TCEF awards merit and needs-based scholarships to Tarrant County college students.
Arlene Barnett and Shirley Pace are grandmothers dedicated to raising dollars for college students. They each parented three children through college and observed tuition and student loan debt soar.
As veteran fundraisers for UNCF, Arlene and Shirley began questioning how they might serve the next generation of college hopefuls from families like theirs. They concluded that an endowment for working families was an excellent way to invest in the future, ensure perpetual tuition support, reward excellence in education, and minimize student loan debt.
The establishment of the UNCF TCEF Endowment in 2019, a significant milestone in our community, was made possible in collaboration with the UNCF Regional Office in Dallas, BNSF & Community Affairs Director Joseph Faust, Dallas Mavericks General Manager Cynthia Marshall, and the community.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price sponsored the first TCEF Art fundraiser, which brought lasting partnerships to TCEF.
Undeterred by the challenges, Arlene and Shirley took a bold step in May 2021. They established the Tarrant County Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, marking a new chapter in their journey to support college education.
Dr. Arlene S. Barnett
Shirley Roberts Pace
Dr. Arlene S. Barnett
Anita Heiskell
Arveda Lewis
Shirley Roberts Pace
Airin Barnett
Amanda Blake
Patricia Crawford
Bridgette Davis
Earl Griggs
Alyce Jones
Cynthia Odom
Ken Hampton
Leah King
Corliss Littles
Lorenzo Littles
Erika Salter, Esq.
Paulette Turner
Andrew Walker
Jose Valadez
The tagline, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in,” continues to successfully identify UNCF
as the premiere minority scholarship organization that has served with excellence for eight decades.
TCEF selected UNCF to administer the TCEF Scholarship Endowment.
Awards range from $1500 - $5000.
TCEF seeks to include art-oriented experiences to share scholarship opportunities with students and the greater community.
TCEF selects an African American artist whose life experience and unique art will inspire students to higher education and increase community awareness. We collaborate with Tarrant County community partners in a shared commitment to promote art and education. Together, we are weaving a tapestry of learning and creativity, an initiative we proudly call 'The Art of Giving.'
Willie Cole, artist, sculptor, printer, and perceptual engineer, is dedicated to incorporating community into his art. The Water Bottle Sculpture Project showcased his creativity and raised crucial awareness about the detrimental effects of plastics on our environment. This project, which took a staggering 1,000 community hours to complete, was a devoted effort with local schools and community groups, culminating in a 30-foot giant sculpture made entirely from discarded water bottles.
We are excited to announce the Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Exhibit at the Arlington Museum of Art.
Each one of us has the power to dramatically impact a person,
a cause, a community, a nation.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.