Influencing the Longhorn Life Staff Newsletter
Published: Dec. 9, 2025
Programs
Vice President John Dalton sent this email to students ahead of final exams and projects about the importance of caring mental and physical health during this season. The Division is hosting a variety of events for students to relax, recharge and finish the semester strong.
Campus Events+Entertainment and the Office of the Dean of Students teamed up on four Longhorn Watch Parties this fall. More than 2,000 students showed their Longhorn pride as they enjoyed delicious food, giveaways and activities at these game day events. Check out these photos from the Georgia watch party.
First-Gen Longhorns expanded the First-Gen Week celebration with the addition of two campus-wide events. The First-Gen Student Expo celebrated the creativity, accomplishments and entrepreneurship of our first-gen community. Vice President John Dalton addressed faculty and staff at the First-Gen Faculty & Staff Brunch. Check out this recap video and these photos.
Volunteer and Service Learning celebrated 26 years of The Project, UT’s largest day of service, with 980 volunteers including 799 students, faculty and staff. In just one day, The Project had a $138,986.05 economic impact to the community. Read how this initiative builds skills, careers and community leaders. See the action in this video.
The Longhorn Wellness Center is empowering students through the Longhorns Listen: Suicide Prevention Training. Staff trained 30 students, faculty and staff to recognize warning signs, engage with empathy and connect individuals to resources.
Recreational Sports partnered with Nike to host Intramural Flag Football Champ Night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 16, with more than 300 spectators in attendance. Eight teams competed for a spot on the Wall of Fame and the coveted intramural champion T-shirt. Spectators were also able to participate in on-field contests between games. View the photos.
This fall, the Disability Cultural Center partnered with mindful UT to host a new collaborative series, Mindfulness at the DCC. The program brought rotating mindfulness activities into the DCC space, including watercolors, meditation, breathwork and more. Events were held on Thursdays throughout the Fall 2025 semester.
Longhorn TIES (Transition, Illuminate, Empower, Succeed) hosted an NDatUT event featuring Sensory Jars and Painting activities — including Minecraft-themed painting templates. The event offered students a creative, sensory-friendly space to relax, express themselves and connect with peers.
The sold-out 44th Madrigal Dinner upheld its historic charm while advancing the University’s sustainability goals. The student-led Renaissance dinner show introduced compostable dining ware, diverting 1,441.85 lbs. of waste from the landfill with 1,389.45 lbs. composted and 52.4 lbs. recycled.
Spaces
Students packed Hogg Memorial Auditorium for a free early screening of “Wicked: For Good.” The Office of the Dean of Students and Campus Events+Entertainment partnered with NBC Universal to present the movie to 740 students who indulged in Wicked-themed treats and participated in a costume contest. Watch this video to see the costumes and take a look at these photos.
The iconic Cactus Café transformed into an immersive classroom experience for the School of Social Work’s “Music and Mental Health” class. Students participated in a live lecture and performance format blending conversation and music in the heart of campus.
Recreational Sports hosted Free Access Week, offering all faculty and staff complimentary access to Caven-Clark Courts and Gregory Gym during the week of Thanksgiving. Faculty and staff may also request a free 30-day trial to explore all that RecSports facilities have to offer any time of year.
The Disability Cultural Center and RecSports partnered on an Adapted Sports Night at the Caven-Clark Courts. Participants had the opportunity to try out adapted sports, meet local athletes and learn more about inclusive recreation on campus. See pictures here.
The Disability Cultural Center, in partnership with the Texas Center for Disability Studies, hosted its Fall Book Club. The group discussed Hardly Creatures by Rob Colgate, a UT alumnus who graduated with a portfolio in Disability Studies. The hybrid session offered space for community building and thoughtful reflection.
The Center for Students in Recovery formed an innovative partnership with the UT Theatre Department to host a Theatre Workshop at the Blanton Museum of Art. The event featured Recovery Garden, an interactive installation and performance experience inviting participants to reflect on grief, joy, ritual and transformation in recovery. The CSR team also hosted the annual Give Thanks, Share Pies “pie-luck” for students to connect, build community and enjoy a variety of pies in a supportive, welcoming space.
Resources
As part of SEC Nation’s visit to campus, Recreational Sports hosted a free TeXercise instructor-led Mat Pilates class for students on Oct. 31. During the live taping from Gregory Gym Plaza on game day (Nov. 1), UT Outpost collected cans and non-perishable food items to stock the shelves, raising $2,000 through online donations.
The Longhorn Wellness Center hosted the Longhorn SHARE Project’s “Clothing and Stuff Swap” to encourage students to exchange clothing, books, accessories and other items in a relaxed, community-focused setting. The swap promoted sustainability, resource-sharing and connection among students.
Texas Parents launched the Texas Parents and Families Portal, a new communication platform for all Longhorn families. They will now receive frequent, timely updates to their feed, as well as to their email inbox in the Burnt Orange Bulletin. Texas Parents Association members will have access to exclusive content and the monthly Texas Parents Newsletter.
Texas Leadership Education and Development in the Office of the Dean of Students launched two new digital badges to foster stronger engagement across differences and professional growth. Conversation Navigation builds dialogue skills and Coach UT is awarded to participants demonstrating continued leadership development beyond program hours.