European Chess Union, UT Dallas Partner to Award Scholarships
September 13-23 European Youth Championship in Sibenik, Croatia
RICHARDSON, Texas; BERLIN, Germany (May 18, 2007) — The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and the European Chess Union (ECU) will form an international partnership in intercollegiate chess to award two Academic Honors Scholarships to the winners of the Boys Under-16 and Girls Under-16 sections in Sibenik, Croatia, in September 2007.
UTD Undergraduate Dean of Education, Dr. J. Michael Coleman, under whose auspices the Chess Program and Chess Team fall, will award the scholarships.
The idea was proposed last fall, after the UT Dallas team’s first international match with the University of Belgrade.
“This seems like the logical next move for our program,” Coleman said.
He stated that, when Jim Stallings the, first approached him with the idea, it made good sense. Coleman said, We had completed our first international match with the University of Belgrade and this seemed like the logical next move for our program internationally.”
James Stallings, director of the chess program, said, “There is probably no other youth tournament in the world that can compare in terms of the depth and strength of competition. We also know about this tournament from international players who are now members of the UT Dallas team.”ECU President Boris Kutin described the partnership as “a fantastic idea.”
“When Director Stallings and I discussed this proposal, my response was ‘Welcome to Sibenik!’” The partnership was formally accepted by Secretary General Horst Metzing, via correspondence noting that the proposal had been “unanimously accepted by the ECU Board.”
Both UTD and the ECU believe that this recognition for the talents of young master level chessplayers is good for chess and the university.
“One of the main goals of the program ten years ago was to recruit top students not just from the United States but from around the world adding to the richness of the diversity of our campus,” said Coleman. “We have not been disappointed by the quality of the students that are on our chess team. They do well academically at UTD, graduate, and go on for advanced degrees.”
The Sibenek tournament is a nine-round Swiss System that begins on September 13 with arrival of delegations and an opening ceremony. The ninth round and closing ceremony will be on Sunday, September 23. Sibenik is the oldest Croatian town on the Adriatic coast with a natural port and a population of 51,000.
UT Dallas’ chess team is part of a much broader chess program that includes, among other things, on-line chess instruction for teachers and students on the use of chess in the classroom as an educational tool. Learn more at http://chessweb.utdallas.edu/index.html
I’m shocked to see Susan promote everyone and everything, even competing universities. This is not normal in chess, at least not in the US. I’m used to seeing a bunch of liars, backstabbers and sleezy chess politians. This is just so refreshing! Keep it up!
Way to go Jim Stallings! Great move and thanks Susan for announcing it.
happy camper, UTD and other schools are not competing universities. We are in the same family and I am happy and proud to promote ALL of them. We need to help each other for the benefits of the kids. This is how things should be. It is time to unite, not divide.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
AMAZING
What a great University and what a great person running the chess program. Incredibly wonderful. Amazing and great. This university is going places. Look out big schools here comes Texas.
Tim Redman and now Jim Stallings have been incredibly supportive of other schools trying to start chess programs – not just in Texas but nationwide also. I cannot tell you how much easier it was to get things going at Tech when we could point to UTD’s sucess and of course a friendly rivialry does not hurt. UTD could have just sat on it laurals and tried to keep the college chess to themselves. They realize that that would not have been in the best interest of College Chess. Kudos to UTD!
Pay it forward!
Dr. Karlsson, Texas Tech U.
Member of the USCF Chess College Committee
Proud member of the SPICE Group
Texas is now arguable the leader in College Chess with no less than three major chess programs: UT Dallas, UT Brownsville/Southmost College and most recently Texas Tech.
A few more Texas chess stats:
Largest number of USCF members of any state.
Most number of colleges (not just the BIG THREE or the THREE SISTERS) giving chess scholarships.
We certainly hope that other states will follow.
Sincererly,
Dr. Karlsson
TTU, SPICE Group