News Story

DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas received an $1.87 million grant from the Moody Foundation to expand dual credit opportunities for rural Texas educators.

The funding will support BRIDGE-TX, an initiative within UNT’s Dual Credit Network that removes financial barriers for teachers seeking the graduate coursework required to teach dual credit classes. Participating educators will receive tuition support while completing fully online master’s degrees or graduate academic certificates designed to meet credential requirements.

“This grant reflects the kind of work at the heart of our M-Pact Fund,” said Elle Moody, Senior Vice President for the Moody Foundation. “By supporting teachers in rural Texas school districts, we’re helping expand access to dual credit and supporting student success in the communities that need it most.”

By increasing the number of qualified dual credit instructors in rural school districts, the program aims to expand opportunities for high school students to earn college credit before graduation, helping reduce college costs and strengthen college readiness.

“We have a lot of highly motivated teachers in our region and this will give them that next step toward dual credit,” said Dava Washburn, vice president for instruction at Grayson College. “This will help make sure that every high school student who wants to take dual credit will have that opportunity.”

The UNT Dual Credit Network, established by UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D., brings together universities, community colleges and K-12 school districts to expand dual credit opportunities across Texas. Through BRIDGE-TX, participating rural educators will complete flexible online graduate coursework while remaining in their classrooms and will join the network’s statewide professional learning community, where they can collaborate with higher education partners and other dual credit instructors across the state. Participants are also eligible to receive a stipend to support their professional development.

“The financial support from this program is a huge help,” said David Marsh (’04), an English teacher at Bells High School. “Now we’ll be able to offer dual credit in the morning and afternoons which will expand access to our students. It’s also just a full circle moment for me to work with UNT again.”

Justin Tollison says the program will allow him to follow his dream of expanding the subjects he can teach.

Through the grant, UNT expects to prepare 125 rural educators who will help expand dual credit offerings and create more pathways for students to transition successfully from high school to college.

"I want to expand and teach U.S. history, but financially I hadn’t been able to,” said Justin Tollison a history teacher at Bonham High School and adjunct faculty member at B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary. “This Moody Foundation grant and program will allow me the opportunity to do I want to do and pursue my dream.”

**About the Moody Foundation
**The Moody Foundation, established in 1942 by W.L. Moody Jr. and Libbie Shearn Moody, has funded projects and programs that benefit the people of Texas. With an emphasis on education, the arts, health, and community vitalization, the Foundation has committed more than $2 billion to organizations across the state, empowering Texans to thrive through opportunity, access, and innovation. The Moody Foundation is governed by a board of three Trustees, Frances Moody-Dahlberg, Ross Moody and Elizabeth “Elle” Moody.
About the University of North Texas (UNT)The University of North Texas is a Carnegie R1 public research university located just north of Dallas-Fort Worth — one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Through its campuses in Denton and Frisco, Texas, UNT serves more than 42,000 students with 230 degree programs and awarded nearly 12,000 degrees last year. UNT proudly serves in the vanguard of leading American universities willing to measure success by how well we educate and support every qualified student who commits to learning with us. We deliver outcomes that matter to students, families, employers, and the nation, as a public university committed to create enduring value for the public good.