Giving

Impactful donors further Maverick excellence

Establishing an endowment is not only an enduring way to support UTA and its students, but an excellent opportunity to recognize those who have played a significant role in our lives. Whether honoring a former classmate or an extraordinary colleague who has passed away or celebrating an impactful mentor during their lifetime, a gift made in tribute to someone is a powerful display of admiration.

Remembering a Friend

Steven B. Hatch (’91 BA, Communications) grew up with a passion for athletics and received a full scholarship to play on the UTA golf team. His time on the team solidified his career aspiration to become a Professional Golfers’ Association club pro, while introducing him to lifelong friends.

When Hatch passed away in December 2021, several friends and family members—including his wife, Stephanie—and several UTA golf teammates wanted to find an impactful way to honor him. Together, they created the Steven B. Hatch Memorial Endowment to provide scholarships for juniors and seniors in UTA’s golf programs.

“Steve’s family and friends want this scholarship to represent the person we love and his memory for many years to come,” Stephanie says. “We know that he would be pleased we established this scholarship fund in his name so that other young golfers can be given the same opportunity he was given at the beginning of his career.”

Celebrating a Life

When renowned landscape architect and UTA architecture Professor of Practice Kevin Sloan passed away in October 2021, friends and colleagues created the Kevin Sloan Scholarship Endowment to celebrate his life and career by funding scholarships for architecture students.

Diane Cheatham, a friend and long-time client of Sloan’s landscape architecture business, donated $25,000 through an IRA distribution, helping to fully endow the fund.

“It is my honor to do something for someone I loved dearly,” Cheatham says.

Additional gifts were made by former College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs Dean Adrian Parr and her husband, former UTA Associate Professor Michael Zaretsky; JQ Engineering; Max Levy Architects, and an anonymous donor.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity of Kevin’s colleagues and friends,” says Diane Sloan, Kevin’s wife. “He would be thrilled to see his legacy living on through the education of the students who will receive this scholarship.”

Honoring a Mentor

Seven electrical engineering graduates of UTA were seeking a way to show appreciation for their former professor and mentor while supporting a new generation of telecommunications professionals.

Mini Vasudevan (’98 PhD, ’93 MS), Stone Tseng (’94 PhD, ’87 MS), Arun Bhikshesvaran (’95 MS), Srinivas Pillappakkam (’96 MS), Cesar Heyaime- Duvergé (’03 PhD, ’97 MS), Kiran Kuchi (’06 PhD, ’97 MS), and Tony Wong (’99 PhD, ’87 MS) established an endowment in honor of Professor Emeritus Vasant Prabhu and his late wife, Barbara.

The former students hope that honoring their professor through the Barbara and Vasant Prabhu Scholarship Endowment by his Graduate Students will create a long-lasting legacy, support students financially, and inspire others to find ways to recognize professors who have made significant impacts on their students academically and professionally.

“There is no better compliment to a professor than an acknowledgement by students that he has made a difference in their career,” Dr. Prabhu says.