The 12^th Annual Mendenhall Summer Institute (MSI) Appreciation Luncheon honoring supporter and founder, Trini Mendenhall, was held at the University of St. Thomas on Thursday, July 25. More than 100 students and alumni of the Institute were on hand to celebrate the culmination of the five-week program and pay homage to Mendenhall, whose generous philanthropic contributions support the Summer Institute and its year-round counterpart, the Mendenhall Achievement Center at the University of St. Thomas.

“You all hold a very special place in my heart,” Mendenhall told the students. “I look forward to getting to know you better during these next four years and watching you grow into the wonderful young professionals I know you’ll become.”

Program Gives Freshmen a Head Start on College Career

The Mendenhall Summer Institute helps incoming freshmen gain a head start on their college career while earning scholarships toward their UST tuition. The MSI has two tracks of study, each with six credit hours that apply toward any major. The CELT Track (Creating Engaged Learners & Thinkers) provides foundational courses in math and English to prepare students for college-level critical thinking. The STEM Track (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focuses on mathematics and scientific methods and is designed for science, math or engineering majors.

Students reside on campus for the duration of the five-week program and build skills to prepare them for the UST core curriculum and college learning. They participate in college success workshops as well as social activities to help them engage with their new UST community.

Mendenhall Achievement Center to be Successful in College

MSI is a key component of the Mendenhall Achievement Center, which gives students tools, information and resources to be successful in college and beyond. Workshops help students with topics such as time management, learning styles, note-taking, memory and concentration, writing skills, stress management, testing and research.

Trini Mendenhall Empowers Women, Children and Minorities

Trini Mendenhall is a Life Director of the University of St. Thomas Board of Directors and the parent of Oneil Mendenhall, MBA ’04. She is Chairman of the Trini and O.C. Mendenhall Foundation, a charitable foundation she founded with her late husband in 1997. In addition to her generous contributions to the University of St. Thomas, Mendenhall supports an array of worthy causes throughout Houston, many of which focus on the empowering women, children and minorities.