The University of Texas-Arlington (UTA) is adding some Hollywood power to its teaching staff this fall, and it comes at an interesting time. The region is awash in TV and film production as of late.
On Thursday, UTA announced that it had appointed Dr. Rachel Raimist as the Morgan Woodward Distinguished Professor of Film and Video in the Department of Art and Art History. Raimist, who holds a Ph.D. in feminist studies from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, has worked on major network TV productions over the years.
“We are so excited for her to bring her vitality and ideas to UTA as our students will greatly benefit from her fresh ideas on filmmaking, narrative series and new modes of storytelling, along with her established industry expertise and networks,” said August Jordan Davis, chair of the Department of Art and Art History, in a statement.
From left to right: Mike Regan, Fred Isseks, Rachel Raimist, Jeff Dutemple and David Birmingham attend the “Middletown” Premiere during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival at Library Center Theatre on Jan. 28, 2025 in Park City, Utah. The University of Texas at Arlington has announced it has hired Raimist as a professor amid the region’s ramp up in TV and film production. (Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images)
Raimist’s hiring comes as North Texas is ramping up efforts to become a major television and film production hub. Taylor Sheridan’s Landman, starring Billy Bob Thornton, has regularly filmed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. (Production for Sheridan’s Yellowstone spinoff, Dutton Ranch, is not too far away in Ferris.) The legislature also recently passed Senate Bill 22, which will invest about $1.5 billion in the state’s film incentives program.
“As the film and media industries continue to grow across North Texas, this is an important moment for UTA to invest in the future of creative education,” said Elizabeth Newman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, in the statement.
In addition to Raimist’s academic credentials, she has a long history of working with ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. Her TV directing credits include Elsbeth, Bel-Air, and Nancy Drew.
“Rachel Raimist’s appointment reflects the College of Liberal Arts’ commitment to preparing students with the creativity, skills and real-world experience they need to thrive in this evolving field,” Newman said.
In UTA’s statement, Raimist said she was intrigued by the state’s investment and by the energy of the DFW creative community.
“With the region becoming such an important center for media and entertainment, I think there’s a real opportunity to prepare students not just to graduate, but to step directly into an industry that’s growing in their own backyard,” Raimist said.
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This article originally published at University of Texas at Arlington lands Hollywood director at crucial moment.