This scholarship was established by the Beaumont Foundation of America to honor Kent Hance. The J.T. and Margaret Talkington Foundation provided matching funds for this scholarship.

Kent started as a litigator and later served in the Texas Senate, the United States Congress, and as the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission. He authored President Reagan's tax bill, the largest tax cut in American history, during his time in Congress. He established a law firm specializing in state and federal administrative, regulatory, and legislative areas, as well as oil and gas energy-related law. In 2006, he was appointed as the chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, where he expanded the system from two universities to four and led a successful financial campaign before retiring in 2014.

This scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding law students at Texas Tech University.

Established 2013