Spirit and Mind

Stop the Bad Guys

spiritandmind — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:16:00 GMT

A CIA operative's fight against terrorism reaches Texas A&M

By Rachel Dohmann '07

In October, as the country recognized National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Aggie family celebrated the life and mourned the death of a brave patriot. Andrea Pool '94 '98 '05, a CIA collections management officer, was a breast cancer fighter who at the age of 37 died of the disease.

Andrea poses with a rocket-propelled grenade
launcher while on assignment in Iraq, 2008.

Although cancer is what took Andrea's life on Sept. 20, 2009, her family and friends refuse to let the disease also claim the definition of her life. "Breast cancer is what she had, not who she was," said her husband, Scott Pool ’93 ’02.

Instead, Pool’s family characterizes her life through her love of the written word, the color pink, the Backstreet Boys, Disney movies and fictional spies such as James Bond and Alias’ Sydney Bristow who, in part, inspired a career change from journalist to CIA operative.

Andrea loved her career as a communicator at Texas A&M, but the events of Sept. 11, 2001, changed her forever. "As a journalist, I could document what happens in the world. What I’m discovering about myself is that I don’t want to just watch and report; I want to be part of the action," Andrea wrote in an application essay to the George Bush School of Government and Public Service in 2004. "And the action that I want to take part in is the kind that stops the bad guys."

Armed with a certificate in advanced international affairs from the Bush School, the inspiration of her beloved fictional characters, and the support of her friends and family, Andrea applied to the CIA in 2005 and was accepted in early 2006.

She served two dangerous Iraq deployments to provide intelligence support to special ops forces. A clean bill of health after a double mastectomy plus chemotherapy and radiation after her first deployment gave Andrea the green light to return to her assignment in December 2008.

Suffering from back pain, she returned home in February 2009. Scans showed stage four cancer in her spinal column, hip, femur and liver.

After Andrea’s death, Scott established the Andrea Pool National Security Fellowship through the Texas A&M Foundation to honor her passion for her work to "stop the bad guys." Once fully funded, the fellowship will support a full-time graduate student pursuing a degree at the Bush School. Preference for the fellowship will go to students who are making a career change or who have been employed in the public sector for five or more years.

Scott hopes those who benefit from the fellowship are committed to making the United States safer. "Whether they join the CIA, are a member of the State Department or serve in the military, I want them to serve our country honorably."

"May they, heroes all, rest in peace eternally in God’s hands and in the loving embrace of the Aggie family." "U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (former president of Texas A&M University), Muster 2009

To learn how you can support the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, contact Jerome Rektorik ’65 with the Texas A&M Foundation at (979) 862-8847.

Support Aggie Stars

spiritandmind — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:13:00 GMT

Tribute to Bonfire Victims

spiritandmind — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:11:00 GMT

Bonfire Memorial Scholarship Helps Aggie Cadet From Nevada

Bryce Ramirez ’13 came all the way from his hometown of Reno, Nev., to attend Texas A&M University ... because he wanted to be a member of its Corps of Cadets.

Bryce Ramirez ’13

And how has that worked out?

"It is one of the best experiences of my life," Ramirez says. "I have already gained so much and I’m not even halfway through my freshman year. From my first football game to my first Silver Taps, A&M has an energy that can’t be described. I know it sounds corny, but there really is ‘a spirit that can ne’er be told.’ "

Ramirez got a big boost toward his Aggie dream by receiving a Bonfire Memorial Endowed Scholarship. He’s enrolled in the general studies program right now, but plans to declare a major in business or construction science. He also plans to pursue a commission in the Marine Corps.

The scholarship covers enough school expenses for Ramirez to take part in campus activities instead of working long hours at a part-time job. He’s interested in the Scuba Club, Cragies (rock-climbing club), intramural sports and Memorial Student Center organizations. Later this school year, he plans to participate in the Student Conference on National Affairs (SCONA) and The Gen. Tom Darling Recruiting Company for the Corps.

Ramirez’s scholarship is one of 13 Bonfire Memorial Endowed Scholarships through which donors pay tribute to Aggies who were killed and injured in the 1999 Bonfire collapse. Ten years after the Bonfire tragedy, additional contributions can be added to these scholarships, which were established through Texas A&M Foundation. Learn more about how to contribute to the Bonfire scholarships.

The Texas A&M Foundation is a private nonprofit organization that solicits and manages investments in Texas A&M academics and student leadership programs. Read more about the Foundation.

For information about creating your own named endowed scholarship in honor of Bonfire or other Texas A&M academic scholarships, contact Jody Ford ’99 at the Texas A&M Foundation at (800) 392-3310, (979) 845-8161.

Read this month’s Texas Monthly article about the Bonfire tragedy.

Review the Bonfire Remembrance Activities at Texas A&M.

Ship Ahoy!

spiritandmind — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:07:00 GMT

Texas A&M at Galveston welcomes new training ship

By Kara Socol

Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) on Nov. 1 will officially welcome a seeworthy -- and seaworthy -- addition to its campus: The S.S. Cape Gibson.

S.S. Cape Gibson

At more than 600 feet long and displacing some 32,000 tons of seawater, the ship will provide a learning platform for future licensed engine and deck officers. It will serve as a floating classroom for the academy’s summer cruises and will take the place of TAMUG’s former training ship, which was returned to the Maritime Administration in June.

More than 300 members of the Texas Maritime Academy’s (TMA) Corps of Cadets are excited about the ship’s arrival. The academy, part of TAMUG, trains students pursuing commercial shipping occupations as licensed members of the U.S. Merchant Marines or Naval careers.

Among those cadets is John Watson ’13 of Weatherford, who is majoring in marine transportation. Upon graduation, he will receive the Coast Guard’s Third Mate License for Oceans Unlimited, opening the door for employment on a variety of merchant vessels.

"I’ve always been interested in a maritime-related career," he said. "I wanted to do something different than the people I went to school with."

Watson began experiencing TAMUG’s "different education" during the Corps orientation in August, known as "O-Week." Along with introducing military skills and Aggie traditions, O-Week activities centered on team building and disaster-survival training. Ship engineering, water survival, firefighter training, and ship safety and watch-standing were all included in this Corps orientation.

Watson said lifeboat drills and fire hose training taught him about teamwork. "You really learn that you have to work with those next to you, especially on a ship. Out on the water, they might be the ones saving your life."

Fire hose training teaches cadets about
teamwork.

It’s those same types of experiences William Quillen ’11 recalls about his freshman year at TAMUG. During O-Week, he was particularly impressed by an exercise that takes place in a disaster-containment locker, a pipe-filled storage container that simulates the bowels of a ship. Cadets must make repairs as seawater gushes in.

"It’s your team’s job to stop all of these leaks in a reasonable amount of time," Quillen said. "During O-Week, you’ll fail this exercise. But by the end of your freshman year, you’ll have practiced it so much that you’ll have it down pat."

TAMUG is the marine and maritime branch campus of Texas A&M in College Station. TMA is one of six state maritime academies in the United States.

Learn more about Corps life at TAMUG
View photos of the S.S. Cape Gibson
See more photos from O-week

To learn how you can support students or the Corps program at TAMUG, contact Jack O’Brien ‘95 with the Texas A&M Foundation at (409) 741-4030.

Aggie Star Jean-Marie Ellwood

spiritandmind — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:03:00 GMT

Borlaug’s Legacy Lives On

spiritandmind — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:01:00 GMT

Texas A&M’s Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture champions international agricultural development.

Norman Borlaug’s legacy lives on even after his passing in September through programs at Texas A&M’s Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture aimed at championing international agricultural development.

Rwandan workers examine and cull coffee beans.

These days, Rwandan farmers are earning significantly more money thanks to Sustaining Partnerships to Enhance Rural Enterprise and Agribusiness Development (SPREAD), a five-year project of the Borlaug Institute. SPREAD began in 2006 by helping the African nation’s coffee growers meet the quality standards of high-end coffee companies, said Dr. Tim Schilling, the project’s director.

"Before 2001, Rwandan coffee quality was so poor that many farmers were digging up coffee trees to plant other crops," Schilling said. "Today Rwanda ranks among the top specialty coffee-producing countries, and over 100,000 farm families earn more than three times what they made in 2001 on coffee."

SPREAD assists in marketing efforts that have improved income from almost zero in 2000 to more than $50 million in 2008 and an expectation of $100 million by 2012, according to Rwanda’s coffee-development authority, OCIR-Café.

Dr. Norman Borlaug, 1914 - 2009.

The project also helps Rwandan farmers to market other high-value agricultural projects such as cassava flour, chili peppers and pyrethrum flowers, a natural insecticide. The Texas A&M Foundation raises money for several Borlaug initiatives, including the Borlaug Institute Excellence Fund, Borlaug Institute Student Experience Fund, Norman E. Borlaug Endowed Chair for International Agriculture, and Norman E. Borlaug Endowed Fellowships.

Per the family’s request, please direct memorials in honor of the memory and legacy of Dr. Norman Borlaug to the Borlaug International Scholars Fund here by selecting 'College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' and 'Borlaug International Scholars' from the two drop-down menus.

Checks to the fund should be made payable to "Texas A&M Foundation" and may be mailed to the Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840-2811. Please indicate in the memo line "Borlaug International Scholars Fund."

To learn more about how you can support programs through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, contact Monica Delisa at (979) 847-9314.

Lending a Paw to Cancer Research

spiritandmind — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:08:00 GMT

Bond Between Humans, Dogs May Lead to Treatment for Brain Tumors

By Dorian Martin

Dogs have a reputation for being man’s best friends. Soon these canine companions may provide critical insight into developing treatments for deadly brain tumors that strike young adults, thanks to a collaboration between Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Marnie Rose died from a brain tumor
in 2002 during her second year of
pediatric residency

A Life Lost

That breakthrough won’t come too soon for Lanie Rose. Her daughter, Marnie, was beginning her pediatric residency at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. "Because her work in pediatrics meant the world to her, Children’s Memorial Hermann enabled her to continue her residency after the diagnosis," Lanie said.

"When Marnie was diagnosed, it was so horrifying to learn that brain cancer was under-recognized, the research was under-funded, and the prognosis had not changed in 50 years. In the last five years, there’s been some progress, but brain tumors are usually fatal after one to two years."

Unfortunately, Marnie, 28, died in 2002 during the second year of her residency. Soon after Lanie and her husband Jerry created the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation in their daughter’s memory.

A Research Collaboration

Researchers hope to help
dogs and young adults with
brain tumors through
the Texas Neuro-Oncology
Program.

Enter the Texas Neuro-Oncology Program. This program got its start in 2008 after Dr. Stephen Fletcher’s two boxers died from brain tumors. Fletcher, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, contacted Dr. Jon Levine of Texas A&M’s vet school.

"Jon and I discussed a cooperative program in which we would contribute to knowledge about canines with tumors," Fletcher said. "I would provide technical and surgical expertise, and he would provide better outcomes for dogs with tumors. We then brought in our colleague from M. D. Anderson with the thought that if we could prove some novel therapies could work in dogs, it might accentuate the speed at which these could be applied in kids."

The program is a natural fit for the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation. The Rose Foundation and donations from Mattie and Keith Stevenson supported an MRI and CT guided imaging system to accurately biopsy brain tumors in critical areas of the brain. In addition, these donations have provided the mechanism to fund laboratory work for DNA analysis and will pay for innovative chemotherapy protocols. George Merkt of Radionics also provided critical support early in the program by discounting innovative equipment used for brain biopsies. The new equipment allows precise biopsy techniques of tumors in the brains of dogs, which was integral to launching the program.

The Rose Family at the Rose Pod - a pod of
pediatric rooms named in Marnie's memory -
at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in
Houston.

The Texas Neuro-Oncology Program needs additional funding to support the next three years of research. "We are breaking ground in that we’re trying to cure both dogs and kids," Fletcher said. "We’ve got to get private funding to get early data. Eventually we hope to go to the National Institutes of Health for funding."

The program’s early supporters are delighted with the opportunity to maximize their investment. "The collaboration between these major research entities is what we love about this project," Lanie said. "Supporting the Texas Neuro-Oncology Program is an efficient use of funds and brings together these outstanding surgical and research talents from the University of Texas and Texas A&M."

Hear an interview with Texas A&M researcher Dr. Jon Levine on TexAgs Radio.

Contact Dr. O.J. "Bubba" Woytek ‘64 or Dr. Guy Sheppard ’76 at (800) 392-3310 to learn how you can support the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M.

Texas A&M Holistic Garden

spiritandmind — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:54:00 GMT

Maintaining an educational garden environment designed to improve quality of life for persons of all ages and abilities.

Aggie-Designed: Cowboys Stadium

spiritandmind — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:46:00 GMT

The largest, most advanced sports venue in the NFL

By Kara Socol

When the Texas A&M football team takes on the University of Arkansas on Oct. 3 at the new Cowboys Stadium, Bryan Trubey ’83 plans to have one of the best seats in the house. But when it comes to knowing about the "best seats," Trubey has an advantage: He directed the team that designed the 3 million-square-foot stadium in Arlington.

Bryan Trubey ’83 directed the team that
designed the new Cowboys Stadium.

Trubey, who earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental design from Texas A&M, is a design principal at Dallas-based HKS Inc. -- a firm that, with Trubey’s financial support, annually offers a sports design studio for Aggie architecture students.

Upon HKS’s selection as architect of the $1.5 billion Cowboys Stadium, Trubey says he was challenged to create a building that was international in quality -- a structure that could hold its own when compared architecturally to the world’s most important buildings. The stadium likewise needed to be versatile and big.

To say the resulting stadium is the largest-ever NFL venue only scratches the surface of this architectural wonder. A quarter-mile in length, the seating bowl is the most spacious column-free room in the world, holding more than 100,000 spectators. Each of the two monumental arches that support the stadium’s retractable roof is longer than St. Louis’ Gateway Arch.

Then there’s the center-hung video board, also peerless in size. Weighing 1.2 million pounds and 11 stories tall, the board equals 4,920 52-inch flat-panel TVs. In fact, technicians use an elevator inside the board to move around.

Trubey says a major part of the stadium design process went beyond its use as a professional football arena. "We knew that if we designed it correctly, we were going to have the capability to host international events," he says.

Musicians Paul McCartney, the Jonas Brothers, George Strait and Reba McEntire already performed at the stadium, and rock band U2 has an October concert scheduled. In January, Cowboys Stadium will host the AT&T Cotton Bowl college football game, followed in February by the NBA All-Star basketball game.

While Trubey’s team drafted the stadium as an architectural showplace, the family of Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones also wanted it to appeal to fine art aficionados. Included in the stadium design are 14 murals and sculptures by famous artists such as Olafur Eliasson and Franz Ackermann. "Our vision was to make the building not only a sports venue, but a worldwide destination for art," Trubey says.

But the most exciting part of designing the stadium, Trubey says, is experiencing the transition from idea to computer model to a constructed building.

"It’s like being a sculptor with a sculpture in mind, but you don’t really know what it will be like until it’s finished. I’m looking forward to sitting in different places in the stadium just to see what they’re like."

To view more photos of Cowboys Stadium, click here.

To learn more about supporting Texas A&M’s College of Architecture, contact Larry Zuber at the Texas A&M Foundation: (800) 392-3310.

The Inspiration of Aggieland

spiritandmind — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:32:00 GMT

A class of ’77 Ag and business owner finds inspiration in the caliber of current students on campus.

By Daniel J. "Danny" Adams ’77

For the Adams family, our enthusiasm for Aggieland started with my father, Milton Adams ’45. While my dad never had the privilege of graduating from Texas A&M due to a commitment he made to serve his country in World War II, he did provide an opportunity for all three of his sons to finish what he began in the early ’40s.

Danny and Sandy Adams

With a dad and two older brothers to lead the way, I followed in their footsteps to experience the Corps of Cadets and its multitude of traditions. Never once have I regretted this decision. My hope is that my contribution will play some small, yet vital role in keeping this magnificent group of future leaders around for generations to come. My oldest son recently graduated after being a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, and my youngest son has embarked upon his sophomore year as a Texas Aggie. While my wife Sandy may have attended that Baptist college up the road in Waco, she bleeds maroon as deep and dark as the rest of us. Just like many Aggie families, our Texas A&M legacy continues to grow and I could not be prouder.

I believe it is incumbent upon each of us that has benefited from our experience in Aggieland to find an opportunity to step up and give back. Though I will be attending my 30-year class reunion in October this year, the spirit of Aggieland continues to inspire me in most everything I do. As a business owner, we recruit almost exclusively at Texas A&M. Why? The reasons are both simple and obvious. The caliber of our graduates is unsurpassed when it comes to loyalty, integrity and honesty. These characteristics are becoming increasingly rare in today’s marketplace and it is therefore paramount that we, the former students, lead the charge in maintaining these attributes by giving back to our university in some meaningful way. The Texas A&M Foundation is your resource to meet these needs.

If you really want to know why I give back to Texas A&M, just take a stroll across campus. I promise you, these young men and women are among the best and brightest this country has to offer. You will quickly be reminded of why you are so proud to be a part of the Aggie family. For me, Texas A&M continues to represent so much of what is still great about this country and I am honored to have shared in its past, present and future.

Sandy and Danny Adams ’77 chose to direct the proceeds of a life insurance policy to support the 12th Man Foundation, The Association of Former Students and the Corps of Cadets. This is an excerpt from the article "The Inspiration of Aggieland" in the Fall 2007 issue of Spirit magazine.

To learn how you can support the Corps of Cadets, contact Brian Bishop ‘91 at the Texas A&M Foundation at (800) 392-3310.

Aggie Star Reagan Thompson

spiritandmind — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:03:00 GMT

Imagine a New MSC

spiritandmind — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:53:00 GMT

You can be part of the legacy by supporting the expansion and update of this historic Texas A&M building.

By Kathy DiSanto
Communications Specialist/Vice President for Student Affairs
Texas A&M University

More than 70 years ago, the Bell County Mothers’ Club -- at the urging of their sons -- donated $6 toward construction of a student union. Then the classes of ’35 and ’36, which included those same sons, used their class gifts to establish a student union fund. By donating for a building to be constructed years after graduation, those cadets and their mothers demonstrated a selflessness that symbolizes the Aggie spirit.

MSC Browsing Library, 1958.

After Aggies broke ground in 1947, the building -- known as the Memorial Student Center -- became a memorial for U.S. military personnel. Largely supported by current and former students, it continues to inspire generosity.

In 2007, A&M students embraced a vision of an expanded, renovated MSC by increasing the Student Center Facilities fee by $60 (to $100). "It’s our turn to leave a legacy," Student Body President Conner Prochaska ’07 said at the time.

Moved by that spirit, the Class of ’62 pledged a class gift of $500,000 and is challenging other Aggie groups to follow suit.

Honoring Fallen Soldiers

Aggies’ love of the MSC has grown throughout its history. During Aggie Muster in 1951, it was dedicated to the memory of Aggies who died serving our country in World Wars I and II. Then in 1976, it was rededicated to honor fallen Aggies of every war. Its history has been enriched as the MSC Student Programs Office (SPO) evolved into a training ground for leaders.

Stephanie Burns ’09, MSC president, said the MSC is the campus living room -- and more. "To me, the MSC is a gateway to Aggieland and the Aggie experience." She added that getting involved with organizations in the MSC’s Student Programs Office “helped me meet people, learn more about Aggie traditions and truly become part of the Aggie family."

Dr. Ed Davis ’67, president of the Texas A&M Foundation agreed. "I learned more about life, culture and leadership at the MSC than in the classroom. It does more than just attract leaders; it shapes them."

Join the Renovation Effort

Texas A&M’s Memorial Student Center will
have a more modern look and amenities after
the current $105 million construction project.

The MSC’s spirit thrives, but the building needs the renovation and expansion that began this summer. Private donations of $20 million will be crucial to the $105 million renovation that will serve "a growing student population into the 21st century [and] refocus attention on the traditions and qualities that set this university apart," MSC Director Luke Altendorf said.

Project priorities include:

- Create a more welcoming space for students.

- Promote A&M’s tradition and history as a treasured memorial.

- Reinstate the MSC as the main campus gathering place.

- Reflect the MSC’s role as the gateway to campus.

To contribute to the MSC renovation or learn about naming opportunities, contact:

David Wilkinson ’87
Regional Director of Major Gifts
Texas A&M Foundation
800-392-3310
giving.tamu.edu

To donate to a pooled account, go online to giving.tamu.edu and click the "Give now" button. Select "Student Affairs / Memorial Student Center" from the first drop-down menu and "MSC Renovation & Expansion Project" from the second menu.

To learn more about the renovation, including MSC office and program locations during construction, visit OurMSC.tamu.edu.

Integrating Energy

spiritandmind — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:12:00 GMT

Berg-Hughes Center brings a new approach to energy education.

By Kara Socol

Aggie geology and geophysics graduates believe Texas A&M University must help the nation find energy sources to meet its needs, says Diane Barron ’81, director of development for A&M’s College of Geosciences.

