Texas A&M’sVeterinary Emergency Team impacts the ﬆate ... 2017 Spirit.pdf36__Buttoned Up One of the most respected Aggie organizations, the Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats mark

Th e T e x A s A & M F O u NdAT I O N M AG A Z I N e | s u MM e R 2 0 1 7

On aMissionTexas A&M’s Veterinary EmergencyTeam impacts the state, nation andworld through its mobilized disaster response and relief efforts.

president’spost

Recently I had a fasci-nating phone conversa -tion with Dr. Jen Shang,one of the world’sthought leaders regard-ing philanthropic psy-chology. As director ofthe Hartsook Centerfor Sustainable Philan-thropy at PlymouthUni versity in the UnitedKingdom, her researchcenters on donor behav-ior, nonprofits and the

idea that giving benefits the giver just as much as the beneficiary. Dr. Shang reminded me of something fundamental to the

Texas A&M Foundation’s line of work: e word “philanthropy”literally translates to “a love of mankind.” Philanthropic psychol-ogy, then, is the psychological science behind how we can growindividual capacity to love humanity. At a micro level, it’s aboutstudying why individuals choose to give and how it makes themfeel.

I found our discussion particularly relevant and insightfulduring our Lead by Example campaign, and I left the phone con-versation feeling invigorated by a few key insights:

ere should be a living benefit for donors. Every five to10 years, the number of charitable organizations an individual cangive to doubles. at’s why, as fundraisers, it’s so important thatwe accurately communicate the myriad benefits of giving to TexasA&M—and ensure that those benefits live on long after an invest -ment is made. Our most important job is to listen to how friendsand former students want to affect change at the university, be-cause philanthropy is personal: Each person will feel his or hermoney is most impactful to Texas A&M in different ways.

Sustainable philanthropy is about building relationships.is was music to my ears, since I often hear our fundraising staffsay that establishing relationships with donors is the best partof their jobs. Often, repeat giving is as much about a love for thecause as it is a love for the people surrounding an individual’s phil -anthropic acts—whether that be our fundraisers or beneficiarieslike students and faculty.

Humans have three psychological needs: competence, au-tonomy and positive relationships with others. According to Dr.Shang, acts of philanthropy help an individual achieve all three.By giving, individuals can feel competent in loving other people;autonomous in the control they have over how they love otherpeople; and satisfied in building positive, warm and caring rela-tions. rough fulfillment of these needs, individuals can achievegrowth, clear purpose and self-acceptance—elements of psycho-logical wellbeing. Our challenge, then, is to ensure that the act ofgiving to Texas A&M is psychologically gratifying.

As we continue the Lead by Example campaign, we certainly haveto focus on meeting our $4 billion goal and what that means forthe advancement of Texas A&M. But my conversation with Dr.Shang reminded me that we can’t be so focused on the goal thatwe overlook the most important thing: the people who choose togive—those who choose to love humanity through philanthropy.Here at the Foundation, we can’t be too busy to care about that.We must push ourselves each day to serve the university and ourdonors in the most effective way possible.

Thanks for all you do.

Tyson Voelkel ’96president, texas a&m foundation

Philanthropy is the Love of Mankind

summer 2017

28

TRAIlBlAZeRs

True Vision Anthony Wood ’90, founder

of Roku, became a Silicon

Valley sensation when he

reimagined the way we

consume TV.

32

“In my day, most of our animal science majors came from traditional FFA and 4-H programs.”

— D r . J e f f S av e l l ’ 7 5 , e . M . “ M a n n y ” ro S e n t h a l C h a i r i n a n i M a l S C i e n C e

issueAsk PROFessOR x

The PitmasterDr. Jeff Savell ’75 has

a knack for barbecuing,

especially when it comes

to Texas brisket.

40Animal science students at Texas A&M University, circa 1960.

COveR FeATuRe

On a MissionTexas A&M’s Veterinary

Emergency Team impacts

the state, nation and world

through disaster response

and relief efforts.

20

sTudeNT IMPACT

Retail Ready The M.B. Zale Leadership

Scholars Program prepares

students like Stephanie

Martinez ’16 for successful

careers in retailing.

issue

02 | t e x a S a & M f o u n Dat i o n

Professor Rick Giardinospreads his love for environmental scienceand geolog y through G- Camp, an outreachprogram he developedin the College of Geosciences. Participantstravel to White Sands,New Mexico, during athree-week tour of theSouthwest .

CONTRIBuTORs

EditorDunae Crenwelge ’15

Managing EditorMolly Kulpa ’15

Art Direction & DesignGeer Design, Inc.

Photography/IllustrationGabe Chmielewski (p. 36-37)Tim Davis (p. 16-17)Kevin Gamache (p. 2, bottom; 44-45)Mark Geer (p. 29)Kyle Hilton (p. 3; 11, left)Jim Lyle (p. 6, top; 11, top; 38-39; 40; back cover)Bill Sallans (p. 2, top; 14-15; 35; 41; 51)Robert Seale (p. 4, top)Tim Stephenson (p. 20-27)Cushing Memorial Library and Archives

(p. 1; 5; 42-43)Texas A&M College of Education and

Human Development (p. 7, top)Texas A&M Corps of Cadets (p. 18-19)Texas A&M Mays Business School (p. 30-31)

PrintingChas. P. Young

BOARd OF TRusTees

T. Randall Cain ’82, ChairmanJorge A. Bermúdez ’73, Chairman-electOtway Denny Jr. ’71Kathleen Gibson ’81George K. Hickox Jr. ’80Louis Paletta ’78P. William Toler ’76

exeCuTIve sTAFF

Tyson Voelkel ’96, PresidentJim Palincsar, Senior Vice President for DevelopmentDoyle Thompson, Senior Vice President and

Chief Financial OfficerWill Fusselman ’95, Vice President and General CounselBen Wall ’02, Chief Investment OfficerLynn Schlemeyer, Vice President for Development Support

RelevANT lINks

To update your contact information, change your Spiritsubscription or request more information, visitspirit.txamfoundation.com/ContactUs.

txamfoundation.comspirit.txamfoundation.comfacebook.com/TexasAMFoundationyoutube.com/AggieSpiritandMindtwitter.com/TXAMFoundationlinkedin.com/company/texas-a&m-foundation

Spirit is published three times per year by the Texas A&MFoundation, which manages major gifts and endowmentsfor the benefit of academic programs, scholar ships andstudent activities at Texas A&M University. Throughcompelling stories and photography, Spirit celebratesunique individuals, the joy of giving back and the Aggiecan-do spirit from a perspective that spans the entirecampus. Please direct inquiries to the Marketing Office,Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, Col-lege Station, TX 77840- 2811, call (800) 392-3310 or (979)845-8161, or email [email protected]. Infor mationin this magazine is for educational purposes only andshould be examined by independent legal counsel due topossible differences in local laws and individual needs.

C O P Y R I G H T © 2 0 1 7 T E X A S A & M F O U N D AT I O N

Observations made byEdwin Hubble in 1922and 1923 proved conclusively that thereare galaxies in the universe beyond theMilky Way. Today, private philanthropyenables Texas A&Mastronomers to peerdeeper into the cosmosthan anyone else.

1418__The New Quad Renovations to the Quad reflect a changing and

growing Corps of Cadets.

By Retired Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr. ’79

36__Buttoned UpOne of the most respected Aggie organizations, the

Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats mark 10 years.

42__Time CapsuleThe story of how Squadron 11 cownapped Texas

A&M’s archrival mascot in 1963.

By Dr. Bill G. Tompkins ’65

44__OpportunityAn intensive summer camp gives grade school

teachers the geology experience of a lifetime.

By Rick Giardino

46__Campaign UpdateGuided by three pillars, the Lead by Example

campaign will usher in a new Texas A&M era.

51__Back PageDaniel Ragsdale, director of the Texas A&M

Cybersecurity Center, explains how to protect

yourself in an age of increased identity theft.

BC__Final ReviewTexas A&M’s Veterinary Emergency Team has cared

for hundreds of animals.

Read Spirit online at spirit.txamfoundation.com.

dePARTMeNTs

04__Letters/Corrections

06__On CampusHowdy Walkers keep an Aggie tradition alive; bike-

share program comes to campus; U-STAR prepares

future teachers for urban classrooms.

08__Lab WorkTeam discovers three new bird species in Africa;

student studies Antarctic ecosystem; researchers

use spice painting therapy with dementia patients.

10__New GiftsGift helps veterans pursue entrepreneurial dreams;

couple asks wedding guests to donate in lieu of

gifts; Parkers fund study abroad scholarships.

12__The LegacyMaier Foundation President Brad Rowe ’97

creates a scholarship fund for future engineers.

14__One VoicePrivate gifts allow Texas A&M’s astronomy program

to explore the deepest mysteries of the universe.

By Dr. Nicholas B. Suntzeff

16__ViewpointUsing an algorithm, Dr. Tim Davis illustrates the

Aggie War Hymn in dazzling color.

To this day, I can still sing prepositions to the tune of “YankeeDoodle Dandy.” And I still rehearse it occasionally (in my head)when I’m editing Spirit. It was a trick I learned in seventh gradeEnglish, along with melodies that correspond to coordinatingand subordinating conjunctions.

Sometimes when I’m editing articles, I also remind myselfof a popular phrase from my high school journalism teacher:“Quote, name, said.” It was something she repeated to remind usthat when quoting someone in stories, you generally—with someexceptions—write the quote, attribute it, and then write, “said.”

What you end up remembering from your education saysa lot, in my opinion, about who taught it to you. It’s logical, afterall, that you learn the most from the best teachers. I also recog-nize, however, that I likely remember the tidbits above becausethey turned out to be practical and relevant to my work. Thatbegs the question, then: What about the things you rememberwithout rhyme or reason?

For example, every Guy Fawkes Day, I recall these lines froman English poem about the rebellious conspiracy to bomb Parlia -ment and assassinate King James I of England: “Remember, remem-ber the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot.”

It’s not a practical thing to know, but I remember it becausemy high school English history teacher let our class burn a GuyFawkes mask one November 5. He made learning about the in-tended attack an experience for the class.

It’s certainly not a new technique, but it is a practice embod-ied by all of the faculty members in this issue. To name just a few,Dr. Christine Tisone has her students work with dementia pa-tients through spice painting therapy (p. 9); Dr. Tim Davis teacheshis students about the beauty of math through algorithms thatconvert songs into artwork (p. 16); and Drs. Savell ’75 (p. 40) andGiardino (p. 44) translated their love for barbecue and geology,respectively, into summer learning camps.

These are wonderful examples of faculty who epitomize theidea of experiential and transformational learning. By usingteaching models that require hands-on instruction, these educa-tors take learning one step further to ensure that students aretreated to rewarding and unforgettable educational experiences.Years down the road, they can look back—as I hope my formerteachers do—and feel proud in knowing that their students re-membered what they taught.

Dunae Crenwelge ’15editor, Spirit magazine

Learning Made Unforgettable

editor’sdesk

drawings sketched by one of my classmates,Marvin Aly ’55, in our company (Com-pany B, Combat Engineers).

Finally, the mention of Dr. James “Red”Duke ’50 reminded me of a happenstancein 1959. After I got out of the Army, I lookedfor work in Dallas. I stopped at a cafe to geta cup of coffee and to read the newspaperclassifieds. A guy came in, sat next to meat the counter and asked me what class I wasin. I immediately knew he saw my Aggiering. He said he was an Aggie, gave me someencouraging words and left, going over tothe nearby Parkland Memorial Hos pital.Later, I realized he was Dr. Red Duke, theacclaimed trauma surgeon who initiallytreated President John F. Ken nedy and wascredited with saving the life of Texas Gov.John Connally from assassin Lee HarveyOswald’s bullets.

We both came to Houston later, andhe was on TV a lot. He also founded LifeFlight operations in 1976 at Houston’s Me -morial Hermann Hospital, where he wasmedical director for trauma and emergencyservices until shortly before his death.

