Students interacting – various locations 2016
All students have signed model releases on file.

When former First Lady of Texas Rita C. Clements passed away in 2018, she left a legacy as big as the state itself, including a deep and abiding love for The University of Texas at Austin. She served as a Regent for the UT System under Governors Rick Perry and George W. Bush from 1996-2007, among numerous other high-profile volunteer roles. As part of her estate, which was left entirely to charity, the Rita C. Clements Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Business was established to provide a pathway for McCombs MBA students. This, along with 80 other similar fellowships, offer graduate students the opportunities that could otherwise be out of reach, making them an integral part of the program.

Two of Clements’ daughters, Bonnie Smith, MBA’82 and Barbara Joan Bass Moroney, MBA’83, are both McCombs graduates. “UT was very important to my mother, and she spent a lot of time there,” said Bonnie. “And I thoroughly enjoyed McCombs. I thought it was an incredible program. It really equipped me for my career and life.”

In this spirit, the trustees for the Rita C. Crocker Clements Foundation granted the McCombs School with an MBA Fellowship. A formidable woman in life, Bonnie says the most impressive thing about her mother was that she left her estate entirely to charity. “I wish a lot of people would do that,” she said.

Tina Mabley, Assistant Dean for the Full Time MBA Program at McCombs, says this type of support plays a pivotal role in creating an academic atmosphere where bright minds are inspired, shaped, and encouraged to change the world.

“These forms of financial support are vital in attracting and retaining top-tier students from various backgrounds, cultures and experiences,” she said.

Scott Mattei, MBA ’95, (pictured with his family) established the J. Scott Mattei Endowed MBA Scholarship

Scott Mattei, MBA ’95, President of Mattei Holdings, established the J. Scott Mattei Endowed MBA Scholarship to provide non-resident, MBA students with the chance to attend McCombs’ high-caliber program. It was important to him to provide a merit-based scholarship that also accounted for those with financial need.

“I believe an endowed scholarship by its nature allows for students to be able to rely on these funds their entire time spent at UT,” he said. “The certainty of this takes away some of the financial hurdles for students so they can focus on their personal growth and education.”

For Nora Moriarty, current MBA student, receiving the James A. Elkins, III Endowed Presidential Fellowship in Finance made all the difference in her ability to make the most of her McCombs experience. “Having an MBA scholarship lowered the cost of tuition and therefore gave me a lot more time to network with my peers, attend student organization events, and immerse myself in the McCombs culture,” she said.

The scholarship was established in memory of James A. Elkins, III, MBA ’76, following an illustrious banking career and a legacy of civic and cultural volunteerism. The endowed fellowship supports graduate students with an interest in finance.

Kevin Long, MBA ’25, conceived and cultivated his idea for heated outdoor furniture while a McCombs student supported by the Katie May Endowed Excellence Fund in Entrepreneurship, established to support graduate students who choose to work on their ventures during the summer.

“I co-founded Outmore Living with one of my classmates during my first year at McCombs,” he said. “[My scholarship] allowed me to forgo a traditional summer internship and focus completely on our company during the summer. I am confident that Outmore Living would not be in the position that we are in today without the work we spend that summer, and we have the Katie May Endowed Excellence Fund to thank for enabling that work.”

Kevin Long, MBA ’25, is using his scholarship to pursue his advanced degree while launching his outdoor furniture business, Outmore.

Endowed fellowships range in size, beginning at $100,000 or more, and can influence if and where a student pursues their advanced degree.

For Peiying Wu, her fellowship allowed her to focus her energy in higher education.

“Quitting my full-time job to [complete] an MBA was not an easy decision for me, an international student,” she said. “I wanted to make a career pivot, but it was a high-stakes decision. Without the scholarship, I would not have been able to comfortably take on this challenge.”

During her time at McCombs, she was able to participate in a short-term exchange program at Tel Aviv University in Israel, opening her eyes to the possibilities in the global tech sector. Today, she has a career in tech product management.

“Providing support for students from across the globe enhances the reputation of McCombs’ MBA program,” said Rodrigo Malta, Managing Director of MBA Recruiting and Admissions. “That broad, diverse, and accomplished talent enriches the academic discourse, fosters dynamic learning environments, and prepares students to thrive in a globalized world. By offering scholarships and fellowships, Texas McCombs attracts some of the brightest minds from around the world.”

Scholarship funding at the graduate level can increase the quality and diversity of our enrolled students and help McCombs yield a better percentage of our outstanding applicants.

While McCombs’ tuition rates are lower than many private and other large state universities, those other schools have more funding to offer competitive fellowship packages.

75% of Texas McCombs’ admitted full-time MBA students receive some fellowship funding, ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to full-tuition awards of $50,000+. The average award to McCombs MBA students is $22,000, far less than peer schools’ averages of $35,000 or more.

To learn about how to establish a scholarship or fellowship, contact the McCombs Development Office at development@mccombs.utexas.edu.

Dean Mills holds a pin with her drawing of Bevo on it in Rowling Hall on August 23, 2022. Photo by Lauren Gerson.

When the McCombs School of Business began celebrating its centennial year in 2022, it was right on the heels of the pandemic, and many organizations were just crawling out of a fundraising slump. Armed with a $500,000 matching fund initiative provided in partnership with Dean Lillian Mills, the school launched its A Million for McCombs matching campaign. The result: a campaign that exceeded its goal and became an award-winning example to other universities.

A centerpiece of the school’s 40 Hours for the Forty Acres bi-annual online fundraising campaign, A Million for McCombs helped spur philanthropy for its annual fund giving push.

As part of the campaign, the Development and External Relations (DER) department began working on how to incentivize donors during a sagging year. Inspired by Dean Mills’ famous Longhorn  “Bevo” sketch, which usually accompanies her signature, the team landed on developing a lapel pin bearing its likeness.

“The entire team worked diligently on how we could best produce, market, and mail this piece so it would be a value-add to our process,” said Monique Mehta, Director of Development Communications and Strategy. “Plus, it’s just a really fun item.”

The Longhorn sketch special-edition pin was rolled out as a promotion for anyone giving $25 or more during the University’s annual 40 for Forty giving day campaign. In the end, the A Million for McCombs raised $1.1 Million, a success that needed to be shared.

The DER team included the campaign in its submissions to the annual Council for Advancement in Support of Education (CASE) awards. The awards are open to universities internationally, and its awards are recognized globally. Teams from 583 institutions in nearly 22 countries entered awards, submitting 4,021 entries in 96 categories across all disciplines.

McCombs received the Silver Circle of Excellence Award in Fundraising: Targeted Campaigns and Appeals.

In reviewing the submission, the judges remarked, “The innovative approach combining a giving day with a match challenge captivated the judges, resulting in a remarkably strong performance. The synergy created by this unique combination showcased a deep understanding of donor psychology and motivation. By leveraging the power of urgency and amplifying donor contributions, the campaign achieved outstanding results.”

Contributors on the initiative included Sara Jebaily; Catherine Covington; Colin Haymes; and Miranda Bradley.

“We are very proud of this department and everyone’s contributions to this campaign,” Wendy Anderson, Chief Development Officer, said. “The real reward is working as a team to accomplish great things for our students, faculty, and programs. This award is just a bonus. I also love that we emobodied the school spirit and personality of our dean to inspire alumni to give back to a place they love.”

The next 40 Hours for the Forty Acres giving campaign will take place April 3-4, 2024. To learn more, contact the Joon Lee at joon.lee@mccombs.utexas.edu. To learn more about the CASE awards, visit https://www.case.org/.