Part of the UNT Alumni Association's mission is to serve, support and celebrate the university, and its board of directors is taking that to heart with the creation of the new UNT Alumni Association Board of Directors Annual Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund -- the 12th created by the association -- was started with an initial $19,000 gift made by the board. Awards will be given to eligible students with a family member who is a UNT graduate, to help create Mean Green legacies and support future alumni.

"We know that scholarships are critical," says Cathy Bryce, chair of the UNT Alumni Association Board of Directors. "They can change the course of your life."

The board's focus on student success isn't new -- a scholarship committee has been in place since 2016, helping individuals and alumni association chapters establish funds. Now, the board is using earnings from an investment fund to deepen that support.

"We're trying to create a perpetual scholarship machine," says Stephen Westurn, treasurer of the UNT Alumni Association Board of Directors and chair of the Finance and Investment Committee.

The board hopes to establish a connection with students to grow the UNT Alumni Association, as well as raise awareness with graduates about the importance of creating endowments and contributing to scholarship funds. The main goal, however, is to see students excel in college and advance to successful careers.

"We all love the University of North Texas," Bryce says. "We just want to see our students do well."