The UNT Alumni Association used feedback from its recent survey to create more programs and opportunities for alumni, with the first event helping to kick off the Mean Green football season and UNT's 125th anniversary celebration.

"To build an effective alumni engagement program we must stay relevant to our alumni constituents," says Robert McInturf, executive director of the association. "The first step is asking what our alumni think and want."

The association helped the Mean Green paint Dallas green by hosting the Official Mean Green Alumni Rally at Four Corners Brewery in Dallas Sept. 11, a day before the season opener against DFW rival Southern Methodist University. Scrappy and the UNT cheerleaders helped pump up fans for the game as they enjoyed food trucks and special brew crafted by UNT alumni owners of Armadillo Ale Works and Audacity Brew House. The fun continued gameday with alumni, students and other fans tailgating on the SMU campus before the game.

"The weekend's festivities were a great start in offering consistent and sustainable outreach to our alumni in Dallas," McInturf says, adding that regional alumni chapters will be implemented this fall in Dallas and Collin counties, with plans to extend programs to other areas in the DFW area soon.

"We'll continue to use this alumni survey feedback to better engage with them," he says, "and offer more programming and events that allow our alumni to come together and spread their green pride." Learn about other upcoming events at www.untalumni.com.