Last year, Team Fox member Stuart Vick Smith joined forces with a group of students from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) to throw the inaugural Longhorn Pancakes for Parkinson’s event. Stuart heard about the first ever Pancakes for Parkinson’s event in 2004 at her alma mater, the University of Virginia, and she knew she wanted to bring the tradition to UT as a way to honor her father, Dr. James Vick, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago.

Dr. Vick is known for many things on the UT campus. His tenure began in 1970 when he joined the mathematics faculty and quickly became an undergraduate advisor. Throughout the next 35 years, Dr. Vick served as Associate Dean in the College of Natural Sciences and earned the role of VP of Student Affairs—all the while continuing to teach part time. In 2005, he stepped down as VP and returned to teaching full time. In his 42 years at UT, Dr. Vick has earned the respect of the faculty, students and alumni. There is an award named for him at UT, and in 2012, he was awarded the Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship, one of the highest prizes for teaching on campus.

It was only fitting that Stuart wanted to start Longhorn Pancakes in his honor.

Last year’s event raised nearly $60,000 for Team Fox. This year, Stuart passed the torch to the Texas Round Table, a UT student organization made up of the presidents of all the spirit organizations on campus. The second annual Longhorn Pancakes for Parkinson’s event is on Tuesday, April 17 at Gregory Gym Plaza.

Hear from Dr. Vick in the video below, and come out to enjoy some Pancakes if you’re in Austin on April 17.