Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science Names New Associate Dean, Director of Development

RICHARDSON, Texas (Jan. 27, 2005) – The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) has appointed Marjie Young French, a development professional with more than a decade of major fundraising experience, to lead its $100-million Research Enterprise Initiative for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. She will serve as associate dean and director of development for the school.

“Marjie already has a strong network of key supporters in the Dallas area, which will help her get our fundraising campaign off to a fast start,” Jonsson School Dean Dr. Bob Helms said. “Under our Research Enterprise Initiative, which most people know by its code name, Project Emmitt, we have pledged to raise $100 million in private funds for the Jonsson School as our part of the economic development agreement reached by Texas Instruments, the State of Texas and the University of Texas System. With her background and experience at public research institutions, she is the perfect person to lead this effort.”

Boasting over a decade of major
fundraising experience, Marjie Young French
will lead the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering
and Computer Science’s $100 million initiative.

French said she was “delighted to join UTD, an institution with such a strong reputation in the community.”

“It is professionally rewarding to be part of an initiative that will strengthen the regional economy of North Texas, and I am thrilled to be charged with securing the private funding needed to take U. T. Dallas to the top tier of research universities.”

Prior to joining UTD, French was assistant dean for development and outreach at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture.

Previously, as associate director of development, she managed the highly successful, Dallas major gift program for U. T. Austin’s $1.6-billion “We’re Texas” campaign. Additionally, she supervised development programs at the University of Houston Honors College and the University of Houston Gerald Hines College of Architecture during U. H.’s $350-million creative partnership campaign. French’s accomplishments also include coordinating the $7-million gift to name the Gerald Hines College of Architecture at U. H. and supervising the fundraising that led to the creation of The Real Estate Finance Center at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.

French received her B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and is a native Texan.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 14,000 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.