— D i C k r a n Da l l ’ 5 4

Houston, Texas

“The” Texas A&M AggieAs I opened the spring 2017 issue of Spirit,right before my eyes was Slouch! Man, hewas “me” at Texas A&M. He was “the” TexasA&M Aggie. I also enjoyed the letter aboutTexas State College for Women girls whovisited the Texas A&M campus, which re-minded me that my wife Joyce and I usedto rent out two bedrooms in our postwarthree-bedroom, one-bath house to girlsvisiting Texas A&M or to students attend-

Share Your Comments: We always enjoy receiving our readers’ reactions to Spirit . If the magazine’s content moves you to write,please email us at [email protected] send a note.

D u na e C r e n w e l g e ’ 1 5

Editor

letters

Editor’s note: Thearticle about CadetSlouch in the spring2017 issue of Spirittouched the heartsand memories ofmany readers whowrote in to sharetheir personal connection to “ TheAggie’s Aggie.”

Chance EncounterI enjoyed the spring 2017 edition of Spirit,especially the new graphics and a coupleof articles that brought back memories.Tessies (Texas State College for Women atDenton) were still arriving at College Sta-tion on the Sunbeam for football weekendsin the ’50s when I was there. One Sunday,while on a Corps trip to Dallas, a carloadof us traveled to Denton for a Tessielandvisit. I vaguely knew a girl from my home-town and contacted her. Without muchado, she got us all dates. We had an enjoy-able afternoon around Denton, ending alltoo soon because we had to get back to Col -lege Station (not on the Sunbeam).

I also clearly recall Cadet Slouch, whofirst appeared in The Battalion when I wasat Texas A&M. I enjoyed remembering hishumorous antics and pronouncements.Earle’s cartoons remind me of cartoon


S P i r i t M ag a z i n e / S u M M e r 2 01 7 | 05

digitaldialogue

Dick Randall ’54recalls a chance encounter at a Dallas cafe with the late Dr. RedDuke ’50 ( left), an acclaimed Houstontrauma surgeon andfellow Aggie. Dukewas also a YellLeader during histime at Texas A&M.

ing special classes. Joyce and I enjoyed it allvery much, and always supplied everyonebreakfast the next morning at no extra cost.

The article about Galveston’s new Ac -ademic Complex also struck a chord. I wasan industrial engineering major at TexasA&M, but I took an elective course inoceanography. I fell deeply in love with thesubject, but unfortunately it was much toolate to change my major.

Never have I received a Spirit with sucha connection to my heart!

— f l e tC h e r P o o l ’ 5 7

Ordway, Colorado

Air Force LoveThanks for your article on Jim Earle ’54and Cadet Slouch. I have a story about Jimthat I would like to tell. I started college atthe University of Southern Mississippi in1953. After two years, I joined the Air Forceand was sent to basic training in San An-tonio. After 13 weeks, I received my first as-signment at the Abilene Air Force Base(now Dyess Air Force Base).

My first boss was none other than Lt.Jim Earle. I sat in a desk close to his officeand drawing table, where he worked onhis cartoons. I was stationed at Dyess foralmost 15 months before being reassignedto Tokyo International Airport. I came toTexas A&M after my stint in the Air Forceat the insistence of my brother-in-law.

During my stay in Abilene, I becameclose to a few ladies who were school teach-ers. At some point, Theresa (who wouldbecome Jim’s wife) was introduced to him.I was discharged in March 1959 and en-tered Texas A&M as a sophomore that fall.During my time in College Station, I vis-

ited with Theresa and Jim at their homequite a few times.

— l o u i S P i a z z a ’ 61

Irvine, California

Cotton-Picking AggiesJames “Jim” Earle ’54 was one of my firstprofessors at Texas A&M, and I recall fondlyhis Cadet Slouch cartoons. Professor Earleactually helped me out once by creating aspecial cartoon for a Valentine’s Day fund -raiser for the agricultural economics club.After I approached him, it did not take himlong to come up with: “Happy Valentine’sDay from a cotton-picking Aggie!” It pic-tured Cadet Slouch holding a bundle ofcotton bolls. It was right after the Aggieshad won the 1968 Cotton Bowl versus Al-abama (20–16). We sold out every one ofthose cards and made some bucks for ourclub. What a guy!

— J i M M y M u D D ’ 6 9

Yoakum, Texas

Correction: In the spring 2017 One Voice article, Frances Hodapp ’18 was incorrectlyidentified as the recipient of the ShawnMohr Passion for Nursing Scholarship. Although Frances qualified for the MohrScholarship and appreciates Shawn’s storyand the generosity behind the memorialscholarship, she is actually the recipient ofthe Erle and Alice Nye Endowed Scholarship.The College of Nursing sincerely apologizesfor the error.

Thanks for the article on Cadet Slouch in the spring 2017 issue

of Spirit. I have a few of Earle’s books and just treasure them!

Very good work on the article. Gig ’em!

— M i k e C h a n C e ’ 0 9

Roanoke, Texas

I worked on The Battalion in the mid-1960s. The staff would

ask each day when they came in the door—ready to put out

the next day’s paper—what did Slouch have to say about....

(whatever the hot topic of the day was). His musings always

made the editorial page!

— M i C h a e l r e y n o l D S ’ 6 6

Fort Worth, Texas

Thanks for the update on my favorite cartoon. Brought back

old memories of yesteryear!

— D o u g l a S “ D.g .” S y M M a n k ’ 5 4

Bryan, Texas


The “Howdy Walkers” greet students on campusevery other week to keep the Aggietradition of saying“Howdy” alive.

oncampu

s Howdy, Dammit!It’s hard to say whether their boisterousvoices or their T-shirts scream louder. Ei-ther way, you won’t miss members of the“Howdy Walkers” coming your way.

Every other week, Texas A&M Foun -da tion trustee Otway Denny ’71 and formerFoundation trustee Van Taylor’71 are joinedby Steve Pringle ’71 for a “Howdy Walk” oncampus. Dressed in “Howdy, Dam mit!” T-shirts and sweats, the three men completea 4.5 mile lap around campus, greeting stu-dents with a loud and proud “Howdy!”

“Saying ‘Howdy’ is a Texas A&M tra-dition, but with students’ fast-paced livesand the advent of new technologies, it’s di-

minishing,” said Denny. “Through our en-gagement, we hope to encourage studentsto initiate say ing ‘Howdy’ again.”

The team began walking in Septem-ber 2016. They begin their route at the JonL. Hagler Center and continue to WestCam pus before passing the Memorial Stu -dent Center, Military Walk and the Quad.The route takes one hour and 15 minutes.

“We get just as much enjoyment fromit as the students,” chuckled Taylor. “Whenthey see us coming, they sport big smileson their faces. We remind them that say-ing ‘Howdy’ is contagious!”

Texas A&M University

Transportation Services

and Zagster Inc. initi-

ated a new bike-share

program that provides

students, faculty and

staff with a convenient

and affordable way to

traverse campus.

The new campus

program features 75

cruiser bikes stationed

at 10 campus locations,

including Wehner/

West Campus Library,

Academic Plaza and

Sbisa Dining Hall.

Riders can rent by the

hour or sign up for an

annual membership.

“We are committed

to providing transporta-

tion options that offer

the campus community

the freedom to travel

where they want, when

they want,” said Peter

Lange, associate vice

president for Texas

A&M Transportation

Services. “We’re proud

to partner with Zagster

to make our campus

more sustainable and

reduce congestion by

inspiring students to

bike rather than drive.”

Each bike is fitted

with reflectors, lights,

a bell, a Bluetooth-

enabled lock and a

basket for carrying

personal belongings.

Cruising on Campus

Bikes can be reservedvia the free Zagstermobile app availablefor iPhone and Android or online atzagster.com/TAMU.

Last fall, four Texas A&M University stu-dents participated in the inaugural UrbanStudent Teachers Advanced Residency(U-STAR) program in the College of Ed-ucation and Human Development.

U-STAR is a three-year partnershipwith Spring Independent School District,chiefly Thompson Elementary School inHouston, and Texas A&M. The yearlongresidency program provides future Aggieteachers with cultural and classroom ex-periences in urban environments.

“U-STAR focuses on hands-on in-struction,” said Dr. Marlon James, associ-ate director for the Center of Urban SchoolPartnerships in the college. “Students arenot just student teachers, but full-time em-ployees of Spring ISD, and candi dates whocomplete the program are offered full-timepositions in the district.”

They also receive professional develop -ment support from Texas A&M faculty fortwo years after graduation. Participatingstudents complete lesson plans, developassignments, tutor, meet with parents, andcover morning and afternoon duty.

“U-STAR accelerates our students’mastery of classroom content delivery andparent-teacher interaction to bring out thebest in pupils they teach,” James said.

classnotesNumbers don’t lie!

Based on cost of

attendance and salary

upon graduation,

College Choice ranked

the bachelor of business administrationin finance degree fromMays Business School

No. 4 in the nation.What was your

favorite experienceor memory while at Texas A&M?

“Getting on the jumbotron at Kyle Field !”Zoe Zeller ’17aC C o u n t i n g

“Marching duringFinal Review as

a senior in theCorps of Cadets.”

Spencer Feigl ’16t e l e C o M M u n i C at i o n

M e D i a S t u D i e S

“Serving four years on the AggieMuster Committee

and attending SilverTaps with families

of honorees.”Landon Harrell ’17

t e C h n o l o g y

M a nag e M e n t

“ The feeling ofwalking out

of CHEM 100for the last time…

such relief !” Ethan Reynolds ’17

C o M M u n i C at i o n

making institutions,

replete with rules and

norms that are seldom

seen by the public,”

said Bowman, noting

that in addition

to hands-on learning,

students were also

required to complete

an online course during

their internship.

So far, four sets of

Bush School capstone

students have worked

in the Texas Legisla-

ture, producing in-depth

research reports at the

end of each session.

This year’s report

focused on lawsuits

filed by the State of

Texas challenging the

federal government.

Seven graduate stu-

dents from The Bush

School of Government

and Public Service at


got an up-close view

of the 85th session of

the Texas Legislature

as part of a capstone

course.

Led by Professor

Ann Bowman, students

worked as aides and

analysts on legislative

committees and in the

offices of members of

the Texas House and

Senate during the 2017

session.

Students prepared

for the experience by

learning about legisla-

tures in general and the

Texas Legislature in

particular. “Legislatures

are fascinating policy-

Aggies in Austin STARs in the Classroom


With some experts

asserting that

geosciences could be

the defining scientific

discipline of the 21st

century, the College of Geosciences willbegin offering an undergraduate degreein oceanography thisfall. Courses will

provide students a

sea of opportunities

to study critical

challenges such as

climate science and

water quality.

Three Aggies werenamed to Forbes’ “30Under 30” list for 2017:

NFL football stars Von

Miller ’11 and

Martellus Bennett ’09

as well as Sam Yinglin

Xu ’11, head of oil and

gas investment banking

for CohnReznick Capital

Markets Securities.

What’s it like for a

head coach when the

winning buzzer goes

off at a championship

game? In his new book,

“A Coaching Life,”

published by the Texas

A&M University Press,

Head Women’s

Basketball Coach GaryBlair shares his storiedcareer and the lessons

he’s learned on thehardwood. To purchase,

visit give.am/GaryBlair.

4NO.

labw

ork


Birds of a New Feather A Texas A&M University team discoveredthree never-before-documented bird speciesin an area of Africa said to be lacking inavian biodiversity.

“The discovery of these new species isa good example of the amount of hiddendiversity living in Afrotropical forests,” saidGary Voelker, professor and curator of birdsin the Department of Wildlife and Fish-eries Sciences at Texas A&M. “Our evidenceruns directly counter to the belief of earlierresearchers that Afrotropical forests arestatic places where little evolutionary di-versification has occurred.”

