The Tellegacy Program is proud to announce an academic collaboration with the University of Texas at Dallas, aligning Tellegacy’s national, human centered work with undergraduate experiential learning at UT Dallas beginning in Summer 2026.

Through this collaboration, Tellegacy will serve as an approved applied learning site connected specifically to SPAU 4396 Internship, a three credit undergraduate course that emphasizes real world field experience, reflective practice, and professional growth. This partnership brings together community engaged learning, applied communication, and healthcare adjacent impact in a way that benefits students, communities, and partner organizations alike.

Why This Collaboration Matters

Universities increasingly recognize that meaningful education happens when theory meets lived experience. Tellegacy was built on that very principle. Our work centers on intentional human connection, social health, and intergenerational understanding within healthcare and community settings. Aligning with UT Dallas through SPAU 4396 creates a structured pathway for students to apply communication, analysis, and critical thinking skills in environments where relationships and dignity truly matter.

Students participating through this course earn academic credit while engaging in applied work that supports older adults, community partners, and healthcare adjacent organizations. The result is learning that feels relevant, purposeful, and transferable well beyond the classroom.

What SPAU 4396 Represents in Practice

SPAU 4396 is designed for undergraduate students seeking field based experience in applied settings. Within the Tellegacy context, this means students are not observing from the sidelines. They are contributing to active programs that address social isolation, communication gaps, and community wellbeing.

Students work a minimum of eight hours per week in approved placements, maintain reflective journals, attend periodic academic check ins, and complete written assignments tied directly to their experiences. Tellegacy provides a structured, mentored environment where those requirements translate into tangible outcomes and professional confidence.

This collaboration focuses only on SPAU 4396 for the purposes of this announcement and does not function as a recruitment flyer or deadline notice. Instead, it highlights the educational value and shared mission behind the partnership.

A Shared Commitment to Applied Learning and Social Impact

Tellegacy’s national footprint spans healthcare organizations, aging services, and intergenerational initiatives. Students working within the program gain exposure to how community based work intersects with communication strategy, ethical leadership, and service design.

At the same time, UT Dallas brings academic rigor, reflective frameworks, and student preparation that elevate the quality of engagement for all partners involved. Together, this collaboration reflects a shared belief that students learn best when they are trusted with real responsibility and supported through thoughtful supervision.

Preparing Students for What Comes Next

Internships are often described as résumé builders. This collaboration goes further. Students develop transferable skills that employers consistently seek including communication, critical thinking, teamwork, ethical awareness, and professional accountability. They also gain clarity about future career directions by seeing how their academic training shows up in real settings.

For Tellegacy, working with UT Dallas students means investing in the next generation of professionals who understand that healthcare and community work are ultimately about people, stories, and relationships.

Looking Ahead

As Tellegacy continues to expand nationally, collaborations like this one set the standard for how academic institutions and community organizations can work together with intention. The UT Dallas partnership reflects a forward thinking approach to undergraduate education that values depth, reflection, and real world relevance.

We look forward to welcoming UT Dallas students into the Tellegacy ecosystem and continuing to build pathways where education and impact move side by side.

For organizations, universities, or faculty interested in similar academic collaborations, Tellegacy welcomes thoughtful conversation about how experiential learning can serve both students and communities with integrity and purpose.

Re humanizing community and healthcare, one meaningful experience at a time.