O’Donnell Foundation Gift Expands Dallas County Promise Partnership

The University of Texas at Dallas will receive $8 million from the O’Donnell Foundation as part of a new $50 million investment in the Dallas County Promise initiative, which supports programs that increase college access and degree completion for Dallas County students from middle school through college completion.

The O’Donnell Foundation’s new commitment builds upon its $60 million gift in 2024 to the Dallas County Promise program and brings the foundation’s total support for the initiative to $110 million — making it one of the largest philanthropic efforts of its kind to boost postsecondary success in Texas.

UT Dallas, which joined the Dallas County Promise coalition in May, will use the new funds to expand its outreach to local students and enhance resources for Dallas College transfer students. These efforts are expected to expand access, equity and economic mobility in the region.

“The Office of Undergraduate Education is proud to partner with Dallas County Promise, a program with a clear positive impact on student success during their time at UT Dallas and beyond,” said Dr. William Nichols, dean of undergraduate education and the Mary McDermott Cook Chair for Undergraduate Education. “Moreover, through the generosity of the O’Donnell Foundation, UT Dallas will expand its transformational impact on students exponentially, especially for those who transfer to our university. Transfer students are so often overlooked when universities are thinking about student success support, but this is another way that UT Dallas is a trailblazer that sets the model for other universities to follow.”

A Regional Commitment to Student Success

Launched in 2017 by Dallas College and the Commit Partnership, Dallas County Promise is a regional coalition of school districts, colleges, universities, employers and community organizations united in a mission to advance educational opportunity and economic mobility. The program provides tuition support to Dallas County students and helps them enroll in college, complete their degrees, and transition into meaningful careers.

The O’Donnell Foundation’s most recent gift, in conjunction with a $10 million allocation from the Dallas College Foundation, will establish the Dallas County Promise Transfer Success Fund, which will provide tuition assistance and living costs for students transferring from Dallas College to regional four-year universities who agree to sign reverse-transfer credit agreements with Dallas College.

“The O’Donnell Foundation’s generosity allows us to launch the Dallas County Promise Transfer Success Fund — an unprecedented endowment that will ease the financial burden for thousands of students as they continue their education,” said Josh Skolnick, executive director of the Dallas College Foundation. “This is about more than financial aid; it’s about creating a connected, coherent set of supports that give students the confidence and resources to transfer, thrive and earn a four-year degree.”

At UT Dallas, the O’Donnell Foundation’s gift will fund two major initiatives to support students at key points along the educational pipeline — from early awareness to degree completion.

The Early Inspire Fund will create programming for eighth- and ninth-grade students from low-income, high-achieving backgrounds. These programs will introduce young learners to college life and academic opportunities through on-campus visits, mentoring and enrichment experiences that help them envision themselves at a four-year university, with the aim of encouraging students to stay engaged through high school and pursue higher education after graduation.

The Student Success Coach Endowment will fund two full-time student success coaches dedicated to Dallas College transfer students who enroll at UT Dallas. These coaches will provide academic advising, financial guidance and personal support to approximately 200 students each year, with the goal of improving retention rates of transfer and first-generation students.

“This partnership reflects a full-circle approach to student success, from early outreach in middle school to personalized support after transfer,” said Carla Arellano, director of strategic enrollment partnerships and initiatives in the Office of Admission and Enrollment at UT Dallas. “What makes it especially impactful is the collaboration among leading institutions, each contributing its own strengths to expand educational opportunity. We are building a regional model that supports students from eighth grade through college completion, creating pathways to success that are now being recognized across the country.”

The O’Donnell Foundation’s investment is part of a broader philanthropic initiative supporting UT Dallas, Dallas College, the University of North Texas at Dallas and Southern Methodist University.

“The best path to a living wage and a good life is a good education,” said William T. Solomon, chairman, president and CEO of the O’Donnell Foundation. “The Promise initiative opens the door of opportunity for thousands of Dallas-area young people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. This grant is intended to expand access to the Promise and extend it beyond community college to the four-year university experience, all of which expands job-related skills and opportunities for a better life.”