Ruben (Ben) Mesa Memorial Scholarship

Update: On October 1 we reached the $25,000 goal. We are so thankful for the generosity shown by friends, family and our community to help us honor Ben and preserve his legacy. We will continue to take donations until the end of the year since the $25,000 was the minimum required to establish a named scholarship. Every dollar donated will allow us to increase the amount of the annual scholarship award for deserving students.

Preserving Ben's Legacy #OurFriendBen

The University of Texas at Dallas Executive MBA Class of 2015 seeks to establish a scholarship in honor of our friend and classmate, Ben Mesa, whom we lost in a tragic accident in June two weeks after graduation. Ben’s zest for life, family and lifelong learning were only a few of the qualities that made him a great classmate and a growing leader in his professional field. Ben saw great value in continuing education, which is why he decided to pursue his master’s degree later in his career, while holding a demanding finance leadership role and raising his two sons, Zachary and Aidan.

Our Goal

To continue his legacy, we are raising funds to establish an endowed scholarship in Ben’s name at the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas. The scholarship will be for students with at least 10 years of working experience who are pursuing a graduate degree at the Jindal School. Additional selection criteria will be established by an executive committee composed of members of the class of 2015 once our fundraising goal is met.

Reaching our goal of at least $25,000 will ensure that the Ruben (Ben) Mesa Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually, in perpetuity. The principal endowment is invested and never spent. Each year the interest earned on the endowment--on average 5 percent--is available to award a new scholarship, so the more we raise above the goal the larger the scholarship amount will be.

Your Donation Matters, Make a Gift Today

Any amount you wish to give in support of this project is appreciated. All gifts are considered charitable contributions to The University of Texas at Dallas and tax-deductible as allowed by law. Click on the Give Now button to make an online secure credit-card donation.

Other Ways To Give

CHECK: Mail a personal check, cashier’s check or money order payable to UT Dallas and indicate your gift is for the Ruben (Ben) Mesa Memorial Scholarship. Mail to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, SPN10, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080
PLEDGE: You can make a pledge commitment and set up a payment schedule that works best for you. Contact Marcus Baker (marcus.baker@utdallas.edu) to arrange this option.
STOCK: A donation of stock or appreciated assets may allow you to receive an income-tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the securities, as well as reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes. Learn more.