University Crossroads honored for social impact
The University of Texas at Arlington’s University Crossroads received the North Texas Commission’s Social Impact Award for its lasting impact in shaping the region.
“These unique awards represent the significance of our region’s public and private sector leaders and the importance of collaboration in North Texas,” said Chris Wallace, the commission’s president and CEO. “These past few years have reminded us that we are better together as we work as one unified region to tackle our challenges and work on future growth opportunities.”
There were nine recipients out of more than 50 nominees. President Jennifer Cowley accepted the award on behalf of UTA and congratulated all the recipients for working hard “toward a common goal.”
“We are proud of the thousands of students who have been able to attend colleges across North Texas and beyond,” Cowley said. “This program is one of our keystone outreach, community engagement and service programs supporting students, and we have nurtured this program because we know the impact it has. I am proud to share that University Crossroads has reached across hundreds of thousands of homes in North Texas to ensure underserved students are prepared to navigate higher education, which we know will transform their lives.”
The mission of University Crossroads is to expand access to and success in higher education for first- and second-generation students from low-to-moderate-income households. University Crossroads serves more than 40,000 students annually across North Texas in areas such as SAT readiness, college applications, financial aid knowledge and financial literacy. All services are free of charge.
Over 100 community partners have committed to serving students in collaboration with University Crossroads. The program has operated for more than three decades, helping students navigate the road to higher education in North Texas.
“It is an honor to be recognized for the social impact our program has had,” said Michele Bobadilla, UTA’s senior associate vice president for outreach and community engagement and assistant provost for Hispanic student success. “We are building a much-needed path to college to ensure that students are prepared for the demands of the global marketplace.”