Scholarships
The chapter has endowed multiple Forty Acres scholarships and annually awards $40K+ in scholarships.
For the 2026-2027 school year, we will have 20 scholarship recipients attending the University of Texas at Austin.
Please help contribute to our fund:
Interested in Scholarships?
Please visit the Texas Exes Chapter Scholarships Page for more information on application deadlines:
By completing the Texas Exes Scholarship Application, students automatically apply for ALL the Texas Exes Chapter scholarships they qualify to receive (excludes the Forty Acres Scholars Program, which must be applied for separately).
Forty Acres Scholars Program
Inspiring and nurturing visionary leaders for the benefit of society.
The Forty Acres Scholars Program is the premier full-ride, merit-based scholarship for The University of Texas at Austin. Administered by the Texas Exes, this scholarship program offers a rich college experience that provides academic, leadership, professional, and cultural opportunities within an intimate cohort of fellow scholars. The Dallas Texas Exes has endowed two scholarships.
Class of 2030 Recipient
Debra-Jul Akanmu from Dallas, Texas, is the recipient of the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Frontier STEM Academy, Akanmu served as president of her school’s HOSA chapter, president of the National Honor Society, and co-founder of a non-profit organization supporting the education of school-aged girls in Nigeria. She has obtained her phlebotomy certification, patient care technician certification, and pharmacy technician certification. She also obtained the AP Scholar with Distinction award and interned at John Peter Smith hospital where she utilized her phlebotomy and patient care technician skills on the Med-Surg floors, admissions holding unit, and Urgent Care. During her senior year, she also interned at Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine hospital, where she shadowed orthopedic surgeries, pain procedures, observed radiology testing, shadowed CRNA’s, orthopedic surgeons, and registered nurses. In her free time, she has been volunteering with hospice patients since 8th grade, plays piano for her church, and loves to knit. Akanmu plans to major in Nursing Honors with interest in pursuing the Social Inequality, Health, and Policy certificate. She is the daughter of Dorcas and Oludele Akanmu.
Class of 2025 Recipient
Joseph Newcomer from Dallas, Texas, is the recipient of the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter Forty Acres Scholarship. Newcomer, who attended the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, was a founder of the MEL Keystone Program, a nonprofit organization that helps elementary and middle school kids learn skills in math, English, and logic. He also participated in research involving Multiple Sclerosis at UT Southwestern, where he made contributions to three pending research papers. Among Newcomer’s recognitions are being a National Merit Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction. In 2025, Newcomer graduated with a degree in Mathematics. He is the son of Kelley and Mark Newcomer.
Class of 2022 Recipient
Holland Wiles from Dallas, Texas, is the recipient of the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Highland Park High School, Wiles was a cross country captain, senior class representative on student council, and a member of the National Honor Society. She also founded and served as president of the Dwell with Dignity Club, where she was able to combine her passion with service with her love of interior design by hosting a fundraiser to sponsor a family’s new home interior. In 2022, Wiles graduated with a degree in interior design and currently works as a Senior Designer at a design firm. She is the daughter of Courtney and Worthey Wiles.