The Hobson Wildenthal Honors College at The University of Texas at Dallas, established in 2014, houses 12 programs dedicated to promoting excellence in undergraduate education.
Four programs offer a four-year cohort experience to participating students, with admission generally restricted to incoming college freshmen. The Collegium V Honors Program provides seminar instruction, personal mentoring and an enhanced academic environment. The National Merit Scholars Program provides personal mentoring and an intellectual framework in addition to a generous financial scholarship for National Merit Scholars attending UT Dallas. National Merit Scholars at UT Dallas are eligible for membership in the Collegium V Honors Program. Terry Foundation Scholarships at UT Dallas are awarded to top seniors from Texas high schools. Scholarship recipients take part in the Terry Scholars Program which provides a diverse array of extracurricular experiences with a focus on service and leadership. Liberal Arts Honors is a cohort experience for students interested in reading, writing, and the discussion of ideas. Students connect to faculty from a range of disciplines and engage with their peers in courses expecting a large amount of student participation and discussion.
The other eight programs in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College enrich the academic experience of matriculated UT Dallas students. The Office of Distinguished Scholarships provides information, guidance, and mentoring to students applying for nationally competitive scholarship and fellowship programs. The Archer Program combines Washington D.C. internship experience with classroom instruction for an intensive semester of political and policy education. The Texas Legislative Internship Program provides opportunities for individuals to intern with State Legislators during the spring semester while the legislature is in session on odd-numbered years. The UT Dallas Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi is the local chapter of the nation's oldest, largest, and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Undergraduate and graduate students are inducted to Phi Kappa Phi each year.
The Hobson Wildenthal Honors College is located in the Cecil and Ida Green Center at the heart of the UT Dallas campus. We invite visitors to stop by our lobby and review the senior research posters from last year.
Parsa and Pouya Modareszadeh, twin brothers with twin interests in biology, always planned to go to medical school.
But those plans will have to wait. The duo at The University of Texas at Dallas are entrepreneurs in a new biotech company started with their mentor, Dr. Li Zhang.
As first-year students in 2019, they were flattered when Zhang, professor of biological sciences in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and holder of a Cecil H. and Ida Green Distinguished Chair in Systems Biology Science, approached them about starting a biotech company.
Cari Reinert is the first UT Dallas student to be chosen for the Brooke Owens Fellowship, which recognizes exceptional undergraduate women and gender-minorities with space and aviation internships. She aims to combine her future work in the space industry with global conservation and environmental justice efforts.
The fellowship awards exceptional undergraduate women and gender-minorities with space and aviation internships, senior mentorships and a lifelong professional network. This year, 47 fellows were chosen from more than 1,000 applicants based on their “incredible talent, desire to pursue a career in aerospace, standout creative abilities, record of leadership and … commitment to their communities.”
Dr. Donal Skinner, who led the honors programs at Ohio University and the University of Wyoming, has joined The University of Texas at Dallas as dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College, effective Jan. 17
Skinner, an accomplished educator, researcher and academic administrator with more than 25 years of experience, had been the dean of the Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University since 2019 and served as the inaugural dean of the Honors College at the University of Wyoming from 2017 to 2019.
Anja Sheppard BS’22, who earned a degree in computer science and minored in philosophy at UT Dallas, is now researching robotic terrain classification and navigation for Mars rovers as she pursues a PhD in robotics at the University of Michigan.
Each year, colleges and universities across the U.S. nominate up to four of their most talented undergraduates majoring in science, engineering or math for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation awards. The Goldwater scholarships support sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise to become the next generation of research leaders.
For the first time, all four nominees from The University of Texas at Dallas were named winners of the prestigious award, a significant accomplishment that outpaced the performance of other top-tier research institutions, said Dr. Douglas Dow, coordinator of the Office of Distinguished Scholarships and interim dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College.
Veda Tsai, an interdisciplinary studies senior at The University of Texas at Dallas, served as team captain for the mediation team who won the advocate-client division of the International Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament held virtually in the fall. Read the article.
Elizabeth “Tess” Helfrich, a
biology
and
history
senior at The University of Texas at Dallas, is no stranger to lending a hand during natural disasters and medical emergencies.
A certified emergency medical technician who serves with the
University Emergency Medical Response team, Helfrich also is a rescue diver and volunteers with Texas Search and Rescue, a first responder organization that helps with ground search, floodwater rescue and dive-team operations. Read the article.
