The strong connection that Vikas Sinha ('23 Ph.D.), his wife Anuradha and their family have to UNT was forged in a passion for data science and commitment to student success. That connection was made just a handful of years ago, and in the short time since, the Sinhas have made major waves in the world of data science education in North Texas and beyond.

In the last year, the family has gifted over $5 million to support the UNT College of Information, including more than $3 million to establish The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science, and now an additional $2.15 million to create The Sinha Innovation Lab for Data Science.

And it all started with a phone call.

After years of contemplating going back to school and finally finishing the Ph.D. he had sought after all those years, Sinha decided he was ready. Sinha, who serves as the vice president of the Mainframe Software Division at Broadcom, reached out to one of his alma maters, which told him he'd need to attend courses in person. For someone in the process of relocating to Texas at the time, that wasn't an option he wanted to take.

Once in Texas, Sinha began noticing billboards and signs about UNT's academic programs that piqued his interest. But the programs weren't made for working professionals.

"So, the residency requirement is still there, and that wasn't going to work for me,'" Sinha says. "And that was it."

Until it wasn't.

Fast forward several months to Sinha's phone ringing.

"It was the College of Information reaching out about a new program based out of Frisco -- a full Ph.D. program built to be accommodative and geared toward working professionals," Sinha says.

They asked if he was still interested, and Sinha jumped at the opportunity.

"It was amazing. People don't do that," says Sinha, who completed his Ph.D. in 2023.

Last year, the Sinhas' initial gift established the Department of Data Science and created endowments supporting student scholarships, professorships, research and special initiatives. 

The new state-of-the-art lab will support the department through innovative techniques, cutting-edge research and industry partnerships that will ensure continued success and broader impact.

"We have always believed in the gift of education," Sinha says. "We firmly believe anything on the education front brings about a generational change, and when we see UNT has so many first-generation college graduates and their families -- it actually changes that family for generations to come, and that makes it very fulfilling."