"New energy and energy techniques are coming," says Barron, who believes key discoveries will come from the research and academic pursuits of one of Texas A&M’s most recent -- and most promising -- endeavors: the Berg-Hughes Center for Petroleum and Sedimentary Systems.

Approved in July by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the center brings together geologists, geophysicists, marine geologists and geophysicists, and petroleum engineers from the College of Geosciences and the Dwight Look College of Engineering.

By immersing graduate students in the center’s interdisciplinary education and research, they will receive the ultimate preparation for tackling energy challenges on multiple levels. Through this integrated approach, Texas A&M offers peerless academic and research experience.

The center is named in memory of Dr. Robert R. Berg, a member of Texas A&M’s geology and geophysics faculty from 1967-95. Barron said the use of Berg’s name is ideal. Known for his fundamental science research, Berg also had a reputation for taking that research and applying it to real-world problems.

That same practice is mirrored in the Berg-Hughes Center, an institution that will study energy challenges on several fronts and then work with industry to devise solutions. The second part of the center’s name honors brothers Dan A. Hughes and Dudley Hughes, both Class of ’51, and Dan Hughes’ son, Dan Allen Hughes ’80. Together, the independent oilmen gave $1 million to the Texas A&M Foundation to establish an endowment for the naming of the center. Other donors’ contributions increased the still-growing endowment to $2.9 million so far.

Another gift to the Foundation from Dan A. Hughes created an endowed chair to be awarded to the center’s director, Dr. Ernest A. Mancini ’74.

For more on the Berg-Hughes Center, visit http://berg-hughes.tamu.edu.

To find out more about supporting the Berg-Hughes Center, contact Diane Barron at the Texas A&M Foundation at (800) 392-3310.

Ancient Hawaiian Coral Exploration

spiritandmind — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:23:00 GMT

To learn how you can support the College of Geosciences, contact Diane Barron at (800) 392-3310.

Spurred to Success

spiritandmind — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:18:00 GMT

Aggie rodeo team scholarships aid in recruiting better athletes.

By Kara Socol

Robert T. "Bob" Handley ’67 has never competed in a rodeo. In fact, until recently, Handley -- the retired owner of Tarlton Supply, an oilfield equipment company in Brenham -- had little interest in even watching one.

Lainey Kyle ’09 dismounts in a cloud of dust
during a goat-tying competition.
Photo credit: Mack Bradford of R&M Photography
in Bryan

His close friend Al B. Wagner ’69 LOVES the sport. He was a steer wrestler and bareback rider on the Texas A&M rodeo team from 1965-69. And when the team needed an adviser in 1996, Wagner, a food science professor, signed on.

For years, Handley watched Wagner work with the team, which receives no money from the university. Then Handley and his wife, Vicki, decided to help. They created a $1 million endowment for rodeo club scholarships in Wagner’s name. "This endowment was a great way to help A&M and to put a feather in Al’s cap," Bob Handley said.

Team members must raise money for two annual campus rodeos, pay for their own horse stalls and feed, and provide their own practice livestock. Many competing schools cover these expenses.

Seeing the Results

The Handleys’ endowment created the A&M rodeo club’s six largest scholarships. Between their gift and the generosity of donors such as the San Antonio Livestock Show and Exposition, Robert Coffin ’47, Frank Foster ’52, the late Shorty Fuller ’43, the late James E. "Punk" Sauls ’49, and friends of the late Tom Lewis ’77, Wagner now has many scholarships for his 35 team members.

He can compete in recruiting against regional rodeo powerhouses such as Tarleton State University in Stephenville. "Word has gotten out that A&M has scholarship money, so people are calling and inquiring," Wagner said.

Texas A&M senior Courtney Sokol ’09 of Brenham is one of the first Dr. Al B. Wagner Scholarship recipients. She competes in barrel racing and breakaway roping, an event akin to calf roping. She has finished as high as fourth nationally.

The Handleys’ scholarships help her and the team, Sokol said: "We’ve been able to compete with better athletes on our team because we’re able to recruit against other schools." This article is an excerpt from the article "Saddle Up" in the summer 2009 issue of Spirit magazine. Read the full article.

If you’d like to help the rodeo team, contact Cindy Munson at the Texas A&M Foundation at (800) 392-3310.