Dr. Lane Rawlins

Dr. Lane Rawlins

President of the University of North Texas, the state’s fourth-largest university

Educational background:B.S. Economics, Brigham Young University, 1963

Ph.D. Economics, UC Berkeley, 1969

Personal Background/Family: Born in Rexburg, Idaho in 1937. Attended schools in Eastern Idaho, graduating from Rigby in 1955.

Family:Mother was a schoolteacher. Father was a farmer. One sister. Wife, Mary Jo. Three children, 11 grandchildren. Four great-grandchildren.

What did you want to be when you were a child: Cowboy, lawyer, teacher — depended on the day.

What kind of student were you in school? Grade school: excellent, High school: indifferent, College and grad school: excellent

What advice do you have for students in the new school year?Ask questions. Make friends. Develop good routines. This is a transformative time in your life so don’t waste it.

Passion: I love public higher education and its students. They deserve the best.

• University of North Texas

The University of North Texas enrolls more than 36,000 students. The Denton campus is one of the largest residential campuses in the area, with 165 buildings and 14 residence halls on 800 acres. The campus includes a 285-acre research park, which is accessible with shuttle buses.

The university, founded in 1890, has 97 bachelor’s degree programs, 101 master’s degree programs and 48 doctoral degree programs – many of the programs are nationally recognized.
Last fall’s enrollment growth is the largest increase in seven years and marks the 9th consecutive year of record-breaking enrollment.

UNT also has a Dallas campus and a Fort Worth medical campus.

A $38.7 million Life Sciences Complex – a 4-story, 87,000-square-foot building – will open for the fall semester.

The building houses several programs, including physiology and genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology and plant science programs. It has a rooftop greenhouse and an atrium space at the main entrance.

The new 180,000-square-foot Business Leadership Building is scheduled to be completed by June 2011. The building is estimated to cost $70.1 million.
UNT has more graduate students than any other university in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and has alumni honored with prestigious awards including the Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award.

Among Texas public universities, UNT is the largest provider of online credit courses.

Dr. Ann Stuart

Dr. Ann Stuart

Chancellor and President for 11 years at Texas Woman’s University

Educational background: Bachelor’s Degree earned: B.A. in Education, University of Florida (Majors in English and Theatre) Master’s Degree earned: M.A. in English, University of Kentucky Ph.D. earned: English, University of Southern Illinois

Personal Background/Family: Born in Kentucky, raised in Florida; widow, no children. Hobbies: enjoying opera, museums, plays and related travel.

What did you want to be when you were a child: Something that allowed me to read. Books were always my best friends and whenever I could not be found, I was somewhere with a book.

What kind of student were you in school? A very good student, but not exceptional. I always enjoyed attending classes, the challenge of writing my reports and compositions, but mostly I enjoyed the process of learning. I was always curious about subjects I knew nothing about, and I continue to delight in learning new things.

What advice do you have for students in the new school year? Attend class, be on time, do your homework, and realize this is your opportunity to establish the foundation of your career and success. If you are having challenges on any subject, quickly engage with the tutoring or advising centers so you can receive help towards being successful.

• Texas Woman's University

Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest university primarily for women and enrolls more than 13,300 students. The students come to Denton from throughout Texas, the United States and the world.

The university has campuses in Denton, Dallas and Houston and offers an e-learning campus with online degrees in business, education and general studies.

TWU’s enrollment grew 25.8 percent from 2003 to 2008, which was the sixth-highest enrollment growth percentage among universities in Texas, according to information from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The school has had eight years of consecutive enrollment growth.

About 86 percent of TWU baccalaureate graduates are employed in Texas or enrolled in a Texas graduate program within one year, which is higher percentage than the state average.

TWU produces more speech pathologists and more teachers for the deaf than any other Texas university.

The university has the largest doctoral nursing program in the country, and the 11th-largest College of Nursing in the country, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

TWU has a national reputation for advanced-level occupational therapy and the program produces more therapists than any other program in the nation, according to information released to from the school.

TWU’s Executive MBA Council ranks the university’s EMBA program as the largest in the state.

Dr. Eddie Hadlock

Dr. Eddie Hadlock

Educational background: Dr. Eddie Hadlock?s career in education includes two years of public school teaching and 36 years of community college teaching and administration. Bachelor of Science, Hardin-Simmons University, 1967 Master of Education, East Texas State University, 1971 Doctor of Education, East Texas State University, 1974

Personal Background/Family:Hobbies include reading, stained glass and glass fusing.Eddie and his wife Donna have two children, Heather and David, and are the proud grandparents of Ashton and Zander.

What did you want to be when you were a child: I grew up on a farm and in my early years, I thought about being a farmer; but later had visions of being a fireman, policeman, or pilot.Upon graduation from high school I entered college with intentions of entering the ministry, but later decided to pursue a degree in education.After serving in the U S Navy, I entered graduate school to obtain a graduate degree in counseling.Taking an elective course in the history of the American junior college changed my career plans.The mission and philosophy of the community college movement intrigued me to the point that I knew I wanted to work in some capacity at a community college.

What kind of student were you in school? During elementary school I was a very dedicated student, but when I entered junior high school I was more interested in extracurricular activities (sports) and did not spend a lot of time studying.In college I became a more serious student, because I knew that a college education was going to provide me with the skills and knowledge to move beyond the economic level from which I came.

What advice do you have for students in the new school year? Establish relationships with advisors and faculty; become aware of all the resources provided by the college.For example, tutoring, supplemental instruction; develop a study/work schedule (time management); don’t be afraid to ask questions; become engaged with campus life activities; devote required time outside of class for studying; enjoy one of the greatest time periods in your life.

• North Central Texas College

North Central Texas College enrolls nearly 6,000 students at its Corinth campus in Denton County.

The community college is a two-year college that is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools to award associate degrees and certificates of completion.

The community college district is one of 51 public community college districts in the state.

NCTC’s main campus is in Gainesville, with other campuses in Cooke, Bowie and Montague counties.

The college was established in 1924 and is the oldest, continuously operating public two-year college in Texas. It recently celebrated a decade operating in Corinth.

Many of the classes transfer as college credit to several major universities in Texas and is treated as an extension of education at some local public high schools in the area.

The school offers freshman and sophomore classes in the arts and sciences, technical programs, continuing education and general education associates degrees.

The college recently added a new building to the Gainesville campus, the Career and Technology Center, which opened last year.