Longhorn Spirit

Not everyone would view a bag of peanuts as a life-changing welcome to The University of Texas at Austin. But to Chester Liu, MBA ’68, a first-generation student who had just arrived from Taiwan to study business, that is exactly what it turned out to be.

Chester arrived on campus in January 1967 and found a bag of roasted peanuts and a note on his door. It was a gift from Amy and Darrell Jackson. The Jacksons volunteered as a host family for international students, helping them acclimate to the University and Texas. It didn’t take long for a friendship to blossom.

A Gift for the Next Generation

To honor his family and his friendship with the Jacksons, Chester decided to establish an endowed scholarship by directing the required minimum distribution from his IRA to the University. The Liu Family Scholarship in memory of Amy and Darrell Jackson will support high-potential students from middle- and low-income families enrolled in the McCombs School of Business. “I want students to be able to broaden their horizons and further their educations just as I was able to,” Chester said.

His gift will help even more students because it is part of the Texas Challenge, a program that matches new endowed scholarships dollar for dollar.

Amy and Darrell were an important part of Chester’s life at UT and beyond. “I believe that Amy had higher expectations of me than my mother did,” he shared. “Oh, how inspiring it was that she believed in me.” And now Chester will provide that same inspiration to future Longhorns. Sometimes a gesture as small as a bag of peanuts can transform lives for generations.

Support Future Longhorns

Show your Longhorn spirit by making a future gift to UT. Contact the Gift and Estate Planning Team for no-obligation help at 512-475-9632 or giftplan@austin.utexas.edu.