Areeb Siddiqui, a May graduate in political science and economics at The University of Texas at Dallas, has received a prestigious fellowship from The Honor Society of
Phi Kappa Phi
that will further his goal of becoming an attorney specializing in civil rights. Read the article.
Bhuiyan serves as president of the UT Dallas IEEE chapter and was appointed this spring as Regional Student Representative for IEEE Region 5, which includes 12 southwestern states. In those roles, Bhuiyan organizes events, workshops and competitions, and works to help students find a sense of community. He also is an undergraduate research assistant in bioengineering. Read the article.
Carla Ramazan, a senior at The University of Texas at Dallas, has been passionate about women’s health and reproductive freedom her entire life — and it stems from personal reasons.
Her family is from Romania, which for decades under Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu had outlawed access to abortion and contraception in a bid to boost the country’s population. Ramazan’s aunt died while getting an illegal abortion.
“I wanted to prevent that from ever happening to others,” Ramazan said.
Her passion and leadership in organizing students at UT Dallas and elsewhere to advocate for reproductive rights has now been recognized with the distinguished
Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Read the article.
Patrick Nnoromele (left) and Jennifer Jenks (right).
Members of a new club at UTD are raising puppies that may go on to be service dogs. They are (from left) Aubrey Rowan and Colby, Andrew Lautzenheiser and Blythe, and Kaylie Kruppa and Erie.
UTD Goes to the Dogs
UT Dallas junior Aubrey Rowan has a constant companion while she pursues a degree in business administration.
Wherever she goes, she is shadowed by Colby, a 4-month-old Labrador puppy who is training to become an assistance dog for people with disabilities.
Colby lives with Rowan in her apartment on campus and even accompanies her to class. His service vest indicates he is officially on loan from Canine Companions for Independence. Read the article.
From left: Dr. Joseph Izen, professor of physics, and UT Dallas physics students Ian Grey, Holly Choma, Briana Evans, and Victoria Catlett are helping to organize a campus watch party for the transit of Mercury on Nov. 11. Choma, Evans and Catlett are National Merit Scholars.
For Physics Groups, Love of Astronomy Was Always Written in the Stars
Victoria Catlett’s father bought The University of Texas at Dallas junior a telescope at the age of 9, thus igniting a love of astronomy that has continued since childhood. The two would spend evenings searching for constellations in the evening sky.
Now a physics
and
mathematics
double major, Catlett is the business chair and unofficial “astronomy officer” for the
Society of Physics Students
(SPS) at UT Dallas. As such, Catlett is part of a team of students who are instrumental in organizing star parties, telescope training and watch parties for events such as solar and lunar eclipses. Read the article.
UT Dallas honors students meet during a recent Java Friday event at the Cecil and Ida Green Center.
National Merit Scholar
Anu Emmandi BS’19 had already been accepted into an engineering college in Michigan when a friend told her about the honors program at The University of Texas at Dallas. On a whim, Emmandi decided to visit the campus.
She came away with a good feeling about being an honors student at a smaller school. As an out-of-state student, she especially looked forward to having a built-in peer group that was academically engaged and culturally diverse. Read the article.
Sydney Sherman BS’19
Biomedical Engineering Grad Becomes First Phi Kappa Phi 1897 Fellow
Sydney Sherman BS’19 has been named the first 1897 Fellow of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. The new national award recognizes the highest-scoring applicant in a STEM discipline.
McDermott Scholar Will Further Her Arabic Studies as Boren Scholar
Elizabeth "Tess" Helfrich, a biology and historical studies junior at The University of Texas at Dallas, hopes a distinguished scholarship will provide the next step in her journey toward practicing emergency medicine overseas.
Helfrich is the first
Eugene McDermott Scholar
to receive a
Boren Scholarship
from the National Security Education Program. She will spend the next year studying modern standard Arabic as well as the local Ammiya dialect at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan. Read the article.
Jeanie Aird (top), Sydney Sherman (bottom)
Jonsson School Students Earn National Graduate Research Fellowships
Two University of Texas at Dallas students and two alumni will receive support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as they pursue their graduate studies.
How UT Dallas Helped Emily Luth BS’17 Find Her True Passion
When El Paso native Emily Luth BS’17 first came to The University of Texas at Dallas for a soccer tournament during her senior year of high school, it was love at first sight. She fell for the close-knit feel of the campus, the many amenities and the esteemed
engineering program. When she was admitted and was offered the
Terry Foundation Scholarship
later that year, her bags were all but packed. Read the article.
