The Texas Union is home to the university’s first dedicated esports space, expanding a long-term development partnership that supports students. Find out how the Alienware Longhorn Esports Lounge created a dream career for one former Longhorn and opened up an exciting world of egaming for our students. Listen to this interview with Longhorn Gaming President Daphnee Grignon, a senior communication and leadership major from Austin, Texas, and University Unions Esports Coordinator Austin Espinoza in the first episode of the new academic year.

Approximately 10,000 incoming Longhorns are joining us on the Forty Acres this summer for orientation! Freshman Orientation is fully back in person. Family Orientation is back in person for the first time in three years. Hear from Orientation Advisor Shelby Davis, a senior sociology major from Houston, Texas, and Sarah Kauffman, a former family orientation student coordinator, on how these programs show new Longhorns and their families what Living the Longhorn Life is all about.

We’re celebrating the in-person return of two campus traditions –— Longhorn Run and Family Weekend — for the first time in three years in April. Hear how coming together on the Forty Acres inspired Longhorn pride among students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and community members. We talk with one of the run organizers Radhika Patel, a senior economics major form Plano, Texas, and parent Heather Fallek.

Meet the two extraordinary Longhorns joining an impressive list of well-known alumni who have received the Texas Parents Outstanding Student Award! Listen to Arquala Davis and Rocío Nairi Garza-Gómez reflect on their UT Austin experience, and also learn about the award’s prestigious 70-year history. 

Meet Jaskaran Singh, the senior finance and economics double major who won the Jeopardy! National College Championship. Find out how the Forty Acres prepared him for the competition and what’s next after graduation.

We wrapped up Black History Month on Feb. 28 with a cookout event featuring music, dancing, spoken word poetry and home-cooked cuisine. Listen now for student perspectives on the significance of these cultural events and activities. Our guests are Danielle Excell, a freshman business major from Dallas, Texas, Zion James, a junior sociology and black studies major from Dallas, Texas, and Alejandra Jimenez, a freshman government major from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Despite the double whammy of a modified semester start due to COVID-19 and then a winter storm that closed campus, we are back! Hear why there’s no place like the Forty Acres for in-person classes and activities from sophomores Michelle Azzi and Parker Nickerson; Jeffrey Johanns, McCombs School of Business; and Brandon Jones, University Housing and Dining. And learn how our university researchers are helping us navigate the pandemic, informing our effective polities and protocols.

Milestones and achievements mark this past semester. As we look ahead to 2022, we also want to share some highlights -- helping reopen campus, expanding mental health services and housing options, reimagining on-campus dining, safely connecting at events and activities, and continuing to combat COVID-19.

Our campus recognized 10,000+ first-gen students during First-Generation College Celebration Week, Nov. 7-13. The Forty Acres is home to more first-generation Longhorns than ever with 23% of all undergrads identifying as first-gen. Freshman Mimansha Shrestha and senior Grace Farley join us to share their experiences and how they found community on campus.

Our Longhorn Fiesta event capped off the university’s National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with music, dancing, food and friends. Hear how from event planner Robert Valdez, with University Housing and Dining and Hispanic Faculty and Staff Association, and volunteer Bella Vargas, a senior communication and leadership major from Brownsville, Texas.