The three new species are forest robinsin the genus Stiphrornis hailing from WestAfrica and the Congo Basin. They look sim -ilar, but have clear genetic differences.

“Each of the species represent a dis-tinct lineage based on our genetic anal ysis,”Voelker said. “The three are further distin-guished from other birds in the genus bydifferences in wing and tail length andplumage coloration. One species has a dis-tinctive song as well.”

Voelker named one species Rudder’sForest Robin after Gen. Earl Rudder ’32.


at Galveston student

Katie Westmoreland ’16

enjoyed the trip of a

lifetime at the bottom

of the world: Antarctica.

The Dayton, Texas,

native spent six weeks

on the continent this

spring with 22 other

researchers as part

of an internship with

the National Science

Foundation’s Long-

Term Ecological

Research Program.

A double major in

marine fisheries and

marine biology, she

studied topics including

climate change, ocean

currents and marine

diets alongside some

of the world’s top

scientific minds.

“The primary inves -

tigators of this program

have studied Antarctic

ecosystem changes for

25 years,” Westmore-

land said. “Climate

change occurs more

rapidly at the poles

than in other parts of

the world, so studying

temperature fluctua-

tions and annual

declines in sea ice is

critical to understand-

ing Antarctic ecology.”

Westmoreland’s

research focused on

zooplankton such as

krill and salps.

“These organisms

are two important parts

of the marine food web

easily influenced by

temperature and sea

ice coverage,” West-

moreland said. “Krill

especially is a key food

source for whales,

penguins and seals,

so understanding their

distribution and abun-

dance helps us learn

about other parts of

the marine food web

in Antarctica.”

Since ecological

processes do not hap-

pen rapidly, long-term

data helps researchers

understand how parts

of the food web inter-

act over time.

The Ends of the EarthTexas A&M University at Galveston student Katie Westmoreland ’16spent six weeks in Antarctica studying climate change, ocean currentsand marine diets.

Researchers discovered three new species of forest robin in the genusStiphrornis. Untilnow, Stiphrornis erythothorax (below)was the only speciesknown, as shown in the “Catalogue of the Birds in theBritish Museum,”published in 1883.

Mapping EmotionsWith the help of volunteers and the TexasTarget Communities outreach unit in theCollege of Architecture, Austin artist Jen-nifer Chenoweth will debut a public artproject called the “XYZ Atlas.” This color-coded, data-based map will geographicallyplot where individuals experienced emo-tional highs and lows in Bryan-CollegeStation.

The project is created using geo-graphic information system software anddata from anonymous surveys completedby area residents. Questionnaires askedparticipants to note where within the com -munity they experienced specific emotionssuch as joy, fear, sadness, anticipation, angerand surprise.

To increase survey participation byminority populations, Texas Target Com-munities enlisted graduate urban planningstudents to collect data for the project atevents hosted by African American andHispanic groups.

The data gathered is used as a teach-ing tool in an undergraduate urban eco-nomic development class led by CeciliaGiusti, associate professor of planning.

“This project will not only deliverbeautiful art and valuable data, but is alsogrounded in participatory planning prac-tices that gather input from diverse popu-lation groups within a community,” saidGiusti. “Students learn that this kind ofdata can add an additional dimension, alongwith income, race and gender, in a spatialanalysis of a city’s economy.”

Get a Whiff of This Christine Tisone, professor of health ed-ucation in the Department of Health andKinesiology at Texas A&M University, dis -covered an unconventional way to alleviatethe progression of memory loss in demen-tia patients: spice painting.

Tisone started a service learning proj-ect three years ago at a local assisted livingfacility in College Station as part of a humandisease class she teaches. While studentsinitially could volunteer to take part in theactivity, an outpouring of positive feedbackinspired Tisone to make participation amandatory part of the course.

Students spend a few hours two orthree times per week painting and visitingwith dementia patients. They make paintsby mixing water with various spices to cre-ate different colors and smells, which havethe potential to elicit memories for patientsand provide talking points for students.

“Many patients, even those with se-vere dementia, can recall memories basedon what they smell,” said Tisone. “If not,the activity still spurs conversation, andthe most important part of memory careis interaction with other people.”

While Tisone concedes that spicepaint ing is no end-all cure for dementia,there is anecdotal evidence of decreasedanxiety in patients who have participatedsince the program's inception.

And the Oscar goes to…Texas A&M visualization

students! More than

15 graduates and one

current student helped

propel Disney

Animation Studios’

“Zootopia” and Pixar

Animation Studios’

“Piper” to movie fame.

The films won Best

Animated Feature and

Best Animated Short

Film, respectively, at the

2017 Academy Awards.


testresults

Researchers and

students in the

Department of

Mechanical Engineering

have made it easier

for those with visual

impairments to read by

developing a portable3-D printer that canmanufacture highlydurable and waterproofbraille labels. These

can be affixed to

a large variety of

products with details

like the product’s

name, expiration date

and usage.

The “XYZ Atlas”project seeks to createa spatial analysis of Bryan- CollegeStation by plottingwhere residents experience emotionalhighs and lows. Student volunteersplotted color-codedflags that correspondto different emotionson a large- scale mapof the area.

Dr. Christine Tisone employs spice paintingtherapy in work with dementia patients.Numerous studies show a strong associationbetween memory and the sense of smell.

Of the millions of

patients admitted to

U.S. hospitals each year,

nearly 250,000 will

contract Clostridium

difficile, an intestinal

bacterium that causes

life-threatening

diarrhea and severe

colon inflammation.

Using mice, Texas A&M

biologist Joseph Sorg

is researching how thebacterium colonizes to

understand factorsthat affect human

susceptibility and tolay the groundwork

for preventing future infections.

Training the Troops

The wedding registry of Alex ’10 andMichael Nance ’08 included somethingmore meaningful than your typical serv-ing platters, plates and silverware. In lieuof wedding gifts, the couple asked theirguests to donate money toward a $25,000endowed scholarship at Texas A&M.

“During our engagement, we talkedabout starting to build our legacy together,”Michael said. “Giving back to our almamater, the place that brought us together,seemed like the perfect way to begin thatlegacy.”

The newlyweds received an over-whelming response from their guests andraised more than $3,000 toward their schol -arship in 2014. While the Nances plannedto continue contributing funds to endow

the scholarship during the next five years,Michael’s grandfather Wayne Nance passedaway just months after their wedding andleft the couple funds in his estate. Theychose to honor him by fulfilling the rest ofthe endowment.

“Wayne was the most gracious andgiving person,” Alex said. “He always re-minded us of how blessed we are and howimportant it is to give back to those in need.”

The Nances’ first scholarship recipientwill be awarded this fall. Uniquely, theydes ignated that the recipient alternate eachyear between a business and petroleumengi neering student to reflect their ownmajors.


newgifts

veterans gain economic

freedom, Reynolds and

Reynolds gave a $2 mil -

lion gift. To recognize

their generosity, the

program was renamed

the Reynolds and

Reynolds Entrepre-

neurship Bootcamp

for Veterans with

Disabilities.

“Reynolds and

Reynolds has recruited

heavily at Texas A&M

for years, and the ranks

of our employees—

from executives to

Since 2007, the Center

for New Ventures and

Entrepreneurship in

Mays Business School

has hosted more than

200 veterans in its

Entrepreneurship Boot-

camp for Veterans.

A unique initiative, the

program teaches post-

9/11 veterans with

service-related dis-

abilities how to create

and sustain entrepre-

neurial ventures.

To ensure the pro-

gram continues to help

smaller roles—are well

represented by Aggies,”

said Vice Chairman

Rob Nalley ’65. “With

this gift, we can pro-

vide a lasting impact

for military veterans,

one of our country’s

greatest resources.”

The bootcamp is

one of only a handful

of such programs at

higher education insti-

tutions in the United

States. Veterans par-

ticipate in a three-

week online course

and a nine-day inten-

sive residency on the

Texas A&M campus,

during which they meet

accomplished entre-

preneurs and complete

80 hours of instruction.

Afterward, they are

offered 12 months of

follow-up support.

During the last 10

years, more than 60

percent of participants

launched a business

within months of leav-

ing Texas A&M.

Something Old, Something New

Alex ’10 and MichaelNance ’08 askedtheir wedding gueststo donate money toward a $25,000endowed scholarshipat Texas A&M.

A $2 million giftfrom Reynolds andReynolds names an entrepreneurshipbootcamp for veterans in TexasA&M’s Mays Business School.

Loyal Patrons There’s a lot to be said about loyalty. Cyn-thia ’77 and G. Dan Parker ’62, who serveda combined 66 years in Texas A&M’s Pro -vost Office and Engineering Program Of-fice, respectively, can attest to that. In anew show of devotion, the couple recentlyendowed two study abroad scholarshipsutilizing matching funds.

“If we had our way,” Cynthia said, “everystudent would get the opportunity to goabroad and experience life outside of Col-lege Station.”

The Parkers established their first studyabroad scholarship in 2013, but jumped onthe opportunity to establish two more schol -arships in 2016 through the John TomCampbell ’45 Endowed Scholarship Pro-gram. This program will provide match ingfunds in $25,000 increments for 54 studyabroad scholarships.

Twenty-seven of the available scholar-ships were established as of June 30. By con-tributing $50,000 and utilizing $50,000 inCampbell matching funds, the Parkers aregiving more Aggies the opportunity to re-ceive the cultural experiences they believeare important.

“When students travel and interactwith people from different cultures, theirhorizons are broadened,” Dan said. “Theytend to see the world in a new light.”


giftwrap-up

After hearing that his

family was funding a

veteran’s scholarship

to honor his late great-

grandfather, 5-year-old

Jude O’Neal placed his

entire life savings—

$2.33—in a plastic

sandwich bag and

made his contributionto the $100,000 MajorNolan O’Neal, USA(Ret.) ’75 Aggie VeteranFreedom Scholarship.

on her four years in

Aggieland. “I was

incred ibly blessed to

have a debt-free edu-

cation, but I know that

is not the case for most

students,” Lindsey said.

For Dustin, a li-

censed captain in the

Merchant Marines and

chief mate for Diamond

Offshore Drilling Inc.,

the Dresners endowed

a $25,000 scholarship

for students studying

marine transportation

at Texas A&M Univer-

sity at Galveston.

“Scholarships not

only benefit the stu-

dent recipient,” Glenn

said, “but also relieve

stress from the parents

of that child. We are

grateful to give back

to Texas A&M for all

that it has given our

family.”

Siblings Lindsey Dres-

ner-Duke ’06 and Dustin

Dresner ’01 unwrapped

an unusual set of pres-

ents last Christmas—

ones that revealed not

trinkets or gadgets,

but two plaques com-

memorating scholar-

ships endowed in their

names by their parents,

Brenda and Glenn

Dresner ’69.

“We’ve always en-

joyed giving gifts that

are a total surprise,”

Glenn said, “but it was

extremely hard for us

to keep the scholar-

ships secret for more

than six months!”

For Lindsey, who

started dancing at age

4, Glenn and Brenda

established a $25,000

endowed Aggie Dance

Team scholarship to

recognize the impact

the organization had

Scholarships not only benefit the student recipient, but also relievestress from the parents of that child. — g l e n n D r e S n e r ’ 6 9

“ ”

Santa’s Special Surprise

Siblings LindseyDresner-Duke ’06and Dustin Dresner ’01 receivedunique Christmasgifts: scholarshipsendowed in theirnames by their parents.

Cynthia ’77 and G. Dan Parker ’62(above) recently endowed two studyabroad scholarshipsutilizing matchingfunds.

For Andrea ’94 and Lyle

Eastham ’94, giving

back defines being an

Aggie. The couple

created a gift in liberal

arts that will provide a

$10,000 scholarship to one communication,

economics or international studiesmajor each semester

for five years.

