var data = [ { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/1.jpg’, title: ‘President David E. Daniel greeted more than 200 guests who attended the Celebration of Support held Oct. 18 to thank the University’s supporters. ‘, }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/2.jpg’, title: ‘President David E. Daniel chats with Allen Bowling, Texas Instruments Fellow and manager of research and consortia, and TI Principal Fellow Gene Franz at the Celebration of Support. ‘, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/3.jpg’, title: ‘UT System Regent Brenda Pejovich attended to show her support for the University.’, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/4.jpg’, title: ‘Robotic chess pieces made by engineering students made an appearance at the Celebration of Support.’, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/5.jpg’, title: ‘Richardson city officials (from left): City Manager Dan Johnson, an ex officio member of the UT Dallas Development Board; Mayor Bob Townsend; and former City Manager Bill Keffler, a Development Board member.’, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/6.jpg’, title: ‘Robert Doering, senior fellow and research manager at Texas Instruments, speaks with UT Dallas Student Ambassadors Minal Issac, Sadvi Bisaria and Alejandra Valles.’, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/7.jpg’, title: ‘Lance Charriere, a member of the University Campaign Council, shared the evening with other University supporters.’, description: ” }, { image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/8.jpg’, title: ‘Dr. Larry D. Sall (center), retired dean of the Eugene McDermott Library, spoke with other attendees at the Celebration of Support.’, description: ” } ,{ image: ‘/news/imgs/trellis/9.jpg’, title: ‘Night vision goggles were part of an in-kind gift from L-3 Infrared Products, the Dallas-based division of a leading designer and manufacturer of military and commercial thermal imaging cameras and modules.’, description: ” }, ];// ]]>
What do a vine-covered trellis, a half-scale Corsair airplane and a woman’s club have in common? At the recent Celebration of Support, the presence of each signaled significant new gifts unveiled recently for the University’s Realize the Vision: The Campaign for Tier One & Beyond.
In three-years, more than $125 million has been raised toward the $200 million-campaign to support the University’s goal of becoming a Tier One research institution.
The UT Dallas Development Board hosted the Oct. 18 event on Trellis Plaza, which will anchor a new phase of campus beautification resulting from $5 million in recent gifts from an anonymous donor. President David E. Daniel said that he expects to receive additional gifts that will raise the support for this phase of the project to $14 million.
Acclaimed landscape architect Peter Walker and his firm PWP Landscape Architecture of Berkeley, Calif., are designing the walkways, gathering areas and outdoor spaces that will be focal points, as well as an extension of the $30 million Campus Enhancement Project, which was launched in 2008 and included the addition of more than 5,000 trees, four reflecting pools, the trellis-covered plaza and a new entrance on Campbell Road. Final design of the next phase is slated for 2013.
“With these visionary and generous gifts, UT Dallas embarks on the next phase to creation of a uniquely beautiful and distinctive campus,” said President Daniel. “In the special outdoor areas that these gifts will make possible, students will walk and talk, congregate and share, develop ideas with colleagues and faculty members, and make social connections. These are critical elements of expression for an intellectually vibrant campus. I am deeply grateful to those who have made this next phase of UT Dallas’s story come to life.”
A half-scale replica of a Corsair aircraft was displayed to commemorate a $100,000 gift from the Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation to the History of Aviation Collection at the McDermott Library.
Also announced was a $100,000 gift from the Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation to the History of Aviation Collection (HAC) at the Eugene McDermott Library. Vought Aircraft is working to preserve and chronicle its history, which dates back to the 1930s when the company started producing commercial and military aircraft, including the E-7 Bluebird and the F4U Corsair. The gift will provide an archivist to integrate Vought Aircraft’s historical documents, pictures and films with the HAC collection. Both collections will be available to the public and researchers.
The third gift is an example of a beneficiary from the past giving to others in the future. The Northwood Woman’s Club (NWC) was recognized at the celebration for creating a scholarship for women more than 30 years ago, but the group had no idea that one of those students was about to pay the favor forward. Jefflyn Williamson BS’83, one of the first recipients of the NWC scholarship, has created an endowed scholarship and included the Naveen Jindal School of Management in her estate plans. A portion of Williamson’s estate will go toward her scholarship, and the rest will be used to benefit the Jindal School through an Opportunity Fund, a permanent unrestricted endowment.
“I am thrilled to know my legacy will live on through my gift,” Williamson said. “Long after I’m gone, students will still benefit from an education at UT Dallas.”
The Celebration of Support is among a series of activities that the Office of Development and Alumni Relations initiated to thank University supporters, including faculty, staff, alumni, public officials and members of donor societies.
Jefflyn Williamson BS'83 (center) posed with members of the Northwood Woman's Club, which awarded Williamson with a college scholarship. She recently decided to pay that gift forward with an endowed scholarship and by including UT Dallas in her estate plans.
Suzanne Anderson BA’98 attended as both a member of the Comet Whoosh Society and a council member of UT Dallas’ former alumni association.
“Each time I return to campus I am amazed at the growth and development that continues to take place,” Anderson said. “It is different: cutting-edge courses, new buildings, dorms and proud, bright students from all over the world. I am proud to support UT Dallas and know it’s on a path to become one of the finest educational institutions in the nation.”