Fort Worth Medical School Donors Contribute More Than $156,000 for TCU Gives Day
The Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU exceeded its goal and secured a $50,000 Challenge Grant for scholarship support from the Esch Family.
FORT WORTH – The Burnett School of Medicine at TCU exceeded its goal on TCU Gives Day 2023 and secured a $50,000 Challenge Grant for scholarship support from John Esch, Gregor Esch and Grainger Esch because of your generosity. In addition to their Challenge Grant the Esch family gave an additional $10,000, inspired by the donations of others.
The John Esch family has enjoyed a close and passionate relationship with TCU for seven decades. John earned his TCU Economics degree in 1964, and with his wife, Mary, set down roots in Fort Worth that remain strong today. The family’s connection to TCU has also remained strong. While older son Grainger earned his degree from Duke, younger son Gregor earned his 1996 Journalism degree from TCU. A mutual love of athletics, music, and the arts has led the entire family to campus often through the years.
Like many in Fort Worth, the 2019 launch of a new medical school attracted the family’s attention and interest. “TCU has provided Fort Worth with an incredibly important asset and resource with the rapid development of a quality medical school. The coming physical location in the medical district will magnify the impact even further,” explained John. The value of conducting a four-year research project and thesis particularly caught their eye. “We have the greatest amount of respect for the dedication, perseverance, and discipline that research entails.”
The family created the Mary G. Esch and Mary N. Esch Endowment Fund in 2021 to provide annual support to the Scholarly Pursuit and Thesis program, and to help offset the costs of 60 new student research projects each year. The fund honors the memory of wife and mother Mary Norwood Esch and mother and grandmother Mary Guinn Esch. “Research in all areas of humanity is vital to the betterment of life; but none more beneficial or needed as in the medical area,” added John.
“We are particularly grateful to Burnett School faculty and staff who gave so generously again this year,” said Burnett School Director of Development Amanda de la Torre. “It means so much when those closest to the School elect to add financial support to the many ways they already support our students.”
More than 3,700 donors provided more than $1.84 million in gifts across TCU for TCU Gives Day, making this the 2nd highest year for donor participation in the event’s 10-year history. Gives Day also set the stage for the 150th celebration and culmination of the Lead On Campaign.
More than 170 gifts were given to the medical school totaling more than $156,000. Your support has had a tremendous impact!