een awhile since you’ve been back to campus? Never fear – even if it’s been decades since you left the nest, you can always come home again. Just don’t expect everything to look the same. After all, UNT has made some welcome additions to campus life over the past several years. Here are five places to check out while you’re in town.
The all-vegan dining hall serves up healthy, tasty dishes ranging from pizza to paninis to fresh desserts (and offers gluten-friendly meals as well). It also is home to a hydroponic garden, from which various dining halls on campus receive much of their lettuce. UNT is so committed to vegan dining, the university received an A+ rating and Dean’s List status from Peta2 – one of just 68 schools out of 1,512 nationwide to receive the coveted status – for the fifth year in a row. And the university also was selected as having the second best campus food in the country by Delish.com. You can check out Mean Greens for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday, and breakfast and lunch Friday. For specific hours, visit dining.unt.edu/meangreens.
The newly renovated University Union opened in fall 2015 with an increased emphasis on being a green, high-tech, student-focused facility. The building features gaming pods, plasma displays in The Syndicate, touch-screen digital bulletin boards and maps, a rainwater collection system, water bottle refill stations, and natural light and solar power. Those looking to relax and unwind can check out the rooftop garden, meditation room, nap furniture, art galleries and various eateries, including Chick-fil-a, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Which Wich and Denton’s largest Starbucks, among other tasty options. For more information, visit studentaffairs.unt.edu/university-union.
Located on the first floor of Willis Library, as well as in Discovery Park, The Factory is UNT’s makerspace that promotes the cooperative and creative use of technology. The Factory provides access to equipment such as AV technology, 3D printers, die and laser cutters, sewing machines, weaving looms, and hand and electric tools. It also has software and training available to promote cross-disciplinary learning. Best of all, The Factory hosts workshops that are open to the public — so prepare to set your imagination free. For more information, visit guides.library.unt.edu/factory.
Located next to Apogee Stadium’s Gate 2 (west side of the stadium), the bronze statue celebrates UNT’s iconic football star and NFL Hall of Famer. Unveiled Sept. 29, the 12-foot-tall display was sculpted by Brian Hanlon, whose previous works include statues of other accomplished athletes such as Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown and Charles Barkley. Routinely considered one of the greatest defensive linemen in the history of football, Greene is one of UNT’s most recognizable alumni — and now everyone can hang out with one of the greats.
Nothing says the times, they are a changin’ quite like driving by all the new buildings that have opened — or are set to open — on campus. The super-modern College of Visual Arts and Design building, awash with natural light and plenty of space for creativity, had its soft opening this fall. Joe Greene Hall, the new 500-bed residence hall that also will include a Welcome Center, is currently under construction near Avenue A and Eagle Drive. Discovery Park is expected to unveil its Biomedical Engineering addition in summer 2019, the Track and Field Complex is nearing completion, a new 530-car parking lot opened near Victory Hall this semester, and the Indoor Practice Facility — to which alums Don and Patty Lovelace, their son Dillon and granddaughter Macey donated $2.5 million, and the McNatt family donated $3 million — is anticipated to open next summer.
