Dallas Doing Good

UNT Dallas just launched the Trailblazer Tuition Trust, a new program covering full tuition and mandatory fees for up to four years for qualifying freshman students pursuing their first bachelor's degree. The program is designed for Texas high school graduates from families earning $100,000 or less, and funding is delivered through a combination of federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships.

To qualify, students must be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and Priority Texas Grant, be a Texas resident graduating from a Texas high school, and enroll at UNT Dallas. No separate application is needed. Students who meet the criteria are automatically considered.

The deadline to apply for Fall 2026 was June 1, but students are encouraged to get on the radar early for future cycles. To keep the award, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA, stay in good academic standing, and remain enrolled full-time each fall and spring for up to eight consecutive semesters.

UNT Dallas President Dr. Warren von Eschenbach announced the program at his May 1 investiture, calling it the centerpiece of a renewed institutional mission to make higher education accessible to those for whom it has historically been out of reach.

Swipe to learn more about eligibility, renewal requirements, and how this will help future students.

Feel Good Friday: Meet Juston P., CityLab High School's valedictorian and the school's first student with autism spectrum disorder to earn that honor.

Diagnosed with Asperger's around age three, Juston spent his early years navigating challenges with speech, social cues, and overstimulation. But somewhere along the way, he made a choice to see those challenges differently.

"They are not mental challenges; they are special gifts," Juston said. "You can use these special gifts to help you out on this journey. They don't have to hinder you but rather help you grow."

That mindset carried him all the way to the top of his class.

At CityLab, Juston found a school that fit him. The smaller campus, the open environment, the teachers who believed in him. He graduated on the environmental sustainability pathway, where he discovered a deep connection between plant science and medicine. As part of the first-ever fall cohort of Big Tex Urban Farms during the 2025 State Fair of Texas, he gained hands-on experience in greenhouse training, hydroponics, and crop management.

This fall, he heads to the The University of Texas at Austin to study biochemistry, with plans to become an anesthesiologist.

"I hope the legacy I left is that you can be on the spectrum and do what I did, or even more."

We think Dallas will be hearing a lot more from Juston P. Congratulations, Longhorn!! 👏