THUMBS UP UTD: Stopping The Brain Drain

Thumbs up to Peter O’Donnell, a Dallas investor, Lewis Beecherl, chairman of the board of regents for the University of Texas System, and Jess Hay, chairman and CEO of Lomas Financial, for their vision in converting the University of Texas at Dallas into a four-year science, math, and engineering university. Recognizing that North Texas is losing star students to out-of-state institutions just as high-tech industry is in dire need of well-trained scientists and technicians, these three men went the extra mile by getting impressive bipartisan support in the Texas Legislature for the roughly $6 million needed in start-up costs. This kind of thinking combined with action is what makes Dallas great.