UT Arlington office aims to build connections with far west Fort Worth community

UTA West opened its Willow Park office on Thursday, the first step to build a relationship with the far west Fort Worth community.

The office, at 243 Willow Bend Drive, is a placeholder for the 51-acre site that will hold a new campus in 2028. Initially, some people opposed the influx of new developments into the area.

“This may look like a simple storefront, but don’t let its size fool you,” UTA President Jennifer Cowley said in a statement provided to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “We’re planting roots here because we believe in your future. It’s a bold declaration of our commitment to Parker County and west Fort Worth. It’s our way of saying, loud and clear: We’re here, we’re ready, and we’re in it for the long haul.”

Cowley said the space is more than just an office but an open invitation for the community.

“A place where people can walk in, grab a cup of coffee, learn what UTA West has to offer, and start imagining how your students, your families, and your businesses can grow with us,” Cowley said.

Parker County Commissioner Mike Hale said in a recording of the opening the UTA campus would benefit the community, and noted how easy it would be to transition local high school students to UTA.

Wayne Atchley, vice president of regional campuses, recently joined UTA. Before that, he was the former vice president of academic affairs at Tarrant County Community College’s Trinity River campus.

Atchley said the office was a way to introduce UTA to the community and build educational partnerships with high schools in Brock, Aledo, Tarrant County College and Weatherford College.

“We want to make sure that what we’re doing is really building industry level credentials, credentials of value that support the workforce” Atchley said. “This is a growing area, and so we’re really engaging with the Economic Development Councils and the local chambers.”

This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM.