Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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President hosts monthly lunches to connect with students

2015-09-10-President_Fenves_Joshua
Joshua Guerra

As a way of connecting more directly with the students on campus, UT President Gregory Fenves will host monthly lunches with students who win seats through a lottery system beginning next month.

Meeting and interacting with Fenves at larger University events is difficult to do for both students and Fenves, according to the Office of the President website. This opportunity allows students to get to know Fenves better and share ideas about how to improve the University.

“I feel like if I have the opportunity to talk to [President Fenves], I could better express my concerns about the school,” psychology junior Jesus Medina said. “As students, we experience some of the issues that some of the staff doesn’t see.”


By speaking to students firsthand, Fenves can better shape his key goals for the University including undergraduate discovery, rigorous education and research. Students who want to become future leaders of the world can use this opportunity to provide concrete feedback that will work to improve the University as a whole. These lunches allow students to shape the education they are receiving while attending the University, according to JB Bird, University director of media outreach.

“This is a chance for students to contribute to the University,” Bird said. “Anyone planning to attend should come prepared to talk to the president about the big picture. They need to come with ideas ready.”

Not only can students use this opportunity to voice their thoughts on improvement, but this also serves as a chance for students to get to know Fenves, as he is curious to hear about the different experiences on campus thus far. Some students urge that all others should take advantage of this chance to form a connection.

“You never know if the president could become a mentor to you,” said Rose Booth, a communication sciences and disorders junior. “You can always grow from learning from people with more experience in the academic field.”

The topic for the first lunch on Sept. 26 is “Safety On Campus.” This will cover all measures being taken to provide a safe living and learning environment for all students throughout the University, according to the website. 

Any students hoping to attend must register online by Sept. 7 to be entered into the lottery system. About 18 students will be chosen to attend. 

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President hosts monthly lunches to connect with students