Representation, Resistance, and Recovery: Cultural Trauma in Young Adult Literature

Abstract

in the State of Texas. Just weeks ago, the University of Texas at Arlington became fourth in the state to accomplish this goal since the Tier One process began. This achievement recognizes our highly qualified student body, our distinguished faculty, our high research productivity, and our doctoral education programs. The Tier One distinction in the State of Texas is similar to the national distinction that UTA earned a few years ago: being named a Carnegie R1 University, one with very high research activity.Our designation as a Tier One University brings tangible benefits of access to funding from the State of Texas that will be invested into our research enterprise to benefit students and faculty across the campus. The intangible benefits are more important. The degrees that McNair Scholars earn at UTA are now more valuable, certifying that our students have studied and succeeded at a preeminent institution under the guidance of esteemed faculty.Becoming a Tier One Research University took UTA many years, and the work of many students, staff, and faculty went into this accomplishment. The process led us to develop a strategic plan and an intentional approach, focusing on academic excellence. We did this while maintaining our historical accessibility to the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, and while attracting one of the most diverse student bodies in the country. We have come to understand and value our identity as an institution of both access and excellence. We are an urban-serving, minority-serving, and veteran-serving institution that is also an emerging powerhouse of research, scholarship, and innovation. Only a handful of other universities in the U.S. share these characteristics.The McNair Scholars Program is an important part of what UTA offers to students, and it is an ideal match for what we have become. The McNair Program emphasizes recruiting students from low-income/ first-generation or under-represented backgrounds and providing the mentoring and support needed for them to become outstanding scholars, on their way to doctoral studies and beyond. The McNair Scholars at UTA already know that this institution provides every opportunity for excellence and achievement, but now there is enhanced State and National recognition of this fact. McNair Scholars can wear the Maverick colors with pride while working towards completing their degrees and taking the next steps in their studies and their careers. They are prepared for leadership, innovation, and impact.