A gift from William

Merriweather Peña ’42,

a World War II hero and

renowned architect,

created an endowedscholarship programthat will help aspiring graduate, undergraduate andprospective Aggie architects receiveworld-class educations.

s a child, Brad Rowe ’97 watched his elderslive their lives altruistically—starting withhis grandfather William Maier Jr. Aftergraduating from Harvard Law School in1928, he founded the Maier Foundationwith the mission of advancing higher ed-ucation in his home state of West Virginia.

Since its inception,the Foun dation hasprovided grants touniversities in WestVirginia and to stateresidents attendingcol lege elsewhere.

Today, the MaierFoundation impacts hundreds of livesacross the United States. It makes grantsto the University of Charleston, West Vir-ginia University, Marshall University andother schools across the country, as well asto educationally-related cultural organiza-tions in West Virginia.


theleg

acy

A

Brad Rowe ’97created a charitablebequest in his estatethat will fund need-based scholarships forfuture engineeringstudents.

Maier Foundation President Brad Rowe ’97 creates a scholarship fundfor future engineers.

By Ashley WAGNeR ’18

Family Legacy Inspires Bequest

quests can be directed to support any areaat Texas A&M.

“My hope is that these scholarshipsbenefit needy but talented engineeringstu dents,” Rowe said. “Since the funds willcreate an endowment after my lifetime,scholarship support will be provided inperpetuity.”

While his family holds strong famil-ial ties to West Virginia, Rowe grew up inTexas, attending middle and high schoolin Sugar Land afterhis father trans -ferred to Houstonfor work. After re-ceiving bachelor’sand master’s de-grees in busi ness ad -ministration fromTexas A&M, Rowereturned to WestVir ginia and nowserves as presidentof General Corp., acommercial real es-tate company basedin Charleston, aswell as president ofthe Maier Founda-tion. He is one ofseveral third-gener-ation Maier familymem bers on theFoundation’s boardof directors, follow-ing in their grand-father’s footsteps ofsupporting studentsand opening doorsfor younger gener-ations.

Impact of Bequests Creating a bequest is one of the easiest ways to establish a planned gift through the Texas

A&M Foundation, and bequests generate millions of dollars for Texas A&M each year.

After adding the Foundation’s bequest language to your will or trust, you can specify

that a gift be made to support Texas A&M students, faculty, colleges, programs or student

organiza tions. View our bequest language at give.am/BequestLanguage. If you have al-

ready made a bequest to Texas A&M in your will or trust but haven’t notified the Foun dation,

please let us know by calling (800) 392-3310 or by emailing [email protected].

“The fact is,private scholarshipsupport makes thereal difference inget ting students in -to college and ulti-mately integratingthem into the work -force,” Rowe said.

The exampleset by his family his -tory inspired himto make his owncon tribution to theeducational cycle.Rowe created theCarl Tommy RoweScholarship Fundat Texas A&Mthrough a charita-ble bequest in hisestate, and the fundwill provide need-based scholarshipsfor engineering stu-dents. The gift hon-

ors his father, a chemical engineer andgrad uate of the University of Kentucky.

“I’m proud to create engineering schol -arships at a school with such a strong en-gineering legacy,” Rowe said. “Furthermore,this gift honors my father for being such agreat role model for me and my brothers.He’s always there to provide support andencourage us in every path we choose.”

A charitable bequest can be outlinedin a will or trust and specifies that a gift bemade to the Foundation as part of an in-dividual’s estate plan. It allows individualsto retain assets during their lifetimes andcan later lessen family tax burdens. Be-


“Through our family foundation, I’veseen the huge impact a scholarship can haveon someone’s life,” Rowe said. “I’m gratefulto offer similarly life-changing opportuni-ties for students at Texas A&M.” t

TO dIsCuss hOW A PlANNed GIFT CAN

BeNeFIT yOu, yOuR FAMIly ANd TexAs A&M

uNIveRsITy, CONTACT GleNN PITTsFORd ’72

AT [email protected]

OR (800) 392-3310.

4870827785

Bequests Booked 2011–2012

2012–2013

2013–2014

2014–2015

2015–2016

$18.2$7.9

$190.7$18.9

$54.4$16.4

$55.5$11.7

$73.1$19.9

n Bequest gift expectancies n Realized bequests

$ MIllIONs 0 50 100 175 200

$74,744,975Total realized bequests | 2011–2016


Private philanthropy gives Texas A&M’s astronomy program the freedomto explore the depths of the cosmos.

By dR . NIChOlAs B. suNTZeFF

uNIveRsITy dIsTINGuIshed PROFessOR OF PhysICs ANd AsTRONOMy

MITChell-MuNNeRlyN-heeP ChAIR IN OBseRvATIONAl AsTRONOMy

dIReCTOR , TexAs A&M AsTRONOMy PROGRAM

Secrets of the Universe

s I reflect on how I have been so fortunatein my astronomy career, culminating inthis dream job as a professor at Texas A&MUniversity, I realize I am here because ofphilanthropy and foresight in forms largeand small.

My first job was as a paperboy, where—while I would like to say I learned the valueof a nickel earned—I mostly learned neverto take a paper route with a steep hill. Myfirst real science job was staining lab sam-ples and mixing chemicals in a pathologylab. I was only 16.

When I entered Stanford Universityfor a mathematics degree in 1970, it was ex-pected that my tuition would be covered inequal parts by me, my parents and a statescholarship. My parents were not wealthy,and my financial situation worsened whenmy father became ill and then paralyzedfrom a World War II injury. With medicalexpenses, they could not muster up theirone-third portion for my final two yearsof college. I thought it might mean an endto my education until I got a letter fromStanford informing me that I was awardeda scholarship. I’d never applied, so it wasmost mysterious at the time.

It turns out that Dr. John Manwaring,a physician and friend of my father’s—andthe man whom I’d worked for as a 16-year-old in the pathology lab—donated themoney anonymously. I learned the storymuch later, when my father told me that Dr.Man war ing was proud that I’d chosen sci-ence. What a wonderful gesture, and thefirst of many times that private philan-thropy would intersect my life.

After graduating from Stanford, I com -pleted my graduate and postdoctoral ed-ucation at observatories built by privatedonations for nothing else but the advance -ment of science. It was here that my inter-est in cosmology, supernova studies andastronomical instrumentation took shape.

My next job was as a staff astronomerfor 20 years at the U.S. National OpticalAstronomy Observatory based at the CerroTololo Inter-American Observatory in LaSerena, Chile. Two of our telescopes werebuilt partially with private funding. Whilethere, Dr. Brian Schmidt and I co-foundedthe High-Z Supernova Search Team thatco-discovered dark energy—and conse-quently the universe’s acceleration—in 1998,a finding honored as Science magazine’s

A

onev

oice

Astronomer EdwinHubble is renownedfor determining thatthere are galaxies inthe universe beyondthe Milky Way andfor discovering thatthe universe expandsat a constant rate.Below is one of thephotographic plateshe took in 1923that he used in his measurement of thescale of the universe.The plate is on loanto Dr. Suntzeff fromthe Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science.


and Astronomy, we offer both a minor inastrophysics and a Ph.D. in astronomy.

Astronomy at Texas A&M would nothave happened without the philanthropyof Cynthia and George P. Mitchell ’40, theMitchell Foundation, and the Mitchells’daughter and son-in-law, Sheridan andPerry Lorenz. Through donations fromthe Mitchells and matching funds fromthe university, we are a 5 percent partnerin the GMT. Four of our faculty hold en-dowed chairs funded either exclusively orin part by the Mitchells, who also endowed

“Scientific Breakthrough of the Year” andawarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011.

In 2006, under Texas A&M’s Vision2020 program and then-President BobGates, the Department of Physics estab-lished an astronomy program, and I washired to bring it to life. We now have ninefaculty and teach more than 1,700 studentsper year. We are members of the GiantMagellan Telescope (GMT) Project, whichseeks to build the world’s largest telescopeat the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.Now titled the Department of Physics

a lectureship in astronomy and a postdoc-toral fellowship. My office is in the GeorgeP. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institutefor Fundamental Physics and Astronomy,and part of my research funding comes fromthe Mitchell endowment to the institute.

Thanks to Mr. Mitchell’s vision, theGMT will be the first of three next-gener-ation, ground-based telescopes to beginscience operations. We will peer deeperinto the cosmos than anyone else. Whoknows what we will find? Just as it was Mr.Mitchell’s dream to see the edge of the uni-verse, it is my dream that Texas A&M as-tronomers will be among those who firstfind life elsewhere in the universe.

I often get compliments on buildingour world-class astronomy program. Butit wasn’t me. We can hire exceptional as-tronomers because of our membership inthe GMT and because of the many Mitchellfamily endowments supporting astronom -ical research. And with great faculty, wecan attract outstanding graduate studentswho will bring further prestige to our pro-gram.

Private philanthropy has afforded methe freedom to explore some of the uni-verse’s deepest secrets. Through the dis-coveries I help make, I hope I can repaysome of the trust given to me by these menand women of vision. t

TO suPPORT The dePARTMeNT OF PhysICs

ANd AsTRONOMy, CONTACT:

RANdy luNsFORd

dIReCTOR OF develOPMeNT

TexAs A&M FOuNdATION

(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 845-6474

[email protected]

Multimillion- dollargifts from Cynthiaand George P.Mitchell ’40 and theMitchell Foundationboost Texas A&M'shighly- ranked astronomy program.

viewpoint

Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!Using an algorithm that converts songs into

artwork, a professor in the Department of Com -

puter Science and Engineering created this

visual representation of the Aggie War Hymn.

Developed by Tim Davis, the algorithm cap -

tures a song’s time and frequency and maps

this information into a domain of space and

color. Each line signifies a musical note, while

colors denote different frequencies. Blue and

green represent low notes, while yellow, red

and maroon represent high notes.

In this image, the War Hymn starts with the

orange and maroon burst on the left. “The or-

ange is the soloist calling out ‘Hullabaloo,’

while the maroon flecks are the yells of the

band and crowd in response,” Davis said. The

deep maroon in the center signifies the whis -

tle blow that calls the band’s instruments to

attention, while the trumpets’ blares are white

and blue. “The maroon spiral is the band play -

ing the rest of the music,” Davis added. “You

might say the band makes the ‘G’ for ‘Gig ’em!’”

Davis applies his algorithms to all genres

of music, but finds they work best on music

with heavy beats like electronic. Regular pat -

terns result from genres with consistent beats

like jazz, but orchestral music yields complex

art. “Math is so incredibly beautiful,” Davis

said. “It just needs to be translated into a

medium that everyone can appreciate.” t

Watch a video of the War Hymn imageforming at give.am/WarHymn. View Davis’gallery of art at give.am/AlgorithmicArt.

By ReTIRed BRIG. GeN. jOe e. RAMIReZ jR. ’79

COMMANdANT, TexAs A&M CORPs OF CAdeTs

Joining the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M wasa life-changing experience. It taught me manylessons, allowed me to develop lifelong friend-ships and gave me a foundation in leadership thatserved me well as an officer in the United StatesArmy upon graduation. I came to Texas A&M tobecome a member of the Fightin’ Texas AggieBand, not knowing much about the university’straditions, the Corps’ military structure or theband. But during my four years, I learned justhow special being an Aggie truly is and beganto understand how much my experience in theCorps would impact the rest of my life.

When I returned to Texas A&M as Com-mandant in 2010, I was struck by how much hadchanged since I last walked on campus as a cadetin 1979. Unfortunately, walking onto the Quad

had the opposite effect: I was struck by howmuch had stayed the same. There were minorupgrades to the dorms and landscaping, but theside walks had the same undulations and cracks,the grounds were more dirt than grass and theE.V. Adams Band Hall looked exactly the sameas 40 years prior.

It became obvious that we needed a “strate-gic plan”—a blueprint for turning the Quad intoa modern living-learning environment to growthe Corps and attract high-caliber cadets. In2011, after working with Barnes GromatzkyKosarek Architects and gaining the support ofThe Texas A&M Uni versity System Board ofRegents and Chancellor John Sharp ’72, we em-barked on the largest renovation to the Quadsince its construction in 1939.

