DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas (UNT) has received a transformational estate commitment of approximately $20 million from anonymous longtime supporters — including a devoted UNT alumnus — to establish a permanent legacy scholarship endowment in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business — the largest scholarship gift in the university’s history.

The gift will create scholarships that provide full cost-of-attendance scholarships for high-achieving undergraduate students in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, rewarding those who demonstrate strong academic performance, leadership and community involvement.

This extraordinary commitment advances UNT’s Better Look North campaign, a $100 million student success campaign focused on removing barriers to completion and equipping students with resources and opportunities to persist and thrive in college and their careers.

The anonymous donors are longtime, deeply engaged supporters of the Ryan College of Business. Together, they have consistently championed the college’s faculty, leadership and students, motivated by a shared belief that talent should never be limited by circumstance.

“Our alumni have told me time and again how their education at UNT changed their lives, and this historic gift embodies this legacy in the truest sense of the word,” said UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D. “This gift reflects a deep commitment to our students, our vision at UNT to guide grit to greatness, and the transformational power of a UNT degree. With the Better Look North campaign, we are focused on removing barriers so students will graduate prepared to lead and succeed. This scholarship does exactly that, and we are so grateful for this unprecedented support.”

The alumni gift reflects the kind of long-term commitment that opens doors and changes what students are able to do once they’re here, said Brandon Buzbee, vice president for university advancement.

“This is the kind of investment that changes the trajectory of a student’s life,” Buzbee said. “By covering the full cost of attendance, this scholarship removes one of the biggest barriers to completion and allows high-achieving students to finish strong and step into their careers with momentum. This is legacy giving with real, measurable impact — generation after generation.”

For the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, the scholarship represents both a historic investment in student success and a powerful example of alumni loyalty in action.

“Our students are driven, capable and ambitious — but financial barriers can put limits on their success,” said Marilyn Wiley, dean of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. “This gift removes those barriers and sends a clear message: you belong here, and your future matters. We are profoundly grateful for the donors’ loyalty to this college and their belief in the students we serve.”

The donors, who have requested anonymity, view the gift as an investment not only in individual students, but in the broader impact those graduates will have on their communities, professions and the world.

“We believe strongly in the hard work and determination that we see in the many UNT business students who are working to become the leaders of tomorrow,” the donors said. “Our hope is that by removing financial barriers, students can focus fully on their education and graduate without the uncertainty or disruption that financial challenges can create. This scholarship is meant to give students the freedom to persist, finish what they start and step confidently into what comes next.”

As UNT advances the Better Look North campaign, this landmark gift serves as a great reminder that the most enduring philanthropy is rooted in a belief in the transformative power of higher education and the future students will shape.