Senior lecturers Dr. Christina Thompson and Dr. Scott Rippel give the mini-Whoosh sign during a successful beehive installation at one of the apiaries on campus.
Bees & Butterflies
Most people would be somewhat wary around a beehive buzzing with thousands of stinging insects. Scott Rippel MS’96, PhD’99 practically goes into Zen mode.
For Rippel, a senior lecturer in biological sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, working with honey bees is more than a way to educate the campus community about the importance of pollinators — it’s an experience. Read the article.
Carlos Rodriguez-Cruz y Celis.
Global Business and Marketing Senior Named Schwarzman Scholar
Global business and marketing senior Carlos Rodriguez-Cruz y Celis says he gained an "analytical lens" from the
Naveen Jindal School of Management
at The University of Texas at Dallas that will help him develop policy solutions for global challenges.
His perspective will be further enhanced when he travels to Beijing in June as the second UT Dallas recipient of the prestigious international
Schwarzman Scholar
award. Read the article.
Aisha Noor BA’12, MPA’13 (left) and Monica Niewiarowski BA’13 (right) and became best friends at UT Dallas and have both chosen careers in the law.
Friendship Sustains Comets Pursuing Legal Careers
During an introductory course in 2009, freshmen were asked to lead presentations on topics in which they consider themselves experts. Aisha Noor BA’12, MPA’13 decided to demonstrate her method for wrapping a hijab and chose Monica Niewiarowski BA’13 to be her model.
This moment launched a friendship that has allowed Noor and Niewiarowski to push each other to excel along parallel life paths, including a move from UT Dallas to Washington, D.C., to law school and back to Dallas, where they are enjoying their first year of professional law practice. Read the article.
Among this year’s new Terry Scholars are 14 freshmen, including two valedictorians, four AP Scholars and one National Hispanic Scholar.
New Group of Terry Scholars Joins the University This Fall
The University of Texas at Dallas welcomed 22 new
Terry Scholars
this fall: 14 freshmen and eight transfer students.
Overall, the 99 Terry Scholars enrolled at UT Dallas will receive combined awards of more than $2.2 million this year. Since 2006, the
Terry Foundation
has given more than $17 million to the University’s 300 scholars. Read the article.
Chetan Reddy celebrated with his parents, Vijay Reddy MSEE’92 and Geetha Manku MS’94, after winning the Dallas Regional Spelling Bee in 2010. They now help young spellers at GeoSpell Academy in Plano.
Scholar Offers Words of Wisdom in Mentoring Aspiring Spelling Champs
As a Plano eighth-grader, Chetan Reddy advanced to the finals of a national spelling competition but fell short of his dream of becoming the top speller in the country.
Reddy, then 13, made it to the 10th round before tripping up on "kaburi" (a land crab) — which he said he had spelled correctly before — and was eliminated from the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee. He ended up tying for seventh place. Read the article.
More than tripling the participant count from 26 to 79 "Clarkies" was just the start in terms of changes to the program, which gives immediate research participation opportunities to incoming freshmen at The University of Texas at Dallas. Read the article.
The National Merit Scholars Program, housed in the Cecil and Ida Green Center, is part of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College.
University Becomes Popular Destination for National Merit Scholars
The University of Texas at Dallas welcomed more than 170 new National Merit Scholars this fall, a record for the University. Last year, 160 freshman scholars chose to attend UT Dallas, the ninth-largest class among all U.S. universities and the third-largest among public universities.
National Merit Scholars at UT Dallas receive complete tuition coverage for up to eight semesters; per-semester stipends for housing, books, supplies and other costs; and a one-time study abroad opportunity. Read the article.
Sydney Sherman and Rachel Meade.
Two Undergraduate Researchers Win Goldwater Scholarships
Engineering Grad Becomes University's Newest Phi Kappa Phi Fellow
Hans Ajieren BS'18, a recent electrical engineering graduate at The University of Texas at Dallas, has received another distinguished scholarship to further his career researching innovative devices to treat neurological disorders.
Ajieren, an alumnus of the McDermott Scholars Program and a National Merit Scholar, has been recognized with a $5,000 Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. Read the article.
Eric Chen and Carla Ramazan.
