AUSTIN, Texas—President Larry R. Faulkner of The University of Texas at Austin and a team of University officials will deliver about $500,000 in scholarship grants to 49 top academic scholars in five Dallas-Fort Worth area high schools Tuesday morning (April 25).
Tuesday afternoon, Faulkner will participate in the open house ceremony for UT Austin’s new Dallas Admissions Center, which is expected to build upon the recruitment efforts of the University. A 2 p.m. press conference at the center, 6333 Forest Park Road, Suite 234A in Dallas, will precede the 3 p.m. open house ceremony.
“I am pleased to have this opportunity to visit Dallas-area high schools and to present scholarships to these outstanding students. On this trip we are opening a new UT Admissions Center in Dallas, which will enable the University to serve the area even better. We want to make sure that students are aware of the vast educational opportunities and the vibrant learning environment of The University of Texas at Austin,” said Faulkner.
The president’s team on Monday morning will include Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson, Associate Provost Lucia Gilbert and officials who can provide information about admissions, financial aid and student life at UT Austin. Faulkner will lead the Orange Team in Dallas and Ekland-Olson will lead the White Team in Fort Worth. Their itinerary includes:
Orange Team:
9:15 a.m., Skyline High School, 7777 Forney Road, Dallas
10:15 a.m., W.W. Samuell High School, 8928 Palisades Drive, Dallas
11:20 a.m., David W. Carter High School, 1819 W. Wheatland, Dallas
White Team:
9:30 a.m. Trimble Tech High School, 1003 West Cannon Street, Fort Worth
10:30 a.m. Eastern Hills High School, 5701 Shelton Street, Fort Worth
The two teams will meet at 1 p.m. for lunch at the Dallas Admissions Center, which will operate under the direction of Kedra Thomas.
“We strive to enhance and build upon the recruitment efforts of the home campus through specific target marketing strategies in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. The reasoning behind establishing a satellite office is to provide more intense and personal service to area high schools,” said Thomas. “We will now be able to serve as a personal liaison for students, college guidance professionals, parents and alumni to the main campus. We want to provide key transitional information and guidance that facilitates admission and enrollment of qualified students from our market.”
Thomas will be one of four staff members in the new center, which will serve the high schools of Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, Cooke, Parker, Johnson, Kaufman and Rockwall counties.
The center’s goals will include increasing the number of applications from historically under represented school districts and striving to recruit students with increasingly superior academic qualifications. It also will work to provide information about educational opportunities through public service to high schools and community colleges, to provide extensive customer service options for students in the Dallas/Fort Worth market and utilize technology and database information more effectively in recruitment efforts.
“The philosophy of the Dallas Admissions Center is to be the local expert. Although we can never replace the value of visiting campus in Austin, we can certainly provide a high quality of service and facilitate an easier transition to campus,” said Thomas.
In the first year, the bulk of the center’s efforts will be outreach into high schools and community colleges, but it also will sponsor in-house events such as financial aid nights and its staff will be available for individual counseling by appointment and during most times of the year for walk-ins.
The office is located 1 mile west of Love Field airport in Exchange Park Mall.
