Please click here to watch the winning videos from Gone to Texas 2011.

Gone to Texas Video Contest

Now that you're going to The University of Texas at Austin, "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You." At this year's Gone to Texas, we'll be showcasing videos produced by incoming students. You are invited to create a video and enter it in the third annual GTT video contest.

Prizes

The top five videos will be shown during the event. Incoming students who create the winning videos will receive prizes provided by the University Co-op, sponsor of Gone to Texas, and the Campus Computer Store, as noted below:

First Prize - Apple iPad2 Wi-Fi 16GB
Second Prize - Apple iPod Touch 8GB and iTunes $25 gift card
Third Prize - University Co-op gift certificate ($100)
Fourth Prize - University Co-op gift certificate ($75)
Fifth Prize - University Co-op gift certificate ($50)

Judges

A distinguished panel of students, faculty and alumni will select the top five submissions based on their creativity, uniqueness, entertainment value and message.

How to Enter

All new incoming students are invited to enter.

Create a video using the following script:
"My name is ______ and I'm from ________. Now that "the eyes of Texas" are upon me, here's what I want them to see: _________."

Also, make sure your videos are:
*No more than 30 seconds in length
*No more than 100MB in size
*At least 320x240 in resolution
*Saved in .wmv, .mov, .h.264, or .wav format

All videos must be submitted on or before Aug. 3, 2011.

