The David J. Beck Teaching Excellence Award was established through a gift from Â鶹ÊÓƵ Distinguished Alumnus David J. Beck. The teaching excellence fund provides Â鶹ÊÓƵ the opportunity to honor and reward one faculty member each calendar year who excels as a teacher or otherwise brings significant honor to the University through innovative instructional pedagogy.
The David J. Beck Fellowships reward outstanding academic achievement and allow top students to further challenge themselves with unique opportunities for undergraduate research and creative study. Fellows receive full academic scholarships covering all tuition, books, fees and on-campus room and board. They will also get funding for a summer project, which may entail research, an internship or international study.
Through a generous gift to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Foundation, David J. Beck established the teaching excellence award and undergraduate fellowships for students with high academic performance in any discipline.
Beck, who has been recognized by several publications as one of the top lawyers in the state, region and nation, is a founding partner of Beck Redden in Houston, a premier litigation boutique firm. He has served as president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Association of Defense Counsel and the State Bar of Texas.
A 1961 Â鶹ÊÓƵ graduate and distinguished alumnus, Beck has served as president of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Foundation and a regent of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ System. A Port Arthur native whose father worked at a refinery and mother worked to raise five children, Beck credits the university with giving him the opportunity to attend college and gain a foundation for future success.