Promising high school grads from a broad cross-section of Texas will meet at UT Dallas next month to make up the University’s fifth class of Terry Scholars.

The 14 new students, hailing from Denton, La Porte and a number of cities in between, will bring the number of UT Dallas scholars in the elite program to 52.

Terry Foundation logo

The Terry Foundation is the largest private scholarship organization in Texas. Houston philanthropists Howard and Nancy Terry established the program in 1986.

Terry Scholars are nominated by their universities based in part on their leadership potential and academic ability. The University of Texas at Dallas accepted its first 11 students in 2006 and has added 14 students per year every year since.

The program also supports students attending the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas and Texas State University – San Marcos.

The Terry Scholars awards cover a broad range of student expenses over four years of study.

The eight women and six men enrolled for the fall were selected based on an array of factors, including leadership, character and academic distinction. 

“I am delighted with this group of incoming scholars and am particularly impressed with how well-rounded they are,” said Blythe Torres, director of the Academic Excellence Scholarship Program and the Terry Scholars program. “Not only have they engaged in a variety of activities, they excel in their chosen endeavors, winning numerous awards including state chess championships and UIL honors. 

The 2010 class includes one valedictorian and two salutatorians. The students’ average SAT score is 1308 out of a possible 1600 on the test’s math and critical reading sections.

“These scholars have distinguished themselves in diverse pursuits including painting, music, creative writing, sports, chess, ROTC and cabinet-making,” Torres said. “Their academic achievements, leadership and service to others have been outstanding, and I am confident this will continue while at UT Dallas.”

The recipients’ names, high schools, hometowns and intended majors are:  

  • Sarah Abdulqader, Brighter Horizons Academy, Richardson, psychology.
  • Molly Buchanan, Rowlett High School, Rowlett, mathematics (with teacher certification).
  • Charles “Wesley” Cantrell, Weatherford High School, Weatherford, computer science.
  • Joseph Chrasta, Lucas Christian Academy, Wylie, mechanical engineering.
  • Devaki Dave, Denton High School, Denton, political science.
  • Rheanna English, International School of the Americas, San Antonio, mathematics.
  • Natasha Gupta, Plano East High School, Plano, biology/neuroscience.
  • Dana Johnson, La Porte High School, La Porte, applied mathematics.
  • Zachary Johnson, A.C. Jones High School, Beeville, biology.
  • Scott Jones, Plano East High School, Plano, mechanical engineering.
  • Dana Litovsky, Honey Grove High School, Paris, neuroscience.
  • Erika Oliver, North Mesquite High School, Mesquite, software engineering.
  • Zachary Richardson, Westwood High School, Austin, computer engineering/business administration.
  • Andrew Vuong, Plano East High School, Plano, biochemistry

UT Dallas became part of the Terry Scholars program in 2006, and is among only seven universities whose students are eligible for consideration for Terry Scholarships. 

Since its inception in 1986, the Terry Scholarship Program has assisted more than 2,200 Texas college students.  The foundation, whose board includes four Terry Scholar Alumni,  is chartered to exist in perpetuity, and designed to provide a greater number of scholarships each year — a source of significant opportunity for potential students who fit the selection criteria.

The foundation seeks to support students whose orientation to service and community will have a significant impact on the future leadership of the state and nation. Scholarship recipients must have graduated from a Texas high school, and they must attend one of the colleges selected by the foundation. Terry Scholar Alumni remain actively engaged with the foundation beyond their college years.

The amount of a Terry scholarship is based on the cost of attendance at UT Dallas, including tuition, fees, books, on-campus room and board, and miscellaneous expenses. The value awarded varies for each scholar, depending on other scholarships received and the ability of the scholar’s family to contribute to the cost of college. The average award amount per scholar at UT Dallas, including financial aid and the Terry stipend, is about $80,000 over four years.