Students Hooked on Texas 2014: How LHR helps students change the world.

by Michelle McCloskey

Have you ever considered how what starts here, actually changes the world?  Yes, Longhorn students are the best and the brightest inside and outside of the classroom.  Yes, UT’s faculty continually challenges the limits of students and theory and encourages learning in every possible setting.  And yes, graduates of the University travel to every corner of the world to live out their mission of bettering the environment around them.

But none of this greatness would be possible without the funds to make The University of Texas at Austin one of the nation’s top public research universities.  Without generous donors, only a fourth of our study body would be covered by annual tuition. 

“For current students, tuition and fees only go so far.  In fact, if UT Austin operated on tuition and fees alone, classes would end by mid-November – just 11 weeks into the school year,” according to Julie Lucas, Assistant Director of Development.  

Therefore, the people truly behind the change are the ones who care enough about the potential of UT students and the University to give back.  These donors range from numerous alumni gifts to revenue from the state of Texas.  However, some of the most impactful benefactors are current collegiate Longhorns.

Students Hooked on Texas recognizes students that donate their time and effort to giving back to their school and recruiting other students to do the same.  Many students believe that “giving is a way to honor those people whose gifts opened the University’s doors to you.”  Student campaigns, sponsored by Students Hooked on Texas, grow Longhorn ideas into innovative ways to raise money for UT.

The UT Longhorn Run is one student campaign that helps in this educational funding.  The money raised from race day directly supports student initiatives on campus, such as the Student Government Excellence Fund, awarded annually to a UT student service organization committed to bettering the community.  Longhorn Run is held each spring with a 2-mile and 10K course, running through campus.

On April 12th over 3,000 students will donate to the University by participating in the 2014 UT Longhorn run.  This small effort by students will help raise money for our campus community and better the Longhorn environment.  Will you?

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