Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Multiple education and career paths as southern Dallas region grows
There’s a saying that goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” That was the inspirational undercurrent of the Southern Dallas Region Innovation Summit held at UNT Dallas on Oct. 21, 2025.
“UNT Dallas is one of the most important institutions in the city of Dallas,” said Peter Brodsky, CEO of the Shops at Red Bird, and the visionary entrepreneur who is changing the face of southern Dallas, specifically inside the city limits.
Dr. Jason Garrett, Dean of the School of Business, introduces President Warren von Eschenbach at the Southern Dallas Region Innovation Summit on Oct. 21, 2025
Brodsky, together with Dr. Jason Garrett, Dean of the UNT Dallas School of Business, set an optimistic and opportunistic tone. “This set of students is the most resilient and agile set I’ve ever seen by a long shot,” Dean Garrett said, comparing UNT Dallas students to those at the six other universities where he has studied and worked.
The goal of the gathering was to sell the benefits of the Southern Dallas Region to business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, government officials, educators and other stakeholders who want to harness the expected growth.
And there’s plenty of room to grow, both inside and outside the boundaries of the city. Southern Dallas within the city encompasses 208 square miles, representing 54% of the municipal geographical area and 40% of its population. While the other half of Dallas (north of I-30) exploded with growth – residential, commercial, recreational, industrial – southern Dallas was ignored for many decades by developers, businesses and government.
Peter Brodsky, CEO of the Shops at Red Bird (courtesy Dallas Business Journal)
It created what Brodsky called a “supply-demand imbalance” where the needs and wants of the community were not being met. Hence, the current opportunity for those who want to be at the forefront of something big. “In capitalism, that’s how you make money,” Brodsky said.
Dean Garrett said UNT Dallas students are part of the change now and they will be for years to come. “Your best future employees are coming from UNT Dallas,” he said, noting that the School of Business is educating about 1,200 students at the moment. It is the fastest-growing of the university’s four schools.
Dean Garrett listed the many majors and programs in the School of Business aimed at students who want to ride the wave of innovation
in the region. “There’s a rising tide of activities,” he said, that will benefit students,
faculty and a variety of stakeholders, many of whom were in the audience.
UNT Dallas sits in the heart of southern Dallas, surrounded by miles of undeveloped land that will fuel business, job and economic growth
Brosky agreed and made a shocking revelation to prove his point. For many years, in all of southern Dallas, all 208 square miles within the city limits, there was only one Starbucks. It wasn't even at his own mall. It was on the UNT Dallas campus. “UNT Dallas will change the face of Southern Dallas and Dallas (as a whole),” he said. “How many big cities can you think of with only one Starbucks in a 208-mile area?” Brodsky asked rhetorically. His point resonated with the room. Recently, Starbucks has expanded, adding stores in southern Dallas and surrounding cities, making Brodsky's story outdated, but still historically relevant.
Dean Garrett unveiled plans for a new Center for Technology, Innovation, Development, and Entrepreneurship (TIDE) at the School of Business. TIDE will bridge theory and practice. The Center is already designing a curriculum to educate and train students through a “hub of knowledge.”
President Warren von Eschenbach called TIDE a game-changer. “It will demonstrate that
our supply chain and logistics learners are future-ready and technology-savvy,” he
said. “TIDE will have the unique opportunity to foster progress by linking our academic expertise with your industry needs.”
UNT Dallas students watch and listen at a School of Business Career event
TIDE will partner with businesses to offer experiential education – hands-on internships and learning opportunities. The Center demonstrates the university’s increasing commitment to “Classroom to Career” initiatives, which build a robust pipeline of talented, qualified professionals.
TIDE aims to play an integral role in workforce development for our rapidly growing region. “With the Southern Dallas Region positioned as a major logistics hub that’s continuing to expand, we're ensuring our students graduate workforce-ready with the skills and knowledge that local employers need,” said President von Eschenbach.
Fellow higher education leaders agree. “We can’t afford to leave any underdeveloped talent on the table at the rate we’re growing,” said Dr. Joseph Seabrooks, President of the Dallas College Cedar Valley campus.
The region expands far beyond the city, including suburbs such as Lancaster, Duncanville,
Desoto, Red Oak, Hutchins, and more.
An image depicting the future of logistics including a mix of ground and air transportation innovations
The Southern Dallas Region Innovation Summit was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Much of the discussion focused on technological innovation driving our economy, including AI, especially related to logistics and supply chains. The event featured four panels, which tackled topics that were all interconnected:
- Artificial Intelligence and Logistics Innovations
- Autonomous Systems
- Innovative Technologies: Emissions and Energy
- Aerospace Innovations
“We want to be the world leader in logistics innovation,” said Dr. Terrance Pohlen, Senior Associate Dean at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at UNT. He then asked, “What are the career paths? What are the educational requirements?”
The answers would come as the day progressed.
UNT Dallas alumni at a gathering of MBA graduates
Logistics innovation comprises many areas, which create countless opportunities for students, as well as faculty who want to conduct research. Including:
- Automation (Vehicles, Drones, Robotics)
- Digital Logistics (Cybersecurity, Sensors, Software, Data)
- Electrification (Renewable Energy, EVs)
Those three keys are connected by three others at the heart of UNT Dallas’ mission:
- STEM Education
- Research and Experiential Learning
- Workforce Development
“I hope each of you leaves here with a renewed commitment to collaboration—to reach across sectors, to share resources and expertise, and to keep southern Dallas at the forefront of innovation and economic growth," said President von Eschenbach in his closing message.
Another anecdote from Peter Brodsky illustrates the past and exemplifies the future of southern Dallas and the expansive area outside the city itself. Brodsky said the Bank of America building, known as Oak Cliff Tower, is the only structure south of I-30 taller than 10 stories. With the region poised for dramatic growth in the coming decades, that anecdote soon may no longer be true, either.
From UNT Dallas – Featured News