We completed Phase 1 in August 2016, whichincluded a complete overhaul of dorms 1 through8; new landscaping, trees, benches and lightingon the north end of the Quad; and the opening

of the Susan & Michael J. Plank ’83 and StephenC. Ash ’87 Leadership Learning Centers (LLCs).This brought the total number of LLCs on theQuad to four, following the opening of the TonyBuzbee ’90 LLC in 2012 and the H. Grady AshJr. ’58 LLC in 2014. Funded through private do-nations to the Texas A&M Foundation of morethan $20 million, these centers offer open-accesscomputer labs, group study rooms, and comfort-able lounges and couches for cadets to utilize asthey focus on their academic success.

Our Phase 2 renovations, to be completedbefore the fall semester, consist of re vamp ingdorms 9 through 12 and completing landscap-ing and paving on the south end of the Quad. Inaddition to creating a safer, more efficient spacefor cadets to live, these upgrades improve ourrecruiting efforts by showing prospective stu-dents and parents that we are committed to fos-tering a positive living and learning environmentfor our cadets.


R E N OVAT I O N S TO T H E Q UA D R E F L E C T A C H A N G I N G A N D G ROW I N G C O R P S O F C A D E T S .


Widening the ScopeIn some instances, we have extended our Corps-related upgrades well past the Quad. With thegrand opening of the Dorothy and Arthur Mc-Ferrin ’65 Parsons Mounted Cavalry Headquar-ters at Fiddler’s Green in 2016, our cavalry unitgained its own ded icated facility. The new 4,000-square-foot space includes a training and instruc -tion area, a storage area for tack and equipment,a tack repair room, exterior tie racks for saddlinghorses and offices. This improvement was madepossible by the McFerrins and by Malcolm Ste -wart ’73, who provided a generous gift to enhancethe headquarters’ original design.

Additionally, the John D. White ’70–RobertL. Walker ’58 Music Activities Cen ter ground -breaking is sched uled Sept. 8, with completionof the facility set for fall 2019. The new center willreplace the E.V. Adams Band Hall, which canno longer safely accommodate Texas A&M’s 13orchestras, ensembles and choirs. As a former

saxophone player in the Fightin’ Texas AggieBand, this project is especially close to my heart.

The new building will include a 100-yardartificial turf practice field for the Aggie Bandthat will eliminate uneven and unsafe rehearsalconditions. It will also house multiple rehearsalspaces to ensure that en sembles can practice inareas appropriate to their size and scope. Finally,the new facility will provide adequate, secure stor -age for both personal and university equipment.

New Century, New LookCreating an environment for our cadets that isconducive to their development as leaders is amust. To continue the tradition of a strong andrespectable Corps of Cadets, we must offer facil-ities that promote a productive living and learn-ing community. This massive undertaking is stillin progress, but I continue to be excited aboutwhat the future holds, both on and off the Quad.

The next time you’re on campus, I inviteyou to visit the newly renovated Quad and ex-perience our world-class facilities. I hope you’llfind that we’ve “stepped off ” into a new era. t

TO suPPORT The CORPs, CONTACT:

MATT jeNNINGs ’95

seNIOR dIReCTOR OF develOPMeNT


(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 845-7604

[email protected]

The renovatedQuad includesfour LeadershipLearning Centersthat offer amplespace for cadets to study.

The ParsonsMounted Cavalryheadquarters atFiddler’s Greenunderwent massiveupgrades thanks to a lead gift from Dorothy and Arthur McFerrin ’65.


Texas A&M’s Veterinary Emergency Team impacts the state, nation and world through disaster response and relief efforts.

The Texas A&MVeterinary Emergency Team is the large�, mo� sophi�icated veterinaryemergency response unit in the nation, and themo� deployed.

MISS

ION

BYJE

ANNIE

RALS

TON

Presented with an extremely weak canine and two others in an acute

lethargic state, Strike Team 1 of Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Emer -

gency Team (VET) needed answers fast. The team first considered a stom -

ach virus, perhaps caught from foul flood waters in the area. But signs

pointed in another direction: The team had reason to believe one of the

dogs had ingested petroleum. AON

2009 to form a mobile veterinary unit that could deploy with other

first responders during natural or man-made disasters.

The VET saw its first action during the Bastrop fires. The unit—

with only one trailer at the time—deployed with Texas Task Force 1,

which works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Part

of its mission was to attend to the Task Force’s search and rescue dogs,

keeping them healthy as they combed through acres of burned land.

With four to six exams daily, plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration

and bandages to protect paws from the hot, ash-covered ground, the

service dogs worked for six continuous days in good health.

A second component of the team’s duty was to triage and stabilize

animals impacted by the fires. The group, which included nine vet eri -

nary students, triaged and stabilized more than 150 animals rescued

from the fire’s aftermath at no charge to owners or to the community.

“We recognized the critical impact the VET could have on our stu -

dents,” reported Bissett. “Now, fourth-year veterinary students spend

two weeks of clinical rotation in veterinary medical emergency pre-

paredness and response through our Com munity Connections Course.

We are the only veterinary school in the country with this require ment.

“The rotations teach students the value of teamwork, community

outreach and com munication,” said Bissett. “I’m convinced that even

if these students never get involved with emergency medicine in their

careers, they’ll still walk away with knowledge and management skills

important to succeeding in private practice.”

If there are no deployments during a rotation, students participate

in the VET’s bimonthly exercises with Texas Task Force 1 search and

rescue dogs and partake in virtual emergency exercises. They also

help Texas counties integrate animal evacuation and sheltering into

their emergency plans.

“The days spent on deployment were un like anything I’ve experi -

enced,” said Sarah White ’13 ’17, who spent three days with the VET

during flooding in Brazoria County last summer. “We saw a constant

stream of people—people who had just lost everything—who wanted

to know what they could do for us because we saved their animals.”

eb Zoran, professor of veterinary med -

icine and associate direc tor of the VET, directed the team to a web-

site that helps first responders identify possible poisonings based on

symptoms. “In a flood, all kinds of household products can end up in

the water,” she said. As the team debated whether the dogs could

be saved, Zoran’s walkie-talkie crackled. “Strike Team 2 has an an-

imal that needs to be decon taminated,” a voice said.

The scene was one of urgency and con sequence. It was also sim -

ulated. The case de tails were fabricated to give the team a sense of

the real issues and challenges that responders face when caring for

animals in an emergency—part of the VET’s annual deployment exer -

cise in Fort Hood in February. Simulations revolved around flash flood -

ing and low-level flooding in the area around the military base, where

the VET was stationed for three days in full force: 32 people, medical

and logistics trailers, trucks and service vans, and 3,000 square feet

of climate-controlled tent space.

Texas A&M’s VET is the largest, most sophisticated veterinary emer -

gency response unit in the country, and the most deployed. “More fed -

eral disasters happen in Texas than in any other state,” said Wesley

Bissett. As director of the VET, Bissett has led the group’s response

to numerous disasters, including the 2011 fires in Bastrop, Texas, the

2013 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, and the 2016 floods in

Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties. “Our efforts impact the far corners

of our state and nation.”

TH E HURR I C ANE DID ITOne positive outcome arose following Hur ricane Katrina’s devasta-

tion in 2005: U.S. authorities realized that many people refuse to evac -

uate their homes in emergencies because they don’t want to leave

their pets. Large numbers of homeless and lost pets after the hurri -

cane demonstrated that local emergency efforts must include a more

coordinated approach. Hoping to prevent a similar scenario in Texas,

the state Division of Emergency Management asked Texas A&M in


D When disaster strikes, people lose their homes.Often, a surviving pet is all they have to connectthem with their past.”

—WESLEY BISSET T

“

s p i r i t m ag a z i n e / s u m m e r 2 01 7 | 23

Once deployed to a disa�er, members of the Veterinary Emergency Team begin their mission by assembling field and trailer-basedmedical platforms to treat injured animals.


TX-TF1


TX-TF1In Bastrop, it was burns. In the Brazoria floods in 2016, the team saw

horses and live stock lose skin and flesh on their legs from standing in

flood waters for days. In the West explosion, ruptured eardrums were

the most common affliction. And in every deployment, the team treats

many dehydrated animals, since fresh water may be inaccessible.

When the team deploys to a disaster scene, its first responsibil-

ity is triage. Members must quickly assess an animal’s condition and

prioritize treatment. The second objective is stabilization. Though its

trailers are well-equipped with supplies and diagnostics such as ultra -

sound, the team can’t perform intricate tests, X-rays or surgery. Each

animal examined must be moved to an animal hospital, a shelter or

placed with an owner. The alternative—if the animal can’t be saved—

is euthan asia. While this is avoided when possible, it may be the most

humane option if the animal is suffering. Nevertheless, two doctors

must agree before any animal can be put down.

“We see animals we don’t know much about that often come in

without an owner,” said Zoran. “We can’t do much lab work. We have

to use our physical exam skills, ex perience and basic medicine.”

The team deploys after a county or community hit by a man-made

or natural disaster requests assistance from the state’s Emergency

Management Division. While in the field, the 20 to 24 deployed VET

team members work 12- to 16-hour days, trying their best to save every

animal. While the VET works in conjunction with local veterinarians,

its mission is to take the load off of private practitioners.

“During an emergency, veterinary offices get overwhelmed with

the combination of disaster-impacted animals and regular patients,”

said Cheryl Ellis, a lecturer in emer gency management in the college.

“Most veterinary practices are small businesses, and when people

bring in animals without an owner, who pays the bill? Most veterinar -

ians would never refuse to treat an animal, but disaster scenarios can

create financial hardship.”

The VET’s longest deployment span ned 18 days, when Zoran and

Bissett took care of Bentley, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who be -

longed to Nina Pham, the Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola. During

longer-term deployments, VET members—some of whom are veteri -

narians and technicians in private practice—leave their homes and

jobs to set up the VET’s field hospital and live on-site. For those

who teach or work at Texas A&M, other professors and staff mem-

bers fill in during their absence.

Compensation for long, intense days comes when owners are re -

united with their pets. “Animals play an important role in our lives,”

Bis sett said. “Reuniting an animal with its owner plays a big role in

healing. You’re helping an individual take the first steps toward re -

covery and getting them through their very worst day.”

When Zoran and Bissett returned Bentley to Pham—both cleared

from the Ebola scare—Pham said it felt like Christmas.

HELPING

PEOPLE

This canine decontamination unit was developed for the Veterinary Emergency Teamin collaboration with �udents from the Collegeof Archite�ure. Built on a hydraulic platformthat can move up and down, the device alsocontains an air filtration sy�em.

26 | T E X A S A & M F O U N DAT I O N

Wesley Bissett, dire�or of the VET (left), andDeb Zoran, associate dire�or of the VET (above),share a passion for rescuing and healing animalsimpa�ed by disa�ers.


MOVING INTO THE FUTURE“These accommodations are relatively com fortable, but not 14-day

comfortable,” commented Bissett, as he stood in a trailer with cots

running down each side, all of them piled high with backpacks and

sleeping bags. “This is ‘home’ for doctors and volunteers who deploy

during an emergency. We set up temporary showers and bathrooms

nearby, but better facilities are needed all-around.”

The VET’s budget covers salaries, sup plies and maintenance, but

not new equipment. Therefore, to realize his major goal of obtaining

a new responder dorm trailer—which could cost up to $600,000—

Bissett must rely on do na tions. Another objective is to acquire small,

truck-based units for use in the field. The VET’s current trailers—four

ranging in length from 35 to 54 feet—are useful but don’t allow for

the quick mobility Bissett desires. “The medical platforms I have in

mind are smaller, but pack a big punch.”

The cost of truck-based units ranges from $200,000 to $250,000.

There are naming opportunities for both the responder dorm trailer

and mobile units, as well as for another priority: a warehouse in Col -

lege Station to house the unit’s equipment under one roof. Equipment

is currently spread out in several campus locations.

