International and National Media Highlight
American Online News Network | October 25, 2021
Artist Scott Nicol ’92 presents his work in a new art installation at Austin College. The installation, titled “Ladders and Walls,” features abandoned ladders found at the U.S.-Mexico border and focuses on the futility of border walls.
BizWest | October 1, 2021
Dr. Amie Meditz ’90 is named one of 2021’s most notable women in health care. Meditz is an infectious disease physician and works for the Boulder Community Health/Beacon Center for Infectious Diseases.
City of Boulder | October 20, 2021
Teresa Taylor Tate ’96 has been named the new City Attorney for Boulder, Colorado. Tate was most recently the deputy city attorney in Longmont.
Depauw University | October 12, 2021
Depauw University President Lori S. White presented the 2021 A.J. Carlson Lecture, titled “One More River to Cross: Elevating the Value and Impact of the 21st Century Liberal Arts College” at Austin College Oct. 14.
The Eagle-Tribune | October 26, 2021
Caitlin Perry ’22 is recognized in her hometown newspaper for her role on the Austin College Cheer & STUNT program as team mascot.
Inside Higher Ed | October 5, 2021
Dr. Karla McCain, formerly associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of chemistry at Austin College, in Texas, has been selected as provost at Blackburn College, in Illinois.
KXAN NBC News Austin | October 18, 2021
WalletHub, the personal finance website, used 30 different types of criteria to rank schools across the country as early-decision application deadlines near. The site ranked the top 10 colleges and universities in Texas, with Austin College coming in eighth place.
Oakland News Now | October 29, 2021
The Food Network YouTube channel features Deepa Shridhar ’09 teaching the viewers how to make paniyaram to celebrate her cultural heritage. These crisp, fluffy fermented rice cakes are a traditional south Indian festival food made for Diwali.
Dallas and Regional News
Advocate Lake Highlands | October 8, 2021
Jenny King ’92, the UT Southwestern Medical Center public affairs manager, is to be honored as a distinguished alumna during the Homecoming activities. King has been an honorary member of the Austin College alumni board since 2017. She is also president of Dallas Summit and works with groups addressing diversity, education, equality, neighborhood development, inclusion, and leadership.
CultureMap Austin | October 20, 2021
Austin College is ranked number eight of the best Texas colleges. Rice University took the top spot, with the University of Texas coming in at number 2. WalletHub compared more than 1,000 institutions in the U.S. across 30 key measures, including student-to-faculty ratio, graduation rate, and post-school median salary.
CultureMap Dallas | October 20, 2021
Austin College makes it in the top ten best colleges in Texas, ranking number eight. Other Dallas-area schools to make the list are University of Dallas and SMU. Determining factors by WalletHub included student-to-faculty ratio, graduation rate, and post-school median salary.
CultureMap Fort Worth | October 21, 2021
Austin College achieves number eight on WalletHub’s top ten best colleges in Texas. Other schools within the list of top 15 are University of Texas at Dallas at number 11 and TCU at number 12.
CultureMap San Antonio | October 19, 2021
A personal finance website, WalletHub, ranked the best Texas colleges. Trinity University in San Antonio comes in at number three, while Austin College is ranked number eight.
D Magazine | October 22, 2021
Artist Will (Harpham) Heron ’11 is an artist and the founder of the Wild West Mural Fest and Art Walk West. This is the seventh annual event, where 25 artists transform multiple walls and other surfaces throughout Trinity Groves and West Dallas’ Tin District into a public art festival to commemorate the community’s rich artistic and cultural scene.
Methodist Healthcare | September 30, 2021
Methodist Hospital named Rachel (Friedman) Goldsmith ’05 as the new chief operating officer for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital. Goldsmith previously served as the COO for Methodist Hospital Northeast where she oversaw over $40 million in construction projects.
Shoutout DFW | October 19, 2021
Eric Venegas ’98 is a graphic designer and educator. He discusses his creative process and how he creates brands for companies that create a promise. Venegas owns his own company called Small Hat Studio, a design studio in Dallas. At Austin College, he discovered his passion for art, started learning Adobe Photoshop, which led to an internship at Fossil and, eventually, a full-time position after graduation.
Texas Standard | October 25, 2021
A new art exhibition at Austin College, “Ladders and Walls,” by artist Scott Nicol ’92 features ladders and other artifacts from the U.S.-Mexico border as well as photographs of the border. Nicol said that the exhibition is a reminder that the border-crossers who use the ladders are real people, and that erecting such barriers to stop them is futile.
