Education
BY MARK FADDEN
New college career and technical facility opens in Fort Worth
TWU lands $30M donation for new business college building
North Central Texas College, along with the Metroport Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the grand opening of NCTC’s career and technical training facility, Champions Circle, Aug. 14. The speci cs According to an NCTC news release, the new facility is dedicated to providing high-quality tech- nical training programs designed to equip students with the skills needed to enter the workforce. Current programs o ered at the Champions Cir- cle location include robotics, health care, plumb- ing and construction, the news release states . NCTC has six other North Texas locations, including Denton and Flower Mound.
BuzzBallz founder and CEO Merrilee Kick, a Texas Woman’s University alumna, donated a record-breaking $30 million to TWU’s College of Business. The details According to an Aug. 8 TWU news release, Kick, a teacher-turned-entrepreneur, made the donation to help support the following initiatives: • An institute focused on innovation and entrepreneurship • An endowed chair • An entrepreneur-in-residence program • Construction of a new business college building What they’re saying “This gift a ords us an opportunity to shine a huge light on the innovation and business acumen women bring to the table in our globally competi- tive economy,” Chancellor Carine Feyten said.
“The Merrilee Alexander Kick College of Business and Entrepreneurship will undoubtedly add greater value and visibility, signi cantly amplifying our mission and impact on the future of business education,” said Rama Yelkur, dean of the business college. The backstory The news release states Kick is a former teacher at Plano West Senior High School. She earned her MBA from Texas Woman’s University in 2009, and her master’s degree thesis was the basis for the business plan that led to the creation of BuzzBallz/ Southern Champion—the company behind the read-to-drink cocktail brand. “My MBA from TWU enabled me to write a solid business plan for what became BuzzBallz, a bil- lion-dollar company,” Kick said. “I have had some good teachers—and parents—who really cared about me and my success, and I am committed to make that happen for others.”
• Opened Aug. 14 • 3440 SH 114, Champions Circle, Bldg. 1, Ste. 101, Fort Worth • www.nctc.edu
From left are TWU Business College Dean Rama Yelkur, BuzzBallz founder and CEO Merrilee Kick, and TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten.
North Central Texas College students can work with robots as part of the career and technical education programs.
COURTESY NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURTESY TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY
THE COLONY 4901 Hwy 121 (214) 469-2113
LEWISVILLE 2416 S Stemmons Fwy (214) 488-0888
IRVING 1900 Market Place Blvd (214) 379-4695
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