THE TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION MAGAZINE THE TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION

SUMMER 2009A Dutchman’s pipe vine blooms in Aggie maroon and white at the Holistic Garden on the West Campus. The garden, which offers lessons in horticulture to Texas A&M students and other visitors, has an annual budget of about $80,000 to pay student workers, buy plants and maintain facilities. Dr. Joe Novak, who established the garden, hopes creating an endowment will help him to expand the garden and educate more Aggies there. See page 18 for the full story. PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Education Is Our Obligation

At the Texas A&M Foundation, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about the value of higher education. From time to time during our daily work, each of us may consider a fundamental question: Why am I raising money for Texas A&M University? Inevitably, we find the answer just outside our Hagler Center offices on campus. The answer is in the mind of the education major from Beaumont—with help from a scholarship, she will fulfill her goal of teaching the next generation of promising students. It’s in the heart of the renowned history professor who has devoted his life to the study of British history—funds from a faculty chair provide the resources to further his research and teaching. It’s in the spirit of the Texas A&M Rodeo Team cowboy from Glen Rose—without a scholarship, he could not attend a major university and compete nationally in the sport that defines his young life. You’ll note that the answer lies in what the university does—encouraging and inspiring the spirit and mind of Texas A&M—not in who is leading the insti- tution. The Foundation is and always has been about supporting the educational experience at its core … for students and faculty. I mention all this as preface to related news of modest policy changes made by our board of trustees. In response to a significant decrease in investment returns, we reduced the spending from our endowment from 5 percent to 4.5 percent beginning in July. To share the burden of protecting our endowment, we also chose to decrease the Foundation’s management fee from 1 percent to 0.9 percent. Neither our endowment payout nor management fee has changed in more than 20 years, but these extraordinary times demand tough decisions. We hope these are temporary actions, but they are necessary to protect the corpus of our endowment and ensure fairness across generational periods. Comparatively, the Foundation remains financially sound. Other institutions have slashed endowment payouts by more than 50 percent, and few are immune to the steep recession. Economics aside, our country urgently needs more college graduates who will use their knowledge and skills to improve the human condition. The extra income from a bachelor’s degree can lift families out of poverty and increase chances that future generations will be educated. Nonprofit management expert Paul Jansen once said, “The promise of reasonable access to education lies at the core of the social compact that affords most higher education institutions their nonprofit status and ensures their social relevance.” At the Texas A&M Foundation, this promise is our purpose. We view broad access to a quality higher education experience as the great hope for the long-term future of our democracy. Thank you for your continued trust in our stewardship of your gifts.

eddie j. davis ’67 president texas a&m foundation In Texas A&M’s Holistic Garden, butterfly plants attract adults and feed larvae. » p.18

Contents

FEATURES 14 Spirit Impact: SADDLE UP A&M’s rodeo club adviser looks to recruit ever-stronger competitors for the team. Called “Quince” by his friends, professor Ralph James Quincy Adams remains passionate about 18 his 35-year career as a British historian. » p.26 College Impact: GROWING PLACES Founder Joe Novak hopes the Holistic Lainey Kyle ’09, a member of the A&M Rodeo Club, hits her target in the Garden will broaden its mission of breakaway roping event during the education and encouragement. Hill College Rodeo in 2008. » p.14 22 Student Impact:

TURNING POINT When Hurricane Rita derailed a future teacher’s plan to attend A&M, a scholarship VOLUME X NO. 3|SUMMER 2009 Spirit is published three times a year by the Texas helped her stay on track. A&M Foundation, which manages major gifts and endowments for the benefit of academic programs, scholarships and student activities at 26 Texas A&M University. Please direct inquiries to the Marketing Office, Texas A&M Foundation, Faculty Impact: 401 George Bush Dr., College Station, TX 77840- 2811, call (800) 392-3310 or (979) 845-8161, or QUAINTLY QUINCE e-mail [email protected]. Information in Students and colleagues admire Ralph this magazine is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or tax advice. Readers James Quincy Adams, a professor of should consult independent legal counsel or British history. financial advisors for differences in local laws and individual circumstances. giving.tamu.edu 30 www.facebook.com REAL ESTATE AIDS STUDENTS (Search for Texas A&M Foundation.) www.texags.com Donors turn ranch land into endowments; www.youtube.com/aggiespiritandmind the Foundation’s Tim Walton discusses copyright © 2009 texas a&m foundation the giving of real estate in a trust. EDITOR Sondra White ’87

MANAGING EDITOR Mary Vinnedge ’75

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Kathy McCoy ’80

WEB COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Rachel Dohmann ’07

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

SPECIALIST Alice Bassett

STUDENT INTERNS Lianna Grissom ’11 DEPARTMENTS Nichelle Jaeger ’12

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Geer Design, Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHY 3 THE LEGACY College of Architecture (p. 34) R Scott Lord ’85 has designated the Norman Borlaug Institute for proceeds of a life insurance policy to International Agriculture (p. 6) benefit the Fish Drill Team. Mack Bradford of R&M Photography/ Bryan (pp. 1, left; 14-16) 4 ON CAMPUS Gabriel Chmielewski (pp. 25, 29, 35) Texas A&M receives acclaim and grows 3 John Graybill (p. ) its campus. Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (p. 7) Holistic Garden (cover, p. 18) 6 LAB WORK Chris Houser/Department of Aggie research reaches around the world Geography (p. 4) and into the depths of the Pacific. Robb Kendrick (pp. 1, right; 12-13; 27; 32) Jim Lyle (pp. 18, top left; 20; 22-23) 8 NEW GIFTS Robert McLeroy (pp. 10-11) Donors support Operation Spirit and Kelvin Morrison/Specialties MindSM scholarship initiative. Photography (p. 8) Dr. Wayne Smith (p. 4) 10 ONE VOICE The $104 million Emerging Technologies Texas Transportation Institute (p. 38) A&M academics and ethics are critical Building, under construction at the corner of Larry Wadsworth (p. 6, left) to a San Antonio success story. University Drive and Bizzell Street, will have a ILLUSTRATIONS by Clay Schlinke ’94 bright, contemporary feel. » p.5 Engineering Communications (p. 2) VIEWPOINT Facilities Planning and Construction 12 Department (p. 5) A picture is worth a thousand words.

PRINTING 32 LETTERS Grover Printing 34 OPPORTUNITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Jorge Vanegas outlines how you can Tom Saylak ’82 help build a better future for the College Chairman of Architecture. John Bethancourt ’74 Contents 59 Mel Glasscock ’ 36 @FOUNDATION ’64 Charles Gregory Meet the new trustee and find out how Richard Kardys ’67 Operation Spirit and MindSM has progressed Ray Rothrock ’77 Bob Surovik ’58 toward its $300 million goal.

OFFICERS 38 POSTSCRIPT Ed Davis ’67 Serendipity plus perseverance led a farm President boy to his Aggie engineering degree and Jim Palincsar a 42-year career as an A&M professor. Senior Vice President for Development COVER PHOTO by Bob Gallaway ’42 Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia elegans) Liska Lusk delivers hand-size maroon-and-white Vice President and General Counsel 39 CONTACT blooms from spring through fall in Texas Doyle Thompson Stay in touch with the Texas A&M A&M’s Holistic Garden. The vine Vice President and Controller Foundation. attracts swallowtail butterflies.

2 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION Class of ’85 Grad Creates His Legacy Now With a Life Insurance Gift for the Fish Drill Team TheLegacy

R Scott Lord ’85 deeply appreciates we often don’t think about creating the time he spent on the Fish Drill a legacy.” Team as a student at Texas A&M. Lord found the perfect way to give Through that experience, Lord when he received a postcard from the acquired the self-discipline and spirit Texas A&M Foundation about life of teamwork that has carried him insurance gifts. As the owner of three through many challenges. “You have life insurance policies, he decided to special times in your life that really use one to benefit A&M. To discuss how a planned gift to stand out,” said Lord, who holds a Lord called Glenn Pittsford ’72, the Texas A&M Foundation might business degree from A&M. “When the Texas A&M Foundation’s assistant benefit you, your family and the you work hard at something and you vice president for gift planning, to university, please contact Glenn are successful, you have lots of pride in discuss a life insurance gift. Lord then Pittsford ’72 in the Office of Gift yourself. I have a huge appreciation for made the Foundation the beneficiary Planning at [email protected] what the Fish Drill Team did for me.” of the policy and designated the funds or (800) 392-3310. We will In 2006, Lord’s mother died, and for the Fish Drill Team. “The giving describe how such plans work and he was the executor of her estate. “As process was super-easy. I sat down with provide personalized illustrations. my brothers and I worked to create a my insurance agent, and we talked We also consult with you and your legacy for her, it made me start to about what I wanted to do with the advisers throughout the process think about my legacy,” he said. “We gift. I simply filled out a change-of- as you consider and implement get so caught up in the day-to-day beneficiary form, and then Glenn put a charitable gift. activities of accumulating wealth that together the gift agreement.” His gift will add to the Fish Drill Team Endowment so future Aggies R Scott Lord ’85 lives near Colorado Springs, Colo. will forever benefit from the life- changing experiences this Corps of Cadets program offers. In addition, Lord is encouraging other former stu- dents and A&M supporters to grow the endowment. By making the Foundation the beneficiary of his insurance policy, Lord is recognized as a Heritage mem- ber of the A&M Legacy Society. “One advantage of a life insurance gift is that I am able to give right now,” Lord said. “It was a proud moment for me to participate in creating my legacy.” 

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 3 Geography students Leonor Cantu ’12, Carolyn Blake ’12, Hannah Miller ’12, Lexi Altinger ’12 and Catherine McMillan ’12 conduct surveys as part of an assignment at the Soltis Center for Research and Education in Costa Rica. Aggies began to study at the center this year.

OnCampus

A&M President Murano Resigns A&M was one of 100 schools receiving Dr. Elsa Murano, the ranking for economic value and president of Texas quality of education. A&M was one of A&M University, 50 schools to achieve the rating in the resigned effective Princeton Review/USA Today listing. June 15 following a ◊ Three milestones by the Mays controversial public Business School. London’s Financial discussion of con- Times listed Mays’ master of business th Dr. Elsa Murano solidating the posi- administration at 11 in the nation for tion of A&M System chancellor and public institutions. Compared with all president as well as public disclosure U.S. schools, Financial Times ranked of documents debating her first year’s Mays No. 1 in placing graduates and performance evaluation. Murano will No. 2 in value for money spent achiev- return to the faculty, which she joined ing the degree. in 1995, most recently serving as dean ◊ Kudos to the College of Architec- of the College of Agriculture and Life ture in the list of America’s Best For their service during Hurricane Ike, 2005 2007 Architecture & Design Schools com- four Corps of Cadets members received Sciences from to . the inaugural Corps Distinguished piled by the Design Futures Council. Humanitarian Award last December. From University Is Upwardly Mobile The council ranked the master of land- left are Cadet Lt. Col. Syed Hussain ’09, Cadet Sgt. 1st Class Jake Manchaca ’10, In 1997, Texas A&M officials set a lofty scape architecture and bachelor of Cadet Capt. Matthew May ’09 and Cadet goal: that the school be recognized as landscape architecture programs fourth Col. Jordan Reid ’09. The cadets secured a consensus “top 10” public university and fifth respectively among all pro- areas of campus, coordinated volunteer efforts and helped evacuees at Reed Arena. by the year 2020. Vision 2020, an initia- grams. The master of architecture pro- In addition, Manchaca organized the sale tive steered by former university Pres- gram is fifth among public universities of “Beat the Hell Outta Hurricane Ike” ident Ray Bowen and Jon Hagler ’58, and 11th among all programs. T-shirts that raised $35,000 for the Lions Club of San Leon and The Association mapped the route to that goal. Pro- of Former Students relief fund for Texas gress in 2009 includes: A&M Center Opens in Costa Rica A&M Galveston students. ◊ Top-two status in nuclear engineer- Texas A&M extended its global reach ing (along with the Massachusetts Insti- this year as operations began at the tute of Technology), according to the Soltis Center for Research and Edu- International Atomic Energy Agency. cation, about a two-hour drive from ◊ The No. 1 ranking in Smart Money the Costa Rican capital of San Jose. magazine’s national ratings for “pay- In 2005 Bill Soltis ’55, a mechan- back ratio,” the earnings levels of an ical engineering graduate with a career institution’s graduates compared to the in construction, approached A&M offi- cost of their undergraduate educations. cials about creating the facility. Soltis, ◊ Two “best value” ratings. In a Houston resident with investments Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, in Costa Rica, saw the project as a

4 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION way to protect the ecological setting and create preservation awareness. Going Up: High-tech Buildings Arise in Aggieland Soltis and his family donated a These state-of-the-art buildings will open within two years on campus: 40-acre rain-forest site and gave a long- ◊ The Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building, a 220,000-square-foot project on Old Main Drive near the bell tower, was nearing completion as Spirit went to press. Its term lease on an additional 250 acres cost is estimated at $95 million. The building is expected to house laboratories, class- in the rain forest. They also funded a rooms and offices for interdisciplinary research to include structural biology, neuro- 7,500-square-foot academic building science and functional genomics. plus eight dormitories for 60 students ◊ The Emerging Technologies Building is under construction at the corner of University Drive and Bizzell Street. Budgeted at $104 million, the 212,000-square-foot structure and faculty. (The facility’s design con- will contain laboratories, classrooms and offices that support future Aggie engineers’ cept came from a multidisciplinary studies of emerging technologies. It is scheduled for completion in 2011. It will initially studio in the College of Architecture.) house the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Industrial and Systems Engi- neering, and will also facilitate research between the Dwight Look College of Engineering Last semester, Aggies began to and the Colleges of Architecture, Geosciences and Science.

study the rain forest. The College of ◊ The two adjoining George P. Mitchell ’40 Physics Buildings are scheduled to be Education and Human Development, operational in January. Funds for the $82.5 million Mitchell Buildings include a $35 College of Geosciences and Dwight million donation by Mitchell and his wife, Cynthia. Combined, the buildings—on Look College of Engineering were first University Drive at Ireland Street—will have 150,000 square feet for offices, laboratories, classrooms and an auditorium. in line to use the center. ◊ A $15.4 million nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) facility is going up just south of web extra: the Biochemistry and Biophysics Building on West Campus. When complete in mid- Click on Publications at giving.tamu.edu to 2010, it will contain about 37,280 square feet. NMR spectroscopy is integral to studies see a video about the Soltis Center. of molecular life sciences and structural biology conducted by the College of Agri- culture and Life Sciences, Texas AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M Health Science Engineering Group Builds in Mexico Center.

Fourteen members of the Texas A&M The 220,000-square-foot Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building, which is nearly finished, faces Old Main Drive. student chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) spent part of winter break building a library for the elementary school in Acuña, Mexico. “They had nowhere to store their books,” said chapter president Felipe Rendon ’09, “so we built a library for them.” Like all EWB chapters, the A&M group partners with developing nations to improve quality of life through envi- ronmentally sustainable, equitable and economical engineering projects. Aggies learned of the school’s need Hussey Sets Goals for Ag Program that whether you’re in New York City last year and conducted a site assess- Recruiting, reward- or anywhere else in the country, when- ment in May 2008. About two dozen ing and retaining ever agriculture is mentioned, you students completed the design last fall the best faculty are think of Texas A&M as not only the at A&M, and then the chapter secured top goals set by Dr. biggest College of Agriculture, but the the necessary national EWB approval. Mark A. Hussey, best.” Acuña workers poured the founda- the new dean of Hussey, a specialist in plant breed- tion before the Aggies arrived Jan. 4. the College of Agri- ing, received both Aggie master’s and “We started with the walls and built Dr. Mark A. Hussey culture and Life doctoral degrees, and has been a fac- from the ground up,” Rendon said. Sciences. Hussey also plans to strength- ulty member since 1985. In December, “Everything went as planned. We paint- en international opportunities, expand he was named dean and directs sev- ed it, installed four lights, four outlets graduate programs, and attain recog- eral state agencies, including Texas and an air-conditioning unit. And nition for the college as the agricultural AgriLife Research, the Texas AgriLife we built bookshelves.” The library, leader in the world. Extension Service, Texas Forest Service finished in 12 days, was the first inter- “Texas A&M has the largest and and Texas Veterinary Medical Diag- national project for the 4-year-old most diverse College of Agriculture nostic Laboratory. chapter (ewb.tamu.edu). in the country,” Hussey said. “I hope

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 5 Rwandan workers examine and cull coffee beans, which recently have become a major cash crop for that nation’s farmers, thanks to help from A&M’s Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture.

LabWork

Two Genes Linked to Blindness Borlaug Institute Aids Rwandans lence Fund, Borlaug Institute Student Dr. Gladys Ko, Rwandan farmers earn significantly Experience Fund, Norman E. Borlaug an assistant more money these days thanks to a five- Endowed Chair for International professor in the College of Vet- year project of Texas A&M’s Norman Agriculture, and Norman E. Borlaug erinary Medicine Borlaug Institute for International Endowed Fellowships. and Biomedical Agriculture. Sciences, along with her collab- The Sustaining Partnerships to Charge a Phone With Body Heat orator and Enhance Rural Enterprise and Agri- Human voices and body heat could Dr. Gladys Ko research team, business Development (SPREAD) proj- have found the link between two soon replace the batteries in low-power genes that cause two types of blind- ect began in 2006 by helping the electronic devices. ness that occur mainly in men. African nation’s coffee growers meet Dr. Tahir Cagin, a professor in XLRS (X-linked retinoschisis) is the quality standards of high-end cof- the Artie McFerrin Department of a retinal degenerative disease that fee companies, said Dr. Tim Schilling, results in an early onset of macular Chemical Engineering, and his part- degeneration leading to blindness. the project’s director. ners at the University of Houston XLCSNB (X-linked incomplete “Before 2001, Rwandan coffee study piezoelectric materials, which congenital stationary night blindness), quality was so poor that many farm- also a retinal degenerative disease, generate voltage when mechanical causes night blindness. Patients with ers were digging up coffee trees to plant stress is applied. XLRS have genetic mutations in other crops,” Schilling said. “Today Cagin’s group has found that a retinoschisin, a protein essential for Rwanda ranks among the top specialty proper retinal structure; XLCSNB certain piezoelectric material can con- patients have mutations on a specific coffee-producing countries, and over vert sound waves, produced when a type of calcium channels in the 100,000 farm families earn more than cell-phone user talks, into the energy retina, Ko said. three times what they made in 2001 necessary to operate the phone. The XLRS and XLCSNB afflict one in on coffee.” 2,500 to 5,000 people. These X-linked piezoelectric material is only about 21 genetic mutations do not affect SPREAD assists in marketing By harnessing energy from body heat and the women as much as men, although efforts that have improved income human voice, researchers in the Dwight Look women can be carriers of the trait. from almost zero in 2000 to more than College of Engineering hope to power cell Ko found that there is a physical phones and other low-power electronic devices. interaction between retinoschisin $50 million in 2008 and an expectation and the calcium channel. The study of $100 million by 2012, according to was carried out using chicken reti- Rwanda’s coffee-development author- nas, but results apply to humans because the retinoschisin gene in ity, OCIR-Café. chicks and humans are similar. Ko SPREAD also helps Rwandan emphasized that the findings improve farmers to market other high-value understanding of the disease mech- anism, but considerable work must agricultural projects such as cassava be done before suggesting treatment flour, chili peppers and pyrethrum that could save patients’ vision. flowers, a natural insecticide. She and her colleagues published The Texas A&M Foundation raises their study results in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. money for several Borlaug initiatives, including the Borlaug Institute Excel-

6 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION nanometers thick (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter; a human hair is

about 75,000 nanometers thick). Historian Plays Hardball

Meanwhile, over in A&M’s Depart- Research by a Texas A&M history ment of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. professor contradicts widely held Jaime Grunlan and Dr. Choongho Yu, notions about baseball’s early years—such as Abner Doubleday assistant professors, are developing creating the sport in 1839 in polymer composites that can convert Cooperstown, N.Y. relatively small amounts of heat into Leiopathes sp., called black coral because of its The Doubleday myth was born skeleton (showing at its base), can live more in 1907, when he was called electricity. Their polymer composites than 4,200 years. This specimen was found near “baseball’s inventor” in a report harness waste heat in the environment. Hawaii in water more than 1,300 feet deep. by Abraham Mills, National League “The human body alone could president and an Army colleague of ages of Geradia sp., or gold coral, and produce enough heat through normal Doubleday. “It was already rooted specimens of the deep-water black in the region’s rural culture—before everyday motions to power a cell coral, Leiopathes sp. The longest-lived 1839,” said Dr. David Vaught, a phone if someone was wearing a shirt history professor and baseball fan. examples in both species were 2,740 made of our thermoelectric compos- “No one individual came up with years and 4,270 years, respectively. the game as it is played today. It ite,” Grunlan said. “Polymer composites The deep-water black coral is the old- was a combination of several are very promising because they can be different games that evolved.” est living coral, and its longevity far made low-cost and lightweight com- Early versions of baseball had exceeds previous estimates. eight to 50 players per team and pared with current state-of-the-art Gold coral has been harvested for a square field; a fixed run total— thermoelectric materials.” the purpose of making jewelry, and often 100—was needed to win. Commercial development of the Vaught said the sport didn’t evolve both Geradia sp. and Leiopathes sp. piezoelectric materials and polymer fully until the 1880s, when the are threatened worldwide by fishing field took its diamond shape, the composites could reduce reliance on methods such as bottom trawling and numbers of balls and strikes were batteries in devices beyond cell phones; fixed, and overhand pitching was long-lining. “This research has already they could run other low-power elec- allowed. “Trying to find the inven- had an impact in Hawaiian waters, tor of baseball is like trying to find tronics such as laptops and MP3 play- where a moratorium on the collection the person who discovered fire.” ers, for example. When working Vaught said “every major schol- of gold coral has been enacted,” Roark remotely, law-enforcement officials and ar has pretty much debunked” said. “These extremely long life spans the Doubleday tale. And when soldiers could use these technologies to reinforce the need for further protec- Doubleday supposedly invented power specialized devices such as sen- the game, he was still a West tion of deep-sea habitats around the sors for chemical or biological weapons. Point cadet. world and in international waters in Vaught is writing a book about To combat temperature extremes, the particular.” the early popularity of baseball— polymer composites could even heat The findings of Roark and col- often considered a big-city sport— or cool uniforms. among farmers, gold miners and leagues from Australia and California soldiers in the hinterlands. were published in March in the Pro- Ancient Corals Discovered ceedings of the National Academy of An Aggie researcher has discovered Sciences. The project was financed by some of Earth’s most senior citizens. the National Oceanic and Atmos- Dr. Brendan Roark, assistant pro- pheric Administration and the fessor of geography, led a team that National Science Foundation. found deep-sea corals off the Hawaiian web extra: coast that are more than 4,200 years Click on Publications at giving.tamu.edu to old. These corals, collected from a see a video about this coral research. depth of more than 1,300 feet using manned submersible vehicles, rank For a more in-depth look at Texas A&M’s among Earth’s oldest living organ- research activity, visit giving.tamu.edu isms—along with 4,000-year-old bristle- and click on “publications” to request An A&M historian questions whether cone pine trees in California. copies of Advance magazine, which is Abner Doubleday invented baseball. Roark and his colleagues used produced by the Division of Research radiocarbon dating to determine the and Graduate Studies.

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 7 Gifts to the Texas A&M Foundation Inspire Spirit and Mind NewGifts

Mays Receives $9 Million Bequest STUDENT IMPACT inspire them to become,” Jordan said Mays Business School has received as the scholarships were announced. a $9 million bequest from an Women Establish Two Scholarships “We chose creation of the scholarship anonymous former student and The Women Former Students’ Net- spouse. When the gift is realized, as a visible down payment on that work (WFSN) celebrated its first birth- the money will provide hundreds legacy.” The money was presented on day by establishing two President’s of scholarships to business stu- campus at a WFSN gathering that dents. Announced this spring, Endowed Scholarships (PES). Former marked the 45th anniversary of wom- the gift marked the single largest first lady Barbara Bush, an honorary commitment to date for Texas en being admitted to pursue degrees A&M’s Operation Spirit and MindSM WFSN member, was on hand for the at Texas A&M. initiative, which has a goal of rais- check presentation to the Texas A&M ing $300 million for scholarships Foundation in November. The Wom- and fellowships. “In these trying Monsanto Boosts Ag Postgraduates economic times, it is wonderful en’s Legacy Scholarship will assist fe- A recent $750,000 gift to the Texas to see one of our former students male students entering a discipline in committing to providing educa- which women are underrepresented, A&M Foundation from Monsanto Co. tional opportunities for the next said Carol E. Jordan ’80, 2009 presi- established a graduate assistant fund generation of business leaders,” in plant breeding that will support as Mays Dean Jerry Strawser said. dent of WFSN (www.aggiewomen.org). The donors said they made a pro- The group raised money from mem- many as 14 U.S. and international stu- vision for the scholarships in their bers and other supporters to create dents pursuing doctoral degrees in will because giving back “is one germplasm enhancement of agronomic of the great joys in life. Texas A&M the scholarships. “The legacy of the University and Mays Business WFSN will be seen in what we give to and horticultural crops. Texas AgriLife School are responsible for a great our current students, in how we men- Research and the College of Agricul- deal of our blessings.” tor their growth, and in what we ture and Life Sciences will match the gift. Monsanto previously funded the Borlaug-Monsanto Chair in Plant Breeding and International Crop Improvement and Borlaug-Monsanto Crop Improvement Assistantships.

FACULTY IMPACT

Gift Endows Two Faculty Chairs A planned gift from James Royce Whatley ’47 was announced this spring: $2 million for endowed faculty chairs for the College of Geosciences and the Mays Business School. Whatley, who

Barbara Bush and Carol Jordan ’80, president of the Women Former Students’ Network, celebrate the group’s scholarships.

8 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION 2005 died in , held Harold Vance Department of Petro- SPIRIT IMPACT bachelor’s and mas- leum Engineering. Almost 200 employ- Webers ’84 Support Mays ter’s degrees in ees of Houston-based Anadarko accounting from Petroleum Corp., which operates the Tony and Cindy Green Weber, both 84 $200,000 Texas A&M and Anadarko Foundation, are Aggies. Class of ’ , contributed to received an Out- “People are the foundation of our Mays Business School last December standing Alumni success at Anadarko, and we are com- for outside-the-classroom education. James Royce Award from Mays mitted to developing future leaders of The Cindy ’84 and Tony ’84 Weber Whatley ’47 in 2002. He spent our industry,” said Chuck Meloy ’82, Excellence Fund will pay for pro- most of his career at Kaneb Services, Anadarko’s senior grams and executive speakers in Mays’ a pipeline company, where he served vice president of undergraduate programs, where their as CEO, CFO, president, vice presi- worldwide opera- daughter, Alexandra ’12, is enrolled. dent and controller. He previously tions. Meloy holds “We thought it would be great to funded Corps of Cadets and other a bachelor’s degree enhance the program while she’s scholarships. in chemical engi- there,” Cindy Weber said. Tony Weber neering from A&M. credits his participation in the school’s Fellows Program—and internships it COLLEGE IMPACT The gift, made in Chuck Meloy ’82 led to—with his business success. He is Hughes Gift to Rebuild Military Walk January, will help fund renovation of the Joe C. Richardson Petroleum a partner at Irving-based Natural Gas A $4 million gift from Dan Hughes ’51 Engineering Building, salaries for its Partners. Cindy Weber has an under- of Beeville will reconstruct Texas staff and purchase of materials. graduate degree in nutrition from A&M’s Military Walk, a 1,500-foot-long A&M. The Webers previously funded pedestrian greenway that links Sbisa Endowed Fund Honors Chemist a President’s Endowed Scholarship. Dining Hall to the Memorial Student Elizabeth W. Scott established an en- Center Complex. dowed fund in memory of her hus- Squadron 4 Gives Scholarship The path, a his- band, Dr. A. Ian Scott, who worked in Sixteen Class of ’62 Squadron 4 mem- toric military walk, Texas A&M’s chemistry department. bers contributed to the Squadron 4/ was a dirt road in She created the A. Ian Scott Award Four Aces ’62 General Rudder Corps the early 1880s, a in Chemistry Fund last fall with a Scholarship. Retired Col. Paul Heye ’62 narrow street in the $150,000 gift. The annual award will said members decided during their early 1900s and be given to a chemist who has made 45th reunion that an endowed scholar- evolved to a series Dan Hughes ’51 significant contributions in bio-organic ship is the best way to memorialize of sidewalks in the 1970s. With chemistry related to natural products. their Corps outfit. “The Corps was Hughes’ gift, given in November, the Proceeds from the award fund also such a major part of our lives in those university will install historic markers, will offset costs associated with the years at Aggieland that we all credit it bricks and limestone pavers plus A. Ian Scott Endowed Lectureship, with establishing us in our lives and other landscaping enhancements to established in 1994 in Scott’s honor to families,” said Heye, whose Priester reflect Corps of Cadets milestones generate funds for an annual lecture by Opportunity Award and Air Force since the university’s inception. a world-leading chemist or biochemist scholarships helped finance his Aggie Hughes, whose geology degree led to for the benefit of education. Squadron 4 members an oil and gas career, said the “proj- bio-organic chem- attending the reunion spearheaded the ect is important to recognizing the istry students. Scott, pledge drive for the scholarship. Other history of Texas A&M and the tradi- who died in 2007, Class of ’62 Four Aces donors are Ed tion of leadership of the Corps of achieved worldwide Berry, retired Lt. Col. Gene Box, Jerry Cadets.” His previous gifts to A&M recognition during Donald Cook, Eldridge Goins, Daniel include the Dan A. Hughes ’51 Chair his 30-year Aggie C. Haley, Larry L. Harmon, retired in Geosciences. career for discover- Dr. A. Ian Scott Col. Tom Hohman, Dr. Kenneth E.

Anadarko Donates $1 Million ing how bacteria produce vitamin Jarosz, Paul E. Morris, Dr. Jack F. Paris, B12 and for his study of the cancer Thomas W. Powell, Stephen W. Seale Over a three-year period, the Anadarko drug taxol. Jr., Judge Roger J. Walker, Robert C. Foundation will fund a $1 million gift Wight and Alan G. Wood II. to the petrophysics laboratory in the

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 9 The Total A&M Experience

OneVoice

I never tired of hearing my dad’s stories of Texas A&M. Dad—Dr. James Schlinke ’67—would get a faraway look in his eyes and talk affectionately about the traditions of the school as well as the friendliness and character of the people. I was brought up wearing maroon and hearing stories of the 12th Man.

Growing up on a ranch in the hot addition to hard work, doing right by desert of West Texas, I dreamt of being people has become a basic tenet of my under those cool oak trees that blan- business. I credit Texas A&M with help- ket the campus. We lived almost an ing to shape my thinking in this area. hour from the town of Sanderson, Of course, being a good business- but we always made the trip for Aggie man requires more than character and Muster. There was never any question a good work ethic. Just as my first class- whether I would attend college, and es taught me how to be a responsible there was no other place for me than person and strengthened my integrity, Texas A&M. my junior and senior classes gave me When I came to A&M, I felt as if the skills and tools that I use today as I were living a dream. It was all just as a successful businessman. Those class- Dad described. es specialized in entrepreneurship and During my first two years at A&M, gave me the knowledge and confidence Aggie 100 winner Clay Schlinke says his my experiences strengthened my integ- to start and run my own companies. wife, Jessica, has been integral to the growth of their business. Her responsibilities rity. I watched upperclassmen commit The economic theories that these include overseeing the plumbing operation. to the university’s traditions and classes so effectively covered have stim- learned from them. I stood shoulder ulated my business sense. The concepts to shoulder with other Aggies at yell on diversification have enabled my practice. I felt the heat of bonfire that 6-year-old business, Tesoro Homes and represented all of the sacrifices made Development Ltd. in San Antonio, by Aggies. I walked the campus and to grow every year. Even during the exchanged a “howdy” with passersby, current economic hardship, I have feeling the sense of solidarity lift me up. remained aggressive by starting new As a result, I made up my mind businesses that complement our com- that I would maintain the high stan- pany’s mission. Without Texas A&M, dards of strength, honor and character I would not have enjoyed this level of instilled in me by fellow Aggies as I business success. pursued my goals of becoming an The final component to my accom- entrepreneur and making money. In plishments is the bond forged by all

10 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION Clay Schlinke ’94 and Mike Aubin, project manager, go over plans at a San Antonio construction site.

graduates of Texas A&M University. doors for me. With the addition of This bond goes beyond the meaning this distinction to my résumé, I implied by the term “networking.” receive even more respect and consid- When I see a fellow Aggie, I know eration. Aggies know and appreciate that trust and character accompany his other Aggies, but even non-Aggies rec- or her word. I can’t tell you how often ognize the prestige of this award and Aggie bankers have approved financ- do not hesitate to make me a busi- ing before I have had time to show ness partner. them any documentation. When the As you can see, Texas A&M is banker and I take note of each other’s more to me than a university. This Aggie rings, we both smile, knowing institution has permeated nearly every “ During my first two that each is as good as his word. Of aspect of my life. I credit Texas A&M years at A&M, my expe- course, in this day and age, deals are with nurturing and shaping my world riences strengthened no longer done on a handshake, but view, for imparting a strong work ethic, my integrity. I watched I wouldn’t hesitate to do such a deal for preparing me to succeed in business upperclassmen commit as long as my business partner was a and for providing a system of lifelong to the university’s fellow Aggie. support. traditions and learned Late last year, my business was In short, I am extremely proud to from them.” chosen No. 1 in the Aggie 100, an be an Aggie!  annual list of the fastest-growing Aggie- owned or -operated companies. I can’t —by clay schlinke ’94 begin to express my surprise and appre- ciation for such a high honor. This in itself has opened numerous other

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 11

Live oaks frame the Albritton Bell Tower, given to Texas A&M by Martha and Ford D. Albritton Jr. ’43. The 138-foot-tall structure, dedicated Oct. 6, 1984, stands at the intersection of Jones and Lamar streets with Old Main Drive. The tower contains Westminster chimes and 49 carillon bells—the largest weighing more than 3 tons— that can be programmed to play Aggie music and patriotic songs. During Silver Taps, a memorial service for Aggies who have died during the past month, the bells play hymns. James Lockhart ’10 of Georgetown gets a tight grip in the steer wrestling event dur- ing the 2008 Hill College Rodeo. He’s a member of the A&M Rodeo Club.

14 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS GIVE RODEO TEAM A BOOST

obert T. “Bob” Handley ’67 has never competed in a rodeo. In fact, until recently, Handley— R the retired owner of Tarlton Supply, an oilfield equipment company in Brenham—had virtually no interest in even watching one. But close friend Al B. Wagner ’69 absolutely loves the sport. He was a steer wrestler and bareback rider on the Texas A&M University rodeo team from 1965 to ’69. After getting married, he stopped competing. But when the team needed an adviser in 1996, the Texas A&M food science professor jumped at the oppor- tunity. For years, Handley has watched Wagner pour his heart and soul into the team, which receives no money from the university. So when Handley and his wife, Vicki, decided to make another signif- icant gift to the Texas A&M Foundation, they wanted to endow rodeo team schol- arships. And they named their $1 million endowment for Wagner. “The rodeo team has accom- plished a heck of a lot with very little,” Bob Handley said. “This endowment was a great way to help A&M and to put a feather in Al’s cap.”

SPIRIT IMPACT

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 15 Texas A&M’s rodeo team requires Many of the rodeo team’s 35 devotion from its members. They must competing members now receive some raise money for two annual campus scholarship support. The Handleys’ rodeos, pay for their own horse stalls endowment contributes the six largest and feed, provide their own practice scholarships, and the number of schol- livestock and, for lack of a practice arships derived from this endowment arena, hone their skills on an indi- is expected to increase. vidual basis where they board their “The response has been tremen- animals. dous,” Wagner said. “Word has gotten For years, Wagner depended upon out that A&M has scholarship money the generosity of donors such as now, so people are calling and inquir- Robert Coffin ’47, Frank Foster ’53, ing. It certainly gives me a lot more the late Shorty Fuller ’43 and friends flexibility.” of the late Tom Lewis ’77, who creat- Texas A&M senior Courtney ed an endowment in his memory. But Sokol ’09 of Brenham is vice presi- even with their generosity, the rodeo dent of the Texas A&M rodeo team team’s annual scholarship budget and one of the first Dr. Al B. Wagner totaled only $4,000 to $5,000. When Scholarship recipients. The daughter trying to recruit against regional of a cutting horse trainer, Sokol has rodeo powerhouses such as Tarleton ridden horses as long as she can State University in Stephenville and remember. In high school, she decided McNeese State University in Lake to try barrel racing. Charles, La., Wagner didn’t have a She has never looked back. pony in the race. Sokol began her professional bar- The San Antonio Livestock Show rel racing career at age 18. At Texas and Exposition has helped with annu- A&M, she has competed on a collegiate al scholarships since fall 2000 (its level in both barrel racing and break- scholarship gift for 2008 was $36,000). away roping, an event akin to calf In 2006, the estate of James E. “Punk” roping. As a Texas A&M sophomore, Sauls ’49 established a $500,000 schol- she reached the national finals, taking Lainey Kyle’s horse kicks up a cloud of dust as she dismounts during the goat-tying event. arship endowment. A year later, the eighth place. As a junior, she took Kyle ’09 is a member of the A&M Rodeo Club. Handleys funded their endowment. fourth in the nation. She hopes to advance to the national finals this year, too. Because rodeo is one of the few sports that allows athletes to partici- pate on collegiate and professional levels simultaneously, Sokol—like many of her teammates—earns money competing on the rodeo circuit. Sup- plementing her earnings with schol- arship funds, she said, has relieved lots of pressure from paying for both her education and her “rodeo habit.” The scholarships mean a great deal to the overall team, as well, Sokol said. “We’ve been able to com- pete with better athletes on our team because we’re able to recruit against other schools.”

16 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION giving with their hearts. Past gifts, for instance, created General Rudder Corps Scholarships, which help sup- port students involved in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. These schol- arships memorialize nine of Bob Handley’s classmates killed in the Vietnam War. In the same vein, the Handleys’ gift to the rodeo team is a tribute to a Scholarships have helped Texas cherished and greatly admired friend. A&M recruiting, but the university is still farrodeo behind team its It’s also a much-needed boost for an competitors in terms of operational funding. McNeese underfunded student organization. State in Louisiana, for instance, provides its rodeo At the scholarship banquet, the team members travel funds, free horse stalls, practice Handleys discovered firsthand the livestock and a covered arena. Texas impact of their rodeo team gift. Bob none of these. A&M offers Handley recalls a teary-eyed scholar- Aggie rodeo team adviser Al Wagner said the ship recipient who thanked him and tremendous costs involved in rodeo participation— Vicki. This student told them that from horse care to travel expenses—deter many without the scholarship, she would potential members. have been unable to enroll at Texas “Our goal now is to raise funds to create an A&M. operating account that we can use to build practice “The endowment gives some kids facilities and stalls,” Wagner said. “These monies a chance who couldn’t attend A&M would also be used to buy practice stock and feed, otherwise,” Handley said. “Al’s now and to help with travel expenses.” able to recruit very high-quality stu- dent athletes. The students benefit, and the team benefits. It’s a win-win for everybody.” 

While Sokol, a finance major, has A&M for the school itself, but the — by kara bounds socol received job offers from accounting scholarship definitely helps with firms, she’s reluctant to join the white- tuition expenses.” For more information about supporting collar working world until she’s fully An agricultural business major, the Texas A&M rodeo team, contact: ready. “I’m hoping to get to rodeo a bit Calkins said he has a job in mobile Cindy Brown Munson ’99 more before I get a full-time job.” home sales lined up after graduation. Assistant Director of Development Senior Jason Calkins ’09 from “I would love to rodeo profes- Student Affairs Glen Rose, president of the Texas sionally, but there’s a lot of work and Texas A&M Foundation A&M rodeo team, grew up in a rodeo a lot of money you have to put into it, (800) 392-3310 or (979) 458-1689 family. He started roping as a 6-year- but not a lot of money to get out,” he [email protected] old, and at 17 won the Junior World said. Calkins added that he will always giving.tamu.edu Championship in team roping. cherish his rodeo team participation “It’s been stuck in my blood ever and calls it “a very good experience.” web extra: Click on Publications at giving.tamu.edu to since,” Calkins said of competing. Sokol thanked the Handleys for see a video about the rodeo team. Calkins came to Texas A&M with- her scholarship at a recent event. “They out a rodeo scholarship. But a 2008 are great people, and they recognize scholarship award from the San how much work Dr. Al does for our Antonio Livestock Show and Exposi- program,” she said. “He’s awesome.” tion eased the financial burden of When it comes to Foundation college for him. “I chose to come to gifts, the Handleys have a history of

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 17

Holistic Garden’s Themed Plantings Enable, Educate and Encourage

COLLEGE IMPACT

optimizing money, resources and time. Compost— plus occasional applications of organic fertilizers such as alfalfa meal and blood meal—improves the soil. To control pests ranging from fire ants to aphids, Holistic Garden workers brew compost tea. Lacewings, parasitic wasps, ladybugs and other beneficial insects are encour- aged to multiply and linger in the garden. Originally a 30-by-30-foot plot, the Holistic Gar- den now covers nearly two acres on the West Campus. It is a living laboratory for Aggie horticulture students. “Dr. Novak wants students and kids to learn,” said Luis Castillo ’07, programs coordinator for the Holistic Dr. Joe Novak has a Zen-like serenity as he evangelizes Garden. “It’s his passion. He is in the garden early in about gardening. “Nature is restorative. When garden- the morning weekdays and may stay until late at night. ing, we have contact with nature and that helps us relax. He will come in on weekends for tours by 4-H Clubs, If nature has that effect, then anyone who wants to scout troops and similar organizations.” garden should be able to garden regardless of disabil- In 2009, the garden’s silver-anniversary year, about ities. Holism looks at the whole—and the gardener as 1,000 Aggies will plant, propagate, prune, weed and well as the garden is part of the ecosystem.” feed. Another 2,000 people will come for educational Those principles planted the seeds of Texas A&M tours, therapy, enjoyment and training. University’s Holistic Garden, created in 1984 by Novak, “Dr. Novak never says no to educational tours,” a senior horticulture lecturer in the College of Agri- Castillo said. “He’s even working with a person from culture and Life Sciences. Organic practices used in the Angleton who has multiple sclerosis to create an en- Holistic Garden work with nature rather than fight it, abling garden there.”

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 19 The Holistic Garden also hosts therapy sessions for The Holistic Garden’s enabling tools, structures and at-risk youths as well as residents from assisted living and paths offer a take-away lesson for educators and for people veterans’ centers. with special needs: how to adapt gardens for continued The general public attends open houses—some on enjoyment and functioning. Parents’ Weekends—and uses the rose arbor and gazebo “The best testimonial I can hear is when somebody as backdrops for Aggie graduation and wedding photos. tells me, ‘Dr. Novak, you have helped me to enjoy gar- Holistic Garden plant sales are open to the public, too. dening again.’ ” Training comes into play during workshops for garden Near the Enabling Garden is the Holistic Garden’s clubs and for Texas Master Gardeners, a statewide exten- Warren and Margaret Barham Texas Heritage Garden, sion program. Said Brazos County Master Gardener Ginny named for donors to the project. It contains a cottage Smith: “I always learn something when I visit Dr. Novak at surrounded by fruits, vegetables, herbs, heirloom roses the Holistic Garden. Sometimes I learn about an unusual and other flowers grown by early settlers. plant to try in my garden, but I also learn about compost- The Holistic Garden’s Discovery Trail engages children ing, plant propagation methods, insect control and other in fun and learning. Illustrated boards are interactive as things. All become easily understandable as Joe demon- well as instructive. Most young visitors participate in a strates and explains.” hands-on activity during their visit. “They often do a proj- The staff and students also train special-needs garden- ect such as creating a pine-cone bird feeder,” Novak said. ers in the Enabling Garden, one of several on-site specialty The lush, exotic plants in the Tropical Rainforest gardens. Within the Enabling Garden, those challenged enthrall children and adults. It’s set up in a greenhouse by paralysis, blindness, arthritis, heart conditions, multi- with mysterious plants such as a vine with vanilla beans. ple sclerosis and more can participate by using adaptive Novak’s students use all areas of the Holistic Garden tools (short hoes, special pruners and foam-handled hand- to apply lessons from his garden science, sociohorticul- cultivators, for instance) and special planting areas. ture and horticultural therapy courses. Sociohorticulture “Raised planting beds are at different levels to offer focuses on humans’ need for plants to supply food, cloth- access to people of varied heights who can’t bend well,” ing, fuel and building materials. In urban settings, socio- Novak said. “Fruit on espaliered trees can be reached horticulture extends to the use of gardening programs without a ladder. A raised bed edging defines the bound- that revive and bind neighborhoods with community ary of a planting for visually impaired gardeners. A toe pride. These programs beautify residential areas, reduce

recess at the edge of a raised bed allows people to balance Dr. Joe Novak (left) and Mark Sterle monitor plants at the Holistic Garden if that’s an issue for them. Some raised beds have benches on the Texas A&M campus in spring 2009. for people who tire easily, perhaps because of heart con- ditions.” Wheelchair users find the Enabling Garden and all other areas of the Holistic Garden easy to navigate and work in, Novak said, as some raised beds are wheelchair- height. An elevated A-frame trellis allows people in wheel- chairs to roll underneath to harvest peas, and they can lower hanging baskets with special pulleys. Mark Sterle ’83 of College Station guides his motor- ized wheelchair from his Northgate home to the Holistic Garden nearly every day, weather permitting. “Joe always has something new going on over there,” Sterle said. “It’s relaxing. It gives me a place to go and walk my dog,” a Lab-shepherd mix he trained as a service dog. Sterle is a quadriplegic, so he can’t use his hands, but he enjoys the process of monitoring vegetable crops. “I get people to help me if plants need water or have insects. I’ve learned about different plants, viruses and insects. I’ve learned about soil. It’s a great educational facility. It’s interesting to see what can be done and how things can be set up” to help gardeners of varied ability levels.

20 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION litter, increase self-esteem and empower residents. In rural areas, horticulture is tied to income. Cooperatives are sociohorticultural initiatives that can stabilize rural hor- ticultural enterprises by ensuring a local market. Horticultural therapy is a subset of sociohorticulture. This therapy uses horticultural methods and practices to stimulate the physical, psychological and social skills of peo- The Holistic Garden encompasses several small, specialized ple with varied physical and mental abilities. The soothing areas such as:

nature of horticultural therapy aids people with substance-  A community garden in which about three dozen Aggie abuse problems and youngsters who bully classmates, for students grow vegetables year-round.

instance. The fruits and vegetables that therapy participants  Two ponds that represent wetland planting environments. grow are a tangible reward for their efforts. One organic lesson here is the presence of gambusia, tiny Novak is planning holistic therapy sessions for stu- fish that eat mosquito larvae.

dents with Down syndrome and autism from schools in  A xeric garden that emphasizes low-water-use plants. College Station and Bryan. Planting stimulates physical,  A butterfly garden, that feeds adults and larvae. intellectual and social skills. Youngsters fill containers

 The Sensory Garden, which appeals to taste, smell, sight, with soil, plant seeds and apply water. Students improve touch and hearing. cognition by remembering the steps, and when they help

 A demonstration garden showing techniques for Bryan/College classmates, they build social skills. Station-area growing conditions. As part of the garden’s extended outreach, Novak

 The Maroon & White Garden, which includes maroon and publishes “The Whole Scoop,” a three-times-a-year news- white roses, purple fountain grass, crape myrtles, verbenas, letter with gardening tips, reports and recipes. It’s online liriope and seasonal bedding plants such as alyssum and at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden zinnias. (click on “Resources” then “Newsletter”).

 A compost facility. Programs of the Holistic Garden, which employs 10 student workers in majors ranging from horticulture and landscape architecture to construction science and man- inal plants used by American Indians and the state’s ear- agement, are financed by student fees, plant sales, grants liest settlers. He’s also planning storytelling and contem- and gifts that go into a non-endowed Holistic Garden plative gardens plus an information center. Fund held by the Texas A&M Foundation. The garden’s “This garden and our program is one of the things $80,000 annual budget includes operating expenses such that makes Texas A&M’s horticulture program unique,” as student wages, plant and materials purchases, and facil- Novak said. “It’s an extraordinary place for teaching and ity maintenance. About 55 percent of the budget comes research for our students and for the community. I’d like from plant sales; 25 percent from class fees; 15 percent to ensure that it continues to evolve long after I’m gone from gifts, special projects and miscellaneous sources; so future generations can discover its lessons and take and 5 percent from fees for workshops and educational pleasure in its beauty.”  programs. Novak hopes additional donations will endow the — by mary vinnedge ’75 fund so it will permanently support internships, scholar- ships, expanded vegetable and fruit research, demon- For more information about supporting stration plantings, and a teaching garden apprenticeship the Holistic Garden and the College of program. Such an endowment would require a minimum Agriculture and Life Sciences, contact: $25,000 donation, which can be a pledge funded over five Monica Delisa years. As with all endowments, the Foundation invests the Senior Director of Development principal; the interest on its earnings would provide the Texas A&M Foundation garden with steady income forever. (800) 392-3310 or (979) 847-9314 Novak’s wish list also calls for upgrades to equipment, [email protected] displays in the tropical rainforest and desert greenhouse giving.tamu.edu areas, and additional workshops and children’s tours. On web extra: a sloping grassy area near the Barham Heritage Garden, Click on Publications at giving.tamu.edu he hopes to offer a trail of Texas native edible and medic- to see a video about the Holistic Garden.

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 21 STUDENT IMPACT Point Turning

Jael Spencer ’10 considers herself 100 percent Texan. She grew up in Beaumont and was in line to be the valedictorian of her 2006 high school graduating class there. If life had gone according to plan, that single academic achievement would secure her future: Spencer—the second- youngest of six children reared by a single mother—could afford Texas A&M University’s in-state tuition because of the scholarships guaran- teed by her valedictorian status. Her education would eclipse that of her parents, who briefly attended college but did not graduate. In August 2005, the beginning of Spencer’s senior year, Hurricane Rita doused those plans. The storm destroyed the family’s rented home and everything in it, from household furnishings to clothing. Spencer, her two sisters, her mother and her 1-year-old niece stayed in dormlike temporary housing in Big Sandy for more than a week before moving to Las Vegas, where an uncle helped them start over.

22 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION When a Hurricane Put a Financial Roadblock in This Future Teacher’s Path, a Scholarship Steered Her Around It

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 23 “I am very grateful

Although appreciative of her made everything happen and worked uncle’s assistance, the family’s new life hard to find a scholarship that was came with a big downside for Spencer. suitable for me.” “Jael was upset,” said Vickie Franks, Spencer applied for scholarships Spencer’s mother. “She really wanted and for her junior year, she received the to go back. Her biggest hurt was when Nancy and Brock Nelson ’90 Scholar- she lost her scholarships. She had ship for students who will become worked so hard for so many years.” teachers. She receives $1,250 per year Spencer could no longer claim for four years. That scholarship brings Texas residency and could not afford with it another huge benefit because out-of-state tuition. Because she did Spencer is an out-of-state student: not log a full year in Nevada schools, Texas A&M students who receive at she was ineligible for scholarships least $1,000 in scholarship money each there, although she graduated sixth year can qualify for in-state tuition. in her high school class. Despite her (A&M can waive out-of-state tuition evacuation for Hurricane Rita and sub- for out-of-state students if they are sequent relocation to Nevada, Spencer receiving $1,000 or more per year in said, “I am a Texas girl at heart, and scholarships that also are open to there was no doubt in my mind that Texas residents.) I would be coming back to Texas.” But So far, Spencer is living happily in-state tuition rules could not be bent. ever after: She has in-state tuition and She was crushed but refused to is pursuing her dream of teaching give up her dream of attending Texas second-graders in Texas. Her educa- A&M. tional aspirations extend beyond her “Jael’s heart has always been at bachelor’s degree. She also plans to Texas A&M,” Franks said. “We prayed earn a master’s degree and a Ph.D. “I a lot, and she took out a loan for her hope to earn those at Texas A&M,” freshman year.” Spencer said, “and I might teach while When Spencer couldn’t afford I’m going to grad school.” books, staff at A&M’s student finan- After serving as a classroom cial aid office helped her get money teacher for a few years, Spencer plans for them. “I thank God for the staff to start an outreach program for inner- at Texas A&M,” Franks said. “They say city students. The organization would they don’t like to lose a good student, be something like Boys & Girls Clubs and they mean that. They kept getting of America, she said, “but more aca- help for Jael.” demic in focus.” Spencer eventually got in touch Those plans sound great to donor with Dale Suel, an academic adviser Brock Nelson ’90, president of Spring in the dean’s office at the College of Creek Capital, a subsidiary of Koch Education & Human Development. Industries Inc. in Wichita, Kan. He can “Dale Suel is basically the guy who relate to Spencer’s out-of-state status.

24 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION Jael Spencer’s part-time job in the Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture gives her valuable career experience. because I no longer have to struggle financially.”

assistance. She also is a member of Texas A&M’s chapter of the NAACP and has participated in the African American Student Leadership Institute and volunteered with the Brazos Valley Habitat for Humanity. She joined the TAMU Hip Hop Society because of its positive values. “Hip-hop has an uplifting quality,” she said. “Unlike rap music, which is purely entertainment, hip-hop has an empowering message. It says, ‘You can do it.’ ” After her graduation in May 2010, Spencer will connect with the world- wide network of former students for the rest of her life. And Spencer knows that the Nelsons’ scholarship made her Nelson, a Nebraska resident who old. “It makes the scholarship worth Aggie dream possible. graduated from Texas A&M with a more than $10,000 more per year,” “I really appreciate the Nelsons chemical engineering degree, had re- Nelson said. (For the 2008-09 academ- for their contribution to my life,” she ceived a Lechner scholarship that ic year, Spencer’s out-of-state tuition said.  helped him secure an out-of-state waiver saved her more than $14,400.) tuition waiver. Nelson felt an obliga- The gift changed her life. “I am — by mary vinnedge ’75 tion to give back—“in lieu of repaying a very grateful because I no longer have loan,” he said—and is pleased to help to struggle financially,” she said. For more information about how you Spencer and other Aggies through Spencer has logged three years of can support the College of Education three scholarships he and his wife, her Aggie education and keeps busy & Human Development, contact: Nancy, have funded (two are for chem- in and out of the classroom. Besides Steve Blomstedt ’83 ical engineering students). hitting the books to keep up her Director of Development “Jael is a really lovely woman,” he grades, she participates in the Federal Texas A&M Foundation said. “The fact that she wants to work Work-Study Program in the Depart- (800) 392-3310 or (979) 847-8655 in the inner city is important. That’s ment of Teaching, Learning & Culture [email protected] tough to recruit for, and education is within A&M’s College of Education giving.tamu.edu key for society.” & Human Development. Her duties Nelson hoped the scholarship there give her valuable career experi- would go to an out-of-state student so ence, she said. that it could multiply the impact of his Spencer belongs to Young Women gift. He knew A&M would probably of Distinction, an organization that waive the higher tuition for an out-of- performs community service while help- state resident because the scholarship ing women professionally with career exceeded the $1,000-per-year thresh- tips, financial advice and networking

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 25 Well-dressed British history professor earns respect from students and colleagues

N ATTILY DRESSED MAN. This best describes what you would see if you spied professor Ralph James Quincy Adams walking across campus at Texas A&M Uni- versity. His curled mustache, straw-colored hair and neatly tailored suit complete with pocket handkerchief make him stand out in a crowd of T-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps. Adams says the wardrobe results from decades of travel to and from England. Called “Quince” by his friends, Adams remains passionate about his 35- year career as a British historian … maybe because it’s a life he never imagined. “I didn’t go to a university to be what I am,” said Adams, who grew up in Indiana. “But I had a brilliant teacher in professor Leo F. Solt at Indiana University—a wonderful teacher—and pretty soon, I was absolutely, passionately in love with the subject.” It’s a love that has carried Adams to an elite status. Notable historians on both sides of the Atlantic classify Adams, promoted to distinguished professor this spring, as one of the most astute historians of early 20th century Britain.

World War Analyses He first caught his peers’ attention by rejecting the notion that Britain succeeded in World War I using methods from 19th century victories. Adams argued that Britain produced the necessary war materials and manpower by centralizing control of labor, resources (such as armaments), and the economy, and by insti- tuting a draft. Adams also challenged the way historians viewed the British policy of appease- ment toward Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich during the late 1930s. The prevailing view painted Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and others as weak leaders who caved in to Hitler’s demands. Adams’ research demonstrated appeasement

26 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION

was a reasonable policy for that time because of Britain’s knocks on the door. And I thought, ‘For goodness’ sake, military limitations and the responsibilities throughout what can this be?’ “And I open the door and here’s Charlie its empire. Adams concluded Chamberlain and others Johnson, the dean, and Walter Buenger, our department simply made a terrible mistake in dealings with Hitler. head, and Bookman. All of these guys marched in, and In the late 1990s, Adams changed his writing focus to you could’ve knocked me over with a feather. It was just historical biography with a particular interest in people a very sweet moment. Then they clear out and I was sup- he believed had been misinterpreted by historians. His posed to get back to business! One of my students said, first subjects were Andrew Bonar Law (1858–1923) and ‘This is good, isn’t it?’ I said, ‘Yes, this is very good!’ ” Arthur James Balfour (1848–1930), both of whom served The Peterses created the endowed history professorship as prime minister. with a $150,000 donation. It is awarded to distinguished “Andrew Bonar Law was a businessman who moved scholars of governmental policy or public leadership whose into politics,” Adams said. “He was a very nondescript man research and teaching have an international dimension. who lived in an incredible time and had an incredible career. Balfour was a brilliant original. There aren’t half No Place Like Home a dozen people like him in my whole area of history. He’s Even though Adams annually journeys “across the pond,” just sort of a bird of paradise among the house wrens.” Bryan/College Station is home. In a 2007 interview with Adams wondered whether the Balfour book might The Battalion, Adams said, “I’ve watched it grow and been stir controversy because of a section about the Balfour a part of it. When I first came here, people going from Declaration, which in essence gave the green light to cre- Bryan to College Station would drive through the cam- ate the state of Israel in 1948. Instead of controversy, he pus. It was another world. This is an amazing place. And said, reviewers on both sides of the issue seemed to think in my case, having come here as a young man 35 years his coverage was fair. ago, I’m a part of that organic mix.” Adams’ latest project is part biography, part period Bookman Peters ’59 also calls Bryan/College Station piece. Scheduled to be published in 2010, it covers the home. Peters is a fourth-generation resident of Brazos Georgian period, which Adams said few historians find County who enjoyed a successful banking career. He and interesting. “King George becomes monarch in 1910 and his four daughters earned degrees from Texas A&M. dies in 1936. And look what happens in that time: You’ve got the lead-up to the Great War and the war itself, the aftermath and the rebuilding of Europe, then the world depression, the lead-up to World War II. All this happens in the lifetime of this quite ordinary, nice man, who hap- pens to be the king of England. “I’m using him and his reign as a kind of magnet to pull all this stuff together. I’m going to look at several individuals from politics and the y message arts, popular culture and all to use them as illustrations to those who support academics for this remarkable age. Of course, it involves America, through the Texas A&M too, because by then you’ve got a trans-Atlantic culture.” Foundation—and I speak to you from the absolute bottom of Graduate Seminar Interrupted my heart—is that these In 2001, Adams’ growing reputation earned him the professorships, chairs and Claudius M. Easley Jr. Fellowship in Liberal Arts. The graduate fellowships really fellowship was especially rewarding because he met the donor, Claudius M. “Sandy” Easley Jr. matter. They’re not just rewards. Three years later, Adams received the Patricia and They’re investments. Bookman Peters Professorship in History, which was estab- lished in 1991 through the Texas A&M Foundation. Professor Quince Adams “I was teaching my graduate seminar,” Adams said, “and one of the things that is just not done is to interrupt a graduate seminar, unless there is a fire. We had just got- ten into this discussion. We’re going at it, and somebody

28 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION of Dallas graduate in the first year of his Ph.D. pro- gram at Texas A&M. “As any graduate student knows, the funding mat- ters,” Linderman said. “Tuition, a teaching assist- antship, a moving stipend and the Peters Fellowship: in all, it was an impressive package. Moreover, I heard from a variety of faculty and staff that good funding made A&M an enjoyable place to study and work.” Linderman has discov- ered that Adams is as pas- sionate about mentoring his graduate students as he is about his research. In Quince Adams (left) enjoys lunch this spring at a Bryan restaurant with Bookman Peters ’59 (center), who established a history professorship benefiting Adams, and graduate student Aaron Linderman. his first class with Adams, Linderman took his pro- Peters has demonstrated his gratitude by giving back fessor’s advice and presented a research paper he had to Texas A&M in several areas. “My education and career written for class at a Philadelphia conference. were in the business world, which I cherish, but I have “One of the things I tell them is if you don’t love this, always felt that knowledge of history gives a person per- you’re not going to be as good as you might be,” Adams spective and an appreciation for the challenges that were said. “Why would you put up with the sacrifice and the faced during the journey to the present,” Peters said. “Also, work to do something like learn how to be a historian or our family has been fortunate to have had very good per- learn how to be an academic? sonal friends in the history department over the years.” “I was lucky in that I found what I wanted to do and One of those friends is Adams, whom he met at a party I get to do it. It didn’t have to be that way.” more than two decades ago. Peters said Adams’ appoint- And he is grateful. ment to the professorship has only enhanced the rela- “My message to those who support academics through tionship. “We are very pleased that Quince was chosen the Texas A&M Foundation—and I speak to you from the for our professorship, which facilitated the growth in our absolute bottom of my heart—is that these professorships, friendship,” Peters said. “He has graciously taken steps to chairs and graduate fellowships really matter,” Adams said. make us feel a part of his teaching, research and writing, “They’re not just rewards. They’re investments.”  which is very meaningful to us.” Adams is quick to credit Peters’ personality for the — by leanne south ’94 growing camaraderie. “It’s refreshing to meet people outside the academic For information about how you can world who are just interested in ideas and data and things,” support the College of Liberal Arts, Adams said. “He’s like that. Bookman is just easy to talk contact: to, easy to spend time with. He puts anyone at ease, there- John Knudsen fore it’s very easy to be grateful to somebody like that.” Senior Director of Development These days Adams has another reason to appreciate Texas A&M Foundation Peters: The Florence and Bookman Peters ’59 Excellence (800) 392-3310 or (979) 847-5192 Fund, established in 2006 through the Foundation, sup- [email protected] ports a doctoral student working with the faculty member giving.tamu.edu who holds the Peters Professorship. Adams said the fund was crucial in recruiting Aaron Linderman, a University

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 29 Real Estate + Deed Transfer = Student Assistance

Patti and Weldon Kruger ’53 Turn Land Into Endowments

Patti and Weldon Kruger ’53 are loyal supporters of Texas A&M Uni- versity. In 2007, they decided to help Aggies by making another significant gift to the Texas A&M Foundation. Looking over their investment port- folio, they determined that con- tributing two parcels of ranch land would best meet their giving goals while providing them with a sig- nificant charitable income tax deduction. “We wanted to give to the Texas A&M Foundation and that deci- sion was paramount,” Patti Kruger explained. “We then decided to give our properties. We knew that the Foundation routinely accepts real estate gifts.” The Krugers, residents of Col- lege Station, opted to give real estate as an outright gift. By doing so, they provided themselves with a gift, too: seeing their gift’s impact. Each parcel sold for a considerable amount, so the Krugers could direct their gifts to benefit Texas A&M in With their latest gift, Patti and Weldon Kruger ’53 assist the Corps of Cadets, programs in the multiple ways. Division of Student Affairs, and the Memorial Student Center Complex. “Mainly, we hope it will help students,” said Weldon Kruger, a D. Kruger ’53 Director’s Endow- Building Fund (for renovating and longtime employee of Exxon Mobil ment for the Corps of Cadets Lead- expanding the Memorial Student Corp. (then Exxon Corp.). “That’s ership Excellence Program Fund Center Complex). what we’re trying to do.” and the Patti and Weldon D. The Krugers purchased the With the endowments created Kruger ’53 Aggie Spirit Endowment land in Fayette and Colorado coun- by their latest real estate gift—not to (benefiting students and organiza- ties in 2001 as an investment. By mention their many previous gifts— tions within the Division of Student giving it to the Foundation six years the Krugers will help students years Affairs). Proceeds from their real later, they avoided all capital-gains into the future. The new endow- estate gift also went into the non- taxes and received the maximum ments are the Patti and Weldon endowed Memorial Student Center charitable income tax deduction.

30 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION A Matter of Timing

Funding a Charitable Remainder Unitrust With Real Estate Is Smart Today

Editor’s note: Tim A. Walton ’90, who wrote this column, has been director of real estate for the Texas A&M Foundation Experienced professionals in they love, reap the financial rewards since 2002. Walton is a licensed Realtor the Foundation’s real estate group intrinsic to this type of giving, and with a background in real estate walked the Krugers through the eliminate the management respon- appraisal. He assists donors and their entire giving process. sibilities that often accompany advisers in making charitable gifts of real estate to benefit Texas A&M. Once the Foundation accepted property ownership. the property, the Krugers simply Because they have previously Anyone who has considered rebalancing transferred the title to the Founda- given real estate to the Foundation, or repositioning assets in today’s strug- tion. From start to finish, the couple the Krugers were well aware of the gling stock market should investigate said, Foundation staff members process of such a transaction. the use of capital assets to fund a were available to help them and “We would do it again if the charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT). their advisers with the gift process. situation was right,” Weldon Kruger What is a CRUT? A CRUT is a giving While the Krugers chose to said. “Depending on their finan- method that offers the benefits of a make an outright gift, there are cial situation, I’d recommend it to charitable gift while providing the donor or beneficiaries a series of payments. three other ways to give real estate others.” The donor places assets in a charitable to the Texas A&M Foundation to benefit the university: A footnote about the Krugers: Patti and trust, and that donor—and/or other Weldon Kruger ’53 have served Texas A&M beneficiaries—will receive income from ◊ Gifts by will or living trust. in many ways. Patti Kruger is affiliated with the Friends of the Sterling C. Evans the trust. After the trust terminates, the These offer flexibility because they Library, while Weldon Kruger chaired the Foundation receives the remainder of can be changed at any time and Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees the trust’s assets, which will be used to allow donors to continue enjoying and led The Association of Former Students. He has served on the President’s Council benefit Texas A&M University according the use of their property. of Advisors and the Corps of Cadets Board to the donor’s wishes. of Visitors and Development Council. He ◊ Charitable remainder unitrusts, With a CRUT, gift proceeds go to is a Distinguished Alumnus, a member of which provide donors with pay- the Corps Hall of Honor and the Department the Foundation only after the donor or ments during their lifetimes and of Petroleum Engineering Academy of beneficiaries selected by the donor then provide a significant gift to Distinguished Graduates, and is a recipient receives a series of payments generated of the College of Engineering Alumni CRUT Texas A&M. This option also avoids Honor Award. from the for a predetermined the payment of up-front capital- number of years, or for the remainder gains taxes and provides charitable — by kara bounds socol of the donor’s lifetime, or a combination income tax deductions. of both. For more information about making Once a CRUT’s initial assets are ◊ Retained life estates, which allow converted to cash, the corpus (sale donors or their beneficiaries use of a real estate gift to Texas A&M, proceeds) is invested in a well-balanced the property for the remainder of contact: model. Although CRUTs can be funded their lifetimes. This option also pro- Tim A. Walton ’90 with assets such as cash or securities, vides a charitable income tax deduc- Director of Real Estate Services Texas real estate is an attractive way to tion and reduces the donors’ estate Texas A&M Foundation fund a CRUT because real estate has tax liability. (800) 392-3310 or (979) 845-8161 experienced considerable appreciation Through a gift of real estate, [email protected] for the past 15 years. donors can support the university giving.tamu.edu (continued on page 32)

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 31 Everyone understands the concept 4. The donor bypasses the payment of buying low and selling high, so it of up-front capital-gains taxes at makes sense to sell a capital asset such the time of sale. as unused or surplus Texas real estate at 5. The donor no longer has the or near a peak price and then redirect day-to-day responsibilities that the proceeds to assets that have fallen accompany property ownership. to or near their lowest price. There are two additional important The big question is: When is the considerations. right time? First, the CRUT is revalued every To reap the greatest benefits from year, so the trust corpus should increase rebalancing or repositioning assets, you in a strong market and could decline in Letters must liquidate assets that have experienced a retracting market. This means that significant appreciation and purchase CRUT payments will fluctuate year to assets that are relatively undervalued. year. Depending on the payout rate Stock values have declined significantly that the donor selects, the trust may during the past year, in some cases act as a hedge for inflation if the dipping to lows not seen for many years. growth rate exceeds the payout rate. Dr. Mark Dotzour, chief economist at Second, the donor selects the the Texas Real Estate Research Center, trustee of the CRUT and the appropriate believes “in general, the Texas real estate time the trust is funded. The Texas A&M market as a whole reached a high point in Foundation Trust Co. routinely serves the cyclical value cycle as of March 2009.” as trustee for donors. As a result, slumping stock prices The CRUT allows everyone to win: and steady Texas real estate prices may the donor, the beneficiaries and Texas make a CRUT funded with appreciated A&M University. real estate a smart move. Every Aggie should ask, “How can A CRUT offers the following advan- I do something meaningful or give back tages, all within the donor’s control: to something that I am truly passionate 1. The donor selects the fixed trust about and help myself at the same payment rate, term of payments time?” One answer is to fund a CRUT The following notes and letters and beneficiaries. with appreciated real estate or other were sent to Spirit editors as 2. The donor selects the charity that appreciated capital assets. feedback for the Winter 2009 will receive the trust proceeds after issue. We welcome your comments the termination of the trust. (This article is intended for informational in letters and e-mails. If printed, 3. The donor receives a current purposes only, not for legal or tax advice. We comments are edited for clarity, charitable income tax deduction. encourage you to consult with your attorney.) style and space.

REAL ESTATE RECEIVED 1999–2009 texas a&m foundation and texas a&m foundation trust co.

Commercial Ranch $1,245,000 $30,253,350

Commercial Undeveloped $1,741,968

Multi-family Farm $154,000 $1,899,000

Timberland Single Family $909,410 $1,837,105

Single Family Undeveloped $407,449

Condominium $575,041 Total gifts received over the past 10 years equal $39,022,323.

32 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION to disappoint my grandfather, who was birth. We inadvertently missed the later financing my education. pronoun inconsistency. I wrote my mother often to describe my ordeals: I was bragging, but she was THE ROTHE LEGACY horrified. I found out years later that she It was a pleasant surprise to read the article was sending all my letters straight to the “Hometown Humanitarian” in the last president of the college. issue of Spirit, as it mentions my aunt and We all thought it was bad luck that uncle Aline and R. L. Rothe ’41. Just want the next year all freshmen were moved to to add that R. L. Rothe entered A&M in Bryan Air Force Base. We couldn’t get the fall of 1925 but went to work for the revenge, but it did stop a vicious cycle. Texas Highway Department in 1928 or ’29. My days at A&M were miserable. I When he re-enrolled, he tutored members spent too much time writing love letters of the football team. His younger brother, to my sweetheart and ended up dropping J. H. Rothe ’41, lettered in ’39 and ’40. out after four semesters. I finished up at —rothe davis ’54 University of Houston night school and Clinton, Miss. then married.

SHARING THE CAVALRY DREAM I worked hard, saved my money and ABOUT THOSE MAROON COATS retired at 62, prosperous and overweight. Regarding the “Heritage on Horseback” I’m an agricultural economics major living I spent five years seeing the world, and article in the Winter 2009 issue: The in El Salvador. The article about the strangely, became an Aggie fan. I don’t Class of ’72 believes it deserves the recog- Maroon Coats was interesting—what an even watch the U of H games on TV. nition for planting the seeds of revival for innovative way to attract new members to Go figure. A&M’s mounted cavalry. help the Texas A&M Foundation. On Nov. 25, 1971, three senior Class —tom cole ’50 There is a mystery about being an of ’72 cadets found mounts and paraded Charlotte, N.C. Aggie. That spirit never stops growing and around Kyle Field at the t.u. football game, unless you went to Texas A&M, it’s difficult Editor’s note: Dr. Carl Sagan says you A&M to understand. Gene Stallings’ last game as ’s coach. have to know the past to understand the The cadets are identified in a photograph present. We believe the letters Tom’s Ever since I moved to Central taken during their ride: Len Legge, Jim mother sent to then-Texas A&M President America, I’ve been looking for a way to Lybyer and Ronny Gafford. Gibb Gilchrist may have been the impe- give back to Texas A&M. Your Maroon Col. Tom Parsons ’49 and Stallings tus for improving how fish were later Coats idea clicked with me and I’d like approved the late entry into the marching treated. Despite Tom’s experience, we’re to learn more about it. As you may know order that day. It was then expected that glad the Aggie spirit lured him back. there are a great number of Aggies living the tradition should be revived. in Central and South America. I’m sure

It is a long time in coming for the OLD BECK FEEDBACK most of them are looking for ways to stay appropriate credit to be given for reviving connected with A&M. Perhaps this could I enjoyed the article by Al Rollins ’51 in Parsons Mounted Cavalry. be a good way to do it. the “Postscript” section of the last issue. If you consider it appropriate, please —carl m. schwab jr. ’72 Not being a civil engineering major, I do contact me about expanding the Maroon Carrollton not recall all details of the Old Beck story; Coats in Central and South America. however, I can say with certainty that in Editor’s note: We won’t promise to resolve I’m sure that working together we could 1951 both “A” and “B” Engineers were the dispute about who revived the cavalry attract more funds to the Texas A&M housed in Dorm 7, not Dorm 4. in Spirit magazine, but we always Foundation. welcome input from readers. —carl lang ’53 Again, congratulations and go on San Antonio with the hard work. Gig ’em. GO FIGURE I recently read the cute story about old —simon sol ’82 You seem to like stories about A&M from Beck in Spirit but am confused: Realizing El Salvador old men—here’s mine. that mules are hybrids, are they neverthe- Editor’s note: Maroon Coats must be When I applied to A&M in 1946, I less referred to as he and him even if they enrolled as full-time students at Texas asked for the cavalry because I liked the give birth? Besides that confusing point, it look of the boots. How dumb! I had two A&M in College Station, but they will was a great article. I wish you had more of be in touch with Simon to explore the Aggie uncles whom I could have talked that; keep up the good work. to, but I knew everything. One of my possibilities of better connecting Aggies living abroad with life on campus. uncles, Orrin Pilkey ’27, was supposedly —linda clemens ’81 ’90 Dallas a Rhodes Scholar. Maybe. WE’ RE BLUSHING I had the misfortune of being assigned Editor’s note: The “he” and “his” were Spirit to B Cavalry, which had the highest drop- editing errors. In an early draft of Great cover on the last —one of the out rate on campus. We lost 42 of 49 Postscript, Old Beck was described as best. Keep up the good work. freshmen the first semester because of a mule with offspring. In the process of —jack stansbury ’51 excessive, not to say exuberant, hazing. getting more detail, we learned “Beck” Port Arthur I would have left, too, but I didn’t want is short for “Becky,” who had given

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 33 College of Architecture sets global study, faculty and infrastructure improvements as priorities. Opportunity

Texas A&M’s College of Architecture aims to become the world’s best in teaching, research and engagement. This goal extends to natural, built and virtual environments.

We have the people and skills to vation, Center for Housing and Urban understand the essential relationships Development, CRS Center for Lead- between our world’s buildings, com- ership and Management in the Design munities and societies. We also have and Construction Industry, and Haz- the core competencies to connect the ard Reduction and Recovery Center). past with the future. Combined, these This cohesiveness is especially signif- capabilities allow us to implement a icant in a professional world that vision of what they should be. demands teamwork, technological The college’s strength is collabo- prowess, mutual understanding among ration among its departments (archi- disciplines and respect for the contri- tecture, construction science, landscape butions of all stakeholders in a global Aggie architecture students make notes about old structures during coursework in architecture and urban planning, setting. Great Britain. Jorge Vanegas, the College and visualization) and research cen- Within architectural disciplines, of Architecture’s interim dean, hopes ters (Center for Health Systems and ideas about leadership, management financial aid will enable more students to study abroad. Design, Center for Heritage Conser- and cooperation continue to evolve, so the College of Architecture must at- tract and educate talented individuals who can distinguish themselves while meeting the challenges of the future.

Open the World to an Aggie The College of Architecture must pro- vide a learning experience in a global setting. A unique feature of our college is that each student is required to spend at least one semester away from College Station. One option is to study abroad in one of our three programs in Italy, Germany and Spain. This experience greatly expands students’ professional horizons, preparing them to be active contributors in a global setting.

34 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION Or they may decide to gain inter- ◊ General endowments to provide seed national experience by participating money for new programs, projects, ongo- in exchange programs with other uni- ing activities and events. Often the most versities around the world, special valuable gifts are those that provide summer programs, or internships with the college and departments the flex- organizations engaged in internation- ibility to take advantage of opportu- al activities. During the past three nities or solve problems. Private gifts years, for example, 45 construction sci- were an important part of the college’s ence students spent their junior year 2007 Solar Decathlon entry, which building the U.S. embassy in Beijing as brought our students together with interns of Zachry Construction Corp. 19 other teams from around the world Programs such as these enable to erect solar-powered homes on the students to observe how different cul- National Mall in Washington, D.C. tures relate to their environment, and Jorge Vanegas, interim dean for the College of Endowed discretionary funds provide how buildings and communities are Architecture, believes that continued and greater a permanent source of support for such excellence for the college will hinge on global competitions as well as for scholarship constructed in places different from study, endowed faculty, facilities and seed the rural Texas areas that so many money for a range of activities. banquets and the host of activities that Aggies call home. provide the invaluable “other educa- For those who are fortunate ◊ Endowed chairs and professorships. tion” for Texas A&M students. enough to spend a semester abroad, For example, gifts from three members These three investment opportu- the experience is a turning point that of the Mitchell family of Fort Worth— nities represent a public-private part- enhances their ability to adapt to a Bryan ’70, his son Nelson Mitchell ’94 nership that will enable the college to lifetime of change and new ideas. and father O. N. Mitchell—created five retain its exceptional education and Participation can be a financial faculty positions to work collaborative- research leaders as well as attract talent burden, however. The international ly in revolutionizing teaching in the to Texas A&M. experience costs nearly twice as much design and construction of homes and When you invest in the next gen- as a semester in College Station. That’s communities. The Mitchell Initiative eration of Aggies, you share in the why private support of scholarships is a tribute to their long leadership in celebration of their accomplishments. is particularly important. Through the home-building industry. When you support the people and pro- Operation Spirit and Mind,SM Texas A&M’s Similar support of faculty positions grams that are improving the state and new scholarship initiative, the College in special-interest areas such as com- the world, you have a profound impact of Architecture hopes its supporters puter animation and green design and in shaping a better future for us all will focus their generosity on endowed building offer opportunities for indi- along with an opportunity to leave a scholarships so that no student is pre- viduals or companies to leave a legacy legacy for generations to come.  cluded from studying abroad for in disciplines that interest them. Gifts financial reasons alone. like these allow Texas A&M to hire the —by dr. jorge vanegas professor and interim dean Your gift can literally mean the best people while giving them the tools college of architecture world to a deserving Aggie. to develop and share new ideas with At press time, Vanegas’ appointment as dean each succeeding generation. of the College of Architecture was pending Build on a Strong Foundation approval by The Texas A&M System Board ◊ Named gifts for the improvement of of Regents. The college has a solid foundation, existing facilities and building new ones. and building on it is the key to greater The Preston Geren Auditorium and For information about how you can sup- achievements and recognition. We James and Mary Wright Gallery are port the College of Architecture, contact: can’t make progress through state fund- two examples of spaces made possible ing alone. Private support is necessary by generous former students. Similar Larry Zuber to ensure higher levels of excellence. opportunities abound to create new fa- Senior Director of Development The College of Architecture hopes to cilities to anticipate and accommodate Texas A&M Foundation focus the generosity of former stu- advances in technology and facilitate (800) 392-3310 or (979) 845-0939 dents on three additional investment interdisciplinary approaches to visu- [email protected] opportunities: alization, design and construction. giving.tamu.edu

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 35 @Foundation

were just over $5.4 million of the total; current (cash) gifts were slightly less than $7 million.

Gregory Is New Trustee In March, 12 service-oriented Aggies Charles H. Gregory ’64 began serv- became the newest Maroon Coats, student ambassadors for the Texas A&M ing a seven-year role as a Texas A&M Foundation: (standing) Michael Kurt ’09, Foundation trustee on July 1. Gregory, Fletcher Massie ’09, Matt Borman ’10, Operation Spirit and Mind Scott Hayter ’10, Michael McDonald ’10 who holds a bache- and Sayer Houseal ’09; (seated) Dustin Rings Up $12.4 Million More lor’s degree in eco- Henry ’08, Lianna Grissom ’11, Amanda Texas A&M University has raised $147.7 nomics from A&M Medina ’10, Mina Elmalak ’09, Stephanie Burns ’09 and Ben Fedorko ’10. These million of the $300 million goal set for and a law degree students join the 16 original Maroon its multiyear Operation Spirit and MindSM from the University Coats named in summer 2008, when the initiative. The Texas A&M Foundation of Texas, is presi- organization was formed. Officers for 2009-10 will be John Kovach ’10, presi- leads this initiative for Aggie scholar- dent and director dent; Massie, vice president; Fedorko, ships and graduate fellowships. of Rupley Holdings Charles H. treasurer; and Grisson, secretary. Maroon During the first quarter of 2009, Inc. in Houston. Gregory ’64 Coats travel with Foundation employees and attend functions to meet, greet and which ended March 31, donors gave “The Foundation has enjoyed a assist A&M donors; conduct campus tours; $12.4 million in gifts to the Founda- longtime affiliation with Charles and thank donors for their gifts to Texas 67 A&M. They also serve as liaisons between tion. Planned gifts, which will be Gregory,” said Dr. Ed Davis ’ , pres- the student body and the Foundation. realized after the donors’ lifetimes, ident of the Foundation. “His loyalty, generosity and involvement with Texas A&M make him an excellent choice as a new trustee, and his business expe- rience will serve us well.” After completing his law degree, Gregory served for two years as an Army intelligence officer in Vietnam, Thailand and Fort Bliss at El Paso. He worked in the securities business for eight years and then owned and managed a series of heavy equipment and manufacturing businesses. Rupley Holdings, which still exists, was an um- brella for several of those companies. “It’s going to become more diffi- cult for Texas A&M to meet funding

36 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION challenges while responding to the Each year the Board of Trustees changing demographics of the state,” recognizes two employees for advanc- Gregory said. “The Texas A&M Foun- ing and promoting understanding dation will play a key role in this of the Foundation’s fundraising and process, and I’m pleased to have the asset-management activities. opportunity to serve on its board of Staha, who has worked at the trustees.” Foundation more than 20 years, con- In 2001, Gregory endowed the ducts research and gathers prospect Charles H. Gregory ’64 Chair in Lib- information. She said she was sur- eral Arts. (See the Winter 2008 issue prised and honored to receive her of Spirit magazine for the influence of award at the March luncheon of Foun- that gift on Dr. Kenneth J. Meier, who dation employees and trustees. holds the chair.) With his mother and Knudsen, who Connect with the Texas A&M siblings, he also funded a faculty chair mentors his team Foundation at giving.tamu.edu and through a variety of additional online in civil engineering in honor of his and other develop- resources. father, R. P. Gregory ’32. Gregory also ment directors, A&M One Spirit One Vision served on ’s helped the College Find Us Online @ … capital campaign executive committee. of Liberal Arts raise For more great Aggie stories—and Gregory has made major gifts to $41 million, exceed- to tell yours—connect with the the Liberal Arts Development Coun- ing its One Spirit One John Knudsen Texas A&M Foundation online. We discover so much good news of cil, the Dean’s Endowment for Vision Campaign goal by $6 million. Aggie spirit and mind that we can’t Excellence in the College of Liberal Knudsen, who has 14 years’ develop- fit it all in Spirit magazine, so we’ve Arts and the Jon L. Hagler Center ment experience at Texas A&M and spilled over to the World Wide Web. building fund. He is a Century Club the University of Texas, is pleased he Visit giving.tamu.edu to watch Spirit magazine “Web extras” and member of The Association of Former and Staha were recognized at the same download desktop wallpaper for Students. time. “Without the research support your computer. Connect with other As an undergraduate, he was of Charlotte and her staff, I would Aggies by becoming a fan of the active in campus events such as three have been wandering in the wilder- Foundation on Facebook. Watch our videos on YouTube. Discover years of the Student Conference on ness.” new content each week through National Affairs (SCONA VII, VIII Each received $500 and a Trustees’ Spirit Studios and Mind Matters on and IX). During his senior year in the Award plaque. our blog at TexAgs.com. And most important, use these Web sites to Corps of Cadets, he served as com- share your stories with us and manding officer of the Ross Volun- O’Brien Expands Role spread that Aggie spirit. teers and of Company F2. 95 Jack O’Brien ’ became director of Foundation Web site: Gregory, who has a son and development in the College of Science giving.tamu.edu daughter, lives in Houston with his effective March 1 and will continue Facebook: wife, Mary. to serve as director of development www.facebook.com (Search for Texas A&M Foundation.) for Texas A&M University Galveston. Trustees Honor Staha, Knudsen O’Brien, who rejoined the Founda- TexAgs: www.texags.com Charlotte Staha and tion in July 2008, John Knudsen re- will share time at YouTube: www.youtube.com/aggiespiritandmind ceived Texas A&M both campuses; in Foundation Trust- College Station, his ees’ Awards for office is located in demonstrating cre- the College of ativity in pursuing Science. He and Charlotte Staha the organization’s his wife, Kari, have Jack O’Brien ’95 goals. Staha, manager of prospect pro- two daughters, Makenna Grace, 3, grams, and Knudsen, senior director of and Emma Joy, 1. development for the College of Liberal Arts, were nominated by co-workers.

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 37 Bob Gallaway takes notes as a student tests a concrete specimen in the civil engineering lab during the 1950s. “They called me Bowtie Bob,” he says.

Half a Lifetime at Texas A&M Started With One Hitched Ride her, and I stowed them in dry ice in my diddy bag. Then I put on Poland’s My dad didn’t want me to go to college. “There’s plenty to do here,” Corps uniform for the trip. I had a he said, referring to our farm in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. But as medical deferment and was not a the 20-year-old valedictorian of my high school in Mercedes, I cadet, but the uniform helped me hitch rides. received a $25 scholarship to a state-supported college and decided As newlyweds my junior year, we to go in fall 1938. I packed my footlocker (issued when I worked lived in a little Bryan house that lacked in the Civilian Conservation Corps), hauled it to the road and a few amenities. While still an under- thumbed a ride with a trucker. graduate, I taught descriptive geometry and engineering drawing. I received I wanted to attend t.u., but I called liberal arts major. I couldn’t afford the my diploma in January 1943, so Susan from the road and was told they didn’t drawing board, T-square and books for and I moved to Beaumont for my job have room for me. The trucker told engineering, which I hoped to study with Magnolia Petroleum (later part me there was another school near his eventually. of Mobil). But after only 18 months, route, and I persuaded him to drop Bob Poland ’42 became my new we returned to A&M so I could teach me at Eastgate. I headed toward the roommate. We got along well because during the wartime professor shortage. Administration Building, but it was we were both country boys. We’re still While teaching, I became interest- too imposing for me to enter. So I close. (In a recent call, Poland remi- ed in asphalt technology and was an walked to the Agriculture Building, nisced, “We were always kidding one asphalt specialist working with the where I met Dr. Dan Russell. “I need another. I love him like a brother.”) Texas Transportation Institute from its a cheap place to stay,” I told him. He Every day I went to the student la- beginnings in 1950. I earned my mas- was in charge of “project houses”— bor office, which had 4,000 applicants ter’s in civil engineering 1956. $15-a-month on-campus residences for and no jobs. In the hall there, I met For 42 years, I taught Aggies about financially strapped students—but horticulture instructor F. W. Hensel, asphalt technology, hydraulics and those were all taken. He told me to hail who gave me a campus maintenance strength of materials—about 5,000 a truck instead and go to the Hoyle job. The income allowed me to stay students in all. Hotel, one of three Navasota hotels at A&M. I’ve been honored that my name is housing 400 Aggies. Things looked up after that. I on two scholarships endowed through That first year, I rode to campus in spent summer of 1939 working in my the Texas A&M Foundation. Vernon an 18-wheeler outfitted with benches. brother’s Jacksonville canning plant. Wright, a colleague in the asphalt in- An enterprising Aggie earned college That’s where I met my wife, Susan. dustry, established the Wright-Gallaway money ferrying students to and from That fall, I got into a project house Asphalt Scholarship. A student, W. M. Navasota in his truck. on campus, rooming with Poland and McDonald ’52, set up the Professor My roommate, Fish Morgan, two others. I switched majors, into Bob Gallaway Scholarship. What a nice quickly flunked out, which indirectly chemical engineering, and I contin- way to honor me!  helped me. Morgan, a liberal arts ma- ued to court Susan. I was allowed to jor, gave me his books, so I became a cut roses from a campus garden for —by bob gallaway ’42

38 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION Contact

Get in touch with the Executive Staff Dwight Look College of Engineering Ed Davis ’67, President Don Birkelbach ’70 Texas A&M Foundation. Jim Palincsar, Senior Vice President Senior Director of Development for Development [email protected] Liska Lusk, Vice President (979) 845-5113 401 George Bush Drive & General Counsel Departments of Chemical, Nuclear, and College Station, Texas 77840-2811 Doyle Thompson, Vice President Industrial and Systems Engineering Toll-free: (800) 392-3310 & Controller Andrew Acker Janet Handley ’76, Investment Director Phone: (979) 845-8161 Director of Development Kathy McCoy ’80, Director of Marketing Fax: (979) 845-3973 [email protected] giving.tamu.edu Development Staff (979) 845-5113 Carl Jaedicke ’73 [email protected] Departments of Computer Science Assistant Vice President for Development and Petroleum Engineering [email protected] Facebook: Brady Bullard ’95 (979) 845-8161 www.facebook.com Director of Development

(Search for Texas A&M Foundation.) Jody Ford ’99 [email protected] (979) 845-5113 TexAgs: Director of Development–Scholarship Programs www.texags.com [email protected] Departments of Aerospace and Mechanical (979) 845-8161 or 218-7368 Engineering YouTube: Jennifer Hester ’98 www.youtube.com/aggiespiritandmind College Programs Director of Development College of Agriculture & Life Sciences [email protected] Monica Delisa (979) 845-5113 Senior Director of Development [email protected] Departments of Electrical and Computer (979) 458-2204 Engineering, and Engineering Technology & Industrial Distribution Lee Ann Knox ’02 Jay Roberts ’05 Assistant Director of Development Assistant Director of Development [email protected] [email protected] (979) 845-4740 or 847-9314 (979) 845-5113 College of Architecture Departments of Biomedical and Larry Zuber Civil Engineering Senior Director of Development John Small ’92 [email protected] Director of Development (979) 845-0939 [email protected] Mays Business School (979) 845-5113

David Hicks ’75 Texas A&M University at Galveston Senior Director of Development Jack O’Brien ’95 [email protected] Director of Development (979) 845-2904 or 458-1452 [email protected] Victoria Masters ’05 (409) 741-4030 Development Associate College of Geosciences [email protected] Diane Barron ’81 (979) 845-2775 or 571-4719 Director of Development College of Education & Human Development [email protected] Steve Blomstedt ’83 (979) 845-3651 Director of Development [email protected] (979) 847-8655

SPIRIT MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2009 39 The George Bush School of Government William Fusselman ’95 & Public Service Gift Planning Officer Jerome Rektorik ’65 [email protected] Director of Development (979) 845-8161 [email protected] Mark Matthews ’80 (979) 458-8035 Gift Planning Officer College of Liberal Arts [email protected] John Knudsen (979) 845-8161 Senior Director of Development Angela Throne ’03 [email protected] Assistant Gift Planning Officer (979) 845-5192 [email protected] Larry Walker II ’97 (979) 845-8161 Assistant Director of Development Real Estate Services [email protected] Tim Walton ’90 Contact (979) 458-1304 Director College of Science [email protected] Jack O’Brien ’95 (979) 845-8161 Director of Development Regional Major Gifts [email protected] Bill Estes (979) 847-9218 Regional Director of Major Gifts Sharon Smith ’04 (North and West Texas; Central Midwest) Assistant Director of Development [email protected] [email protected] (214) 812-7306 or (214) 812-7305 (979) 458-4393 Andrew Key ’08 Student Affairs Development Associate Cindy Brown Munson ’99 (Dallas-Fort Worth Area) Assistant Director of Development [email protected] [email protected] (214) 812-7305 (979) 458-1689 Matt Jennings ’95 Corps of Cadets Regional Director of Major Gifts Brian Bishop ’91 (Western States) Director of Development [email protected] [email protected] (979) 845-8161 (979) 862-4085 Ron Streibich Regional Director of Major Gifts College of Veterinary Medicine (Gulf Coast) & Biomedical Sciences [email protected] Bubba Woytek ’64 (713) 677-7411 or (281) 415-5520 Senior Development Officer & Director of External Relations David Wilkinson ’87 [email protected] Regional Director of Major Gifts (979) 845-9043 (East Coast) [email protected] Guy Sheppard ’76 (979) 845-8161 Director of Development [email protected] Trust Company (979) 845-9043 Gina Jett ’79 Manager of Trust Operations Private Enterprise Research Center [email protected] Jerome Rektorik ’65 (979) 845-8161 Director of Development [email protected] Scholarship Programs (979) 458-8035 Marcy Ullmann ’86 Manager Corporate & Foundation Relations [email protected] Jim Keller ’63 (979) 845-8161 Senior Director of Development [email protected] Donor Relations (979) 845-8161 Lynn Harris Al Pulliam ’87 Manager Director of Development [email protected] [email protected] (979) 845-8161 (979) 845-8161 Gift Processing Office of Gift Planning Ann Lovett ’81 Glenn Pittsford ’72 Manager Assistant Vice President for Gift Planning [email protected] [email protected] (979) 845-8161 (979) 845-8161

40 TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION readers. Editor Managing sondra white’ A A Editor We hopeyou like thisissueof You Are at ( commentaries ontheirexperienceswiththeTexascommentaries invite to faculty, submit students, former partners staff, students andcorporate Voice.” We thankClay Schlinke ’ with you, ourreaders, inmind,andwe wantto know whatyou think. reply card. You canalsosendane-mailto amfoundation back a guest afew column,pleasetake outandmail minutesto fill & & cut along dotted line M M ✄ 800 If you have aquestion orcomment Whether you are onthegivingorreceiving endofphilanthropy atTexas You may have noticed thatourformat includesaregular guest column:“One , we know your stories are moving andhopeyou willshare themwithother University. ) 392-3310 Spirit 87 . Magazine Spirit 94 magazine. We research article andwriteevery for writingthecolumninthisissue,andwe about thisissueorwould like to submit mary vinnedge’ A @ & tamu.edu, or give us a a us give or tamu.edu, M Foundation andTexas 75

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