Ericsson Dedicates New Funds to UT Dallas

In a show of continued support, Ericsson North America has pledged more than $100,000 in scholarships to UT Dallas for the 2008-2009 academic year. The funds are a significant increase from what the telecommunications company has offered the University in previous years.

In addition, Ericsson has donated $100,000 to the UT Dallas MobileLab, which explores cutting-edge applications for mobile electronics as part of the UT Dallas Arts & Technology program.

The Ericsson Scholarship Awards are for undergraduate students in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, the School of Management and the Academic Bridge program.

The gift will fund $2,500 scholarships in the fall – 20 in all – 16 new scholarships and four renewals to previous recipients.

This is the third year in a row that the company has renewed the scholarships. The pledge represents large increases in Ericsson’s support, both in the total value and number of scholarships.

“Ericsson has seen great benefits from our close relationship with UT Dallas, so we believe it is a smart investment to increase our support of the University,” said Arun Bhikshesvaran, vice president of strategy and CTO for Ericsson North America.  “We frequently hire quality graduates from UT Dallas, and we are excited to be able to assist an even greater number of worthy students.”

Scholarship recipients have been notified about the renewals. To qualify for one of the Ericsson Scholarship Awards, a student must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or better, be enrolled as a full-time student in select majors in the engineering or management schools and be a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency status. Other considerations include community service, leadership and work experience.

In addition, Ericsson has pledged $10,000 to support two students with $2,500 scholarships in the Academic Bridge Program for the 2008-2009 academic year. The scholarships will be awarded in the fall and spring. This is the first time Ericsson has supported the Bridge Program, which recruits local high school students who rank well within their class but who may have missed the chance to take a full college preparatory curriculum.

“We are grateful for the support from Ericsson and for their endorsement of our program,” said Dr. George Fair, dean of the School of General Studies, where the program resides. “Our Bridge students have proven that with a little help from others and a lot of determination, they can succeed at a rigorous university.”

Recipients of the Ericsson Academic Bridge Scholarship are expected to be notified soon.

Ericsson’s gift will help the MobileLab advance its experimentation and dialogue among university researchers, industry partners and students. The lab is a hub for research and innovation in mobile electronics and beyond.

Ericsson has a long history of supporting UT Dallas. The company endowed a chair in electrical engineering, which is reserved for the dean of that school; has supported building expansions in the School of Management and the Jonsson School; and donated gifts to the School of Management’s Center for Intelligent Supply Networks and the Leadership Center at UT Dallas.

Two Ericsson executives serve on the School of Management’s Advisory Council: Peter Dicksson, director, information technology and operations; and Jill Little, vice president, human resources. 

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