Engage Dallas, an organization dedicated to fostering civic engagement, is transforming the memory of one of its own into an opportunity for young leaders to shape the future of Dallas. The Tierney Kaufman Hutchins (TKH) Scholarship Fund is launching this year as a tribute to a woman who embodied the organization’s mission.

Tierney Kaufman Hutchins

Hutchins, a celebrated advocate for the city of Dallas, passed away in 2020 due to complications during pregnancy. She was only 35.

Hutchins’ spirit of service continues with the new fund, says Trey Bowles, co-founder of the organization.

Spearheaded by Engage Dallas, the new fund honors Hutchins’ legacy of “leadership, connection, and community engagement,” Bowles said. The fund aims to uplift young women and the values Hutchins held dear throughout her life. It will award two full Engage Dallas tuition scholarships annually to women representing the mission and focus.

Connecting future leaders

Mark Cuban (middle) and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings (right) talked about social impact, education, and the future workforce during an Engage Dallas discussion moderated by Trey Bowles (left), co-founder of The Dallas Entrepreneur Center. [Photo: Michael Samples]

Engage Dallas—initially founded as the Mayor’s Star Council in 2012 by Bowles and former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings—is a network of leaders committed to advancing equity and impacting Dallas through civic engagement and service in Dallas.

The organization’s leadership program develops and connects future leaders with a deep understanding of city, state, and federal systems.

Tierney Kaufman Hutchins was a key part of the initiative from the beginning. As a member of Engage Dallas’s inaugural class, her service to the city and her passion for communication and leadership were clear to all who knew her, Bowles says.

Jared Hutchins

The TKH Scholarship Fund is designed to memorialize these qualities and promote them in future leaders.

“Tierney’s impact on Dallas at such a young age cannot be understated,” said Jared Hutchins, Tierney’s widower and a fund donor. “Starting this fund is the perfect way to continue her legacy and inspire future generations of women to continue the betterment of our community.”

Byron Sanders, Engage Dallas Board Chair, was in the first class of Engage Dallas with Hutchins.

Sanders says Hutchins is a “remarkable individual who exemplified the spirit of Engage Dallas,”

Byron Sanders

“Through this fund, we create a unique sisterhood that honors Tierney’s legacy, and it’s a high honor to be entrusted by Jared as a partner in carrying her legacy and telling her story,” Sanders said.

Servant leadership

There are people whose contributions shape the societal fabric around them, and Hutchins was one, according to Bowles. He says that Hutchins was an exceptional leader, diligent public servant, and a “tireless advocate” for her adopted city of Dallas.

Hailing from Long Beach, California, Hutchins came to Texas to pursue her future. She graduated Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University in 2007 with a degree in journalism and a minor in foreign languages and literature.

After graduating, Tierney became society editor of People Newspapers, a division of D Magazine Partners. She also emerged as a dedicated advocate and fundraiser for several significant organizations in Dallas. These include the Mayor’s Star Council, Leadership Dallas 2017, Junior League of Dallas; The Family Place; Dallas Museum of Art Junior Associates, and Young Leaders in Education at SMU’s Simmons School of Education.

Championing the Trinity Park Conservancy

But it was at the Trinity Park Conservancy, where she took on the significant responsibility of the Dallas/Trinity River Corridor Project and left an “indelible mark” Bowles says.

Gail Thomas

Over an eight-year tenure at the Conservancy, Hutchins played a pivotal role in raising $150 million for the project, through her ability to rally resources. According to the group, it’s the largest civic project of its kind in the U.S., consisting of 10,000 acres of green space.

“Working with Tierney on The Trinity Project and the Calatrava Bridges was pure joy,” Gail Thomas, Founder & Former CEO of The Trinity Trust Foundation, said.

Lynn McBee, CEO of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, recalls Tierney as “a unique and beautiful person with a magnetic personality that made it easy for her to connect with people and issues on all levels.”

Lynn McBee

“She was committed to Dallas and positively impacted the arts, parks and social services,” McBee added. “The Trinity River project was the biggest beneficiary of her many talents. This key feature that is at the heart of our city is a reminder of our special friend and the love she had for her community.”

Hutchins’ civic influence extended beyond the Trinity Project. She also served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Readers 2 Leaders and The Arts Community Alliance (TACA).

How the TKH scholarship fund works

The scholarship fund’s objectives are three-fold: to scout and back future Engage Dallas participants who epitomize servant leadership within the North Texas community; to honor the critical work undertaken by women in communication, leadership, and connection fields; and to raise awareness for future members of Engage Dallas.

Tierney Kaufman Hutchins

The scholarship selection committee reflects Hutchins’ personal and professional lives. Her husband, Jared Hutchins, will be joined on the committee by their daughter, Melrose, once she turns 18. Alongside them will be the group’s chair of the board, a board member, two of Engage Dallas’s original class members, and two members from the broader community.

Engage Dallas says the selection process will emphasize an open approach, encouraging self-nomination and community recommendations. The application procedure consists of a detailed evaluation process based on background information, a list of extracurricular activities, two reference letters, and a selection of essay responses to prompts revolving around leadership and community service.

The scholarships will cover the cost of a year’s membership in the Engage Dallas program—currently an investment of $1500 for non-profit applicants and $2000 for those from for-profit backgrounds. Annually, the scholarship fund anticipates awarding scholarships to two women to participate in the program, helping them cultivate their leadership skills and make meaningful contributions to the city and beyond.

Applications for Engage Dallas will be open this year from Sept 5 to October 27.

For more information or to donate, community members can reach out to Ashley Williams, the Executive Director of Engage Dallas.

Empowering young women and fostering community service

The TKH Fund was backed by numerous contributors, including Tierney’s family, The Eugene McDermott Foundation, and numerous community leaders including Jeffrey and Lisa Akin, Chris Bhatti, Nick Biggs, Evan and Elisa Black, Trey Bowles, Kristiana and Andrew Butler, Jennifer Conley, Corrine and David Carpenter, Susan Dilday, Lindsay Feldman Kozik, Matt Houston, Kendall Kelly Hayden, Courtney Kenny McHugh, Amrit Kirpalani, Joel Kokis, Karen Liu Pang, Terrence Maiden, Dr. and Mrs. Braden Moore, Amol Rana, Matt Smith, Brittany Stephenson, and Veronica Torres Hazley.

The fund symbolizes a continuation of the passion Tierney embodied in her work with Engage Dallas and projects like The Trinity River, the group said.

“Tierney was the sun beaming light on any project that brought hope, happiness, and love to our city Dallas,” Thomas said.

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