Opinion: Sanctions, reflections | July 26, 2024
Editor’s Note: Student X is one of nine students of the “UTD 21,” the 21 students, faculty and community members arrested at the May 1 encampment. Student X is currently facing both academic and legal litigation because of their arrest. Due to the exceptional circumstances they face, The Mercury has granted their request for anonymity […]
A buzz for sustainability | February 26, 2024
Amid the festive atmosphere of Valentine’s Day, the Student Union Market turned into a hive of activity for the much-anticipated annual Comet Honey Sale. Student volunteers and representatives from UTD’s Bee Campus USA collaborated to present Comet honey, gathered by students’ hands for the enjoyment of their peers. This student-driven initiative is hosted by the […]
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ bends expectations | February 26, 2024
The Netflix adaptation delivers performance while stripping away the heart of the original. Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is a grounded adaptation that pays respect to its source material, but its pacing and dialogue tears away at the original’s 19 years of nostalgia. This live adaptation is an inconsistent yet beautifully crafted disappointment that will […]
Need resume advice? Skip ECS 3390 | February 26, 2024
If you’re an ECS major looking for full time employment, a great way to accomplish this is through internships. Unfortunately, ECS 3390 — the class designed to help students with the rigorous internship application cycle — regularly fails to provide relevant guidance; you’re better off talking to the Association for Computing Machinery or other students […]
Locally sourced food could cut costs in new SU | February 26, 2024
UTD is in desperate need for affordable and sustainable food options, and locally-sourced dining options in the new Student Union can accomplish that goal by both improving students’ health and stimulating the local economy. After exerting all your mental energy trying to understand your last lecture, you’re starving, and you have 15 minutes to grab […]
Break out the brooms | February 26, 2024
The Comets outscored the Bulldogs 33-10 on across the three-game opening series. After two strong games on Friday, Feb. 16, including a 15-run performance in the series opener and a comeback win in the second game, the baseball team completed the sweep on Saturday with a statement game. In Saturday’s 12-0 blowout performance, right-hander and […]
Comets take home their last ever ASC title in buzzerbeater | February 26, 2024
Men’s basketball finished the season with a win, the women’s team with a loss. Both teams will take a break before transitioning to DII After consecutive wins against Concordia Texas and LeTourneau and a loss against East Texas Baptist, the men’s team qualified for the American Southwestern Conference championship and won both its games against […]
Luke Kiser: Kaiser of the Court | February 26, 2024
Kiser is the key to the Comets’ offense and a leader for the team Described by team members as a leader, Luke Kiser has become an integral part of the UTD Comets’ offense as a guard. He is averaging career-high numbers in points and assists this season, fueled by double-doubles against Hardin-Simmons and McMurry. Kiser, […]
Comets’ critical critique of cinema | February 26, 2024
“Oppenheimer”, “Barbie”, “American Fiction” among Oscar nominees this year While “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” might be the most famous of this year’s Oscars nominees, the eight other films up for “Best Picture” give them a run for their money. Since movies are an integral part of UTD’s campus culture, as seen with widespread campus participation in […]
Polaris shines bright with dance covers | February 26, 2024
Immersed in the electrifying beats of K-pop music, students at UTD aren’t just dancing; they’re finding a love for performance, fashion and more through the choreography of their favorite idols. Among these devotees is Polaris, a K-pop cover dance group that gives Comets a chance for self-expression. Though not formally affiliated with UTD, Polaris began […]
Comets remember Black history through Freedman’s Cemetery | February 26, 2024
While commuting through Oak Lawn on North Central Expressway, you might notice solemn statues juxtaposed against deteriorating tombstones and graves. With a dedication to preserving lost history like this, Comets aims to strengthen the Black community on campus through several events and organizations. The Freedmen’s Cemetery, 40 minutes from UTD, was established in 1861 near […]
Gymnastics club flips into the limelight | February 26, 2024
In the gym, members of the UTD gymnastics club perform flips, turns on the beam and splits. But beyond the floor, these gymnasts can be found bonding over scoops of ice cream at Braum’s and cultivating a sense of kinship. UTD’s gymnastics club, hosted by University Recreation, was established in 2012 by UT Austin alum […]
Visiting professor teaches Comets West African dance | February 26, 2024
On Feb. 22, as a part of UTD’s iWeek, Cassandra Hines — a master teacher in West African dance — introduced Comets to a West African celebratory dance known as tiriba. Hines fell in love with African dance when she took an elective course during college, which led her to pursue years of further training […]
Passport to the World brings glimpses of life from abroad | February 26, 2024
UTD’s 2024 iWeek opened on Feb.19 with the Passport to the World festival, where students shared different foods, fashion and the history of UTD’s many cultural groups. Student organizations represented countries including Ghana, Bangladesh, Palestine, Israel, Mexico, India, Kenya, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and more. The festival was organized by UTD’s Intercultural Programs department, or ICP, […]
Former Vice Provost and renowned statistician dies at home | February 26, 2024
John Wiorkowski, retired Vice Provost and Professor Emeritus in UTD’s School of Management, died at his home on Feb. 6 at the age of 80 in Corinth, Texas. A distinguished professor of statistics, Wiorkowski served as the Vice Provost from 2001 until his retirement in 2018. At the same time, he was a professor in […]
Alum wins $5,000 Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship | February 26, 2024
Austin Rios, a UTD alumnus and second-year medical student at Southwestern, received the Martin Luther King award on Jan. 17, a $5,000 scholarship for community service. Rios’ main goal with this scholarship is to make the health care field more equitable and accessible for all. Rios struggled through childhood due to his parents’ divorce, which […]
Women in politics: local politicians connect with Comets | February 26, 2024
Texas House Representatives Cassandra Hernandez, Victoria Neave Criado, Mihaela Plesa and Averie Bishop led a women running for office panel on campus on Feb. 12 to connect with college students before the upcoming March 5 primaries. The UTD chapter of Texas College Democrats hosted the “Galentine’s Day Panel” bringing a turnout of at least 35 […]
The tragedy of the carts: skipping the corral puts us all in a cage of selfishness | February 26, 2024
Unreturned shopping carts in parking lots are society’s barometer for how much people care about others. And with a tiny bit of effort, you can make sure that barometer reads right and help workers, pedestrians and the whole community by putting your shopping cart where it belongs — in the corral. Picture this. It’s Friday […]
Pathway to citizenship: the trials, triumphs of international students | February 26, 2024
Comets share how they handle the unique experience of being an international student. One in six Comets are international students More than 5,000 international students from over 100 countries attend UTD — representing over 60% of the graduate population, according to data from OISDS. And while international students report intense pressure from work, financial burdens […]
Protesters crash Nikki Haley rally | February 26, 2024
In Dallas, protesting Comets interrupt Haley’s speech, disrupt rally with criticism and condemnations Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley spoke at a Dallas rally; the event was disrupted five different times by pro-Palestine protestors who disguised themselves as Haley supporters on Feb. 18. “Nikki Haley chose a side – she chose genocide” During her campaign for […]
UTD community honors life of lost Comet with philanthropy | February 26, 2024
Abdul-Hadi Diwan, an interdisciplinary studies senior and beloved member of the campus community, died tragically in the late afternoon of Feb. 9 after a motorcycle crash off Coit Road. Following his death, UTD’s Muslim Student Association launched a humanitarian fundraiser to honor Hadi’s commitment to charitable action, with funds designated for emergency relief and aid […]