Faces of Impact
Franklyn Jenifer


"The progress that commenced under Frank’s presidency — the result of his steady and strong commitment to what we call simply academic excellence — has led to the more visible progress that we enjoy today.”

— Dr. Hobson Wildenthal, Distinguished Scholar in Residence at UT Dallas

His leadership transformed UTD through increased enrollment, new academic and athletic facilities, and expanded recognition.

In the fall of 1994, Dr. Franklyn G. Jenifer became the third president of The University of Texas at Dallas. During his eight-year tenure as president, Jenifer helped the University grow tremendously by persuading the Texas Legislature to upgrade UT Dallas’ funding.

Through his leadership, Jenifer oversaw the physical transformation of UT Dallas through new facilities such as the Naveen Jindal School of Management, the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Callier Center for Communication Disorders. Jenifer also helped shepherd the building of the Activity Center, hundreds of student apartments and new athletic facilities.

During Jenifer’s tenure, UT Dallas become recognized as an academic powerhouse rooted in innovation and research. Under his watch, the University started to gain attention nationwide for its championship chess team, the Academic Bridge Program and the Eugene McDermott Scholars Program.

Jenifer retired as UT Dallas president in the fall of 2003, but his impact on the University continues to shape its future.