The Newman Foundation has pledged $100,000 to the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) at the University of North Texas, a Carnegie-ranked Tier One research university.

The gift, which is the largest pledge in the program’s history, will create The Newman Foundation TAMS Endowment Fund for Undergraduate Research, a permanent fund to support vital research-enhancing activities for TAMS students.

The Newman Foundation is led by Ken Newman, a 1966 graduate of UNT’s College of Business, and his wife Ann.

“With this endowment, the Newmans continue their long history of inspirational giving to UNT,” said David Wolf, UNT’s vice president for advancement. “They truly are difference makers, committed to creating exceptional educational opportunities for our students.”

The endowment will fund annual awards for TAMS students who have expressed a high level of interest in their field of study and are selected as Newman Summer Research Scholars to participate in the TAMS Early Summer Research Program. Each student in the 10-week program is assigned to a UNT faculty mentor based on the student’s interest in science. Students will devote time each week on research and attend a class to learn research methods and techniques. This opportunity to interact with other TAMS students, UNT graduate students and faculty mentors helps give students a head start in adjusting to life at UNT, as well as learn how to navigate a research lab and make contributions to their field of study. The award will cover the cost of tuition for research credits plus room and board for the 10-week summer session and includes a small stipend.

“We’re profoundly grateful to The Newman Foundation for enabling award recipients to participate in our transformative Early Summer Research Program and for encouraging all incoming TAMS students to engage with science, technology, engineering and mathematics research on an even higher level,” said Glênisson de Oliveira, UNT’s dean of TAMS.

The TAMS program was founded in 1987 as the first accelerated residential program of its kind, enabling exceptionally gifted high school students to enroll in college-level classes and conduct research while simultaneously completing the first two years of college coursework and earning the equivalent of a high school diploma. Mentored by UNT faculty, TAMS students tackle complex, real-world problems, working on solutions and breakthroughs in a variety of STEM fields.

“The Newman Foundation has been committed to providing scholarships to qualified young people for more than 20 years,” Ken Newman said. “I am honored to have been on the TAMS Advisory Board for several years and realize how very special these students are. We are pleased to be able to help.”

To make a gift that directly supports the TAMS program visit one.unt.edu/tams.