Speakers at the event included, from left, Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership; Arlington Mayor Jim Ross; T3 Scholars Baraka Mirambi and Gizelle Hernandez; Marianne Auld, managing partner at Kelly Hart Hallman and T3 Board member; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; and Natalie Young Williams, executive director of T3 Partnership.
Last week, Tarrant To & Through (T3) Partnership celebrated its first graduating class and launched its “Year of the Graduate” initiative at the second annual signature T3 event, at Tarrant County College's Trinity River Campus.
Vision T3, in collaboration with the Fort Worth Mayor's Council on Education & Workforce Development and the City of Arlington, welcomed 300 guests on Thursday to recognize the progress made over the past year in supporting Tarrant County students on pathways to academic and career success.
The “Year of the Graduate” is a celebration of T3’s first four-year graduating class. The first four-year class of T3 Scholar graduates includes 373 students, who are graduating from five of T3’s partner institutions of higher education.
"This inaugural class of graduating T3 Scholars is a huge milestone. These students embody a new generation of leaders, innovators, and skilled professionals," said Natalie Young Williams, executive director of T3 Partnership, in a statement. "Their achievements illustrate the incredible potential that emerges when students receive comprehensive support and clear pathways through their educational journey.
“They are a shining example of what our community can accomplish when we unite to empower our youth and invest in their futures. As we celebrate their success, we are reminded that each of these graduates promise a brighter tomorrow for our community."
Vision T3 was sponsored by Hillwood, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Paradies Lagardere. T3 Pathways to Careers sponsors include the City of Fort Worth, Whitley Penn, Lockheed Martin and Texas Health.
Speakers at the event included Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, Robert Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership; Marianne Auld, Managing Partner at Kelly Hart Hallman and T3 Board member; T3 Scholars Baraka Mirambi and Gizelle Hernandez; and Natalie Young Williams, Executive Director of T3 Partnership.
T3's mission to cultivate young people’s career-focused education and hands-on support to meet the skyrocketing and highly competitive workforce demands across Tarrant County’s and the region’s key sectors, including healthcare, technology, engineering and education.
T3 says its holistic approach provides students with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in today's competitive job market while addressing workforce needs, reflecting not only an investment in the future of individual students, but also a strategic move toward enhancing the region’s economy.
During the event, T3 shared a new video that provided a call to action from key industry voices, challenging corporate and community leaders to connect student potential to industry opportunity through the T3 Pathways to Careers (P2C) platform.
"Fort Worth's continued success hinges on building a workforce ready to support our diverse economy and meet the demands of our growing industries," said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. "Through organizations like T3 and the dedicated efforts of our Mayor's Council on Education & Workforce Development, we're creating an infrastructure where education and economic opportunity work hand-in-hand. Each T3 Scholar who graduates represents a step toward building a talent pipeline that meets the needs of our evolving job market and secures Fort Worth's future as a national leader."
Said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross: "The City of Arlington is proud to stand alongside T3 and the Fort Worth Mayor's Council as we accelerate clear pathways and bright futures for students across Tarrant County. By investing in our local talent, we're nurturing the next generation of leaders and ensuring our city's continued growth and success. The partnerships we are building today will yield benefits for our community now and for decades to come."