Celebrating T3’s First Graduating Class and Preparing North Texas’ Next Generation of Leaders
(Fort Worth, TX) – 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, held at Tarrant County College’s Trinity River Campus. Hosted on October 29 in collaboration with the Fort Worth Mayor’s Council on Education & Workforce Development and the City of Arlington, Vision T3 welcomed 300 guests to recognize the progress made over the past year in supporting Tarrant County students on pathways to academic and career success.
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.
The “Year of the Graduate,” a celebration of T3’s first four-year graduating class, underscores the community’s commitment to empowering students and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of its students, educators, and partners. This milestone is a clear indicator of the success and scalability of the T3 model. 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. “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.”
With North Texas experiencing rapid growth, T3’s mission to cultivate homegrown talent is more vital than ever. Through career-focused education and hands-on support, T3 is meeting the rising demand for skilled labor across Tarrant County’s key sectors, including healthcare, technology, engineering and education. T3’s 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.
“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, who provided remarks at the event. “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.”
The collaborative efforts of T3 and local leaders highlight a shared vision for a prosperous future, one where education and industry are seamlessly integrated. As these partnerships strengthen, they lay the groundwork for sustainable economic growth, enabling our communities to adapt and flourish in an increasingly competitive landscape.
“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,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, who also spoke during the event. “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.”
Vision T3 highlighted T3’s collaborative work with its partners to create opportunities that support student achievement and address workforce demands, equipping students with the skills to excel in high-demand industries and contributing to the prosperity of the entire region. During the event, T3 shared a new video that provided a dynamic 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.
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.
For more information about the T3 Partnership and information about how to join this workforce development program, visit www.t3partnership.org.
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About Tarrant To & Through Partnership
The Tarrant To & Through (T3) Partnership was launched in 2020 after several community leaders in Tarrant County embarked on a national learning tour to find best practices in boosting postsecondary outcomes for students. This effort was initially funded with a multimillion-dollar gift from the Rainwater Foundation and led by Mattie Parker prior to her election as Mayor of Fort Worth. The work has continued under new leadership with Executive Director, Natalie Young Williams, and a robust Board of Directors.
This partnership of school districts, colleges, universities, chambers, employers and community organizations is anchored by a dedicated staff focused on serving students and families. Beginning in middle school through degree attainment (6th-16th), T3 offers students and their families support services, skills development and tuition-free scholarship opportunities. This is achieved by providing enhanced college and career counseling, collaborative partnership and supportive programming aimed at engaging the community. T3 has a mission to ensure more students in Tarrant County excel to and through the education pipeline, reach career goals and improve workforce and educational outcomes. To accomplish this mission, T3 has implemented a strategically aligned combination of program components designed to address key gaps facing students and families in the educational system.