Local Media Highlights
Herald Democrat | October 5, 2021
Austin College honors seven Distinguished Alumni on October 22 during Homecoming activities on campus. Among those being honored is Roger B. Luttrell ’76. Luttrell has been a successful business and community leader in Howe and Van Alstyne, and he spent his career as a partner in the Benton Luttrell Insurance Company, staying active in his community and church. The others being honored are Thomas W. Newsom ’91, Denise Bristow Fate ’76, Tom G. Hall Jr. ’78, Jenny King ’92, Melissa Thompson ’84, and Hannah Alexander ’12.
Herald Democrat | October 12, 2021
In his editorial series “Let’s Reminisce,” Dr. Jerry Lincecum, faculty emeritus at Austin College, predicts that the Covid-19 pandemic will soon become endemic. A disease becomes endemic when it is manageable but unlikely to be eliminated. Lincecum discusses various properties that prevent the virus from being completely eradicated, the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine, and the benefits of an endemic Covid-19 world.
Herald Democrat | October 19, 2021
In his editorial series “Let’s Reminisce,” faculty emeritus Dr. Jerry Lincecum explains our tendency to see faces that aren’t actually there, like a smiling face on a manhole cover, a phenomenon known as pareidolias. David Alais, an Australian psychology professor, says that humans are primed to perceive faces because our daily survival hinged on this trick in the past to distinguish friend from foe. Lincecum discusses several studies testing this effect on humans and suggests that today’s emoticons are another example of pareidolias.
Herald Democrat | October 26, 2021
In his editorial series “Let’s Reminisce,” professor emeritus of English Dr. Jerry Lincecum looks back on the history of Halloween.
Blogs and Online Media
North Texas e-News | October 8, 2021
Dr. Henry H. Bucher Jr., emeritus faculty in Humanities, discusses the connection between Bible stories and reality. Bucher references an article that compares Britney Spears’ conservatorship to the story in Genesis 34 of Jacob’s daughter Dinah.
North Texas e-News | October 9, 2021
Every year, several alumni are selected for Distinguished Alumni recognition: those who have distinguished themselves in their profession and in their communities, exemplifying leadership and ethical standards in their interactions. Seven Distinguished Alumni will be honored at this year’s homecoming: Roger Luttrell ’76, Thomas W. Newsom ’91, Denise Bristow Fate ’76, Tom G. Hall Jr. ’78, Jenny King ’92, Melissa Thompson ’84, and Hannah Alexander ’12.
North Texas e-News | October 10, 2021
Dr. Lori S. White, president of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and a leader in higher education development, is to present the 2021 A.J. Carlson Lecture on October 14. Her lecture is titled “One More River to Cross: Elevating the Value and Impact of the 21st Century Liberal Arts College.”
North Texas e-News | October 26, 2021
Henry H. Bucher Jr., emeritus faculty in Humanities, reflects on the career of the late General Colin Powell and when he spoke at the Austin College campus. Bucher remembers General Powell relating the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child,” to his own childhood in New York City.
The Observer | October 6, 2021
The Austin College student newspaper, The Observer, highlights professor Felix Harcourt. Harcourt, assistant professor of history, is originally from England but has a passion for American history. Dr. Harcourt has already made his mark in his career, having been featured or cited in newspapers and news shows such as The Guardian, The New York Times, CBS Sunday Morning, and C-Span. He has also mentored students in research presented at the Austin College Student Scholarship Conference.
The Observer | October 20, 2021
Austin College welcomes a new vice president of Student Affairs, Carllos Lassiter, also in the role of chief inclusion and diversity officer. Lassiter has appreciated the hospitality from faculty and students he has interacted with not only during the interview process but also in his two months of work. Lassiter is working to create a more inclusive and safe campus community.
The Observer | October 21, 2021
This year, in an effort to be more gender-inclusive, Austin College is eschewing from the tradition of Homecoming King and Queen and will be electing a Homecoming High Court instead. This year’s six nominees are Mariam Abeje ’22, Allyson Doan ’22, Carlos Estrada ’23, Hersh Patel ’22, Sara Schuster ’22, and Claudia Theriot ’22.
RunSignUp.com | October 31, 2021
Johnny Biffar ’21 and Chris Biffar ’21 placed first and second, respectively, in the DAWG (Denison Animal Welfare Group) Halloweenie 5K run in Denison on October 31.
News ’Roos Can Use
Inside Higher Ed | October 28, 2021
A new Student Voice Survey indicates that students have trouble developing mentor relationships and offers nine strategies for helping students make those connections.
Inside Higher Ed | October 27, 2021
A new report from the College Board shows that tuition increases are at a historic low. As a result, the amount of federal student loans has also declined.
Inside Higher Ed | October 26, 2021
Two years into the pandemic, college enrollment numbers are still in decline nationwide, with a few exceptions such as highly selective institutions. The biggest declines are at public two-year institutions.