Meet Cody Meyers, Director of Alumni Relations

Before coming to UT Dallas in 2017 to serve as the assistant director of alumni relations for the Naveen Jindal School of Management, Cody Meyers spent six years working in various roles for The University of Texas at Arlington’s Alumni Association. He is a proud graduate of UTA, where he earned his BBA in 2011.

Can you share a little bit about your background and what you’re most excited for as the new director of alumni relations?

I remember sitting in a freshman leadership class at UT Arlington where a guest speaker from the alumni association spoke about leadership styles. After class, she encouraged me to consider volunteering with the association, and the rest was history. As an undergraduate, I helped run the student membership program. With more than 4,000 members, we were the largest student organization on campus, and I took pride in knowing that we helped turn a “commuter campus” into a home for my peers.

This profession reminds me that we are all a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Right now there are more than 110,000 UTD alumni around the globe. You can almost go anywhere in the world and find a UT Dallas graduate. And it is such an amazing thought to know that no matter where I go, the world is just a little bit smaller because of my connection to this campus.

What makes you passionate about UT Dallas?

This University is unique in so many ways, and we have already achieved so much in our (nearly) 50 years as an institution.  Our students are top-notch and bring a lot to the campus through their passion, knowledge and nerdiness.

What are you looking forward to most about engaging with our alumni community?

I really have the best job because I have the opportunity to meet with individuals who love UTD and hear about how they experienced campus as students. I recently met an alumnus who attended night classes in the early ’90s. He told me how he would work all day then come to UTD for evening classes, with his wife and baby waiting for him in the parking lot. He came back to visit campus for the first time since the ’90s for our Ring Ceremony in December, and the proud look on his face was priceless. Getting to share those stories is such a special gift.

What are your goals and aspirations for 2019?

I would love to see my office interacting more with our alumni online. You will definitely see more communication around what is new on campus and maybe some virtual tours of the new buildings. I would also love to see more of our alumni network sharing these stories about campus, our students and our alumni with their friends and family. We will be working on ways for you all to engage with us a little bit easier later this year.

What are some simple ways alumni can get involved with each other and UTD this year?

Update your information and read our emails — it’s as simple as that. We will have a variety of events coming later this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University that you won’t want to miss. Also, be sure to share your updates with us. We all want to know when you get married or have a baby or get a promotion!

If you could have dinner with any four people, excluding family members and friends, who would you choose and why?

Obviously the three University founders — Eugene McDermott, Erik Jonsson and Cecil Green — along with my best friend, Temoc! WHOOSH!