<strong>Thomsen Fund offers culture to students’ lives</strong>

For students high on culture but low on funds, the Thomsen fund can help.

As the part of the McDermott Endowment given by Margaret McDermott in honor of her friend and long time TI executive Carl Thomsen, the Thomsen fund provides free tickets to local cultural events for students currently enrolled at UTD.

Students who want to request tickets need a valid student identification card and a desire to experience Dallas cultural engagements. Annually, tickets to the opera, symphony, theater, dance and other artistic events are purchased with the interest the $1 million dollar endowment generates.

“We probably get about $40,000 annually in interest,” said Dr. Charles Leonard, who helps administer the Thomsen fund and also serves as director of the McDermott Scholars Program.

Despite the seemingly large amount of money allocated for the program, tickets go fast. Leonard said there is always a large student demands for the free tickets than they can supply. Thus, students need to check Thomsen fund listings weekly to see what tickets are available since they are on a first come, first serve basis.

Tickets are purchased based on what events generate student interest. However, Ginny Witt, administrator for the McDermott Scholars Program, said there was no consistency in what events pique students’ interests.

“Opera is surprisingly popular,” Witt said.

For tickets that don’t get snatched up by students, Witt said an email push to student email groups and organizations spreads the message. Students can also call Witt’s office on Fridays to find out what tickets are available for the weekends.

“Students can get 2 tickets to an event approximately one month apart,” Witt said. “But tickets left over on Friday don’t count as part of that [rule].”

For more information on Thomsen fund tickets, Witt said students can call her extension at 4610 or visit the Thomsen fund ticket office at MP 3.214

<strong>Available Thomsen Fund Tickets</strong>

September

Friday 3-Saturday 4

Martin Short

October

Friday 8

Lord of the Rings Symphony

Saturday 9-Sunday 10

Asleep at the Wheel

Friday 29-Saturday 30

Maureen McGovern

December

Friday3-Saturday 4

Christmas at the Pops

<em>Ticket Dates for Classical Series and Other Events Forthcoming in Subsequent Issues of The UTD Mercury.</em>

<strong>One O’Clock Lab Band Jazzes Up Campus</strong>

For students who want a band to be jazzed about, the One O’Clock Lab Band, a four-time Grammy-nominated jazz band directed by Neil Slater, will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 18 in the Conference Center.

The One O’Clock Lab Band has received awards from National Public Radio, VISA International, the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Dallas Observer Reader’s Poll.

As university jazz bands go, this band is considered unsurpassed with performances at the White House and tours along the Pacific Northwest and in New York City.

Tickets are $15 for the general public and free to UTD students with a valid student ID card – just show up at the box office the night of the event for free admission. Discounts are available for faculty, staff, alumni, retirees and students. For more information, call 972-883-2982.