Support Project Advance Austin
Who We Are
Texas Leadership Education and Development in the Office of the Dean of Students helps students realize their potential as leaders to create positive change. Our programs empower UT students to practice and apply leadership on campus and in their communities. UT students have the power to lead, and our programs help them discover and embody their unique leadership potential.
What We’re Fundraising For
Project Advance Austin’s core mission is to connect program participants with local non-profit organizations and provide an opportunity for students to develop effective project management skills. This program generates a lasting positive impact, not only for students, but for the Austin community. Project Advance Austin exists at the unique intersection between academics, professional development, and community service, allowing students to adapt to new challenges and opportunities as they build their professional portfolios.
Project Advance Austin’s impact has significantly increased in the past three years, with more than double the number of participating community partners and more than three times the number of student participants. Additionally, Project Advance Austin is now a for-credit experience, as participating student now earn three hours of upper-division credit and a digital Project Management certificate. Your donation not only supports UT students, but the local community as well!
Your Impact
By supporting Project Advance Austin you’ll contribute to the professional development of more than 75 students and make a positive impact for the 15 local non-profit community partners participating in the program each year. Working directly with organizations like Austin Pets Alive and Girl Scouts of Central Texas has developed students into dedicated change-makers on campus and beyond. Leveraging their experience as emerging project managers, past participants have secured their first internship, stepped into leadership roles as teaching assistants, and won prestigious awards. One former participant, Neha Yawalkar, received the 2024 President’s Leadership Award. Your contributions impact the development of these dedicated students who choose to grow through service.
Donor Levels:
Although any amount is helpful, we’ve created some specific tiers to detail the impact you can make:
- $50: Provides training materials and resources for one of Project Advance Austin’s monthly professional development workshops for student participants.
- $250: Funds snacks and refreshments for one collaborative work meeting for student teams.
- $1000: Sponsors one team for the entire year. A $1,000 contribution ensures a team has everything they need to initiate and execute their project, empowering them to have a positive impact in the Austin community.
- $3,000: Finance the Project Advance Austin academic course. This covers the cost of books, training materials, and technology used during class.
- $5,000: Finance the final showcase event where teams unveil their work to the university and greater Austin community.
Testimonials from past Project Advance Austin participants:
“Project Advance Austin has empowered me to translate my interests into actions and my academics into experiential learning. The Project Advance Austin team has been so incredibly involved in providing resources to help our team succeed, and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunities that have opened up to me because of this program.”
“This past year in Project Advance Austin, I took away key lessons on project management and teamwork. More significantly, by observing Texas LEAD, I saw what compassionate leadership can mean for young people and driving success.”
“Project Advance Austin provided me with the unique opportunity to lead a project that made a real-world impact on my community. I was able to develop skills in leadership, teamwork, time management, and communication, all of which I will carry with me in any career path that I choose. This immensely rewarding experience was facilitated by amazing mentors and community partners that I was able to learn so much from.”