Panel of Judges
	Dr. Lucien Douglas is senior associate chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance and associate professor of acting/directing at the university.  An outstanding teacher, Douglas was awarded the 2010 Department of Theatre and Dance Teaching Excellence Award and 2000 Texas Excellence Teaching Award. He is a member of the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) adjudicators’ organization, conducting workshops for approximately 25 high school drama programs annually. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, his B.F.A. from the University of Connecticut and a certificate of professional training from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Douglas has performed on Broadway in "Medea" with Zoe Caldwell and Dame Judith Anderson. Off-Broadway, he has appeared in "Naked"," Family Business", "Candida", and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead".  He has appeared in numerous regional productions including "Becky’s New Car" in summer 2010 at Zachary Scott Theatre. Active in television and film, Douglas has had roles in "Walker, Texas Ranger", "One Life to Live"," Another World", "Hallmark Hall of Fame" (with Faye Dunaway), "Miss Congeniality", "Man of the House" and "Sno Cone Stand".
	Ruth Fertig is a documentary filmmaker whose work focuses on everyday people with extraordinary stories. Her film, “Yizkor,” a short film about her grandmother’s experience during the Holocaust, won the 2010 Student Academy Award for documentary as well as a CINE Golden Eagle Award. Her other documentaries include “Two Spirits,” a portrait of a Native American gay rights activist, and “The Cockroach Project,” about lovers and haters of the bug. Her films have aired on PBS stations and the Documentary Channel, screened internationally and played at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Before directing her own films, Ruth was an associate producer and researcher of documentaries for film and television. She has an M.F.A. in Film Production from The University of Texas at Austin, where she was a Hutchison Endowed Fellow, and a B.A. in history from Columbia University.
	Dr. Juan C. González, vice president for student affairs at the university, oversees a large portfolio of services and programs designed to enhance the academic careers of undergraduate and graduate students. The Division of Student Affairs consists of the following departments: Career Exploration Center, Counseling and Mental Health Center, Division of Housing and Food Service, Division of Recreational Sports, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of the Registrar, Student Financial Services, Student Information Systems, Texas Student Media, the Texas Union, University Health Services and UT Learning Center. González' degrees include a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Illinois, a master's in bilingual-bicultural education from The University of Texas in San Antonio, and an undergraduate degree in Latin American studies from Texas Tech University. Before coming to the university, Dr. González was vicep president of student affairs at Arizona State University. From 2000 to 2003, Dr. González was vice president for student affairs at Georgetown University.
	Kelsey McGonigle is a senior public relations major earning her business foundations certificate and participating in the College of Communication’s Senior Fellows Honors Program. A member of Communication Council and the Public Relations Student Society of America, Ms. McGonigle also serves as the director of Texas Tower PR, the university’s student-run public relations firm. Tower’s clients include the Austin Better Business Bureau, Candlelight Ranch, Theatre Action Project, and Texas Exes, who recently released Ten Things Every Longhorn Should Know. Ms. McGonigle works in the business office of Texas Performing Arts and is spending the summer as the Dallas Regional Public Affairs Coordinator at the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She is scheduled to graduate in May 2012.
	Soham Mehta is an award-winning theater and film artist who splits his time between Texas and New York. Born in India but brought up in Houston, Mehta became interested in theater at an early age. Although he continued collecting stage credits, his interest gradually shifted to writing and directing. As an undergraduate at The University of Texas at Austin, he studied theater and computer science. Mehta founded Shunya, a Houston-based theater troupe dedicated to providing a voice to the South Asian American experience. After leading the troupe for four years, he returned to school to pursue his M.F.A. in film production. As the founder, he directed and oversaw production of numerous plays. Mehta’s award-winning short films have played in festivals around the world. "Survivors" is one of his short films. He co-wrote the feature film "Where’s the Party, Yaar?" His film Fatakra won the Audience Award at the Sarasota Film Festival, the Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Vision Award and a Student Academy Award. He continues to develop his own work while working as an editor for film and television.
	Alumnus Charles Ramírez Berg is a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the university and a leading authority on Latino film history of the United States and Mexico. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers and recipient of many teaching awards, including the Chancellor's Council Outstanding Teaching Award and Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship. A former National Endowment for the Humanities fellow, Ramírez Berg is also the author of many scholarly books and articles, including "Latino Images in Film: Stereotypes, Subversion, and Resistance" and "Cinema of Solitude: A Critical Study of Mexican Film." He writes screenplays, has published fiction and poetry, and co-authored a children's book, "The Gift of the Poinsettia," with poet Pat Mora. He is also a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Austin Film Society, serving as its president from 2001 to 2003.
	P. J. Raval, Assistant Professor of Radio-Television-Film, discovered film and video after working with photography and media installation art. He was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 new faces of independent film 2006” and Out Magazine’s “100 OUT 2010.” Professor Raval’s films have won awards such as Best Narrative Short at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival and Best Screenplay at the Cinematexas International Film Festival. His short film, “Lead Role: Father,” was nominated for the Golden Reel award at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and named the “programmer’s pick.” His latest film “Trinidad,” (co-directed by Jay Hodges) is a feature documentary that uncovers Trinidad, Colorado’s transformation from Wild West outpost to “sex change capital of the world.” “Trinidad” recently won the Cleveland International Film Festival Documentary Jury Award. An award-winning cinematographer, Professor Raval’s work has been showcased at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. He has also served as music video director for various bands and performers.
	Dr. Soncia Reagins-Lilly, senior associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at the university, earned her bachelor's degree in economics at the University of California at Irvine, her Master of Arts degree in education at California State University, San Bernardino, and her doctorate in education administration at the University of Southern California. In her senior management role, Lilly collaborates with campus and student leadership to develop and implement policies related to campus life and a full spectrum of student development and academic support programs. Her portfolio is composed of the Division of Housing and Food Service, the Texas Union and the Office of the Dean of Students. Lilly participates in professional associations and serves as a strategic planning and management consultant, facilitating workshops and giving presentations at national conferences on topics pertaining to higher education. She remains involved in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a community-based organization devoted primarily to developing programs and services for the advancement of women.
	Distinguished alumnus Roy Spence is co-founder and chairman of GSD&M Idea City, a leading marketing communications and advertising company. He is also co-founder of The Purpose Institute and co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book, "It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business is Driven by Purpose." Under Spence’s leadership, GSD&M Idea City has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands and used its talents to make a difference in communities around the country and the world. Spence has been named Ad Man of the Year and Idea Man of the Century. A popular keynote speaker, he regularly addresses audiences throughout the business, government and nonprofit communities. Spence is also a member of the board of directors of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation.
	Kristin Turner is a graduate of the university with bachelor's degrees in philosophy and public relations. During her tenure at the university, Kristin was very involved on campus. From spirit organizations to professional organizations, she made her time on the Forty Acres count. Since graduating in December 2009, Turner has moved to New York City to work for Burson-Marsteller, a leading public relations and communications firm. Since joining Burson-Marsteller, Turner has served as Global Digital Coordinator where she assisted in maintaining Burson-Marsteller's global digital brand and as project manager, serving clients as diverse as Transitions Optical, .CO Internet S.A.S. and Hormel.
	S. Craig Watkins has been researching young people's media behaviors for more than 10 years. He teaches in the departments of Radio-Television-Film and Sociology, and the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies. His new book is "The Young and the Digital: What the Migration to Social Network Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means for Our Future." Watkins was selected to join the MacArthur Foundation Series on Youth, Digital Media and Learning – a collection of scholars, visionaries, thought leaders and practitioners from across the world to explore the intersection of digital media, everyday life and learning. His work on this groundbreaking project focuses on race, learning and the growing culture of gaming. Watkins also works as a consultant and thought leader for research and educational organizations, publishers and communication companies interested in gaining greater insight into the lively worlds young people create, online and offline. Watkins is starting a new digital media research initiative that focuses on the use and evolution of social media platforms.