Texas Woman’s University will present the 2024 Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award to Abigail “Abby” and Todd Williams at the Dallas Leadership Luncheon, set for Thursday, March 21 at noon at The Arts District Mansion. The luncheon is a TWU signature event that generates funds for TWU graduate student scholarships and pays tribute to the life and contributions of Virginia Chandler Dykes (1930-2022), the luncheon founder, who was a distinguished TWU alumna, donor and member of the university’s board of regents.
Philanthropists Abigail “Abby” and Todd Williams have spent their careers as public education advocates. Founder and CEO of Dallas-based education nonprofit United to Learn (U2L), Abby Williams and the U2L team are changing lives by transforming the relationship between community and schools. U2L is focused on accelerating literacy student achievement across 75 Dallas ISD elementary schools with plans to expand to all District Title 1 elementaries over the next two years. Key to this model is mobilizing community partnerships with business, high schools, faith-based organizations, individuals and groups. Todd Williams is the founding Chairman and CEO of The Commit Partnership, the nation’s largest educational collective impact organization with over 200 institutions and educating more than 790,000 students with a focus on improving post-secondary completion and economic mobility levels across the north Texas region and the state overall.
In 2007, Abby and Todd helped found a K-12 free tuition public charter school operated by Uplift Education that educates 1,500 primarily low-income children in northwest Dallas. Together, the couple also served as the founding chairs of Teach for America DFW’s Regional Advisory Board. Abby and Todd have successfully advocated locally and in the Texas Legislature for investments in education and have sponsored hundreds of scholarships to increase college accessibility for local students.
This year’s presenting luncheon sponsor is Luther King Capital Management. The event chair is Ralph Hawkins; committee members are Arcilia Acosta, Lucy Billingsley, and TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten.
To reserve tables or tickets: Individual tickets for the Dallas Leadership Luncheon are $175; couple tickets are $300. Table sponsorships begin at $1,500.
To learn more or make a ticket purchase, call 940.898.3870 or visit twu.edu/DallasLeadership
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