Finally, the VET seeks endowment fund ing to secure its long-term

future. There are opportunities for a director’s chair and for an opera -

tional endowment that could be used for equipment, supplies, train -

ing, course-related expenses and future growth of the team into other

states in collaboration with partner veterinary schools across the

nation. This $15 million endowment goal will provide permanent finan -

cial stability for the team.

In December 2016, the VET received a financial boost from the Ban -

field Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Banfield Pet Hospital. There are

more than 900 Banfield Pet Hospitals across the country. The Foun da -

tion’s $175,000 gift will go toward the purchase of a truck-based unit.

“We so admire and respect what the VET does to prioritize re-

sponse for pets in the aftermath of a disaster,” said Kim Van Syoc,

executive director of the Banfield Foun dation. “Their incredible work

aligns with our mission, so it felt only natural to expand our disaster

relief efforts into Texas and surrounding communities by sup port ing

this exceptional organization.”

Another recent gift of $50,000 from the Texas Pioneer Foundation

will support the VET’s Community Connections Course. “Students who

complete the course take what they learn to communities all over

Texas and the country,” said Fred Mark ham, founding director of the

Foundation, which expressly supports educational programs. “The pro -

gram exemplifies Texas A&M’s legacy of service and leadership.”

Bissett couldn’t agree more. “Look at what Aggies do,” he said.

“They lead by example, standing up when times are tough. Texas A&M’s

commitment to service and leadership is what makes it better than any

other university. We’re proud that the VET is part of that Aggie tra-

dition.” t

TO suPPORT The veTeRINARy eMeRGeNCy TeAM, CONTACT:

ChAsTITy CARRIGAN ’16



(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 845-9043

[email protected]

Give online at give.am/SupportVET.

Communities have to plan for people to evacuatewith their animals, and they have to plan for thesheltering of animals.”

—DEB ZORAN

“

T H E M . B . Z A L E L E A D E R S H I P S C H O L A R S P RO G R A M I N M AY S B U S I N E S S S C H O O L

P R E PA R E S S T U D E N T S F O R S U C C E S S F U L C A R E E R S I N R E TA I L I N G .

s she flips through buying catalogs of children’s toys and accessories, StephanieMartinez ’16 said she never imagined her first post-graduation job would land her in Houston,where she serves as an assistant buyer for Stage Stores Inc. at the company’s new corporateheadquarters near the Galleria. Operating in approximately 800 stores in 38 states, StageStores is a national conglom erate that specializes in providing brand name clothing, footwear,home décor and cosmetics to small towns and communities through stores like Bealls,Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage.

BY CHE L S E A O’N E AL ’1 7

a

Martinez curates children’s toys and acces-sories for boys and young men ages 2 to 20and enjoys the daily challenge of work ing ina fast-paced environment. From com pletingbuyer’s reports to making adver tising deci-sions, she successfully manages a full plateof tasks thanks in part to the experience andknowledge she gained as an M.B. Zale Lead -ership Scholar at Mays Business School’sCenter for Retailing Studies—one of thenation’s most prestigious retailing edu ca -tion programs.

Becoming a Businesswoman“I’ll be honest,” said Martinez, a first-gener -ation student who graduated with a de-gree in marketing, “I had no idea what Iwanted to do when I came to college.”

To find her footing, Martinez involvedherself in the Regents’ Ambassador Pro-gram, a learning community in Mays Busi -ness School for Regents’ Scholars, as well asthe Student Retailing Association. “That’swhen retail fell into my lap,” she recalled.“It was exciting and challenging. Plus, itperfectly marries my knack for numberswith my passion for fashion.”

Through her Regents’ adviser, Dr.Henry Musoma ’00, Martinez learnedabout the Zale Scholars Program and ap-plied her junior year. Though the interviewprocess was intense, her efforts paid off. “Myacceptance solidified that retail was the rightfield for me,” she said.

The M.B. Zale Leadership ScholarsPro gram was founded in 1997 with a $1 mil -lion endowed gift from Donald Zale ’55 inhonor of his late father Morris B. Zale,founder of jewelry retailer Zale Corp.

His gift created the M.B. Zale Chair inRetailing and Marketing Leadership, held


S T E P H A N I E M A RT I N E Z ’ 1 6 , A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N AG G I E , F O U N D T H AT

A C A R E E R I N R E TA I L I N G P E R F E C T LY M A R R I E S H E R A P T I T U D E F O R

N U M B E R S W I T H H E R PA S S I O N F O R FA S H I O N .

by Dr. Leonard Berry, but portions of thechair’s funds provide operational support forthe scholars program.

It is just one component of Zale’s life-long mission to develop the next generationof retailing leaders who understand how torun businesses, drive sales and motivateteams. In 1983, he encouraged the launch ofthe Center for Retailing Studies at TexasA&M University.

“The Zale Scholars Program is the lead -ing undergraduate development group forretailing students,” said Kelli Hollinger ’02,who joined the Center for Retailing Studiesin 2003 and become the program’s facultyadviser in 2014.

Acceptance into the program is highlycompetitive, as only four to eight studentsare admitted each semester. To qualify, stu-dents must maintain a 3.0 GPA, exhibitlead ership potential and—above all—becommitted to a career in retailing.

“This is the ultimate high-impact ed-ucational experience,” said Hollinger. “Stu-dents rarely remember information learnedfrom lectures, but hands-on professional de -velopment, executive mentoring and travelleave lasting impressions.”

As Zale Scholars, students interactwith CEO-level retailers at the Center forRetailing Studies’ annual Retailing Sum-mit in Dallas; gain insider knowledge aboutthe industry from executives who speak inmarketing classes; and travel to New Yorkduring spring break to visit flagship retailstores and buying offices.

“Through these opportunities, studentslearn how rewarding a career in retail ing canbe,” said Lauren Osborne ’05, program man -ager. “Zale Scholars network and learn fromthe best.”

The travel experience was Martinez’sfavorite aspect of the program. “The trip toNew York took the program full circle forme,” she said. “We received business advicefrom former Zale Scholars who now workfor national and international retail com-panies.”

Zale Scholars are also required to par -ticipate in the Retailing Career Fair, hostedby the Center for Retailing Studies, which iswhere Martinez landed her job with StageStores.

“I was drawn to Stage Stores becausethey offer an incredible 10-week executivetrainee program. It allowed me to see whatretailing is like from both the buying andplanning perspective before deciding whichdirection to pursue,” Martinez said. “I be-lieve that having the opportunity to talk torepresentatives from the company in casualand business settings put me above mycompetition for the job.”

Upon graduating and earning a Cer-tificate in Retail, Zale Scholars often receivemultiple job offers. Graduates have joinedsuccessful brands including Ama zon, Or-acle, JCPenney, Shell and H-E-B.

Buying into the FutureAs the Center for Retailing Studies’ direc-tor, Hollinger believes more can be done topromote retail careers to students acrosscampus. She hopes to recruit Aggies in otherdisciplines, like engineering, computer sci-ence and analytics.

“It’s our responsibility to welcome thechanging talent needs facing retail compa-nies,” Hollinger said. “By expanding the pro -gram to include different majors, we canprepare students with a broader, more tech -nical skill set to enter into careers in retail.”

With additional funding, Hollingerwould also incorporate new workshopsabout business etiquette, effective network -ing and executive presence. “We need moretouch points for professional development,”she said. “Classes teach students academiccompetencies, but there’s an important artto the business world that must be taught.”

Hollinger’s ultimate dream is to offerZale Scholars a trip abroad. “Retail is a globalindustry,” she added. “Through an interna-tional trip, students would acquire knowl-edge about manufacturing, sourcing, globalmarkets, cultures and sustainability issues.It would give our scholars a competitive edge.”

Martinez couldn’t be more grateful forthe program’s role in making her retail-ready.“I landed my dream job right out of college,”she added, “and I owe it to the M.B. ZaleLead ership Scholars Program for open -ing that door for me.” t

TO suPPORT The M.B. ZAle leAdeRshIP

sChOlARs PROGRAM, CONTACT:

BRIAN BIshOP ’91



(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 862-3615

[email protected]


D U R I N G S P R I N G BR E A K , Z A L E S C H O L A R S V I S I T F L AG S H I P

R E TA I L S T O R E S I N N EW YO R K A N D G A I N I N S I D E R

K N OW L E D G E F RO M I N D U S T RY E X E C U T I V E S .

truevision

Anthony Wood ’90, founder of Roku, reimagined the way we consume TV. B Y M O N I K A B L A C K W E L L

As a child, Anthony Wood ’90 was

noth ing short of industrious. His

fam ily’s home in Georgia abutted

a golf course, and the youngster

would collect overshot balls from

a nearby creek. “I’d sell them back

to the golfers for 25 cents,” Wood

explained.

He always looked for a way to

turn a profit, and it helped that in

ad dition to recognizing opportu-

nities, he was extremely skilled at

building things. In addition to a

home made rollercoaster and tran -

sistor radio kits, he designed tree

houses—one of which he sold to a

neigh bor’s child for $20.

While other kids might have rel -

ished putting things together solely

to learn how they worked, Wood

was drawn to the process itself. He

liked mak ing things—pure and sim -

ple. And he liked success.

Decades later, driven by the

same curiosity and aptitude, Wood

became a Silicon Valley sensation

as the founder and CEO of Roku.

software for the Commodore Amiga PC,and its most popular products were dig italaudio tools for editors. The enterprise grewfrom a dorm room pet project to a 14-per-son team working out of an office space nearthe Chicken Oil Company in Bryan. It wassustainable until his grades began to suffer.

“I was very optimistic,” he said. “I’d signup for classes, but I’d be too busy to go. Andworst of all, I didn’t drop them. My gradeswent down, and the university sent me aprobation letter saying that if my gradesdidn’t improve, I’d be kicked out.”

Wood made the difficult decision toshut down SunRize and focus on gradu-ating. In 1990, he received his degree, packedup a U-Haul and moved to California withhis then-girlfriend (now wife), Susan ’89, afellow Aggie who majored in environmen-tal design.

Tech HunchIn California, Wood re-established SunRizeand continued developing programs forthe Commodore Amiga.

“Amiga was a small market, but it was apioneer in desktop video,” Wood said. “Noweveryone makes videos on their comput-ers, but back then computers weren’t fastenough. The Amiga was the first modelwith some add-ons that allowed video pro-duction.”

SunRize operated until 1995, afterCom modore went out of business. Woodbriefly considered adapting SunRize toolsto work on other PCs, but he recognizedsomething bigger on the horizon: the riseof the internet. With the profit from Sun-Rize, he started a company named iBandto build a tool for creating websites. Beforelong, he found himself onstage at a confer-

“Hello, World”At age 13, Wood’s family moved to theNether lands, where he attended the Amer -ican School of the Hague and unlocked anew world for himself: computer coding.

“I became interested in electronics,”he said. “My school had a computer, so Istayed after school and taught myself toprogram.”

With a BASIC book as their guide,Wood and another student would spendhours at the computer terminal. When hisfamily moved to Houston a few years later,Wood convinced his dad to help him splitthe cost of a computer—a TRS-80—so hecould continue programming. It didn’t takelong for the entrepreneurial bug to bite. Torecoup the money he spent, Wood inves-tigated how he could sell his programs.

“Back then, there were two ways tomake a profit,” he said. “You could sell yourprograms to a magazine where they’d beprinted in the back, or you could sell themto a publishing company.”

After some rejections, Wood took adifferent approach. He started his first com -pany, AW Software, and sold one copy.

While his success was limited, the experience furnished Wood with the con-fidence he needed to explore senior-levelcomputer classes—such as operating sys-tem design and assembly language pro-gramming—as a freshman at Texas A&MUniversity in 1983. When it came time toselect a major, however, he chose electricalengineering to learn something new. “I feltI knew enough about computers and didn’tknow enough about electronics,” he said.

