AUSTIN, Texas—One hundred and fifty new activities are among the 400 performances, demonstrations and lectures to be featured at “Explore UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas” March 4 on The University of Texas at Austin campus.
The seventh annual event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to the public.
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At Explore UT, guests will have the opportunity to explore all areas of the campus, and programs are designed for visitors of every age. In addition to local participation, groups of schoolchildren are coming from locations all over Texas. To date, 125 school buses with 4,668 K-12 students and 1,242 parents and teachers are registered.
“The University of Texas at Austin belongs to the people of Texas,” said President William Powers Jr. “We want everyone to share the world of discovery that is a part of everyday life on our campus. Explore UT is the perfect opportunity for Texans to get acquainted with their university.”
One of the offerings for this year’s Explore UT is the display of national championship trophies that have been won by university athletic teams during the past year. Presented by the UT Spirit and Traditions Council of the Texas Exes in collaboration with university athletics, the 2005 football, baseball and women’s outdoor track trophies will be available for public viewing.
One new session, sponsored by the School of Social Work, features several Longhorn athletes who will offer guidance, insight and strategies for children to help them cope with the pressures of growing up in today’s society. Another unique program will feature a “moon rock” on display in the Center for American History as a part of the Walter Cronkite papers exhibit.
In addition, special sessions have been designed to examine the disasters of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The topic is explored from multiple angles, including sessions on health issues posed by the catastrophes, programs designed to help participants learn how to make sure their families are ready for an emergency and others offering tips to save precious family documents when disaster strikes. Those wanting a closer look can view a 3-D geological perspective of hurricanes through computer modeling.
Also new this year are sessions exploring the physical efficiency which allowed Lance Armstrong to be successful, the historical claims in Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and insight into the “legal insanity” defense of Andrea Yates, who was convicted of drowning her five children, and why she presented such a difficult case. Numerous other diverse sessions are available for the first time as a part of the March 4 program.
“At Explore UT, the expedition of learning is available to all who are willing to embark on the educational adventure of a lifetime,” said Dr. Barbara White, dean of the School of Social Work and chairwoman of Explore UT 2006. “It is a journey that begins with an open and inquisitive mind. Those seeking a place to call home as future students can experience first-hand all this university has to offer and discover what it means to say, ‘I am a Longhorn.’”
Visitors can march with the Longhorn Band from the football practice field “bubble” to the Tower where the band will play for the closing ceremony. The traditional “living” insignia photograph is the grand finale of Explore UT. At 5 p.m., visitors, students and volunteers are invited to gather with the Longhorn Band on the South Plaza of the Main Building for the 2006 Explore UT “class photo.”
The event will take place rain or shine. Visit the Explore UT for a complete schedule of program listings or call 512-471-7753. Programs can be searched by keyword or unique areas of interest.
The University Co-op, cooperatively owned by the faculty, students and staff of The University of Texas at Austin, is a major sponsor of Explore UT.
For more information contact: Nancy Neff, 512-471-6504.
