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When entering Tulane University to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree, Paul Dorman’s father paid his first year’s tuition.  From there, he was on his own, working full-time at his father’s company at night and attending Tulane during the day.  More than 60 years later, Mr. Dorman committed $3.2 million to the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine to cover the first-year tuition for its entire inaugural class of 60.  The irony was not lost on him.  “My father’s company helped me help myself, which is what I hope I’m doing for the MD School students,” he says with a smile. 

His career began in the corporate world (he worked to develop the Saturn engine that powered the 1969 moon mission), but truly flourished as an entrepreneur building multiple businesses of his own.  Mr. Dorman credits his success to being an innovator.  “I’ve always been able to see things in ways that differ from others,” he said.  No surprise, then, that he was drawn to a new medical school built on innovation, created through a unique public/private university partnership and with a blank slate to consider how best to train doctors for the future.  “It excites me to think about a problem and come up with a solution by a pathway that others haven’t considered of pursued.” 

His advice for the MD students now known as Dorman Scholars?  “My hope is that they will come to realize their opportunity to profoundly impact others,” he said.  “When you have that type of skill, there is a responsibility to use the blessing that God has given to you.” 

In his generous support of HSC and the inaugural class of the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, Mr. H. Paul Dorman has profoundly impacted and blessed others. And for that, we proudly honor him as one of our 50 Heroes!

Honor your HSC hero today! Please make a tribute gift, submit a photo or share a story that you value. Join us throughout 2020 as we celebrate the people, events and innovations that made UNTHSC all it is today — and look ahead to the next 50 years. For the 50th anniversary, team members nominated people whose contributions make them HSC Heroes. Each week, a new Hero will be revealed. View the list of all our Hero profiles published so far this year. There is a new one each week.

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