CoLA _Magazine_12_12_19

“Alone we can do so
little; together we can
do so much.”
- Helen Keller
Table of Contents
CoLA Staff [alphabetical order]
Lee Banda
Academic Resource Planning Director
Eric Bolsterli
Assistant Dean
Elisabeth Cawthon
Dean
Jonikka Davis
Communications Director
Phebe Erwin
Administrative Assistant
Oli Gemechu
Graphic Design Work Study Student
Janet Hazelmyer
Senior Office Assistant
Ami Keller-Garnett
Administrative Assistant
Laura Nation
Financial Officer
Jamie McTigue
Academic Recruiter
Les Riding-In
Assistant Dean
Jacob Singletary
Development Director
Sonja Watson
Associate Dean
Cindy Wilder-Graves
Executive Assistant
Magazine Staff
Jonikka Davis
Editor
Oli Gemechu
Art Director
Jamie McTigue
Layout & Design Consultant
Additional Contributors
David Arditi
Herb Booth
Brayden Garcia
Patricia Healy
Tim Kihneman
Ashley Lemke
The Shorthorn
Claire Thomas
University of Texas at Arlington—
Office of University Advancement
Duy Vu
Amber White
A Note from Dean Elisabeth Cawthon
These are exciting times for the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA). The
achievements of our award-winning faculty and students continue to inspire all
who are dedicated to the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. UTA’s CoLA
faculty have received coveted grants, and our students have been honored
through prestigious awards. Liberal Arts students, staff, and faculty continue
to drive innovative interdisciplinary collaborations that are sure to have
longlasting outcomes. In keeping with the college vision and mission, the theme
for this issue of the CoLA Annual Magazine is Community, Collaboration,
Global Thinking, and Imagination. As the stories here demonstrate, the impact
of UTA’s College of Liberal Arts stretches across the United States, the Amazon
region, Mexico, Japan, and beyond. Please join us in celebrating the central
role that liberal arts play in the world, as well as in the individual lives of our
talented students. Finally, I want to acknowledge our student graphic designer
for collaborating with us on this year’s magazine. Oli Gemechu, who is a Senior
in the Art and Art History Department, has helped us tell these stories so
beautifully.
Mission & Vision
In the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA), we use creative, interdisciplinary
approaches to address the challenges of a complex, global society. CoLA
departments and centers cluster into the social sciences, humanities, and fine
arts. We are comprised of highly skilled faculty and students who are dedicated
to elevating the human condition through research, scholarship, and creative
activity. Throughout the college, we diligently cultivate the following values:
Local Engagement & Global Thinking; Creativity & Innovation; Inclusiveness
& Diversity; Community & Collaboration; Curiosity & Imagination.
2 Evans Named Assistant Professor
3 Austin Receives UT System Board of Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award
5 London-Gray Wins Puffin Grant
6 UTA Day at the Capitol
7 Giberman Selected for National Humanities Center Summer Residency
9 Insights from a Professional Translator/Interpreter
10 Modern Languages Hosts Community Citizenship Clinic
11 UTA Launches Telemundo University
13 Photo Story: Faculty & Students Abroad
15 Local Teens Find their Space within UTA’s Art Community
16 Harp’s New Book Foreshadows 2020 U.S. Presidential Race
17 Garrigus Becomes First UTA Professor Named Carnegie Fellow
19 Zascavage Research to Revolutionize DNA Processing
21 CoLA Kudos Recap: Highlighting Diverse Maverick Achievements
23 Maverick Thespians Re-Enact a Historic Milestone
25 Photo Story: Anthropology Field School Offers Students & Faculty an Opportunity to Explore
27 Art + Art History Alumnae Accept Faculty Appointments
29 2019 Thus Far… The Year at a Glance
31 Linguistics & TESOL PhD Graduates Lead in New Roles
33 Dallas County’s Sheriff Brown Delivers CoLA’s May Commencement Address
35 Insight & Inspiration: A Conversation with Music Industry Studies Director Jamar Jones
37 From a Student’s Point of View: CRCJ’s Forensic Applications of Science & Technology Minor
39 Sledge & Thomas’ Study Highlights Need for Investment in Disaster Response
41 Pre-Law Center: Outlook & Legacy
43 Digital Culture: Download with Arditi