New Student Government Leaders Focus on Sustainability, More Space
New Student Government leaders at The University of Texas at Dallas were elected with a campaign to engage students in more sustainability efforts and expand common space for students to gather on campus.
Incoming president Eric Chen, a National Merit Scholar and an actuarial science junior in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and vice president Carla Ramazan, a McDermott Scholar and an undeclared freshman who plans to attend law school, are experienced Student Government leaders who hope to impact the campus for future generations. Read the article.
From the left: Teaching assistant Laurel Kirk, Kaitlyn Luckock, Christopher Tran, Mariana Huerta, Clisha D’Souza, Tiffany Nguyen, Linda Schiller, CUSLAI program director Monica Rankin and research assistant Toni Loftin at the recent awards breakfast.
Students Awarded For Humanitarian Work in Mexico
At the end of a summer internship, seven students opted to stay for an additional four weeks in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but Ben Wroblewski, Samee Ahmad, Clisha D’Souza and Linda Schiller embarked on a decidedly bolder course.
The students left Oaxaca and drove five hours outside of the city, on a bus and via mountain roads to the remote Hermanos en el Camino (Brothers in the Road) shelter, where they would stay alongside the migrants, many of who were fleeing violent crimes and terrible conditions in South America. Read the article.
Vladyslav Wallace.
Sophomore Wins Gilman Scholarship to Pursue Passion for Languages
UT Dallas sophomore Vladyslav Wallace moved to Plano, Texas, as a child when his parents emigrated from Ukraine. He grew up speaking two languages, often helping his parents translate their native Ukrainian into English.
Wallace pursued his interest in languages by taking a gap year after high school with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth in Moldova, where he perfected his Russian. A double major in global business in the Naveen Jindal School of Management and international political economy in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, he began learning a fifth language last summer during an internship to Estonia. Read the article.
Nancy Fairbank BA'17 is the third UT Dallas student to win a Marcus L. Urann Fellowship of $15,000 from the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Political Science Graduate Wins Prestigious Urann Fellowship
Nancy Fairbank, a May graduate in political science at The University of Texas at Dallas, has received another prestigious scholarship that will propel her toward a career in international law.
Fairbank, an alumna of the McDermott Scholars Program, is the third UT Dallas student — and the second in a row — to win the Marcus L. Urann Fellowship of $15,000 from the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. Read the article.
Growing up in Wisconsin, UT Dallas junior and McDermott Scholar Matthew Salm gained an appreciation for nature and the environment.
He and his family vacationed in national parks. Salm participated in high school soccer, swimming and track. He has reached the summit of four of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states. Read the article.
Biology senior Karthik Hullahalli is one of four UT Dallas students recognized this year by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.
Goldwater Foundation Recognizes Students
Four undergraduate researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas have been recognized this year by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, including three full scholarship winners from the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Biology senior Karthik Hullahalli, chemistry junior Gino Occhialini and biochemistry sophomore Justin Raman all received full scholarships. Read the article.
Derek Nguyen BS'13, will graduate this spring from UT Southwestern Medical School with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Alumnus Reaches Top of Medical School Class
A UT Dallas alumnus who is graduating at the top of his class at medical school credits his academic success to his learning experience as an undergraduate.
Derek Nguyen BS’13 is among a handful of students who earned a 4.0 GPA this spring at UT Southwestern Medical School. He will spend his medical intern year at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas before heading to Johns Hopkins Hospital for his four-year residency in radiology. Read the article.
Dr. Kara Sutton (left) and Dr. Richard Scotch are conducting the needs assessment for Texas Pride Impact Funds, a Houston-based nonprofit.
Sociology Study Examines Needs of LGBT+ Communities in Texas
Sociologists in UT Dallas’ School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences are conducting an in-depth study to identify the needs and concerns of LGBT+ communities across the state.
Dr. Richard Scotch, professor of sociology, and Dr. Kara Sutton, a sociology lecturer, were selected to conduct the needs assessment for Texas Pride Impact Funds, a Houston-based nonprofit that supports organizations and projects serving LGBT+ communities throughout the state. Read the article.
Margaret McDermott.
McDermott's $10 Million Gift Establishes New Name for Honors College
The University of Texas at Dallas, in accord with the terms of a gift creating an endowment of $10 million for support of undergraduate research, has announced that its Honors College is being renamed the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College, in honor of its long-serving chief academic officer. Read the article.