After a few years in the engineeringprogram, Wood started his second company,SunRize Industries. SunRize developed

ence showcasing iBand’s work. Represen-tatives from the company Macromedia werein the audience, and within a few weeks,Wood had sold his first company.

He worked with Macromedia througha two-year employment con tract, but ne-gotiated to exit the contract a few monthsearly. “It was my first job at a real company,which was a big shock,” he said. “I had justturned 30. I’d never had a boss before, andI didn’t understand their language. I hadjust moved from Texas and was unfamiliarwith Silicon Valley tech cul ture.”

For Wood, the question of what to donext was part risk, part hunch and part sheergenius—with a dash of Star Trek fan dommixed in. He wanted to build hardwarethat allowed users to record their fa voriteshows without the hassle of VHS tapes.

“Back then, we used the VCR to re cordTV shows. When ‘Star Trek: The NextGeneration’ was on, I’d set the timer andwatch it when I got home,” he said. “But even -tually, I’d wind up with all of these unla-beled and unorganized tapes.”

By monitoring Fry’s Electronics ad-vertisements, Wood followed the price ofhard drives and predicted when they wouldbe cheap enough to build his “personal tel-evision.” He started ReplayTV, the first com -pany to offer a digital video recorder, orDVR. Unfortunately, ReplayTV wasn’t theonly DVR option, nor did it gain the mosthype. Instead, TiVo entered the DVR mar -ket and quickly went public. It’s still a sorespot for Wood, but he calls the experience“eye-opening.”

Despite the setback, Wood’s best in-vention was yet to come. His ability to rec-ognize the next best thing in the tech worldwould be the impetus behind Roku.

Roku transforms a user’stelevision experience, bringingthe scope and interactivity of the internet into thecenterpiece of one’s living room.

A Better Way to WatchWood considers Roku his sixth company—he counts SunRize once for its CollegeStation days and a second time for its Cal-ifornia redux.

“Susan and I were eating at a Japaneserestaurant one night, and I was trying tothink of a name for Roku,” he said. “I askedthe waiter the Japanese word for five, whichis ‘go.’ Go was a failed technology companyback in the day, so I said, ‘What about six?’The waiter said, ‘Roku,’ and I said, ‘Okay,we’ll go with that.’”

Roku transforms a user’s television ex -perience, bringing the scope and interactiv-ity of the internet into the centerpiece ofone’s living room—something that manycompanies have tried and failed to do. Rokusuccessfully gives people access to thousandsof streaming, on-demand content options.Wood calls it “a better way to watch TV.”

“We focus on a product that’s supereasy to use, a great value and has lots of con -

tent,” he said. “In the U.S., we have about halfof the market. About 50 percent of activestreaming players are Roku players. Andthen we have Roku TVs, which also run ouroperating system.”

The company has found multiple waysto generate a profit. Beyond selling hard-ware, the majority of its profit comes froma media and licensing business that mon-etizes active customers. Other portions de -rive from advertising and billing fees.

Roku also has neutrality on its side andavoids direct competition with its contentpartners. “We’re the only streaming com-pany with both Amazon Instant Video andGoogle,” said Wood. “We’re the only com-pany besides Google that has Google. Part -nerships are pretty common in the techin dustry, but what’s increasingly less com-mon is neutrality.”

Wood won’t reveal how much his com -pany is now worth, but he will tell you thatRoku had $400 million in sales last year and

finished 2016 with more than 13 million ac-tive accounts. The company also streamed9 billion hours of content in the last yearand is steadily increasing its share of thesmart TV market.

Greg Garner, a principal hardware en -gineer at Roku and a longtime friend andcolleague of Wood’s, calls him a triple threat.“Anthony’s very technical. He understandsthe hardware and the software, which is veryrare,” Garner said. “And I can’t figure out howhe does this, but he somehow predicts futuretrends and can form a business around anidea a year or two before the trend hits.”

Wood’s third threat, according to Gar-ner:“He’s a risk-taker who encourages thesame behavior in his employees.”

It helps that Roku employees are someof the best in the business, and Wood hasstrived to maintain a company culture thatensures employees are in an environmentthat matches their strengths. Part of thatculture emphasizes rewarding hard work.Once, while his team spent weeks workingevenings and weekends to meet a deadline,Wood flew in some of his Texas favorites—barbecue and Blue Bell ice cream.

He says there’s one other importantTexas throwback that remains part of theRoku culture—something he learned atTexas A&M.

“We do an all-hands meeting once ayear, and our last one was 600 people. In theearly days, there were only 10 or 20 of us,so I thought I’d train the staff on the properway to start a meeting by saying, ‘Howdy.’Now that we’ve grown, I still say it by de-fault, and they all say ‘Howdy’ back.” t

Anthony Wood ’90turned his childhoodinterest in computersand electronics intoa highly profitabletechnolog y companyfor online mediastreaming.

t e n y e a r S l at e r , t h e t e x a S a & M f o u n Dat io n M a ro o n C oatS

a r e a r e S P e C t e D ag g i e o rg a n i z at i o n.

Up

manpower pipeline by working on a vari-ety of projects that ultimately build astronger employee experience. She over-sees programs and opportunities that en-sure em ployees develop as both peopleand professionals.

From Coat to CareerKnesek credits her preparedness for work-ing at Fox to her time at Texas A&M, anin stitution that deeply values growth anddevelopment. “I was fortunate to participatein and lead organizations that expanded mypassions and perspectives through network -ing and traveling,” she said. “I benefited fromamazing guidance throughout my educa-tion, and toward the end, a few Aggies I metthrough Maroon Coats encouraged me topursue this opportunity at Fox—and I’mso glad I did.”

Knesek hopes that she can invest inothers through her position as fully as shewas invested in at Texas A&M.

“In Maroon Coats, I learned how tointently listen and how to tell great stories,”she added, noting that her participationtaught her the necessity and importanceof building relationships with those aroundher. “I also learned the power of truly caringabout people and what they have to say,which is such a valuable skill to have as ahuman resources professional.”

Knesek continues to bring TexasA&M’s core values and the Aggie spirit toNew York and to her workplace. She re-mains involved as an Aggie by serving asvice pres ident for activities and Musterchair for the New York A&M Club.

Aggie in the Big AppleParticipating in the Maroon Coats is aboutmuch more than socializing and service; it’salso about preparing students for the de-mands of the working world. Many mem-bers go on to careers in public, private andgovernment industries, and connect theirsuccess to their time in the organization.

Jordan Knesek ’14 is just one example.A finance and business honors double ma -jor and a member of the sixth class of Ma-roon Coats, Knesek works as man ager ofemployee development at Fox News Chan -

nel in New York City. Knesek followed

the pattern of a typi-cal Maroon Coat andwas extremely activein numerous organi-zations, includ ing FishAides, Student Gov-ernment Association,Delta Gamma soror-

ity, the Aggie Muster Committee, FishCamp and Titans of Investing—just toname a few.

During her senior year, she found her -self pursuing a career in banking and con-sulting. But as graduation grew closer, shethought long and hard about what she re-ally wanted to do in life: help others be suc-cessful.

Two weeks after graduation, she tooka full-time job as an executive assistant atFox News Channel and moved to NewYork City with two suitcases and a brokenfoot. Now as manager of employee devel-opment, Knesek strengthens the company’s

Friends in High PlacesFormer Maroon Coats like Knesek arespread across Texas, the nation and theglobe, making their marks long after theyhang their coats for the last time. Some areexperienced doctors, lawyers and engineers,while others serve in various branches ofthe military. Not surprisingly, many havealso found their way into positions at non-profit and philanthropic organizations.

During the last 10 years, Maroon Coatshave devoted more than 7,300 service hours,provided more than 300 campus tours, writ -ten thousands of thank you letters andmade hundreds of phone calls.

“The Maroon Coats grew incrediblyfast,” said Shannon Zwernemann ’03, thegroup’s adviser since its inception. “We werealready where I thought we would be in 10years by year five. The university’s leader-ship has latched onto the group and its mis -sion, so the volume and variety of requestsI receive for Maroon Coats amazes me. Butthe benefit is twofold. When these studentshave the opportunity to talk with incrediblysuccessful and generous donors, they aspireto follow those footsteps. They want to bethe next Reta Haynes, Artie McFerrin ’65or George P. Mitchell ’40 and carry onTexas A&M’s tradition of giving back.” t

TO suPPORT The MAROON COATs, CONTACT:

shANNON ZWeRNeMANN ’03

dONOR RelATIONs COORdINATOR

& MAROON COATs AdvIseR


(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 845-6624

[email protected]


Jordan Knesek ’14 isusing the valuableleadership skills shegained during hertime as a MaroonCoat in her career atFox News Channel.

1Texa s A&M Founda t i on Ma roon C o a t s | 2 00 7–20 1 7

Honorary Maroon Coats

Maroon Coat ChetChampion ’15 with thelate Skip Johnson ’52and his wife Jean.

Twenty students were inducted into the 10th class of Maroon Coats during a ceremony heldApril 9 at the Jon L. Hagler Center. New members include ( front row, left to right): EuniceFafiyebi ’17, Madison Codney ’18, Elizabeth Nevins ’18, Tori Forbess ’19, Azra Razvi ’19, Cassidy Lovett ’18, Sarah Spohn ’18 and Sara Wojcak ’18; and (back row, left to right) JoshuaBrookins ’18, Trevor Pownell ’18, Elton McIntosh ’19, Armando Vendrell-Velez ’19, Carissa vanBeek ’18, Kelly Roach ’18, Ellie Notzon ’19, Ryan Bindel ’18, Ty Crawford ’18, Connor Joseph ’19,Hudson Lorfing ’19 and Jeremiah Lopez ’18.

Gifts Keep Maroon CoatsTradition Alive

Give to the Maroon Coats ScholarshipFund at give.am/SupportMaroonCoats.

Maroon Coats likeGeorgia Grace Osteen ’17 interactwith guests duringFoundation and university- sponsoredevents.


known as Foodways Texas. Housed at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin, FoodwaysTexas promotes the diverse food culture ofTexas through seminars, documentaries,recipe collections, research and work shops.As part of Foodways Texas, we host twoworkshops annually at Texas A&M: Bar-becue Summer Camp and Camp Brisket.

Barbecue camps? Tell us more.Making barbecue is both art and science,and these camps meld the two. BarbecueSummer Camp is a three-day event that ed -ucates participants about Texas bar becuethrough hands-on experience from pitmas-ters across the state. The camp offers insightsabout pit design, maintenance and types ofwoods for smoking. There are also activitiesfor ap plying rubs, marinades and season-ings to meat, as well as lessons in cookingand cutting beef, pork and poultry. CampBrisket, held two days each January, focusesspecifically on brisket.

What makes Texas barbecue unique?Brisket. Brisket is one of the toughest cutsof meat, but through a relationship betweenlow temperature cooking, the right kind ofwood, and the right amount of smoke andseasoning, it can turn into something peo-ple stand in line for and tweet about! t

TO suPPORT The dePARTMeNT OF ANIMAl

sCIeNCe, CONTACT:

MARk kleMM ’81

AssIsTANT vICe PResIdeNT

FOR develOPMeNT


(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 845-9582

[email protected]

XResearch Interests: Quality, taste, healthand safety of meat , with an emphasis onTexas beef.

Describe your typical day.No two days are alike, because meat sci-ence sits at the crossroads of many indus-tries. We work with cattle producers onmeat production, restaurateurs on cook -ing and taste, dietitians on meat safety andcorporations like Tyson Foods on prod uctdevel opment.

How do meat scientists ensure thatconsumers receive the best products?We focus on sensory palatability to deter-mine how various cuts of meat taste. Thismeans we use trained sensory panels andcon sumer panels to evaluate favorite prod-ucts. In laboratories, we determine the nu-trient composition of various cuts of meatand work with microbiology colleagues tobetter understand how to prevent bacterialike Salmonella and E. coli from being pres-ent. Meat must be produced, proc essed,inspected and packaged to comply with allUSDA regulations before it arrives at thestore. Our work involves every step.

