The UTA Planetarium and College of Science celebrated the one-year anniversary of their space-cultivated Moon Tree on Tuesday afternoon at the Planetarium, teaching attendees about the sapling’s off-Earth history. The Planetarium received the sweetgum sapling from NASA and the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service on April 24, 2024, and planted it outside the Chemistry and Physics Building the next day, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. The sapling received its nickname Moon Tree after being one of several seedlings to orbit around the moon during Artemis I, an uncrewed lunar orbit mission. Since its arrival at UTA, Planetarium coordinator McKenna Dowd said in an email the Moon Tree has grown to be 54 inches tall. “I’m so thrilled that we’re a part of history in a sense,” Dowd said. Dowd gave a presentation about Artemis I’s mission during the event. Five different tree species seedlings orbited the moon: Douglas Fir, Loblolly Pine, Giant Sequoia, American Sycamore and Sweetgum. The seeds were sent into space for two reasons: to continue understanding how seeds can be taken into space and grow upon their return – a vital role for the future of human space exploration – and to give communities a living connection to space exploration, she said. NASA’s Orion spacecraft carried the seeds, performing a half revolution of six days in an orbit 43,730 miles from the surface of the moon. “It went farther than any human has ever travelled in space,” Dowd said. Researchers measured the seedlings’ growth after their return to Earth, and their findings suggest that if the seeds are stored in sub-optimal conditions for a short period, they will continue to grow despite space travel, she said. “This is huge for space exploration,” Dowd said in her presentation. Artemis I saplings have taken root at 236 locations across the United States and organizations are cultivating more than just trees, she said. They are sparking curiosity about space, nurturing community connections and fostering a deeper understanding of NASA’s missions. Once the show ended, guests enjoyed refreshments and participated in activities such as making a space souvenir and building a small, personal herb garden. Ashley Garza, College of Science special events and alumni coordinator, said she wanted to help Dowd celebrate the Moon Tree through the “build a herb garden” activity, as it was a great way to connect outer space with environmental science. “I think we’ve had a great turnout,” she said. “It’s simple, it’s also a study break for the students to do something.” Nursing juniors Jackie Rodriguez and Carolina Trevizo participated in building their own herb garden. Trevizo said she chose cilantro because she uses the plant often, and Rodriguez said she chose borage because of the beautiful picture of the plant shown at the event. “We were just walking in here and we saw everything set up and so we just came back when it started,” Trevizo said. “We were just interested by the plants and stuff.” Looking forward to next year, Dowd said she hopes more UTA students will get involved with the Moon tree and NASA research, whether they are an art major, environmental science major or pursuing any other field of study. “I’m super excited to just have a way for the community to learn about the Moon Tree and connect,” she said. “And hopefully get super excited and more involved with its presence on campus.” news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the signage of logos, sponsors and partners on Globe Life Field’s outfield is Brian Nephew’s team. The Arlington native and lifelong Texas Rangers fan said he got lucky in landing his current position. As a UTA alumnus and vice president of partnerships for the Rangers, Nephew is a true American Dream City product. After starting in ticket sales almost a decade ago, Nephew now oversees the team’s day-to-day sales efforts and partnerships with nearly 200 brands, including Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, SeatGeek and Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company, who own the naming rights to the Rangers’ home ballpark. “I just fell in love with [baseball], probably just early on,” he said. “I just loved watching the Rangers growing up and turning on Sunday Night Baseball at home and watching all the pro teams, but specifically the Rangers.” He credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. It’s no secret what the 2023 World Series run meant for Rangers fans and the City of Arlington. Capturing its first championship in franchise history, the team ended its drought of being the MLB’s oldest organization without a title. Nephew called the championship run the best month of his life. “It was my professional and my personal career, my lives kind of crashing,” he said. “A decade with the team and being in Arlington my whole life, it was unbelievable.” The run has set even higher expectations for Nephew and the