Texas Wesleyan University is excited to announce a gift commitment of $1 million from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation in support of student retention efforts as part of Engage. Inspire. Invest. A Comprehensive Campaign.

The gift will be used to create the Rams Rising program, a cohort model to support the large number of students attending the University as part of the Tarrant To and Through Partnership (T3).  

“Retention is one of the most important issue we face at Texas Wesleyan,” said President Frederick G. Slabach. “This gift from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation will help us put into place best practices for support services for students who need them the most.”

Rams Rising is a student retention program designed to provide programming and wrap-around services to help students retain, maintain good academic standing and graduate within four years prepared to succeed in a career or graduate school. Designed for students from the T3 program who are Pell-eligible and have a GPA between 2.75 to 3.49, Rams Rising will provide targeted services throughout a four-year program to meet academic, personal and professional needs, while also instilling skills in leadership, financial literacy, studying, professionalism and career exploration. The program will also provide a Summer Bridge opportunity for students who have not yet qualified for credit-bearing courses in math, writing or reading. 

“We’ve been wanting to implement a program like this for some time,” said Dennis Hall, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “The ability to provide wrap-around services to students in need, including personnel available to help address these needs, will be crucial for our students. This grant should help us implement these best practices and then to institutionalize them.”

The Tarrant To and Through Partnership (T3) is a local partnership of school districts, colleges, universities, employers and organizations focused on serving students in Tarrant County. Launched in 2020, T3 provides a variety of programs designed to inform and engage students and families about college and career pathways. 

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF) was founded by Richard Rainwater in Fort Worth in 1991. The foundation funds initiatives centered around children and the transformative power of high-quality education. RCF has been a vital partner in the life of Texas Wesleyan University, providing ongoing annual support for the Leadership Academy Network, which manages six schools in the Fort Worth Independent School District, and contributing $250,000 to construction of the Nick and Lou Martin University Center in 2018.