The University of Texas at Dallas has been recognized as the ninth-best college in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ students.
UT Dallas was one of two Texas institutions to make BestColleges and Campus Pride’s list of the nation’s Top 25 LGBTQ+-friendly colleges, which is based on support and academic, financial and social resources for students. UT Arlington ranked No. 16.
BestColleges and Campus Pride rank colleges based on factors including the Campus Pride Index rating scale plus indicators of academic quality, affordability and availability of online learning. UTD earned five out of five stars on the Campus Pride Index for the fifth consecutive year.
The University’s Galerstein Gender Center supports access, belonging and success for the UTD community through specialized advising, education, workshops, celebrations and advocacy.
“UT Dallas truly is an incredible place that is inclusive of all identities,” said Matt Winser-Johns, the center’s director. “I love walking across campus and knowing that I am in a place where LGBTQ+ are not only welcome but celebrated. The UT Dallas administration truly cares about our LGBTQ+ community in policy and practice. I am thankful to be part of a campus that values our diverse populations.”
Dr. Yvette E. Pearson, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, said she is thankful for the many individuals at UTD who made the ranking possible.
“I am thankful that, regardless of the ongoing barriers and challenges LGBTQ+ people face around the world, UT Dallas provides a welcoming environment to our students,” Pearson said. “We are successful because of the incredible LGBTQ+ staff, faculty and student leaders who are on the front lines with their accomplices daily advocating for all our students who make the Comet community so special. We hope to continue this great work and not only maintain this ranking but raise the bar for other universities throughout the world.”
In June, representatives from the city of Richardson presented UT Dallas with a proclamation recognizing Pride Month.
Pearson Named Engineering Education Fellow
Dr. Yvette E. Pearson, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at The University of Texas at Dallas, has been elected a fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), a designation conferred upon 0.1% of the organization’s membership each year.
The ASEE confers the grade of Fellow Member to recognize outstanding contributions to engineering education or engineering technology education as well as considerable individual contributions to ASEE. Pearson was honored June 28 at the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition in Baltimore.
Pearson, a registered professional engineer, is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and has received numerous honors including the 2021 President’s Medal, one of the highest awards given by the ASCE; the 2021 Distinguished Engineering Educator Award from the Society of Women Engineers; and the 2019 Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity and Inclusion from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
In 2013 she received a University of Texas System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award as a senior lecturer at UT Arlington, where she was on the faculty from 2007 to 2016 and served as associate chair of civil engineering during part of her tenure.
Pearson serves as a commissioner on ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission and as host of the “Engineering Change” podcast, which has audiences in more than 80 countries on six continents.
“I’m humbled to receive this honor from ASEE, the world’s premier engineering education professional society,” Pearson said. “I’ve been blessed to be part of universities and teams that strongly value and support equitable and inclusive engineering education, making the work I’ve done over the years possible. The greatest accomplishment is seeing my former students and others whom my work has reached thrive in their postsecondary pursuits.”
UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson congratulated Pearson on being named an ASEE fellow.
“Dr. Pearson is an outstanding engineer and educator who has worked throughout her career to broaden the field of engineering to all students,” said Benson, the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership. “The fact that ASEE has named Dr. Pearson as a fellow, its highest honor, demonstrates the impact she has made in engineering education.”
Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of The University of Texas at Dallas faculty, students and staff. To submit items for consideration, contact your school’s communications manager.