Kuhn Foundation Drives Student Success at UT Dallas

Since 2014, the Michael and Alice Kuhn Foundation has given over $200,000 in support of student success programs at The University of Texas at Dallas. Through the Academic Bridge Program and an internship fund for students in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS), the foundation is helping ensure that all UT Dallas students have the resources they need to develop academically and professionally.

Founded by Alice Kuhn BS’78 and her husband, Michael, the Michael and Alice Kuhn Foundation focuses on promoting social justice through philanthropic programs in Texas and across the United States. Inspired by the core values of the family’s Jewish faith, the foundation’s mission focuses on eradicating poverty and offering equal opportunities for all.

“The key word is equality,” Alice Kuhn said. “In today’s world, you need an education to succeed, but not every student has access to the resources that will allow them to get a higher education. We want every student to have the ability to aspire to great things and reach their full potential.”

Kuhn came to UT Dallas as the mother of three, enrolling in EPPS to complete her undergraduate degree in sociology. She had begun her college career years earlier at the University of Illinois Chicago but dropped out after only one year. Her experience returning to school as an adult shaped Kuhn’s awareness of the hardships that face many individuals seeking a college degree.

After graduating and moving to Austin, Kuhn read about UT Dallas’ Academic Bridge Program in a University publication. The program was similar to a program the family was already supporting at UT Austin, and she was inspired to direct some of the Kuhn Foundation’s annual support to UT Dallas students.

The Academic Bridge Program targets high-performing students enrolling at UT Dallas from high schools that did not provide a university-track curriculum. The program is designed to help high-potential, first-generation college students complete their college educations. Beginning the summer before freshman year, the Academic Bridge Program provides advising, mentoring and tutoring to students with an emphasis on developing college-level math and writing skills.

Established in 2000, the Academic Bridge Program serves approximately 160 students each year and has had a profound effect on retention and graduation rates. More than 90% of participating students return to UT Dallas for their sophomore year, and approximately 70% graduate with a bachelor’s degree, a rate significantly higher than University, state and national averages.

The Michael and Alice Kuhn Foundation also recently began funding EPPS Impact Internships. Open to any student enrolled in EPPS who received an unpaid internship offer from a nonprofit or public agency, EPPS Impact Internships provide up to $6,000 in student stipends, a resource that offsets earnings students could have made from paid employment. This fund helps allow all EPPS students to take advantage of the professional opportunities offered by unpaid internships, even those who need to earn an income to support themselves or their families during the school year.

“The students who take these internships are often those who want to serve our community in their careers, through the government or nonprofit work,” Kuhn said. “They are our future leaders, and we just want to help them prepare to make a difference in our world.”