New Face of Alumni with a Long UTD Connection

Matt Winser-Johns may be new to his role as director of UT Dallas Alumni, but he’s been a part of the University for more than 10 years, serving in various capacities including advising and student affairs. As Winser-Johns takes over his new role, we asked about his vision for alumni engagement and the importance of connecting with alums.

Q: Why is it important as a University to stay engaged with our alumni?

A: So many people had memorable experiences here at UT Dallas, and it was something that shaped them. I want our current students to have the same experience or a better one than those who came before them. And it’s important to offer our alumni opportunities to connect with their alma mater and have opportunities to give their time and maybe become mentors, as an example. We have so many opportunities for people to get involved as alumni. 

Q: Why do you think so many alumni choose to remain a part of UT Dallas?

A: People want to be a part of something. I think alumni engagement is so important because it’s a chance to reconnect people, and it’s also a chance to build your own legacy. And if your parents didn’t go to college this is a chance for you to start a new tradition in your family.

Q: What’s your responsibility in improving connections with alumni?

A: I feel it’s my responsibility to make sure people feel engaged and not just asked for money. I want people to feel like if they can’t give money, then they can give their time, they can give their talents or just come back and enjoy the nostalgia of what it was like to be a student here. The campus has changed so much in just the 10 years that I have worked here. There are four or five more buildings on campus than just a few years ago and more on the way. Alumni should come back and see all the changes.

Q: Why does engagement with the University matter to alumni?

A: Sometimes when people leave someplace, they don’t know if they’re welcome back. I don’t want people to feel like that about UT Dallas. I want people to know that this campus is always a place for them, no matter what era of life they’re in. We have events for them, and they can come to UTD and remember what it was like to be a student and how much they’ve grown.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to do differently as the director of alumni?

A: I really want to grow affinity groups and alumni chapters. An affinity group, for instance, is if you were in a fraternity or sorority while here and that’s important to you then you could join a chapter with others interested in the same thing. I want to create different chapters that are continuations of student groups they were a part of and have an interest in. Another example would be like a chapter for engineers at UTD. These would be spaces for alumni to all feel like they can find community.

Alumni Site Redesigned with New User-Friendly Content

The UT Dallas Alumni website has undergone a facelift with a new, visually exciting design and more user-friendly content.  The new site makes it easier for University alumni to find and interact with programs and events that interest them.

Visit to learn how to join the Alumni Association, get involved with fellow alumni and give back to your alma mater. Read stories about what fellow alumni have been up to and learn about all the changes and improvements that are taking place at UT Dallas. You can even share your own story.

Utilize the online social platform Comets Community to connect with more than 20,000 fellow alumni, list your alumni-owned business, volunteer as a mentor to current students and explore job opportunities.

Other links on the site include connections to career services, a calendar with event information, ways to connect as an alum and the latest news about the University. Have a question for staff? The website has now made it easier than ever to connect and find answers to your questions.

Visit alumni.utdallas.edu to learn how you can connect and make a difference as a UTD graduate. And remember, alumni are forever Comets.