The University of Texas at Austin has announced a new partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation that will provide scholarships and support services to low-income students.
UT said Friday that the partnership will be modeled on the Dell Foundation's Dell Scholars program, which has served 5,000 low-income students at over 800 universities nationwide. The program also helped these students achieve graduation rates that are four times the national average.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation pledged $100 million over the next 10 years to create a personalized support system for UT students who receive Pell Grants. These support systems will include advising, mentorship, financial aid counseling, and customized tutoring, along with other support like a laptop and textbooks.
According to UT, all incoming freshmen at UT who receive Pell Grants in the fall of 2020 will benefit from these personalized support services.
The university estimates 8,000 UT students per year will be served after four years, meaning that approximately 20 percent of the undergraduate student body will benefit from the support system.
UT says that the Dell Foundation's commitment will allow the university to provide $20,000 Dell Scholars scholarships for qualified Pell Grant students with the highest level of financial need.
