Students from the Dallas-Fort Worth area received $5k each. Pictured: Front Row (left to right): Delainey Neal, Reese Popek, Gracie Lee, Katie Shue, RayShawn Riley, Samantha Gudenau, Hannah Dollinger, Sydney Airheart Back Row (left to right): Kole May, Amari Simmons, Alexandria Sloan, Jordan Losack, Joelle Reddin, Hannah Thompson Not pictured: Gia Nguyen

A scholarship fund named for the late Field and Mary  Scovell  has awarded a total $75,000 to 15 North Texas students, including at least one from our neighborhood.

Although college tuition increases have slowed in recent years and some rates have even declined, the fees for room, board, food, books, technology and transportation remain significant, a spokesperson for the fund says, pointing out that 84-91% of students receive some form of financial aid, per the National Center for Education Statistics, but the funding gaps many students face are still prohibitive when it comes to continuing their education at the university level.

“That’s where nonprofits like the Scovell Scholarship Foundation come in and serve as a bridge to help students move forward on the path to college,” they say.

These scholarships honor the memory of Field Scovell, aka “Mr. Cotton Bowl.” and his wife of nearly 50 years, Mary.

The Scovells were founding members of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church. Field, “patriarch of the Dallas sporting community,” according to the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame site, and “his famous ‘Howdy, Podner’ greeting, his spontaneous one-liners, and the crunch of his handshake opened countless doors for the City of Dallas.”

For 40 some years, Field served as the Cotton Bowl’s chairman of team selection.

The page goes on to mention that “some attributed his success to a dish of his famous homemade ice cream served up by his wife Mary.”

Vitally to Dallas future college students, both of the Scovells were also well known for their passion for young people and education, according to their grandson,  Scovell Scholarship Foundation President Scott Lavender.

“My grandad, Field Scovell, once said that not all playing fields are level. That was absolutely true back when he said it — and his comment carries even more weight today given the increasing challenges and disparity,” he says. “While each of our 2023 Scovell Scholars has faced many obstacles, every single one of them has remained dedicated and driven in the pursuit of their endeavors. We’re so proud of all their hard work, and we’re honored to support them.”

Reese Popek

Among the recipients is Preston Hollow resident, Hillcrest High School graduate Reese Popek, a competitive tennis player who earned at 4.35 GPA, logged 100+ community service hours (DFW Community Center and Crystal Creek Retirement in Preston Hollow), helped create a tutorial enrichment program to serve at-risk elementary students reading at or below their current grade level and founded a student organization called The Jewish Student Club at his campus.

Popek and the other students received $5,000 each. He will attend University of Texas at Austin.

Dallas-Fort Worth residents and students are encouraged to contribute to the foundation or apply for a future Scovell Foundation scholarship in early 2024.