I recently toured the campus with an alumnus who hadn't been here since he graduated in 1980. One of the things that he said after the tour was that "the campus still holds the same feeling of innovation and new approach to education as it did in its early years."

Our alma mater has grown enormously since its founding. We have new programs, new buildings, and almost 15,000 students. A lot has changed, but the University remains committed to the high-quality programs and people for which it is known. As alumni, we benefit from that sustained excellence as UT Dallas and its alumni gain in reputation.

We will celebrate UT Dallas' history of excellence this coming March at the 2009 Alumni Gala, during which we will honor the 2008-09 Alumni Awards recipients. Each year, the recipients of the Alumni Awards are community and industry leaders and dedicated advocates of UT Dallas, and they all have one thing in common—they were all educated at UT Dallas.

Consider nominating a fellow alumnus for one of this year's Alumni Awards. Just fill out the form online and submit it by August 15. Let's celebrate the many accomplishments of our fellow UT Dallas alumni and our alma mater. And in another 28 years when the university has grown even more, we just might be honoring members of the Class of 2008.

Erin Dougherty, '03 and '07
Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving