Help the Calvin Lin Turing Scholars Endowment in 2019!

Over fifteen years ago, Dr. Calvin Lin wanted to create a tight knit community of emerging computer scientists that fostered lifelong success and friendships.  He accomplished this by building the Turing Scholars program in the Department of Computer Science at UT Austin.

In honor of his unwavering commitment to the Turing Scholars program, former and current students, parents, and colleagues created an endowment in his honor. The Calvin Lin Turing Scholars Endowment will provide ongoing financial support to the Turing Scholars program and provide Dr. Lin with the resources needed to elevate the program to the next level.  This endowment depends on gifts and pledges from you to keep growing.

How will the endowment help the program? This endowment will be used to both enrich the student experience, (for example, improving programming for upper-class Turing Scholars), and to provide funds for recruiting future students. Unlike most other honors programs at UT Austin, the Turing Scholars Program has no dedicated staff support, no recruiting budget, and almost no budget to support student activities. We are relying on your contribution to help us reduce class sizes, increase supplemental activities, expand research opportunities, design innovative new courses, and add dedicated staff support. 

Help us improve the Turing student experience by making a gift today!

FAQs

What is the Turing Scholars Program?

The Turing Scholars Program is an honors program for outstanding Computer Science undergraduates. Housed in the nation's 10th-ranked Computer Science department, the program's mission is to provide a computer science education that is second to none. The program combines the advantages of a small college—small class sizes, close interaction with faculty, and honors housing—with the advantages of a large research university, including a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, and ample opportunities for interdisciplinary studies. Only the top 4.5 percent of the computer science class is admitted into The Turing Scholars Program. Graduates of the program are recruited by and work for some of the top technology firms in the world, including Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, and Microsoft.

What is an endowment? Endowments are a sound investment in a better future. With an endowed gift, you provide permanent support for the University. Your gift is invested — never spent — and each year a distribution, like dividends on a mutual fund account, is made to your chosen program or area. Investment earnings above the dividend rate help the endowment value grow over time, to keep pace with inflation and maintain your endowment’s spending power.

What is a pledge? A pledge is a promise to pay a specific amount over a set period of time. Pledges for the Calvin Lin Turing Scholars Endowment can be made over a 5-year window. For example, if you make a $2,000 pledge today, you can pay off the pledge by making a $400 gift each December for the next four years. We will send you a reminder each December. If you would like to make a pledge today, click here.

Can I utilize my company match?  YES! Many employers sponsor matching gift programs (Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) and will match any charitable contributions made by employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift program, please click here. Tip: You will need to request the matching gift from your employer.

What is a gift matching program? Matching gifts are donations a company, employer, or individual makes to match charitable contributions made to a specific cause.

Interested in creating a named endowed scholarship for the Turing program? 

We have had many Turing alumni and parents create a scholarship to honor a loved one or family. An endowed scholarship offers donors the opportunity to create a lasting legacy. Click here for more information.

For more information on endowed scholarships, please email Sarah Heier at sarah.heier@austin.utexas.edu.