When the late Horace Brock and his wife, the late Euline Brock ('74 Ph.D.), met at North Texas in 1954, they made attending concerts on campus a dating tradition -- one they continued for more than 50 years.
Now, with a $6.5 million estate gift, the Brocks have left a legacy that will transform the futures of students in UNT's College of Music.
The couple's profound appreciation of the arts preceded their lifetime of giving.
"When my parents got married in 1955, they bought a hi-fi before they had a couch -- that's how strong their love of music was," says Alan Brock, one of the couple's three children.
For Horace, Professor Emeritus of accounting, and Euline -- who taught English at North Texas and served as mayor of Denton -- a connection to the College of Music stemmed directly from that passion for keeping music and the arts as a central part of their lives, as well as their deep belief in the importance of what UNT's music program provided them, their family and the many others who benefited from it.
"Euline and Horace Brock were truly impactful citizens of this university, this community and the world," says John Richmond, dean of the College of Music. "Global leaders in every sense, they chose nevertheless to focus so much of their energy, enthusiasm and legacy right here in Denton."
Throughout their lives, the Brocks' UNT contributions extended beyond the College of Music to the College of Business, athletics, the libraries and the Emerald Eagle Scholars program. Their scholarships include the Euline and Horace Brock Merit Scholarship, which supports music students; the Brock Endowment for Strings, a full-ride scholarship given to an outstanding string player each year; and the Euline W. Brock Centennial Presidential Scholarship, which recruits top academically performing students.
In recognition of decades of service to the university, the Brocks received the Wings of Eagles Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. And if you walk into the Murchison Performing Arts Center, you will find yourself standing in the Euline and Horace Brock Grand Lobby.
"Horace and Euline Brock deserve the highest honor," says David Wolf, vice president for university advancement. "Their dedication to making a difference at our university during their lives, and now through their estate plan, will continue to change lives for generations."
The estate gift -- one of the largest the university has ever received -- will be used to fund scholarships in the College of Music.
"Their extraordinary generosity demonstrates a profound commitment to our college and to the future of our diverse musical culture," Richmond says. "We are humbled and extremely grateful to the entire Brock family for their philanthropic legacy."
The Brocks' lifetime of generosity to both the university and the community was tied to their commitment to working with ferocity -- not just for their own personal success, but for the success of others.
"My parents knew that a truly meaningful life doesn't come from a focus only on yourself, and that's what this legacy is about -- others benefiting from their tremendous good fortune," Alan Brock says.
