By Megan Wagner, MH ’16  

Desiring to support academic work that faithfully represents authentic Catholic teaching in the modern world, two married alumni have generously established a new faculty excellence fund named for St. Thomas More. These faithful alumni donors have a passion for the evangelization of modern culture, and recognize the impact University of Dallas faculty have had and can continue to have in reaching out to the secular world, much in the way More did at the time of the 16th century English Reformation. 

Out of appreciation for their professors, the donors wanted to give directly to UD faculty projects that will reach the wider world. They said, “Our professors prepared us to emulate St. Thomas More: to be holy, intelligent and courageous in engaging secular society. We hope with this fund to help UD’s professors, who so inspired us to be saints in the world, inspire generations to come.” 

The St. Thomas More Faculty Excellence Fund will be awarded to faculty members to assist them in their efforts to present and proclaim the truth of the Catholic faith to secular society through books, articles, conferences or other similar projects.

Associate Dean of Constantin College of Liberal Arts and Assistant Professor of Mathematics David Andrews, Ph.D., expressed his gratitude for the donors’ generosity: “UD is blessed to have a faculty filled with high-caliber scholars who wish to spread the Truth. This financial support of their research and outreach will be a great reward and recognition for their work, as well as great encouragement for them to continue. I am very grateful to the donors for their assistance in carrying out the UD mission.”

More, a lawyer and devoted family man, was also a man of incredible faith who lived a model public life. In his roles as speaker of the House of Commons, steward of Oxford and Cambridge, and lord chancellor, he had great impact politically while remaining steadfast in his convictions and dedicated to prayer. He was a strong defender of the Catholic faith and spoke out against heresy and iniquity, which ultimately cost him his life. The example the saint set in proclaiming the truth of the Catholic faith in the public realm is admirable, and the donors feel that any Christian layperson ought to be inspired by his witness. For those interested in learning more about St. Thomas More, The Center for Thomas More Studies, founded by our own Gerard Wegemer, Ph.D., provides a wealth of resources on his life and legacy.

To learn more about establishing your own endowed faculty excellence fund or contributing to the growth of these established funds, please contact Assistant Director of Development Sarah Sokora at sdsokora@udallas.edu or 972-721-5131.