Alumnus Donates Teaching Salary to Establish UT Dallas Endowment

UT Dallas alumnus Meade Monger is making a difference at the Naveen Jindal School of Management by teaching executives enrolled in the Executive MBA class of 2016 — without getting paid.

Monger, managing director and founder of the information management services unit of global business advisory firm AlixPartners, began teaching the course Technology for Business Executives this spring.

Grateful for his experiences at the Jindal School, Monger EMBA’95 MS’13 said he never considered accepting a paycheck when he was asked to help develop a new curriculum for information technology in the EMBA program. Monger is donating his teaching salary to create two Opportunity Funds for the EMBA program: the Meade Monger EMBA ’95 Opportunity Fund and the Executive MBA Class of 1995 Opportunity Fund.

Opportunity Fund donors can support any part of the University through the creation of a permanent endowment. These funds can be established with a gift of at least $10,000 and can be pledged over five years.

“I didn’t expect to get paid. We talked about the details and all came to an agreement about what the class would be like, but when I found out they were offering me a salary, I thought, ‘This is a great opportunity to really give back to the school that gave me so much,’ ” Monger said. 

Dr. David Springate, academic director for the EMBA program, said Monger’s information technology background and experience transforming companies make him an ideal fit for teaching students in the EMBA program, which prepares experienced working managers and senior professionals for senior management and executive-level positions.

“We needed someone who is active in the field in a very real sense who can provide that leadership in IT and prepare students who may or may not have IT backgrounds,” Springate said. “Meade also has both a systems management approach and an analytics/transformation approach because of his experience at AlixPartners and through implementing transformations.”

Monger said he focuses on how senior managers can digitally transform their businesses. Businesses that have successfully digitally transformed their operations are 26 percent more profitable in their sectors than businesses that have not, he said.

“We’re in this transition right now where everything is moving so fast and everything we do is going to be digitally driven. Business people have got to understand and embrace technology if they want to compete and succeed,” Monger said.

Monger’s gift to the Jindal School comes when the EMBA Class of 1995 is marking its 20th anniversary. Monger plans to spearhead an effort to encourage the other 21 members of his class to donate to the endowment as well.

“I thought this was a great opportunity to contribute to the school, and it just so happened that it was also good timing and would be a great way to try to invigorate my classmates to make some contributions as well,” Monger said.

To honor the 20th anniversary of the EMBA ’95 class, Dr. Hasan Pirkul, dean of the Naveen Jindal School of Management and Caruth Chair of Management, agreed to match donations designated to the Executive MBA Class of 1995 Opportunity Fund.

“A priority for Dean Pirkul and the development team is to build a stronger endowment for the Jindal School,” said Marcus Baker, director of development and alumni relations for the Jindal School. “Today, more than 60 endowed funds provide annual faculty and student support for the school. These permanent funds offer long-term stability to the school as we continue our path toward Tier One excellence.”

Pamela Foster Brady, EMBA program director, said she is excited to see an alumnus support the program for future generations of business leaders.

“The EMBA Opportunity Fund provides such a benefit to the Executive MBA program. We can use it as a scholarship, to bring in a guest speaker or to assist for a licensing fee for a simulation in a class,” Foster Brady said. “It’s wonderful when our alumni desire to continue to give to the program. Meade is not only teaching, but investing his fees back to the EMBA Opportunity Fund, and we are very grateful for his generosity.”