The campaign to raise $300,000 for permanent funding for 13 annual scholarships for Daily Texan staff members has passed the halfway mark, with three months left in the 2023 effort.
If the goal is met, all 13 grants to be awarded next year will be guaranteed permanent funding via the Friends of The Daily Texan endowment, plus other endowment partners and supporters of student journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
Donations in support of the Friends group to support The Daily Texan can be made at:
https://friendsofthedailytexan.com/donations/
Or by mail: Friends of The Daily Texan, P.O. Box 8383, Austin, Texas 78713
“We’re gratified at the level of support that has brought us this far in our fund-raising effort,” said John Reetz, president of Friends of The Daily Texan, “but it is very important to reach the full $300,000 goal so these grants remain permanent as a show of support for the Texan staffers and student journalism at UT.”
Associate photo editor Julius Shieh receives his check at the 2023 Daily Texan Hall of Fame gathering.
Here is why this campaign is so important:
- Seven of the current scholarships are supported by an endowment in place with UT Development.
- The remaining six are supported graciously by former Texan staff members who annually contribute to fund several grants, plus general donations to the Friends effort.
- Scholarship grants range from $1,000 to $2,500 s year.
- Under the current financial situation, there is no room to add any additional scholarships, or increase the amount of the grants that are not endowed.
“Support for this effort has been strong, with donations ranging from $25 to $60,000 being made within the past year,” Reetz said. “Three new scholarships have been created this past year and fully endowed, and we are working to fully endow the remaining 10 grants. Every donation counts, and every donation will be recognized in a lasting manner.”
Since the Friends group’s first grant of $1,500 to one student in 2018, $41,750 has been awarded to 36 Texan staffers. Next spring at least two more scholarships will be added to the list, providing financial support to 49 students, totaling $62,750.
Within the last year, three new scholarship grants have been fully endowed:
- Creation of a new grant recognizing a Daily Texan photojournalist with funding of $60,000 from Lynne Dobson, former Texan staffer, and husband Greg Wooldridge and their Tejemos Foundation; read about the Dobson-Wooldridge scholarship grant here.
- Creation of a new grant recognizing a Daily Texan sports journalist, funded by a $50,000 donation from former Texan staffer Kirk Bohls and wife Vicki; read about the Bohls scholarship grant here.
- Creation of a new grant honoring former journalism professor and journalist S. Griffin Singer, with a $25,000 donation from former Texan staffer Jo Clifton and her mother, former journalist Loretta Diggs Pendergraft. An additional $25,000 donation from former Texan staffer Joe Phillips brought the Singer scholarship to full endowment. Read about the Clifton/Pendergraft and Phillips scholarship grants here.
The goal of raising an additional $300,000 will allow the Friends group to permanently endow the remaining scholarships that are partially endowed or supported by regular donations from donors or annual donations received by the Friends group.
Approxmimately $140,000 is needed to reach that $300,000 goal.
About Friends of The Daily Texan:
Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to lend support and assistance to The Daily Texan, an institution at the University of Texas at Austin since 1900. Members include alumni of The Texan, plus other supporters of a free and unfettered student media at UT. The group sponsors annual scholarships for Texan staffers, plus provides funds to purchase needed video and photo equipment, to support digital transition efforts by The Texan, for training, coverage, travel and other needs identified by Texan editors.