A Dedicated Educator

Jeff Cotten (B.A. ’99) was an only child, but he shared his mother with thousands of kids. Jeanne Furrh Cotten (1954-2018) had a 29-year career as an elementary school teacher. Her encouragement made a tremendous impact on Jeff and generations of students. To honor her, Jeff established gifts in his estate plan to support the College of Natural Sciences, College of Education and Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

Jeff’s connection to UT began long before he came to campus. “My mother and her sisters never went to UT, but they all were rabid Longhorn fans,” Jeff recalls. “They indoctrinated me at an early age.”

At UT, Jeff joined the Longhorn Band and excelled in computer science. He is now the CEO of Alvaria, a customer engagement software platform. “Being at UT taught me about structure, curiosity and responsibility,” he says. “It transformed my life.”

The Jeff Cotten Endowed Excellence Fund for Student Success Initiatives will support students in the College of Natural Sciences. “My goal with this gift is to ensure there are tracks to prepare computer science students for the working world,” says Jeff.

To honor his mother’s commitment to education, he created the Furrh Family Endowed Excellence Fund for the College of Education. “My gift will give access to people who will be great teachers but may not have the money to get a UT education,” he shares.

When Jeff’s mother passed away due to an autoimmune disease, he experienced a pitfall in health care. “I was frustrated that people supporting their loved one through an illness have to figure out everything on their own,” he says. “One thing I love about Dell Med is that they help different disciplines work together for a patient’s whole health.” His gift — the Jeff Cotten Endowed Excellence Fund — will support integrated care at Dell Med.

“I hope my support of the University will honor what my mother did and the impact she had on so many others,” he says.

What Are You Most Passionate About?

Which UT colleges, schools or programs are most meaningful to you? We are happy to work with you to find the best match for your philanthropic and financial goals.

For more information and no-obligation assistance, contact the Gift and Estate Planning Team at 512-475-9632 or giftplan@austin.utexas.edu.