Features

When campus closed on March 13, faculty members began to work from home while custodial service employees, considered essential personnel, stayed. 

In May, Juan Valles, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient, walked the virtual stage to receive his degree in biology. Valles said as a DACA recipient, he faced financial and political barriers different to those U.S. citizens face, and as a result had to work twice as hard to complete his college education.

After in-person graduation ceremonies were canceled in March, spring 2020 graduates said they hoped their virtual celebration would be memorable. For Nicole Pownall, the prerecorded “celebration” only lasted 4 minutes and 50 seconds. 

Moriba Jah was hired in 2017 as an associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at UT. On Feb. 18 of this year, he learned he’s the first African American in the position.