UT Dallas psychology senior Kaylie Hartman will serve on a student advisory committee for It's On Us.
Senior Joins National Panel Aiming to End Sexual Assault on Campus
UT Dallas psychology senior Kaylie Hartman is one of 28 students selected nationwide — and the only one from Texas — to serve on a student advisory committee for a national initiative that empowers students to help end sexual assault on campuses.
Hartman will be a liaison between the It’s On Us initiative and college students at UT Dallas and other participating universities in Texas. Read the article.
Blake Eaton BS'16.
Political Science Graduate Earns Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship
UT Dallas alumnus Blake Eaton BA’16 recalls very clearly the moment he decided to pursue a legal career.
"I was in the sixth grade, and it was the first time my mom let me watch 'Law and Order.' I remember thinking, ‘That’s where I want to be,’" Eaton said. Read the article.
Nancy Fairbank.
Political Science Senior Publishes Book on Teen Homelessness
UT Dallas political science senior Nancy Fairbank got an up-close look at teen homelessness while working on a high school journalism project.
Her resulting documentary, about a center for youths living on the streets in her hometown of Springfield, Missouri, turned into much more than an assignment. It was the first step in an ongoing effort to advocate for homeless teens. Read the article.
Melanie Maurer (left) and Arden Wells have each earned a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.
Students Earn Graduate Research Fellowships
Four years ago, Arden Wells and Melanie Maurer began their UT Dallas experience together as strangers.
Now, the two roommates and Eugene McDermott Scholars will leave the University together, graduating on the same day this spring, each with a 2016 Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. Read the article.
Hyunjoo "Eunice" Ko.
Scholarship Winner Gets Dose of New Medical Skills in South Korea
When Hyunjoo "Eunice" Ko applied for a
David L. Boren Scholarship
to study in Seoul, South Korea, she knew she would gain advanced skills in the Korean language and experience working in a research lab.
She didn’t expect to get a firsthand look at how a nation handles a medical crisis. A deadly 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) left 36 dead and staggered Seoul’s economy as people avoided public places with large crowds. Read the article.
Naomi D’Amato is interning at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., this semester.
Undergrad Receives Emerging Scholar Award from Golden Key Society
UT Dallas accounting junior Naomi D’Amato said her mother taught her early on to focus her life on serving others.
When she got to UT Dallas, she was further inspired by the way faculty members such as Matthew Polze, a lecturer in business law, and Dr. Ted Harpham, dean of the Honors College, showed an interest in helping students and shared their passion for learning. Read the article.
Raheel Ata BS’15, receiving his white coat as he began medical school at Stanford University this fall.
Prescription for Success: Med Student Wins Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship
UT Dallas alumnus Raheel Ata BS’15 knew he wanted to someday work in the medical field.
His specific career niche crystallized during his Archer Fellow semester in Washington, D.C. While doing clinical rotations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Ata observed investigational clinical trials with veterans, using devices such as robotic arms for amputees. Read the article.
Stuart Yun BS'13.
In Mojave Desert, Engineer Eyes the Sky as Career Takes Flight
The Mojave Desert can overwhelm the senses. The sweltering afternoons and frigid nights make it impossible to dress for any occasion. The unforgiving brightness of a cloudless sky renders sunglasses ineffective. The howling winds kick up dust that coats wind-worn Joshua trees. Only the occasional sonic boom, high-altitude contrails and unidentified object in the sky indicate the history — and the future — of this desolate landscape. Nearly seven decades ago, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in this Southern California desert, and it is here where many discoveries, first flights and world records have been set. Read the article.
Melanie Maurer, biomedical engineering junior, one of three full scholarship winners.
Three Undergrad Researchers Receive Goldwater Scholarships
A record three undergraduate researchers from UT Dallas have received full scholarships this year from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, a tally that matches top-ranked institutions such as Yale University, the University of Michigan and Rice University. Read the article.
Dr. Ted Harpham, an associate provost and professor of political science and dean of the Honors College.
New College Brings Undergraduate Honors Programs under One Roof
The UT System's Board of Regents has approved the creation of an Honors College at UT Dallas to better coordinate, initiate and promote programs that advance excellence in undergraduate education.
The new college will build on the foundations of the University's existing honors programs, and will raise their status and structure, said Dr. Ted Harpham, an associate provost and professor of political science who has been appointed dean of the Honors College. Read the article.
