UT Students Help to ‘Crush’ $1.5 Million in Medical Debt

byRachel N. Madison

In 2020, Austin resident Zachary Cook was run over by a car while walking down a sidewalk. After several weeks in a hospital for severe injuries, he returned home to find a $78,000 medical bill in the mail. Unable to pay, Cook searched for assistance online and found Dollar For, a national nonprofit that helps patients navigate medical debt and health care expense reduction programs.  
“There was nothing stated in the hospital to me about charity care,” Cook told Texas lawmakers last spring. “I was just very lucky that I found an organization that could help me out.” 
Cook’s story is one of many that  inspired UT students to form Let’s Crush Medical Debt, an Austin chapter of Dollar For. The group works to spread awareness of federal medical bill forgiveness programs like charity care. 

For Students and Others Relying on Food Aid, Government Shutdown Hits Home

byDestiny Lewis

More than 3.4 million Texas residents, including over 1.3 million children, rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to federal data. In Travis County, the loss of SNAP benefits will affect approximately 44,895 households, which represent over 87,000 people, according to the city of Austin.
Food banks and local governments, including a new initiative in Austin, are stepping in as hunger grows and government support stalls.

Paxton Urges Conservatives to ‘Take on the Evil’ of the Left to ‘Save America’

byNatalia Rodriguez

State and federal Republican officials called for conservatives to wage war against leftist ideologies in a Turning Point USA event on the University of Texas campus Monday, stating that it was their “life purpose to destroy them.”

Reporting Texas TV – Oct, 30th 2025

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their mock newscast for the Fall 2025 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

Forty Acres Duo Cooks Up Recipe for Relationships

byElla Denena

Starting college can be an overwhelming mix of emotions and new faces. But two Longhorns are cooking up a solution. Tucked at the bottom of Jester, the University of Texas’s largest residence hall, two first-semester freshmen are turning cooking into connection. They call it Pumped Up Cooking. It’s an idea started by chefs Piyush Chintalwar […]

Rain Brings Relief but Drought Persists Across Central Texas

byOlivia Ahrens

After more than a month without measurable rainfall, Austin finally saw some showers over the weekend, bringing much-needed relief to parched lawns and low lakes. But experts say it’s only a small step toward easing the region’s deepening drought. Across Central Texas, brown grass and dusty trails gave way to puddles and damp sidewalks as […]

Thousands Flock to San Antonio for Nation’s Largest Día De Los Muertos Festival

byMichael Karlis

SAN ANTONIO – Thousands headed to San Antonio’s Hemisfair over the weekend to take in the sights, sounds and treats of  the 13th annual Muerto’s Fest – the largest Dia De Los Muertos Festival in the nation.  Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a multi-day Mexican celebration where the spirits of […]

Vegan Festival Debuts in Austin, Promotes Plant-Based Eating Habits

bySofia Estrada Ferrufino

SEED Food and Wine Festival promoted conscious eating in Austin this October, spotlighting local plant-based businesses and chefs. The weeklong vegan festival took place from Oct. 21-26 across Austin, featuring a variety of events, including a short film premiere and a 5K race. Founded in Miami in 2013, the event came to Texas after Tara […]

Reporting Texas TV – Oct, 23th 2025

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their mock newscast for the Fall 2025 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

Austin Coffee Shops Brew New Ways to Bring People Together

Austin’s coffee scene is rapidly evolving. Across the city, new cafés are turning daily caffeine runs into social experiences that blend creativity and community. At Amity’s Coffee in West Campus, the atmosphere is what makes the shop so special. By day, it’s a laid-back spot filled with students typing away on laptops or chatting over […]

Moody Cares Reminds Students to Take Care of Themselves in the Midst of The Semester

byPaisley Porter

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and at the University of Texas at Austin, Students at the Moody College of Communication are finding creative ways to prioritize their mental well-being.  Moody Cares is a semesterly event designed to support students through the stress of midterms with smiles and self-care.  Students gathered at the Walter Cronkite […]

UT Dream Team Project Aims to Give a 10-Year-Old with a Life-Altering Condition an Experience of a Lifetime

byTJ Krilowicz

Ten-year-old Sloane Rainey faces challenges from cerebral palsy that make everyday activities harder. Still, she refuses to let it hold her back. Her spirit and positivity shine through in everything she does. The UT Dream Team is a club at the University of Texas at Austin that helps children with life-altering conditions achieve their dreams […]

UT’s Harry Ransom Center Debuts Lorne Michaels Exhibit

byHenry Hipschman

The University of Texas at Austin’s Harry Ransom Center debuted its Lorne Michaels collection last September, bringing more than 50 years of television to the Forty Acres. Michaels is the longstanding, widely recognized producer of Saturday Night Live, a sketch show that has provided comedic commentary for 51 seasons. Having acquired a large portion of […]

Roots & Wings Festival Returns to Austin With More Than 100 Events Across the City

byLucero Corona

From butterflies and bees to a scavenger hunt for termites, Austin’s citywide Roots & Wings Festival offers families hands-on ways to explore and learn about the creatures that keep the city green. The festival was created in 2018 after combining Arbor Day and Monarch Day celebrations, aiming to attract more people to community events that […]

UT Students Rally Against Trump Compact, Urge University Leaders Not to Sign

byDestiny Lewis

Chanting “do not sign,” dozens of University of Texas students Monday protested the university’s potential support of the Trump administration’s college compact, a pledge critics say threatens academic freedom, diversity and freedom of speech on campus.. “
The protest, organized by Students for a Democratic Society, was the second UT demonstration opposing the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” an offer of preferential funding for schools that agreed to follow the administration’s priorities. Although the UT System regents chairman initially welcomed the offer, the university has not announced a final decision.

Reporting Texas TV – Oct, 16th 2025

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their mock newscast for the Fall 2025 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

Austin-Based Football Star Could be the Next Big Thing for the Longhorns’ Defense

byTJ Krilowic

Despite being one of the biggest football programs in the country, the University of Texas Longhorns aren’t filling their rosters with Austin talent. The drought is drier on the defensive side, with the last local recruit being edge rusher Ethan Burke from Westlake High School in 2021. But Yahiem “Miami” Riley, a three-star safety from […]

Longhorn Share Project Offers New Mental Health Resource For UT Students

byEmily Trevino

For many students at The University of Texas, seeking mental health resources can seem daunting. Long wait times to get an appointment and the stress of talking to a stranger often push students away. The Longhorn SHARE Project is trying to help alleviate some of that stress.  Students with “SHARE” meet at the UT Tower […]

Texas Fight Echoes Through Campus Ahead of the Red River Rivalry Showdown

byPaisley Porter

The streets of campus were flooded with students cheering, the band playing as University of Texas students, alumni, and fans rallied for the Texas OU Fight Parade & Rally. Held each October, ahead of the Red River Rivalry game, the parade is a 120-year-old celebration of Longhorn pride. As one of the most spirited traditions […]

UT Continues $425 Million Mulva Hall Project to Expand Business School

byHenry Hipschman

The University of Texas is continuing to expand its campus facilities, undergoing construction and renovation projects across the Forty Acres. Among these projects is the construction of a new business building, Mulva Hall. A 425 million dollar construction project, Mulva Hall is meant to be the latest addition to a regularly growing business program at […]