Category: Life & Arts

  • Amateur philosophers find community

    On any given Friday afternoon, several students gather in a classroom in the Erik Jonsson Academic Center to discuss the unexpected: epistemology, ethics, logic, metaphysics, morality and justice. After spending some time trying to find an identity, The Philosopher’s Society is gaining stability as a student organization and working to establish itself as a unique…

  • ‘Atlanta’ tackles social issues through lens of rap

    Donald Glover has presented himself in multiple forms in the past decade — writer, rapper, comedian, visual artist and now showrunner of FX’s “Atlanta.” Glover’s latest artistic endeavor is the culmination of all of his professional personas. “Atlanta” successfully webs social commentary and entertainment with a talented ensemble cast under the guidance of Glover. Atlanta…

  • Novel explores magical realism in utopian afterlife

    Have you ever wondered if there is a heaven? Have you contemplated the meaning of life? Have you ever wondered if the butterfly effect is more than just an abstract theory? If so, “The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall” by Shannon Kirk is a must-read novel for you. “The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall,” published…

  • Singer finds voice

    Scott Li walked onto the stage, his heart racing. In front of him were judges who would decide his fate in the singing competition. Li, an interdisciplinary studies junior, competed in the “Voice of China” singing competition and placed third in the U.S. division. While his family and friends encouraged him to participate for the…

  • Faculty member shares passion for ‘Star Trek’

    Various departments at UTD put on events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek’s” premiere — all organized by a faculty member and self-described “Trekkie.” Jacqueline Long, the program supervisor at the Academic Bridge Program, helped the Meteor Theater, UTDesign and the McDermott Library host events starting Sept. 8, which marked fifty years since…

  • Alum launches clothing line

    It’s safe to say Ali Mahmoud is a modern Renaissance man. The UTD alumnus is a medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, a husband, a businessman and fashion designer for Next Ummah, a fashion brand he founded during his time at UTD. Mahmoud said the word “ummah” refers to the…

  • Oldest driver helps settle int’l students

    Comet Cruiser’s 883 West service to McCallum Boulevard is almost always full. Dennis Taylor, one of the longest-serving drivers for the Comet Cruiser service who operates the McCallum route, chats with students on the 15-minute journey, asking about their days, offering recommendations for restaurants in the city and reminding them to call their parents. A…

  • Gourmet Club offers taste of home

    It was 7 p.m. in the Student Union. The regular hustle and bustle was in full swing. Behind the doors of the Gemini Room, however, a warm family dinner was underway. The Gourmet Club had its first meeting of the year on Aug. 29. Eighteen people showed up, but — if the past were any…

  • Alum to represent women in video games

    An ATEC alumna, who is an arcade coordinator at the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, has influenced the growth of the museum from the perspective of a woman in a field that has yet to be equally composed of both men and women.  After hearing about the National Videogame Museum’s vision to revive the world…