April 28, 1999
(DALLAS) — Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) Foundation Chairman Robert L. Thornton III announced today that Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation has donated $1 million to the new Rising Star Scholarship program.
“This gift has completed the funding we needed for the two-year pilot program,” said Mr. Thornton. “We are delighted that the Texas Instruments Foundation has chosen to become the first Dallas entity to participate in the program at this level.”
A Rising Star Scholarship will pay the tuition, fees and books for a two-year DCCCD education. The scholarship can be applied to academic, technical or trade programs. It can also be used to pay for training at DCCCD’s Bill J. Priest Institute for Economic Development.
During the next two years, the DCCCD Foundation will be raising the funds for a $30 million endowment to ensure that every eligible Dallas County high school graduate with financial need who wants to earn a two-year college degree at one of DCCCD’s seven colleges can also earn a full scholarship.
“The Rising Star Scholarship program essentially eliminates financial need as a barrier for any Dallas County high school student who wants to pursue a college education,” said Mr. Thornton. “Additionally, the program will ensure that Dallas County has the qualified workforce it needs to support the phenomenal expansion of our local economy.”
“Building a better Dallas is not just a matter of investing in infrastructure — it means investing in human capital,” said Tom Engibous, TI’s president, chairman and CEO. “The TI donation to Rising Star will positively impact Southern Dallas in the short term and all of Dallas for years to come. Today’s high school graduates can have hope for a better future, and grade school and middle school school students will have an incentive to stay in school and not drop out.”
“The TI Foundation is proud to be the first $1 million donor to the Rising Star Scholarship program and we want to encourage many others to follow,” Mr. Engibous continued. “This program warrants the support of businesses, foundations, and individuals, as the benefits will be seen not only by the scholarship recipients and the businesses that hire them, but in the economic vitality of the community at large.”
The first seven students to receive the scholarships were introduced at the announcement at Dallas City Hall on Wednesday.
- Daniel del Toro, Skyline HS, Brookhaven
- Damien Hawkins, Justin Kimball HS, Cedar Valley
- Marisela Rogriguez, W.W. Samuel HS, Eastfield
- Oliva Sierra, H. Grady Spruce HS, El Centro
- Gabriel Barboza, Moises Molina HS, Mountain View
- Kendrick Barnett, Duncanville HS, North Lake
- Xuan Thai, Yvonne A Ewell Townview Center, Richland
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During the first year of the southern pilot, the DCCCD Foundation expects to provide full two-year scholarships to at least 400 students who might not otherwise have been able to afford a college education. The DCCCD Foundation plans to expand the program county-wide in 2001. Anyone desiring more information about the Rising Star Scholarships program can call the toll-free information line, 972-860-RISE or the DCCCD Foundation at (214) 860-2053.
Note to Editors: The Dallas County Community College District is a comprehensive two-year system comprising seven campuses * Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland colleges. The district also operates the Bill J. Priest Institute for Economic Development, a job training and business services center, and the R. Jan LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications which provides distance learning products and services to educational institutions, business and industry and individuals worldwide. The LeCroy Center is one of the largest producers of distance learning products in the country as well as one of the largest program providers for the PBS Adult Learning Service.
The DCCCD Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit organization that was created in 1973 to enhance achievement and excellence in DCCCD by providing student scholarships, supporting the professional development of faculty and staff and fostering innovation in DCCCD’s educational programs. In its first 25 years, the DCCCD Foundation built its assets from an initial gift of $12,000 to more than $6 million while disbursing more than $15 million in scholarships and grants to thousands of students and professionals throughout DCCCD.
Texas Instruments Incorporated is a global semiconductor company and the world's leading designer and supplier of digital signal processing and analog technologies, the engines driving the digitization of electronics. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company's businesses also include materials and controls, educational and productivity solutions and digital imaging. The company has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com
The Texas Instruments Foundation is a nonprofit organization for cultural, charitable and educational purposes supported by Texas Instruments Incorporated.
For more information, contact:
Georgeann Moss at (214) 860-2478 or Gail Chandler at (972) 480-6808.