Golfers Revive Scholarship Tradition

After a two-year hiatus, the UT Dallas Golf Tournament made a successful return recently and raised nearly $25,000 for undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

“This tournament demonstrates a true partnership of all our constituents – alumni, community leaders, the city of Richardson, and university faculty, staff and students,” said Calvin Jamison, the vice president of business affairs and an avid golfer.  “Golf is a great vehicle for making a very positive contribution to this campus.”

Austin Industries was the tournament’s lead sponsor.

All proceeds will be split evenly between two UT Dallas endowments – the Betty and Gifford Johnson Graduate Scholarship and the Patti Henry-Pinch Undergraduate Scholarship.  

The graduate endowment is named for the late last president of the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies, the predecessor to UT Dallas. The undergraduate scholarship is named for a life member of the University’s development board.

Since its inception, the tournament has raised approximately $200,000.  This year’s event marked the tournament’s 16th year.

When he came to UT Dallas in August 2007, Jamison asked about golf event opportunities and soon agreed to lead the tournament’s revival.

“We pulled together individuals involved with the previous tournament and added some high-energy volunteers resulting in a successful tournament and great scholarships,” Jamison said.

Golfers, most of whom are long-time UT Dallas donors, faculty or staff, eagerly attacked the links in friendly competition for awards and prizes. Twenty-five teams took to the course, fielding 150 players such as University President David Daniel, scholarship namesake Patti Henry-Pinch, and Graduate Dean Austin Cunningham, as well as representatives from the construction, telecom and small-business sectors.

The golf fundraiser is the kind of event that can change lives.

James Wyant III, finance major, was scheduled to graduate in December 2008 when he received the Patti Henry-Pinch Undergraduate Scholarship. The scholarship opened some new doors.

Wyant decided to double major, adding accounting and information management coursework. By staying in school, he qualified for and won an award from the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of Dallas-Fort Worth. 

The magna cum laude graduate now works as a financial consultant in Richardson and plans to pursue an MBA.

Another undergraduate scholarship recipient, Maritza Meneces, said she became the first member of her family to graduate with a degree in business administration. She also said she plans to pursue an MBA soon.

“It is great to hear that thanks to the golf tournament, the Patti Henry-Pinch Scholarship will still be available to help students just like it helped me,” she said.

The Patti Henry-Pinch Scholarship is open to all domestic students, with a preference for those with financial need.

The Betty and Gifford Johnson Scholarship supports graduate students by covering expenses that allow them to attend and make presentations at national conferences. Graduate Council members from each school identify awardees.

Jamison wants to increase the tournament’s scope.

“We want more people investing in the mission of the tournament, so our goal will be to involve more sponsors, increase the amount for scholarships, enhance the quality of our prizes and make sure that it is an extraordinary experience for all who participate,” Jamison said.