The Friar Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Sheldon Ekland-Olson of the Sociology department has received the 2013-2014 Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship. This $25,000 award, the largest at the University granted entirely by students, is given annually to the faculty member who has committed themselves to undergraduate teaching.

Hannah Rose Bainter, who recommended Dr. Ekland-Olson for the award, said ”Dr. Ekland-Olson has a rare ability to teach any subject as if it was his passion.  This kind of enthusiasm encourages unprecedented results for not only gaining classroom respect but it also increases the learning capacities of students.”

Dr. Ekland-Olson joined the UT faculty in 1971, served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 1993 to 1998, and served as the University’s Provost from 1998 to 2006. He returned to teaching following his term as Provost, and his “Life and Death Decisions” course is one of the most popular at the University. “He is the type of professor that makes me proud to have attended the University of Texas at Austin,” Bainter said.

According to 2013 Co-Lauditor Billy Calve, Dr. Ekland-Olson is “a legend on campus. This is a great way for us to honor his many years of service to the University.”

See what others are saying:

• Former Provost Receives UT’s Largest Undergraduate Teaching Award, The Alcalde
• Friar Society Surprises Professor With Award, The Daily Texan

Download the application

Applications are due by March 22, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. to the Student Organization Center (SOC) in the Student Services Building (SSB).

Membership Eligibility | Membership is open to all currently enrolled students at The University of Texas at Austin, with the only prerequisite being either the completion of 75 undergraduate hours orgraduate student status.

Application Periods | Membership applications are accepted in both the fall and spring semesters. Applications are currently being accepted for Spring 2013 and are due by March 22, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. to the Student Organization Center (SOC) in the Student Services Building (SSB).

Application Instructions | Please thoroughly review all application instructions found in the Spring 2013 Membership Application document. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

If you have any questions about the Spring 2013 membership application process or need additional information, please contact Rachel Meyerson, Spring 2013 Abbot at rachel.meyerson@utexas.edu.

On Saturday, April 13, 2013, the Spring 2013 Cocktail will be held at the Byrne-Reed House of Humanities Texas, located at 1410 Rio Grande Street. As noted on the RSVP form, it will begin at 7:00pm, and there will be free parking at the St. Martin’s Church parking lot across the street from the House. We are excited to honor the new initiates, the Friar Centennial Teaching Fellow, and Spring Distinguished Alumnus during this cocktail.

On Sunday, April 14, the traditional Friar Breakfast will be held to initiate and hear from the newly selected Friars. The breakfast will begin at 9:00am at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on campus. Admission for the breakfast is $45 per person. This is a Friar-only event, and formal business attire is appropriate.

The weekend is packed with numerous other activities, including the Longhorn Run, Honors Day, and the Student Leader Reunion. As Frankie mentioned during the Fall breakfast, we would love to see as many of you attend as possible – please reach out to your fellow Friars and encourage them to come as well.

It is our announce that the actives have selected Friar Clift Price as our Spring recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Friar Price’s spirit and devotion to our organization is an inspiration to us all.

We invite you to nominate a professor who, in your experience, is deserving of this honor.  Please note that only tenured or tenure-track faculty who teach undergraduate courses are eligible to receive the FCTF.

Please submit all nomination forms to 2013FCTF@gmail.com by Friday, March 1, 2013. Late submissions will not be considered.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the FCTF co-chairs at alyssalynn7@gmail.com or billy.calve@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving your nominations!

Download the 2013 FCTF Application here

We invite you to nominate a professor who, in your experience, is deserving of this honor.  Please note that only tenured or tenure-track faculty who teach undergraduate courses are eligible to receive the FCTF.

Please submit all nomination forms to 2012FCTF@gmail.com by Friday, March 9, 2012. Late submissions will not be considered.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the FCTF co-chairs at natalie.e.butler@gmail.com or dforinash@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving your nominations!

Fall 2011 Friar Reunion Weekend
November 5 & 6, 2011

Save the date to continue to celebrate together our centennial anniversary year at our bi-annual cocktail reception and breakfast. If you have any questions please reach us at friarabbot@gmail.com

Formal invitation to follow via postal mail.

• Sam Acho
• Chelsea Adler
• Minator Azemi
• John Brady
• Lindsey Carmichael
• Willie Cochran
• Muneezeh Kabir
• Berenice Medellin
• Stephen Myers
• Omar Ochoa
• Dave Player
• Andrew Solomon
• Jimmy Talarico
• Carl Thorne-Thomsen
• Daniel Walk

Friars Omar Ochoa & Lindsey Carmichael among the 10 highlighted stories of the Class of 2011 graduates

Friars Willie Cochran & Lindsey Carmichael selected as two of twelve Dean’s Distinguished Graduates in the College of Liberal Arts

• Keynote Address by Paul Begala on “The Role of the Media in American Politics”
• Friar Forum
• Centennial Reception
• Friar Breakfast

4:00 p.m. — Keynote Speech by Paul Begala
Friar Paul Begala will speak about “The Role of the Media in American Politics.” This event will occur in the Connally Ballroom of the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center and is open to Friars and their guests, as well as to members of the UT community. Dress is casual. Admission is free, but all attendees should RSVP.

6:30 p.m. — Tex-Mex for the Cloister: Drinks, Dinner, and Discourse
After Friar Begala’s speech, an informal reception will be held at El Mercado (1702 Lavaca St., Austin, Texas 78701) for Friars and their guests. All attendees are responsible for their own food and drinks. Dress is casual.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

10:00 a.m.–noon — Friar Forum: Reflecting on the Friar Society’s Past and Future
Abbot Omar Ochoa will facilitate a discussion among Friars regarding the Society’s past and future. This event is open only to Friars. The event will occur in the Legislative Assembly Room of the Student Activity Center (SAC 2.302). Dress is casual.

7:00 p.m. — Friar Centennial Reception
The Centennial Reception will take place in the ballroom of the Student Activity Center and is open to Friars and their guests. This event will include new member introductions and a short program commemorating the Friar Society’s 100th anniversary. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails provided. An RSVP is required for every person attending. Tickets for this event are $60 per person, and a discounted ticket price of $30 is available for those who graduated since 2007.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

9:00 a.m. — Friar Breakfast
This event is for Friars only and will occur in the Grand Ballroom of the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center. Admission for the breakfast is $50 per person. Formal business attire is appropriate for this event.

Hotel Accommodations: Please contact the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center to reserve your room within the “UT Friar Society” hotel block: 512-404-3600.

Questions & RSVP: friarcentennial@gmail.com