AUSTIN, Texas—Houston attorney Joe Jamail and his wife, Lee, have given $5 million to The University of Texas at Austin for student scholarships and other needs, and Austin philanthropists Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long have given $1 million for scholarships, according to Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of the university.
"Through their faithful generosity to the university, the Jamails and the Longs have done so much over the years to improve the lives of Texans,” Faulkner said. “Their brand of committed giving has had a tremendous impact on UT Austin, and all of us are very grateful for their support.”
Of the $5 million in funds provided by the Jamails, $1 million will go to the Texas Exes for scholarships for minority students. The Longs also have pledged $1 million to the Texas Exes for similar scholarships. Texas Exes, the alumni organization for The University of Texas at Austin, is a nonprofit entity, separate from the university, and can make awards specifically for minority students.
Both couples have issued a challenge to Texas Exes chapters to match their combined $2 million, thus creating a $4 million endowment for minority scholarships. Such an endowment would make available about $200,000 annually for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $7,500.
“Lee and I owe a great deal to The University of Texas,” Joe Jamail said. “The doors of opportunity began opening for us when we were students here. We want to pass on that same good fortune to the students of today and tomorrow.”
In addition to their gift to the Texas Exes, the Jamails have pledged $500,000 for scholarships and equipment in the colleges of Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts. Funds will go to students in the UTeach program, which trains secondary school teachers.
The Jamails also have earmarked $250,000 for creation of a scholarship endowment for members of the Longhorn Band and a like amount for a similar endowment for graduate and undergraduate students in speech-language pathology.
Also part of the Jamail gift is $1 million to set up an excellence fund in the School of Nursing. Proceeds from the fund will be used to attract and retain accomplished faculty members.
A further gift of $1 million will go to the presidential Endowment for Excellence, Faulkner’s discretionary fund for programs and other critical needs of the university. Another $1 million is being provided to the university for purposes to be determined in the future by the Jamails.
For more information contact: Jim Kunetka, Office of Resource Development, 512-475-9641, or Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
