The University of North Texas System Center at Dallas has been awarded $150,000 in cash and services from AT&T Foundation. A portion of the gift will help maintain computer classrooms, computer labs and a virtual library and initiate outreach efforts to area school children, and their parents and teachers. The remainder of the gift will support broadband cable service, television recruitment advertisements and airtime on cable channels.

"In keeping with AT&T’s longstanding support of higher education, we are pleased to help the University of North Texas extend its reach to more students," said Mona Williams, AT&T vice president-public relations for the Southwest Region.

UNT began formulating plans for the center in September 1998 when the Southern Dallas County Higher Education Feasibility Study Task Force selected UNT to be its educational partner in addressing the public university needs of southern Dallas. Sen. Royce West and Rep. Helen Giddings led the way in securing a $4.2 million appropriation for the center for 2000-01. Civic leaders and UNT officials are working to obtain an additional $2.6 million in private funding for the center's operation for the next two years. Eventually, the system center is expected to develop into a full University of North Texas campus — the first full university in the city of Dallas.

"We appreciate the support of AT&T," said Rep. Giddings. "Ultimately, gifts such as theirs will ensure a high-quality learning environment and increase the college-going rates among groups traditionally underrepresented in Texas universities."

Other contributors to the UNT System Center at Dallas include Bank of America, A. H. Belo Corporation Foundation, The Dallas Foundation, a donor-advised fund at The Dallas Foundation, Hillcrest Foundation, Hoblitzelle Foundation, Lancaster Economic Development Corp., The Meadows Foundation, Methodist Hospitals of Dallas, Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust, Texas Instruments Foundation, Trammell Crow Co., TXU Electric & Gas, Washington Mutual Foundation and Wells Fargo.

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**UNT** The University of North Texas, with more than 26,500 students, is the leading university of the Dallas-Fort Worth region and the state's fourth largest. Listed as one of America's best 100 college buys, UNT has many nationally ranked programs among its 91 bachelor's, 124 master's and 46 doctoral degree programs. The UNT System Center at Dallas, an extension of UNT, serves residents of southern Dallas County and Ellis County.

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