Donors Driving Opportunity

When doors open for one student, whole families and communities rise. At UNT, donor-funded scholarships spark that change — removing barriers for first-generation students, fueling confidence in the classroom, and building pathways to careers that redefine what’s possible.

Niki Dash, dean of the College of Health and Public Service, with her late mother, Marsha.
Honoring Legacies
College of Health and Public Service Dean Niki Dash and her husband, Carlos Armas, established the Marsha Dash Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship to give first‑generation students the life‑changing international experiences that Dash’s mother, Marsha, once dreamed of, but could not afford.
From left to right, Jessica and Dr. Colin Meyer ('97 TAMS) with TAMS Dean Glênisson de Oliveira.
Funding Cancer Research
Dr. Colin Meyer and his wife Jessica donated $1 million to Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) to support scholarships and enhanced facilities as a way to ensure continued opportunities in the program that helped him advance his career in medical research.
First gen students pose with Scrappy under a balloon arch
Funding First-Gen Students
UNT programs like the Emerald Eagle Scholars program, which targets incoming freshmen with a total family income of $65,000 or less, helps students find the financial resources to afford college while also providing a strong support system for their academics and requiring campus engagement.