UTA College of Liberal Arts

🌍 Faces of COLA Abroad!

Meet Tania Leon, a Spanish Interpreting & Translating major studying Hispanic Language Literature in Spain this summer!

🌎 COLA goes global!

UTA faculty and library partners presented research at the Bogotá International Book Fair, one of the largest literary events in Latin America.

Their panel highlighted comic book cultures across regions and showcases UTA’s internationally recognized collections.

Faculty achievement spotlight

Dr. Mary Vaccaro (Art History) has been invited to serve as a Director’s Guest at the American Academy in Rome—one of the most prestigious institutions in the humanities and arts.

Her work continues to contribute to international scholarship in Renaissance art.

🎓 Student research spotlight!

With support from the COLA Health & Society Scholarship, UTA student Belle Albert presented her research at a national conference in Nashville.

Her work explores the intersection of inequality, trauma, and lived experience—and reflects the impact of student research at COLA.

🏆 Celebrating Excellence Across COLA!

Last month, the UTA College of Liberal Arts gathered to honor the incredible staff members who make a difference every day.

The COLA Staff Awards recognize individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, collaboration, service, innovation, and dedication to our college community.

Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients:

⭐ Stephanie Wilson — COLA Collaborative Impact & Engagement Award
⭐ Susan Tomasevich — COLA Leadership Award
⭐ Maria Carmona — COLA Rising Star Award
⭐ Alexa Rains — Outstanding Professional Support Staff Award (Part-Time)
⭐ Candice Robinson — Outstanding Professional Support Staff Award (Full-Time)
⭐ Angela Hamilton — Excellence in Service and Innovation Award
⭐ Shea Ewing — COLA STARR Award

These individuals exemplify the excellence, dedication, and commitment that make COLA an exceptional place to work, learn, and grow.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the people whose contributions help advance our mission every day.

📰 Student success spotlight!

UTA student journalists from The Arlington Sentinel earned statewide recognition at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference for their outstanding reporting.

From multimedia storytelling to international reporting experiences, these students are making an impact through journalism.

👏 Congratulations to all award winners!

📘 New faculty research spotlight

Dr. Brent Boyea and Dr. Kayla Canelo (Political Science) have published a new article in State Politics & Policy Quarterly reviewing 25 years of research on state courts.
Their work highlights how scholarship has expanded to address judicial decisions, elections, public attitudes, and diversity—while pointing to new directions for future research.
🔗 Read more:�https://doi.org/10.1017/spq.2026.10017

The Evolution of State Courts Research in the Twenty-First Century | State Politics & Policy Quarterly | Cambridge Core The Evolution of State Courts Research in the Twenty-First Century - Volume 26 Issue 2