2025 Fogelson Honors Forum: Featuring Kendra Scott

Founder, chief creative officer, best-selling author, and philanthropist, Kendra Scott, started her company in 2002, just three months after her first son was born. With only $500 and a tea box to carry her collection, she went store to store selling her designs. Her dedication to innovation, quality, customer service, and attention to detail has since transformed her small startup into a billion-dollar brand. Today, with over 2,600 employees and more than 140+ standalone stores, Kendra Scott is celebrated for its design and material innovation, vibrant use of color, and signature shapes. The lifestyle brand offers a diverse range of products, including fashion, demi-fine and fine jewelry, watches, engagement rings, home accessories, a men’s collection (Scott Bros. by Kendra Scott), and a western-inspired brand (Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott).

As the brand continues to grow, Kendra and her company remain true to their founding philosophy of “Family, Fashion, and Philanthropy,” benefiting both customers and employees. Since 2010, Kendra Scott has donated over $70M to local, national, and international causes supporting women and youth.

Driven by a deep-rooted passion for empowering the next generation of leaders, Kendra founded the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KS WELI) at The University of Texas at Austin in 2019 to empower women and creatives looking to change the world through entrepreneurship. This interdisciplinary program, involving the College of Fine Arts, the McCombs School of Business, the College of Natural Sciences, the Cockrell School of Engineering and School of Undergraduate Studies, empowers, equips, and builds a community for creatives, founders, and leaders.

In 2023, Kendra furthered her commitment to philanthropy by launching the Kendra Scott Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to empowering women and youth in the areas of health and wellness, education, and entrepreneurship. Notable programs supported by the foundation include initiatives around breast cancer research and awareness, pediatric hospitals, and early education literacy.

Kendra is a reoccurring investor/guest Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show “Shark Tank”. Kendra also serves on the board of directors for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, while maintaining her role as Executive Chairwoman and Chief Creative Officer of Kendra Scott, LLC. Today, the company continues to operate out of Austin, Texas, where Kendra resides with her family.

The John V. Roach Honors College at TCU has the privilege of presenting the Fogelson Honors Forum through a $1 million gift from the estates of E.E. “Buddy” Fogelson and his wife, Greer Garson. The Forum brings renowned speakers, eminent scholars, and professional practitioners to campus to address TCU students, staff, and faculty, as well as the Fort Worth-Dallas community. Past speakers have included writer and actor Ben Stein; medical news correspondent Sanjay Gupta; politicians Jeb Bush and Bill Bradley; best-selling author Amy Tan; education advocate Diane Ravitch; Peabody Award winning creators of the “Serial” podcast, Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder; scientist, engineer, comedian, author, and inventor Bill Nye; renowned scholar of cultural history and technology, Cathy N. Davidson; basketball legend and best-selling author, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; human rights barrister Amal Clooney; and internationally-recognized chef and philanthropist, José Andrés.

The trustees of the E.E. Fogelson and Greer Garson Charitable Foundation of Dallas selected the Honors College as a recipient of the generous grant because of Fogelson’s association with TCU. A successful oilman and rancher, Buddy Fogelson attended TCU in 1919 and 1920. Upon his death, the trustees donated his vast rock collection to TCU, where it is currently displayed in the Geology department.

Greer Garson and Buddy Fogelson were generous throughout their lives to social, educational, and artistic causes, and extremely dedicated to their home state of Texas. TCU is grateful that the name of E.E. Fogelson will be forever associated with the Fogelson Honors Forum.

Host or Publisher John V. Roach Honors College