Dan and Jean Rather Scholarship Endowment

The Dan and Jean Rather Endowed Scholarships are awarded to first-time, incoming freshmen students who are enrolled at Sam Houston State University. Dan Rather earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from then-Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1953. He and his wife, Jean, met while working at a Houston radio station, and they were married in 1957. Rather drew national attention in 1961, while covering Hurricane Carla for KHOU-TV. By the end of the year, CBS had hired him as a news correspondent. He held many prestigious positions with the network, and was promoted to the anchor position for CBS Evening News in 1981. After a long career with CBS News Rather retired from his position as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News in 2005. He left CBS in 2006 and joined HDNet network as producer and host of “Dan Rather Reports.” Rather has always demonstrated a special affection for Sam Houston State. He and his wife, along with their children, made the decision to contribute a significant donation to support the university in 2006.