In the rapidly changing music industry, Dustin Blocker ('02) did something old school. He founded a record label.

Blocker created Dallas-based Hand Drawn Records, which represents roots, rock, folk and pop acts, and won the 2013 Dallas Observer Music Award for Best Label. Acts include Exit 380 and W.A. Fite, which Blocker performs with Andrew Tinker ('07). Blocker wasn't intimidated about creating the label, which he says "pushes creativity, with just the right smidge of commerciality" and has an "artist first" mentality.

"What fun would it be to form something that wasn't changing?" he says. "Perhaps it's Denton's fault. It's a culture rooted in change, with UNT at its core."