STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Jimmy and Denise Locke have committed $500,000 through a planned gift to establish an endowment that will create lasting opportunities for students and faculty in Tarleton State University’s College of Kinesiology and Sport Science.
The Jimmy and Denise Locke Excellence Endowment for Kinesiology and Sports Science will give college leadership the flexibility to direct future distributions toward the college’s greatest needs, including scholarships, academic and professional development, and research support for students and faculty.
The Lockes celebrated the commitment during a signing ceremony Tuesday at Tarleton State.
“Scholarship support can be the difference that allows a student to earn a degree and build a better future,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley. “I know the impact that support can have, and the endowment Jimmy and Denise are establishing will extend that opportunity to generations of students. They are not just changing lives today, they are helping change families for generations to come.”
For Jimmy Locke, the gift builds on a connection to Tarleton State that began more than five decades ago.
Locke attended Tarleton State from 1969 to 1973 and earned his degree in agribusiness. He was a four-year starter and four-year letterman for the Texans basketball team, playing in the final game held in “The Barn” and the first game played in Wisdom Gym. He was inducted into the Tarleton State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.
“We are deeply grateful to Jimmy and Denise Locke for their transformational generosity,” said Dr. Kayla Peak, Dean of the College of Kinesiology and Sport Science. “Their endowment will open doors for countless students by providing vital scholarships, fostering research and enabling academic and professional growth. Thanks to the Lockes’ commitment, our students and faculty will have greater opportunities to pursue excellence for generations to come. Their gift truly changes lives and elevates the future of Kinesiology and Sport Science at Tarleton State University.”
The Lockes, who have been married for 48 years, chose to make the planned gift to support future generations of Tarleton State students and faculty.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of more than 21,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For over 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.