Students at The University of Texas at Dallas, Dr. Nils Roemer, dean of The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, & Technology, and members of the dean’s advisory council spoke to faculty, alums, and supporters about the impact of scholarships and financial aid at SP/N Gallery on April 4.
At the Comets Giving Days Scholarship Celebration, donors supporting scholarships for students in Bass School programs met with the recipients and listened to testimonies about the significance of their contributions.
“I think aside from money, receiving a scholarship is a tremendous boost to one’s confidence and to one’s commitment, and to one’s own study because there’s an external validation that comes with it,” Dr. Roemer said. “I think that is as important in the long run as the financial support, the feeling of being really supported and encouraged to go on. It provides not just financial means but also confidence and encouragement.”
The featured student speaker was Kaitlyn Weirich, a senior who moved to Dallas from Mississippi to earn a double major in history and visual performing arts. Throughout her time at UT Dallas, Weirich has been a member of the UTDance Ensemble for seven consecutive semesters, has worked on extensive research and artistic projects, and has studied medieval and Renaissance art and architecture in Florence, Italy.
“I want to thank you for making this possible for me and for so many other students like me,” Weirich said during her speech. Higher education scholarships are an important opportunity for underrepresented students to be able to achieve their goals and bring more nuanced and accepting viewpoints to the world. I’m proud to be standing before you today as a representative of this diverse group of students who benefit from these scholarship opportunities every year.”
A recipient of The Gavin R. G. Hambly Endowed Scholarship, Weirich is in the fast-track program to earn a master’s degree in history and aims to work in a museum one day. Her love for history sparked when her parents encouraged her to study influential women throughout history when she was seven.
“Today I continue that lifelong assignment by focusing on women’s history and shedding light on a long overlooked aspect of our past,” Weirich said. “I hope to give voice to those who have often been left out of the conventionally accepted historical narrative and encourage others to listen to their stories. And UT Dallas has played an instrumental role in helping me to physical these dreams.”
Dr. Alex Garcia Topete, PhD’21, a D-FW film professional and dean’s advisory council member, spoke about his decision to select UT Dallas for his undergraduate studies. While searching for film study programs, UT Dallas granted him The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program, a decisive factor that steered him toward the University’s former School of Arts and Humanities.
“Scholarships attract and foster talent,” Dr. Garcia Topete said. “They bring to UTD and to Dallas the talents, the risk-taking, the efforts, and the commitment of people that otherwise may not be here. I know that I was one of them.
During his talk, he also delved into the broader advantages of scholarships beyond mere financial assistance.
“Scholarships foster a sense of community and belonging,” Dr. Garcia Topete said. I met my wife through that community of UTD alumni. The business connections and those in my personal life—everything has been built through the UTD network at large and its scholarship community.”
Donna Swanson, a member of the dean’s advisory council and alumna who earned a BA in arts administration and management in 2020, spoke about the necessity that these scholarships address. Swanson finished her BA after raising two kids while working as a project manager in the executive search industry. As a student, she witnessed firsthand the financial hardships many students face daily.
“I got to know many of them on a personal basis, heard their stories, and shared their successes and challenges,” Swanson said. “Things like juggling two jobs, raising children or caring for family members, transportation problems, can’t afford textbooks and materials, a broken laptop. They often don’t know where that money is going to come from, and many are always struggling to pay their tuition.”
Comets Giving Days, a yearly UT Dallas tradition, spans two days of celebration, and this year, it was held on April 3rd and 4th. It’s an occasion that unites alums, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends in a collective effort to bolster their favorite schools, programs, centers, or departments through philanthropic support. Donations are magnified through engaging challenges and philanthropic matches, ensuring each contribution extends even further toward the University’s continued success.
###