rest of the organization. “The easy way to put it is that the expectations now after winning the World Series in ‘23 is that we want to be a top five franchise in Major League Baseball,” he said. However, the Rangers face a unique challenge in achieving so. As of March 2025, the team ranks as the 12th most valuable MLB franchise, according to Forbes. Although Arlington is a hub for sports entertainment, most teams ahead of them are considered “major markets”: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia to name a few. Being neighbored with the most valuable in all sports, the Dallas Cowboys could also be a challenge for the Rangers. Nephew credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. Ray Casas, Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation community impact director, said he and Nephew take a lot of pride in being UTA alumni. “Growing up with the Rangers in our backyard, going to college at UTA and then getting to win a World Series ring, it’s pretty special,” Casas said. K.J. Hendricks, Los Angeles Angels scout and former UTA baseball player, served as Nephew’s assistant coach for his junior and senior seasons. Unlike Nephew, Hendricks was drafted to the MLB in 2002 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues. However, Nephew’s senior season had teams looking in his direction. In 2011, Nephew was selected to the All-Southland Conference second team in his senior season at UTA. On the mound, he played as a third baseman and was a strong hitter, finishing fourth in the regular conference that season with a .356 batting average. He also recorded 31 RBIs and led the Mavericks with 105 total bases. Playing professional baseball was always his goal, but not being drafted was a wake-up call. Despite not making the MLB, Nephew said everything worked out for the best. “Closing that chapter and going to the next corporate life kind of turned the page to make some money and get out of debt and all that stuff,” he said. “That was a big impact, it kind of changed my life.” Despite his talent, Hendricks best remembers Nephew for his leadership on and off the field. “The biggest thing that doesn’t do justice when you look at the stats with Brian is he was a good team leader. He galvanized guys, he brought good energy,” Hendricks said. “You've got to have those good locker room guys to help push the others forward and hold them accountable and encourage them and do all those things. Brian did a lot of those naturally.” Nephew’s principles as a teammate have carried into his future, regarding how he runs operations and treats his team. Nephew hopes to spend his entire career with the Rangers, the organization that has meant so much to him and his family. He met his wife, Bethany Nephew, during his tenure with the team and the pair have a son, Madden Nephew. She works with Casas, serving as the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation foundation event director. “The most important thing that I’ve learned is, now that I’m in a leadership role, just being vulnerable, being able to be a good teammate and be accountable for your colleagues,” he said. “If you do that, then everything else will take care of itself.” @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Tre’s Bar-B-Q doesn't go about things the traditional way. In the back of the Maverick Dining kitchen, executive sous chef Austin Banks and his crew use an indoor smoker to slowly cook 18 to 22 briskets each night for next-day service. “We put in a system in place to where we always want to be ready for the next day,” Banks said. The setup was years in the making for Banks and Maverick Dining. Banks used to bring his own barbecue pit to smoke meat for catering events on campus, he said. After receiving positive feedback and hosting a few sold-out events, the concept slowly baked into a full-fledged campus restaurant in January 2025. Now, Tre’s Bar-B-Q looks to establish a unique experience among Arlington’s ever-growing barbecue scene — teaching student workers how to cut meats, offering vegetarians alternative options like baked potatoes with beans, corn or other toppings and introducing international students to the vast world of barbecue. “It's something that brings all cultures together,” Banks said. For sous-chef David Patton, these conversations with students opened his mind. “I can recall just a quick story of seeing international students and they're asking me questions where I'm like, ‘Oh you don't know what coleslaw is?’” Patton said. “But then having to backtrack and be like, ‘You know what? Maybe this person doesn't know what coleslaw is. They’ve never ever seen it.’” These interactions are what shape Tre’s Bar-B-Q’s flavors as it grows into its space within the university. The restaurant looks to bring barbecue to all parts of campus and do so with care. To do so, they also add something traditional. “We put love,” Banks said. “It's all about the love and what you put into it.”