Students Meet Their Supporters at Jonsson School Scholarship Dinner

Scholarship and fellowship recipients at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas had a unique opportunity in late spring to share a dinner with their benefactors  — community members who contributed funds to establish the endowed awards.

“The Axxess scholarship was life-changing,” said Blessing Ogunfowora BS’26 in computer science. “It directly impacted me and my journey.”

Ogunfowora had previously met some of the senior leaders at Axxess, a Dallas-based Healthcare-technology company founded by a Jonsson School alumnus, who helped establish the scholarship.

“I learned about what it took to make your own company, and I built connections for the future,” said Ogunfowora, who joins JPMorgan Chase & Co. following graduation.

At the event, Andrew Olowu, chief technology officer at Axxess and Jonsson School executive council member, emphasized that company leaders seek to build connections with student scholarship recipients who visit the corporate headquarters for mentorship in addition to receiving monetary support.

“It’s gratifying to be able to give,” Olowu said. “It’s exciting to be at UT Dallas. Overall, I feel grateful to influence others’ lives and give them an opportunity. We want to have that relationship.”

At the event hosted at the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum, UT Dallas President Prabhas V. Moghe, who holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership, encouraged students to pursue ambitious goals and dreams, following in the footsteps of the University’s founders and alumni who have become industry leaders.

Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, Jonsson School dean and holder of the Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair, and Raghu Yarlagadda MS’07, co-founder and CEO of FalconX and a 2025 UT Dallas Distinguished Alumnus, also delivered remarks.

“Visiting FalconX with Raghu motivated me,” said Adams, also a professor of systems engineering. “Thank you for reinvigorating my passion for engineering. To our donors, thank you for the difference you make in our students’ lives. The students will tell you the impact your gift has made on them.”

Yarlagadda described how students ultimately can take bigger risks through entrepreneurship and create novel solutions with the support of scholarships.

“The person who can define the problem is so much more valuable,” Yarlagadda said. “Take risks early. It’s often easiest for students to take the safest path forward. That is why scholarships matter so much.”

Graduate students also reflected on the impact of fellowship support. As some scholarships and fellowships were endowed in memory of deceased community members, student recipients shared at the dinner how they felt supported in pursuing their goals.

“I was very happy to receive the fellowship — any kind of help goes a long way,” said Luis Felipe Casas Murillo, a PhD student in computer science who received the Louis Beecherl, Jr. Graduate Fellowship, named in memory of a former member of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System. “I was able to afford a car because of the money I received, and I am looking at opportunities at robotics companies in the U.S.”

Students also noted that receiving a scholarship made them feel validated.

“I tend to underestimate myself, but when I get recognition like this, I feel valued,” said Saikat Chowdhury, a PhD student in electrical engineering who also received a Louis Beecherl, Jr. Graduate Fellowship.

“The fellowship affirmed the importance of my work,” said Ebenezer Usih, who received the Beecherl Fellowship in 2025-26 and the Ok Kyun Kim and Youngmoo Cho Kim Electrical Engineering Fellowship in 2024-25, named in memory of a prominent electrical engineer and entrepreneur from Plano and his wife. “I also want to be someone who enables the success of others.”