May 23 – A $2.5 million gift from the Prentice Farrar & Alline Ford Brown Foundation will establish the Prentice Farrar and Alline Ford Brown Foundation Chair in Rural Education at Texas Tech University’s College of Education.
“Texas Tech’s College of Education is uniquely located geographically to meet the educational needs of West Texas,” Kelly Garlock, senior vice president of Philanthropic Client Management at Bank of America, said in a news release. “When you couple that with their commitment to rural education, it became clear that the College of Education was the perfect place to house the President of the Prentice Farrar and Alline Ford Brown Foundation of Rural Education. We are happy to have the opportunity to further our mission in We are confident that this unique way and supporting innovations will become a model for rural education.”
The College of Education focuses on serving rural schools in the West Texas region. Through multiple programs, it prepares students to thrive in the classroom and meet the needs of students in those unique environments. The Prentice Farrar and Alline Ford Brown Foundation’s new Chair of Rural Education will lead the University’s rural education programs, in addition to leading innovative research initiatives in this area.
“On behalf of the entire College of Education, we are deeply humbled by the trust the Prentice Farrar & Alline Ford Brown Foundation has placed in us with this gift,” Kamau Siwatu, interim dean of the College of Education, said in the release. “The award of a chair in rural education ensures that we can continue to influence this region and its future with a new focus and dedication. We will also strive to ensure that the legacy of the Brown Family is honored in everything we do.”
Honoring the foundation’s namesakes and their commitment to this region, the Prentice Farrar & Alline Ford Brown Foundation has a long-standing commitment to education in West Texas. It is a staunch supporter of the West Texas Rural Education Partnership (WTREP), a Texas Tech-led initiative that prepares more than 200 new teachers annually to excel in the region’s rural schools. As co-founder of this program, the Prentice Farrar & Alline Ford Brown Foundation has been integral to its success.
