From our humble origins in Denton to our rising national prominence, UNT is growing as a first-choice institution and partner known for creativity and excellence.

Creativity is alive in everything we do, whether it's musical and artistic excellence or thought-provoking education, research and scholarship. We see problems and find innovative solutions. We use our knowledge, talent and skills to make the world better, as you'll see in our cover story on alumni who are making global impacts. And as a place where art and science converge, we educate, inspire and innovate.

I'm especially proud of how we change our students' lives in a style all our own at UNT. We captured the harmony of how our campus community works together in this year's holiday video. And be sure to look for our creativity-inspired billboards throughout the North Texas region.

We also celebrated the close of our first comprehensive campaign, The Campaign for UNT, this fall with more than $210 million, exceeding our goal. These gifts provide scholarships to our students, support faculty research and scholarship, and bolster our academic programs. Together, they ensure that our students get the best educational experience at UNT. Most importantly, gifts help our students achieve their dreams. You can show your support at giving.unt.edu.

Debbie and I have been part of the UNT community for just 10 months, but we were embraced immediately as family and everyone has been so welcoming. Our love and pride and this great university grows stronger each day. We’re excited about what the future holds for UNT.