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In appreciation of historic donations to Texas Athletics from the Kurt and Tara Arnold Family Foundation and the Jason and Kisha Itkin Family Foundation, there will be a new addition to the primary scoreboard in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium when the 2024 Football season kicks off on August 31. Thanks to one of the largest philanthropic gifts in the school’s athletics history and the far-reaching impact it will have on the lives of UT student-athletes, coaches, and programs for years to come, the names Kurt & Tara Arnold and Jason & Kisha Itkin will now be featured atop the newly installed, 45-foot-high by 160-foot-wide south end zone video scoreboard. In addition to being generous Longhorn Foundation members, Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin are UT graduates, lifelong Longhorns, and major contributors, as well as longtime season ticket holders.
“These are awesome Longhorn families who are unbelievably generous to The University of Texas and have great pride, passion, and love for our athletics programs,” said UT Vice President and Lois and Richard Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. “Their respective foundations’ gifts further emphasize their steadfast commitment to our University. Over the last nine years, the Arnold and Itkin families and their foundations have pledged millions toward the critical effort of providing the best resources, the finest facilities, and the utmost support to the extraordinary enterprise that is college athletics.
“We can’t thank them enough for their gracious commitment to helping our student-athletes, coaches, and programs operate at the highest level and their life changing contributions to our student-athletes. They embody what it means to be a Longhorn, and what a wonderful way to thank them by shining a spotlight on their ardent loyalty for the world to see on our glorious brand-new south end zone scoreboard. We are so grateful for them and incredibly fortunate to have the Arnolds and Itkins in our Longhorn Family.”
The Kurt & Tara Arnold Family Foundation and Jason & Kisha Itkin Family Foundation have collectively pledged a total of $40 million to aid our Texas Athletics mission. In addition to being longtime season ticket holders and traveling to cheer on their Longhorns near and far, they’ve both also made numerous significant gifts to athletics, including toward the recent DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium south end zone renovation project, as well as the future Football Training Complex.
“The Arnolds and Itkins are great Texans, and true Longhorns through and through,” said Kevin Eltife, Chairman of the UT System Board of Regents. “The drive and determination they have in their professional lives translates to the energy they pour into their Longhorns. We are truly grateful for all they do to help make The University of Texas and our athletics programs great.”
For the Arnold and Itkin families, both residents of Houston, the tie to Texas and their devotion to the Longhorns run very deep. Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin were classmates who earned their undergraduate and law degrees from Texas, while Jason is also a past-president of the Silver Spurs honorary service organization responsible for the transporting and handling of our treasured mascot, BEVO. In just their mid-20s as Texas Law grads, the close friends teamed up to launch their highly acclaimed law firm in 2004, Arnold & Itkin LLP. They epitomize the UT motto of “what starts here changes the world,” and together, they’ve helped thousands of people rebuild their lives after catastrophic disasters, earning numerous honors and awards for their efforts helping others. The Arnold & Itkin Law Firm, and both Kurt and Jason individually, are recognized nationwide among the very best in their business.
“Families like the Arnolds and Itkins are so special to our University and athletics department,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “Our Texas Exes strive to change the world and what Kurt and Jason have done professionally, personally and in the community has certainly lived up to that. Their steadfast commitment, never-ending enthusiasm and faithfulness are truly appreciated, and it’s because of phenomenal folks like the Arnolds and Itkins that our student-athletes have the resources to strive to be elite in everything they do.”
Arnold and Itkin certainly live up to the pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas and have had a laser focus and triumphant spirit from the day they arrived on the Forty Acres. At just 19 years old, Kurt graduated from The University of Texas with High Honors in 1998, the same year Ricky Williams made his rush to the Heisman Trophy. At 22 in 2002, he graduated with honors from The University of Texas Law School and finished in the top 5% of his class. Jason graduated from UT with Special Honors in the Plan II Honors Program in 1998 then went on to earn his degree from The University of Texas Law School with Honors in 2001.
The Longhorn grads have both garnered recognition on nearly every list recognizing elite lawyers. The duo has won more than $20 billion in verdicts and settlements since founding Arnold & Itkin. Their landmark victories have helped children who received defective medicine, the members of the crew who were on the Deepwater Horizon when the BP Oil well exploded, and farmers who were poisoned by cancer-causing chemicals. The University of Texas Law School Alumni Association recently announced that Kurt and Jason’s contributions to the legal community will be recognized with a special Dean’s Achievement award this fall.
Tara Arnold is an accomplished lawyer in her own right. She spent her childhood around the court system learning from her mother, who is a crime victim’s advocate and has spent her career advocating for children and workers. Kisha Itkin is the CEO of the Theorem Collection where she oversees the operations of Theorem Vineyards in Napa Valley and Theorem Ranch in Montana. Both families have young children who accompany them to Longhorn athletics events.
Staunch advocates and community activists, the Arnolds and Itkins are compassionate and caring families who together generously give back to their community, across our great state and nation through the Arnold & Itkin Foundation. They strongly believe that through dedicating their time, effort, and resources, they can make the world a better place. The families are especially drawn to projects where they can help society’s most vulnerable members – children.
Lifelong and proud Longhorns, accomplished lawyers, Texas Athletics supporters and families built on the foundation of compassion, service, and advocacy, we proudly have added the Kurt & Tara Arnold and Jason & Kisha Itkin names to our south end zone scoreboard at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Source link : https://texaslonghorns.com/news/2024/7/26/a-texas-athletics-thank-you-for-a-historic-donation.aspx
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Publish date : 2024-07-27 07:05:16
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