field team at the University of North Texas in the fall of 2012.“It may sound silly, but I remember the day the pedestrian bridge over I-35 opened,” Kylee says. “It’s a simple piece of infrastructure, but it symbolized a new era for UNT and as a team we were so excited to be able to safely

A Journey of Growth, Grit and Giving Credit Where It’s DueOn December 13, 2025, Peyton Alexander Beck stepped onto the stage and accepted his degree from the University of North Texas. For many, graduation is a milestone. For Peyton, it’s a statement — the closing of a chapter that began in uncertainty and evolved into a journey marked by resilience, reinvention and unexpected strength.Peyton’s st

Saddle up for UNT’s Homecoming 2025!Get ready to wrangle some school spirit — UNT Homecoming is back and bigger than ever! This year’s theme, Mean Green Round Up, brings a Texas-sized celebration to Denton, and we hope to see our alumni front and center.Ride into Saturday for the GameDay Grille — your premiere tailgate experience — hosted by the UNT Alumni Association. Join fellow alumni and frien

The Power of Giving: Young AlumniAt UNT, we believe in the power of giving together. Every year, thousands of members of the Mean Green family come together to create opportunities — funding scholarships, sparking innovation, and enriching the student experience.Our GOLD alumni — Graduates of the Last Decade — remember what it’s like to walk this campus with big dreams and a need for support. They

UNT alumnus Octavio Quintanilla is selected as the 2025 Texas Poet LaureateOctavio Quintanilla (’10 Ph.D.) has a way with words. And through poetry, he uses them to explore the connections and complexities between past and present, identity and culture, individuality and community.   His work has been the subject of critical analysis, garnered widespread acclaim and, recently, earned him the title

The University of North Texas Alumni Association Board of Directors is proud to welcome several new members. The Alumni Association’s Board of Directors provides counsel to the university and serves as the official liaison between UNT and its graduates. These alumni work to establish and maintain lifelong relationships as university ambassadors in their communities.Adam Griffith (’08)“Serving on t

The Power of Giving: Incoming Freshman In just a few weeks, thousands of new students will step onto the UNT campus — ready to grow, be challenged, and dream big. They’re choosing UNT to pursue something greater — and to join a lifelong network that believes in their potential.Meet one incoming freshman and her mom, a proud UNT alum, as they share what brought them back to the place that feels lik

Jennifer Betzer's ('20 D.M.A.) harp has taken her from her hometown of Grapevine to Sydney, Australia, for graduate work; to UNT, where she earned her D.M.A.; to Atlanta, where she works with the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble; and to New York City, where she appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show.Read the full story.Where has your career taken you since your time in Denton?

Although the Happy Friday, North Texas! podcast is still on summer hiatus, this is a great time to check out our Sampler Platter episode to give it a try. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to get new episodes when it comes back in the fall!

Gemma Bryant (’25), a recent urban policy and planning and emergency administration and planning double alumna, believes in taking chances and trying new things. More than believing in it, she has lived it. And her hard work has continually been recognized — from job recommendations to being selected as the latest UNT Ring Award recipient.Bryant, who was born in Everett, Washington and grew up in