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The University of Texas at Austin

The Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship Fund

Photo of Danny Toole

November 2009 Update:Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship - Department of Computer Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

The Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship is commemorated with a plaque in the main hall in Taylor Hall. Each year, the Turing Scholar student recipient's name will be added to the plaque.

October 2009 Update:

UTCS is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship Fund, Aidan Coyne. Aidan is an entering freshman and will receive a full year of support. The support will ensure that Aidan can focus on his freshman year as a Turing Scholar without the worry of financial issues.

Calvin Lin, Director of the Turing Scholars program, says that Aidan shares a lot of the spirit of exploration that Danny had: three years ago he taught himself to program in C and C++ from books and online tutorials, and he recently has become interested in robotics and genetics. Aidan is from New York and went to school in Connecticut.

Both Aidan and the Toole family will meet at UTCS's annual scholarship lunch in February.

September 2008 Update:

1. At 9 am, on October 2, 2007, Danny Toole will be remembered at a flag lowering ceremony at the flagpole on the Main mall by the Tower. This event marks his 21st birthday and your attendance is invited.

2. Danny Toole was remembered during the May 2, 2008 UT Remembers ceremony. UT Remembers is an annual day of remembrance honoring members of the UT community who died in the previous year. Members of the Toole family and members of the UTCS faculty and staff attended the ceremony.

Endowed Excellence Fund: January 2008 Update

The Department of Computer Sciences is pleased to announce that the funding goal to create an endowed excellence fund, entitled the The Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship Fund, has been reached. Once officially established, this endowed excellence fund will be used to recruit and support Turing Scholar computer science students. Learn more about Turing Scholars.

Additional contributions to the fund for increased Turing Scholar support may be made as outlined in the donation instructions below.

Daniel Gregory (Danny) Toole

University of Texas at Austin Computer Sciences student, Daniel Gregory Toole, 20, passed away unexpectedly in a tragic accident Sunday, October 21, 2007. Danny was in the Vanguard program for gifted and talented students at Herod Elementary School in Houston, and was also in the SPIRAL program in Spring Branch ISD. Then he attended Cornerstone Academy and Memorial High. He had planned to become a software entrepreneur and pursued that goal through participation in Turing Scholars, an elite honors program for University of Texas computer science students. In the summer of 2007, he was employed as a software engineering intern at BorgSolutions, Inc. in Austin, Texas.

As a young boy, Danny showed keen mechanical and logical abilities, which he demonstrated with Lego Robotics, K'Nex, and other building sets. He built and programmed his own Lego Robotics robots, and designed and built his first computer from parts he bought at Fry's at age 13. Danny was also interested in politics, philosophy, music and the human condition. He loved bicycling and took part in many bicycle rallies. Danny is survived by his parents, Shaun and Nan Toole; as well as his brother, Eric Toole. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to: The Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship.

Donation Instructions
  1. Online donation:
    You may make a donation online to the Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship through the University's secure giving page. Please read the instructions carefully before donating online to ensure that your gift is accounted for correctly. Any deviation from these instructions may result in your gift not being received.
    1. In text box #1 entitled "Please enter your gift designation(s)", the first two boxes should be pre-populated with "Natural Sciences, College of" and "Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship". If pre-populated, please leave as is and do not select anything in the third and fourth drop down menu boxes. If the first two boxes are not pre-populated, please select "Natural Sciences, College of" in the first box and "Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship" in the second box. Again, do not select anything in the third and fourth drop down menu boxes.
    2. In the text box #2, entitled "Please enter any special gift information", please copy/paste the text shown in purple below into the text box to ensure that the funds are deposited into the Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship:
      • Gift to the Department of Computer Sciences Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship
      • Notify: Nancy P. Hatchett Office of External Affairs
        • The University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Sciences
        • 1 University Station, C0500 Austin, TX 78712-0233
        • Email: nph@cs.utexas.edu Phone: 512-471-9793
    3. Continue filling out the gift form as instructed in text boxes # 3 and #4 for your contact information and payment information.
    4. REQUIRED: Click the "Complete My Gift" button on the bottom right of the form.
    5. You will receive a confirmation of your transaction that you can print for your records.
    6. FOR ONLINE GIFT FORM, CLICK HERE: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/nlogon/vip/ogp.WBX?menu=NSDT

To give by check:
Make check payable to "The University of Texas at Austin" with "Computer Sciences Department" and the designated "The Danny Toole Memorial Turing Scholarship" name on the check and/or in a letter of transmittal. Mail to:

    • Nancy P. Hatchett Office of External Affairs
    • The University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Sciences
    • 1 University Station, C0500 Austin, TX 78712-0233
    • Email: nph@cs.utexas.edu Phone: 512-471-9793

* You will receive a tax acknowledgement and thank you letter within 30 days.

Thank you for your contribution to this important scholarship.