Jessica Sinn
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C-SPAN Features Harry Middleton’s Liberal Arts Honors Course on “The Johnson Years”
A Liberal Arts Honors course taught by Harry Middleton, former director of the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, will be featured in a C-SPAN “Lectures in History” series at 12 p.m. on July 7. The series will spotlight the conclusion of Middleton’s popular course titled “The Johnson Years,” which explores the legislative activity that formed…
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Life & Letters Wins International CASE Award
Life & Letters, the magazine of the College of Liberal Arts, has won a Bronze Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Life & Letters won in the category of College and University General Interest Magazines with Circulations of 29,999 or Fewer for three issues: Fall 2011, Spring…
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Psychology Professor Chairs White House Convening on ‘Academic Mindsets’
David Yeager, assistant professor of psychology at The University of Texas at Austin, served as program chair and co-organizer for a special convening session titled “Excellence in Education: The Importance of Academic Mindsets” on May 16 at the White House. Yeager led a diverse group of experts to determine how to improve motivation and address…
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Virtual Gallery Reconstructs Art Exhibit Attended by Novelist Jane Austen
The Department of English at The University of Texas at Austin has launched an online reconstruction of a famous art exhibit visited by novelist Jane Austen on May 24, 1813 – exactly 200 years ago to the day. In a letter to her sister, Austen joked that she would be searching for a portrait of…
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The Appendix: Experimental Journal Showcases History of the Arcane
While sifting through the musty collections of ancient pages at the Smithsonian, Christopher Heaney stumbled upon some fascinating materials on an apocalyptic prophecy by “Benjamin, the Anti Christ,” a San Francisco prophet who foresaw earthquakes, international war and brain paralysis. Unfortunately it didn’t fit into his research topic on Peruvian mummies, so he had to…
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Graduating Senior Paulina Sosa Aims to End Extreme Poverty
Everything changed for Paulina Sosa, a philosophy and psychology double major, when she journeyed to a landfill community in Mexico on a church mission trip. At age 13, she was overwhelmed by a young boy’s desperation for basic needs when she presented him with a couple of trinkets. “I remember thinking that a piece of…
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Media Highlights: Spring/Summer 2013
July Hans Boas’ (Germanic Studies) research on Texas German was featured in the July issue of Texas Monthly. David Buss’ (Psychology) research was cited in a July 31 PBS Newshour story titled “Gaming Mr. Darcy: What Jane Austen Teaches Us about Economics.” Jennifer Ebbeler (Classics) shared insight into the benefits of a flipped classroom in…
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Spring/Summer 2013 Student Awards
July English Doctoral Student Named 2013 ACLS Public Fellow Molly Hardy, an English doctoral student, has been named as a 2013 American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Public Fellow. Hardy joins a cohort of 20 ACLS Public Fellows who will take up two-year assignments at one of a diverse set of partnering host organizations in…
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Humanities Research
What is the value of humanities research? Why is it a practical component of an undergraduate’s education? The answer is simple. Explorations into literature, philosophy, art, music and poetry teach us how to make sense out of a complex and interdependent world. Whether they’re deciphering ancient manuscripts, unraveling medieval mysteries, or reciting a Shakespeare play,…
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English Professor Dean Young Named 2014 Texas State Poet Laureate
Dean Young, professor of English at The University of Texas at Austin, has been named the 2014 Texas State Poet Laureate by the Texas Commission on the Arts. Recognized nationally as one of the most energetic, influential poets writing today, Young holds the William Livingston Chair of Poetry. He has published 12 books of poetry…
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Liberal Arts Honors Student Awarded Truman Scholarship
Jordan Metoyer, a Liberal Arts Honors junior majoring in urban studies and economics at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded a prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Metoyer was one of 62 scholars from among 629 candidates nominated by 293 colleges and universities. Recipients must have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be…
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End of Austin
Will rapid growth destroy the city’s weird and charming vibe? Walk by a magazine rack and take a look at the headlines. Chances are, you’ll find Austin gracing a “best city” list. Among its many accolades, the Texas state capital has been named the “best city to start a small business,” “best city for retirees,”…
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Help Wanted
Policy report shows minimum wage lifts women out of poverty, boosts consumer spending In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama made a bold claim: “Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to…
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Middle Eastern Studies Announces Fall 2013 Scholar in Residence
The Department of Middle Eastern Studies has appointed Hoda Barakat, an internationally acclaimed author, as the inaugural Fall 2013 Arabic Scholar in Residence. “The Arabic Scholar in Residence program will provide students with the opportunity to work closely with prominent Arab intellectuals,” says Tarek El-Ariss, assistant professor of Modern Arabic Literature in the Department of…
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Retiring Faculty 2013
Henry Dietz Government Dietz, the Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Government, taught at the university for 41 years. A specialist in Latin American politics, he studied urban poverty and politics, civil-military relations, and parties and party systems. Among his many teaching awards, he was inducted into the university’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers in…
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Life Lessons from the Great Books
Students explore themes that have shaped modern civilization For any of life’s challenges, there is a Great Book to offer valuable insight. From Homer’s “Odyssey” to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” to George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” the world’s greatest tomes have touched on themes that are as relevant today as when they were written. Tracing the ideas, stories…
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A New World Pope
2013 marks a historic year for the Catholic Church. In an unexpected move, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, becoming the first pontiff to step down in nearly 600 years. Now–for the first time ever–a Jesuit from Latin America will lead more than one billion Catholics worldwide. In light of these monumental changes, we caught…
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Psychologist Discusses Long-Term Impact of Preschool Education at United Way
Eliot Tucker-Drob, assistant professor of psychology, joined a panel of experts and public policy leaders for a discussion about the long-term effects of high-quality early education at a public event hosted by the United Way for Greater Austin on March 19. The panelists – including two Human Development and Family Sciences professors from The University…
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Undergraduate Writing Center Celebrates 20 Years of Service
In 1993 the Undergraduate Writing Center opened its doors to students of all majors in need of help on various writing-intensive projects—from research papers to résumés to scholarship application statements. To celebrate its 20-year anniversary, the writing center hosted its first large-scale symposium titled “The Future of Writing Centers” on Feb. 22-24. The event featured…
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English Professor Marjorie Woods Wins Humanities Research Award
Growing up in a large military family, Marjorie Curry Woods moved from state to state almost every year. “Everything in my life constantly changed, but I always took comfort in knowing that I would feel at home in school,” says Woods, professor in the Department of English and the Program in Comparative Literature. “How I…
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Home Sweet Home?
Take a look at your bedroom. Is it scattered with laundry? Adorned with photos? Are you only leaving a sliver of space in the closet for your partner’s clothes? These seemingly mundane domestic scenarios may reveal a surprising amount of information about a couple’s relationship, according to a forthcoming study led by Lindsay Graham, a…
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Spring/Summer 2013 Faculty & Staff Awards
August Sociology Professor Wins 2013 Feminist Mentor Award Sociologists for Women in Society has awarded Christine Williams, professor and chair of sociology, the 2013 Feminist Mentoring Award. Go to the Department of Sociology website for more about the award. French and Italian Professor Wins ISSNAF Award for Research in Italian Culture Paola Bonifazio, assistant professor…
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A New Building for a New Era
Just in time for the spring semester, the new College of Liberal Arts Building will make its debut. The 200,000 square-foot, glass and limestone structure will give more than 10,000 liberal arts students a place to call home for the first time in decades. Not only is the building the newest landmark for the campus,…
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Budding Philanthropists Give $100,000 to Five Charities
This holiday season, students from The University of Texas at Austin are giving back in a big way. Freshman enrolled in the “Philanthropy: The Power of Giving” signature course capped off their semester by giving away $100,000 to five charitable organizations at a check presentation ceremony on Monday, Dec. 14. The recipients include A Glimmer…
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Q&A: Is the Texas Twang Dying Out?
Go to any small Texas town and you’re likely to get an earful of “y’alls,” “might-coulds” and “fixin tos.” But in big cities like Austin, Dallas and Houston, Texans are sounding a lot less like cowpokes and more like other Americans. With a surge of newcomers, rapid urbanization and new technology, the Lone Star State’s…
