University of Mississippi alumnus Mark Paukune of Fort Worth, Texas, wants to help students remain dedicated to their goal of obtaining college degrees even if learning disabilities make them feel like giving up.
The 1987 graduate made a $62,000 gift to UM’s College of Liberal Arts, establishing the Paukune Undergraduate Scholarship Endowment. First preference for the scholarship will be given to full-time liberal arts students with documented learning disabilities as recorded with the university’s Office of Student Disability Services.
“School was always incredibly challenging for me. It always seemed like everything was just so much work,” said Paukune who struggled throughout his education with dysgraphia and dyslexia. Dysgraphia affects the speed and legibility of writing while dyslexia impacts the accuracy and speed of reading and spelling.
“Students with learning disabilities get frustrated at an early age and put limits on themselves,” Paukune said. “I want these students to be directly recognized, because if you have learning differences, it doesn’t mean you’re not smart. In fact, chances are you’re really smart, but grades just don’t come easy.
“What I realized once I passed all the tests that got me out of the academic environment and into my career, work was much easier,” he continued. “I enjoyed it and I was able to achieve success.”
Paukune credits his UM education for his professional success, adding that he hopes his gift will incentivize learning-challenged students to stay the course.
“My liberal arts degree taught me how to learn and how to use information, not just to be stagnant with it, but to apply it,” the donor recalled. “Specifically, like political science and history, which were my majors: Those are things you apply to your life. You learn from the past; then apply it to the present and future.
“As I got into my junior and senior years, a lot of the classes were really small, and you had to talk. You couldn’t just sit in the back row and hide; you had to engage,” he continued. “That forced me to be able to articulate my ideas, my thoughts, my opinions. And that was incredibly helpful to my career.”
The donor is a managing director, private client advisor and institutional client advisor with Bank of America Private Bank in Fort Worth, where he leads a team of wealth and investment specialists. With more than 25 years of experience, Paukune is skilled in supporting the financial goals of his clients who look to him for unified investment, wealth strategy, legacy and philanthropic advice.
Paukune’s areas of focus include significant transactions, such as art, plane, yacht, ranch and real estate financing, as well as liquidity events and new business ventures. In addition, he works with clients who are actively building their wealth, helping them evaluate their options and pursue informed decisions about their long-term finances.
Lee Cohen, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, expressed gratitude for Paukune’s gift.
“This gift reflects a personal understanding of both the challenges and the extraordinary potential of students who learn differently,” the dean said. “This scholarship sends a powerful message that intellectual ability is not defined by a single pathway and that perseverance, curiosity and support can change lives. We are profoundly grateful for Mark’s commitment to ensuring our students have the encouragement and resources they need to persist and succeed.”
Between graduating from Ole Miss and joining Bank of America in 2007, Paukune worked for Lehman Brothers, pursued a career in politics in Washington, D.C., and — as a member of the Apache tribe of Oklahoma — started the investment firm Apache Securities. After selling the firm, he began working for Texas Commerce Bank, which was ultimately acquired by JP Morgan Chase.
At Ole Miss Paukune was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Being Rush chair, he said, also honed the social skills he uses daily in his career.
He now serves on the boards of Streams and Valleys and All Saint’s Episcopal School in Fort Worth. He is an active volunteer with Hope International in Zimbabwe.
Paukune met his wife, Kathy, while on a blind date with another woman. The couple has two grown children: Markham and Grace.
The Paukune Undergraduate Scholarship Endowment is open to support from businesses and individuals. Gifts can be made to by sending a check, with the fund’s name noted on the memo line, to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655, or by clicking here to give online.
For more information, contact Delia Childers, associate director of development for the College of Liberal Arts, at dgchilde@olemiss.edu or 662-915-3086.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation