Mays student balances full academic load with passion for fencing.

By Chrystal Houston, Mays Business School

As a National Merit Achievement Scholar, Andrew Spriggs could have gone just about anywhere for his education. Yet out of all of his college options, this highly intelligent and successful young man chose Mays Business School.

The offer of substantial scholarships was what first caught Andrew’s eye about Texas A&M. As the recipient of a President’s Endowed Scholarship, Director’s Excellence Award, and National Merit Recognition Scholarship, Andrew is able to attend Mays at no cost. This was important to him, as his father had recently retired from the Army with the rank of Major. Andrew was determined not to burden his family with his educational expenses while his father transitioned from a 20-year military career into the civilian sector.

Beyond the financial incentive, Andrew was drawn to A&M on his first visit by the friendliness of the campus. "Even though it’s a big school, everyone here tries to reach out,” he says. “It really feels like a big family."

Andrew recognizes that the donors that fund his education are an important part of that Aggie family. He appreciates the opportunity that he’s been given and knows that it comes with a responsibility. "I feel that there is an obligation on me now...I want the donors that support me to feel that they’ve made a good investment in me," he says.

Rest assured, that investment is bearing dividends. Andrew is maintaining a 3.8 GPR as a business honors student, in addition to spending most nights working out with his teammates on the A&M fencing squad. Andrew is planning to be an accounting major, and intends to graduate from the Professional Program--achieving his BA and MS in accounting, along with a CPA certification--in just four years, instead of the usual five.

To learn how you can support students like Andrew with the gift of a scholarship, contact Jody Ford ’99 at the Texas A&M Foundation at (800) 392-3310.