Former UTA employee commits nearly $100,000 to scholarship fund
Peggy Brandt Brown, a former student success counselor at The University of Texas at Arlington, has committed nearly $100,000 to support scholarships for UTA’s low-income, first-generation and underserved students.
Brown’s planned estate gift of $97,200 will support the Kathryn Head Scholarship Endowment, a fund that provides financial assistance to students involved in the McNair Scholars Program and TRIO Student Support Services. The endowment was established in 2009 upon Head’s retirement after 31 years of service to the University.
“As colleagues and friends, Kathryn and I shared a desire to help disadvantaged students achieve their academic and career goals,” Brown said. “I firmly believe in the missions of both programs, and I’m delighted to support the education of their students.”
Head and Brown worked together in TRIO from 1979 to 1984, leading programs that mentored underrepresented students. As time passed, Head advanced to various roles within Student Support Services and McNair Scholars. Brown followed her passion for helping underserved youth and completed a doctoral degree in higher education and human development, later becoming a college professor. Despite no longer working together, the two always kept in touch.
When Head passed away in 2017, she left a legacy of service and academic excellence. For Brown, the decision to plan a gift to the endowment honoring her close friend was an easy one.
“Kathryn was a mentor to me, not only professionally, but in my personal life as well,” Brown said. “This gift is an easy decision that will allow me to honor my friend and support a cause that I am passionate about.”
At UTA, providing access to a world-class education for students from all backgrounds and circumstances is a top priority. Each year, the University offers more than $30 million in scholarships to improve college access and reward academic excellence.
“Peggy Brandt Brown’s gift is a testament to UTA’s great culture and our belief in limitless future possibilities,” said Jennifer Cowley, UTA’s president. “This generous estate gift will enable generations of Mavericks to overcome social and financial barriers on the path to success.”
In 1989, Head wrote the grant application that established UTA’s McNair Scholars program, a competitive, federally funded initiative that prepares underserved undergraduates for doctoral studies through summer research internships and other scholarly activities. For 33 years, the program has helped numerous students gain the skills needed to complete advanced degrees and reach research milestones.
“It is wonderful to witness the story of these two exceptional educators come full circle,” said Kenyatta Dawson, director of undergraduate research and the McNair Scholars program. “The impact that their talents and generosity have had on UTA’s most vulnerable students is truly immeasurable.”
For more information about scholarship support, visit the UTA Scholarship Initiative website.