Cheering Them On

When she became a Longhorn herself, Lisa H. worked hard to make her own way through college, showing her school spirit as a trumpet player in the Longhorn Band and playing intramural sports. "In my mind, it is critical to be involved in team-related activities. Learning and growing is more than just academics; being part of a team teaches you life lessons that last," she says.

She made ends meet as an EMT, taking on 24-hour shifts while balancing classes and homework on her days off. "She is one of these super-driven, motivated people," says Lisa Richardson of her wife. "Nobody was going to tell her she couldn't do something."

Lisa H. professes that putting herself through school helped make her what she is today. It was a tough path that gives her insight into the rigorous demands on UT's hardworking student-athletes, which motivates her giving today. "It was a challenge for me to balance working while going to school," she says. "These athletes already have a full-time job - to be elite."

Lisa Richardson didn't spend her undergraduate years on the Forty Acres, but she was born in Texas and has long been a Longhorn fan. She came to UT for her master's degree in public affairs as a member of the inaugural class of the executive leadership program at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

"Being part of that class was a life-changing experience and made me a much better person and a much better leader," she says.

Lisa H. oozes with pride, both for her wife's achievements and for the University. "She was a leader among leaders, and I could just see her gaining confidence," she says. "After she graduated, I bought her a coffee cup that says 'You've earned your horns.' Becoming a Longhorn makes everyone a better person," she says with a knowing grin.

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