Some legacies are built in classrooms. Others, in the lives of the people those classrooms shape. The Scott Hemsell Memorial Scholarship for MIS lives at the intersection of both — a testament to a man who understood the transformative power of education and the lasting bonds formed within the MIS Program at the McCombs School of Business.
This academic year (2025–2026) marks a milestone that has been years in the making: the scholarship’s first recipient has been awarded. It is a moment worth celebrating, and a signal that the real work continues.
Who was Scott?
Scott Hemsell was an alumnus and friend of the University of Texas at Austin — and especially the MIS Program at McCombs. Scott’s warmth, intellect, and love for the Longhorn community left an impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. The scholarship bearing his name was established to ensure that his memory endures and creates opportunities for future generations of MIS students.
These are students on the cusp of shaping the future of business and technology — and this scholarship is an investment in that future.
Who is our First Recipient?
She is a sophomore at McCombs who was able to declare her major during her freshman year because of the college credits she earned in high school. A high school Business Information Management course sparked her interest in MIS before she ever enrolled at McCombs. She got involved with the Management Information Systems Association (MISA) during her freshman year and has stepped into an officer position this year.
And yet, even after working as many as three jobs, every night she was filled with dread that she might have to drop out or transfer.
In her words:
This scholarship allows me to return to a community that
welcomed me in with so much care and love, and use what I have learned to welcome others.
How we got here
Establishing the permanent endowment for the memorial scholarship at UT Austin required reaching a $50,000 threshold — a goal this community achieved in 2024, thanks to dozens of personal donors who believed in Scott’s legacy and the power of the MIS program. Every gift, regardless of size, was directed in full to the scholarship fund, where it is managed and invested to grow perpetually.
That first $50,000 enables an annual scholarship of approximately $2,000.
But the endowment doesn’t stop there.
The greater the fund balance, the greater the annual award — and the deeper the impact on deserving students in future graduating classes.
“The Hemsell Scholarship is not financial aid. It’s an investment in changing the world.”
— Beki (Mueller) Duhon, MIS 1997
What comes next
Reaching $50,000 was the starting line, not the finish. The mission now is to grow the endowment — expanding awareness to all McCombs MIS graduates, connecting alumni across generations, and rallying continued support through grassroots outreach. Every additional dollar raised means a larger scholarship award and a stronger signal to students that their community stands behind them.
You can contribute directly through the UT Austin giving portal, and 100% of your gift will go to the scholarship fund. Share the story with fellow MIS alumni on social media or through direct outreach. The simplest act — a conversation, a post, a phone call — can bring someone new into this effort and help Scott’s legacy reach further than ever before.
After all, what is a legacy, if not an opportunity to change the world?
Help grow the endowment and increase the scholarship award for future MIS students at McCombs.
More information on how to give can be found here