Let’s talk about your foray into Texas Barbecue. The Texas Barbecue program at TexasA&M began in 2009 when faculty devel-oped small, freshman-level sem inar classesthat could aid students’ tran si tion to col-lege. We started a first-year seminar calledTexas Barbecue, which has become wildlypopular. I brought Robb Walsh, author ofthe “Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook,”to speak our first year, and he had the ideato develop a much broader program now

askprof.

By TyleR AlleN ’18

The Changing Face of Animal Science Savell has witnessed a changing demographic of animal science stu-

dents since he began teaching at Texas A&M in 1977. “We see more

and more students from non-agricultural backgrounds,” he said. “In my

day, most of our animal science majors came from traditional FFA and

4-H programs or from a farm or ranch. Today, most students come from

major metropolitan areas. But why do you rob a bank? Because that’s

where the money is. Why do you teach students from suburbs? Because

that’s where the people are. There’s so much potential in educating this

new segment of our population about meat science.”


1

2

A H O T S E A TSavell has held the

E.M. “Manny”Rosenthal Chair inAnimal Science for

nearly 25 years.Funded through

the Texas A&MFoundation by Roz

and Manny Rosenthal ’42, it was

the first endowedmeat science chair inthe nation. Rosenthal

was a long time president and board

chairman of Standard Meat Co.

R E P E A T C U S T O M E R SDuring his teaching career at Texas A&M,Savell has taught 14,000 students acrossmultiple generations. He can often tell hisstudents where their parents sat—or met—in class. In his fall 2016 Texas Barbecueseminar, one-third of his students had oneor both parents who had taken his classes.

45

H A P P Y C A M P E R Savell was a namesake for T- Camp in 1997and for Fish Campin 2015. He has apassion for developingyoung leaders, andbetween both camps,he’s spoken to morethan 200 incomingstudents.

xFACTORs

Dr. Jeff Savell ’75University Distinguished ProfessorE.M. “Manny” Rosenthal Chair in Animal ScienceCo-Founder, Texas Barbecue at Texas A&M

B.S. (1975) M.S. (1976) AnD PH.D. (1978),

AnIMAL ScIEncE, TExAS A&M UnIvERSITy

3

B A R B E C U E C R A Z ETexas A&M’s Barbecue Summer Camp has

grown so popular that Foodways Texasswitched to a lottery admission system.

The last time the camp opened its online registration, it sold out in ten

seconds. For more information, visit bbq.tamu.edu or

foodwaystexas.com.

P E N N I N G F O R P I T M A S T E R SSavell wrote the foreword for Robb Walsh’s updated “Legends of

Texas Barbecue Cookbook” in 2016. Within its pages, you’ll find classic methods and new techniques for barbecuing,

along with cutting-edge smokers, pits, tools and accessories. There are also innovative new recipes like trimmed brisket ,

cook-off ribs and luscious double- decker BBQ sandwiches.

Borrowing BevoBy dR. BIll G. TOMPkINs ’65

The remarkable story of how Squadron11 cownapped Texas A&M’s archrival mascot in 1963.

When I was in the Corps of Cadets in the

1960s, mischief and rebellion abounded.

And during the 1963 football season, the

greatest of all heists was stealing a rival

school’s mascot.

Several cadet groups succeeded in

“tem porarily acquiring” most if not all of

the Southwest Conference college mas-

cots. If memory serves, among them were

the Texas Christian Uni versity horned frog,

the Southern Methodist University mus-

tang, the University of Houston cougar,

the Baylor Uni versity bear and the great -

est prize of all—the University of Texas

longhorn, Bevo.

The stealing of Bevo took place around

midnight on Nov. 12, 1963, ahead of our

Thanksgiving Day football rivalry. As an

upperclassman in Squadron 11—the unit

credited with achieving this remarkable

feat—I can tell the story as I remember it.

Early one afternoon, as I returned from

class, I was greeted by several active duty

Air Force officers stationed at the Trigon

who repeatedly asked me, “Where is

Bevo?” I had no idea what they referred

to, but inferred from their facial expres-

sions that they were serious.

I later consulted with others and our

squadron commanding officer (CO) to see

what was up, but nobody knew anything

except that several members of our unit

may have been AWOL the previous night.

When the CO called a squadron meeting

to get to the bottom of the situation, it

was decided that things were best left

unsaid.

But hours later, the students involved

met with certain sympathetic upperclass -

men and the CO, providing details regard -

ing the Bevo cownapping. Turns out, they

had driven a stock trailer to a farm out-

side of Austin where Bevo was kept and

loaded him up under the cover of darkness

before returning to College Station.

They anxiously awaited advice regard -

ing their one burning question: “What do

we do with Bevo now?” Since one of the

conspirators had a relative who owned

property south of College Station, a plan

was hatched to take Bevo there, tie him

to a tree, and leave so he could be found

safe and sound in the morning. They were

to tell nobody (especially those in the

meet ing) the final Bevo location.

The next morning, I was awakened

be fore reveille by shouting in the hall-

way and pounding on my door. It was

the CO followed by police officers from

Texas A&M, Bryan and College Station.

Many threats were tossed around, but

still no answers were given.

Local radio stations picked up the

drama, dedicating their broadcast day

to the topic. It was the biggest thing to

happen in College Station and probably

in Texas since Spindletop! Immediately,

rumors surfaced about Bevo’s horns be -

ing cut, the possibility of Bevo burgers

and other such misinformation. All of this

made me believe that true incarceration

was just around the corner, but I kept

quiet and hoped that the crisis hadn’t met

the ears of my parents. For the remainder

of the day, every Aggie listened to the

minute-by-minute radio reports, cheering

from dorms, bars and bedsides.

Around noon, under threat that our Air

Force careers were jeopardized, our CO

divulged that Squadron 11 had acquired

Bevo. We were forced to tell the truth:

that we had borrowed him, but in accor-

dance with the plan, none of us knew ex -

actly where he was!

Eventually, officials—now joined by

the Austin Police, Texas State Police and

Texas Rangers—learned of the nearby

plot of land and searched it, finding Bevo

tied to a tree as planned. Those involved

were arrested by local police but released

within an hour, since Bevo was unhurt and

the police had no clear evidence that they

were the culprits.

Before Bevo could return to Austin,

the law required a medical evaluation

since he had crossed county lines. Orig-

inal plans called for him to be taken to

Texas A&M’s veterinary school, but stu-

dents converged on the clinic in such

mass that his physical examination moved

instead to the facilities of Dr. B.J. Car gill,

a Bryan veterinarian.

When he emerged with full clearance

around 1 a.m. on Nov. 14, he was loaded

into a trailer by his embarrassed Silver

Spurs contingent (the Texas student or-

ganization responsible for his care) and

began his journey back to Austin. Rumor

had it that during Bevo’s exam, his trailer

was painted maroon and white. You see,

it just isn’t over till it’s over!

This became such a newsworthy event

because, as it turned out, the University

of Texas did not own Bevo. Apparently,

there were several Bevos privately owned

and rented for football games and other

events. Therefore, “borrowing” Bevo was

considered cattle rustling in Texas, pun-

ishable by incarceration. Not surprisingly,

after this incident, harsher penalties were

enacted for theft of a school mascot.

However, since there was no evidence

that Bevo did not walk those 100-plus

miles between our two campuses and

was returned unharmed, the fervor died

down. More than 60 years later, the plot

simply goes down in history as Aggie

“Good Bull.” t

Dr. Tompkins received his bachelor’s andmaster’s degrees in mechanical engineeringfrom Texas A&M. He was a member of AirForce Squadron 11 in the Corps of Cadetsand became executive officer his senior year.He later attended the University of Kansas(KU) for his doctorate under a KU/NASAFellowship. An inductee of the Texas A&MAcademy of Distinguished Graduates, he’salso received the University of Kansas’ Mechanical Engineering DistinguishedAlumni Award and serves on its mechanicalengineering advisory board. He primarilyattributes his accomplishments to his AirForce “get- it- done” training and to the highquality of education he received at TexasA&M and KU.

timecapsule

grew up in an area of Colorado that, dur-ing the Cretaceous period, was covered bya sea. The resulting landscape was incred-ible, and I frequently collected rocks andfossils as a child—boxes and boxes of themthat my mother faithfully used in herflowerbeds. It was more than a hobby ora fleeting fascination; it was the start of alifelong study of our world.

Today, I am what you call a geomor-phologist. I study the surficial features ofEarth, such as rivers, landslides, and ice

and rock glaciers.What I didn’t real-ize as a child is thatgeology is so muchmore than rocks andfossils. It is examin-ing them and thenasking why, how,when? Now, I seek

to understand climate change, the evolu-tion of landscapes, and hazards like land-slides, avalanches and floods. I’ve traveledto all 50 states and six continents in thesepursuits, and you can bet I still want to goto Antar ctica. (And Mars!)

I began spreading my love for geol-ogy to a broader audience in 2008 throughan outreach program I developed in the Col -lege of Geosciences called G-Camp. Eachsummer, the program takes approximately35 fifth through 12th grade teachers on a


oppo

rtun

ity

I

An intensive summer camp gives grade school teachers the geology experienceof a lifetime.

By RICk GIARdINO

jOINT PROFessOR , dePARTMeNT OF GeOlOGy ANd GeOPhysICs

& WATeR MANAGeMeNT ANd hydROlOGICAl sCIeNCe GRAduATe PROGRAM

dIReCTOR , TexAs A&M uNIveRsITy G-CAMP

On the Footwalls of Faults

three-week field trip through the South-west to study geological features and de-velop grade school curricula.

We tour Texas, New Mexico and Col -orado, visiting locations near sea level tothose higher than 12,000 feet. Through vis -tas and sights such as Enchanted Rock,White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and theGarden of the Gods, we map Earth’s geo-logical history. G-Camp puts teachers onthe slopes of volcanoes, on the footwalls offaults, in the depths of glacial valleys, on thetoes of landslides, and in pristine streamsand ancient marine deposits.

When all is said and done, they toograsp that geology is much more than rocksand fossils. It is the foundation of 21st-cen-tury society.

Standout TeachersA few years ago, Texas added a fourth sci-ence to its core curriculum of biology, chem -istry and physics: Earth and environ mentalscience. The problem? Many teachers don’thave the necessary knowledge to adequatelyteach the subject, which results in incom-ing Aggie freshmen with little to no knowl -edge of geology. As a solution, we initiatedG-Camp to better equip teachers who, inturn, pass their newfound knowledge tothousands of students each year.

Since the average geologist today isclose to retirement—around 55 or 60 yearsold—workforce development is anotherserious concern. By ensuring that teachersare excited and knowledgeable about ge-ology, we can do our part in attracting moreyoung people to the field.

My motto for the camp is: “Show thema lot, keep them busy and you’ll never have acomplaint.” So far, our participants have

proved me right. Teachers spend 12-hourdays in an exhilarating whirl wind of learn-ing. They keep a daily field book of sketches,measurements and general observations,and develop lesson plans each night. Post-trip, they present their experiences to otherteachers within their districts and at stateand national meetings.

Many of our teachers go beyond thecall of duty. Two favorite examples are SueGarcia and Cheryl Ham mons, who bothattended G-Camp on our maiden voyagein 2008. Sue was a 25-year teaching veteranwho collected nearly 200 pounds of rockspecimens during the trip. To display herfindings in her classroom, she built shelvesand created placards so that her sixth gradepupils learned about each sample in detail.

Cheryl took it a step farther by con-ducting experiments with her middle schoolstudents. By dropping hydrochloric acidon rocks, students determined whether thesamples were limestone or had traces of cal -cite. (Fizzing indicates a positive reaction.)Cheryl and her students also made jewelry

from rocks and sold their creations to raisemoney for geology-based field trips.

As applications continue to rise for thecamp—reaching more than 700 this year—we opened the trip nationally to extend ourreach beyond Texas.

Join the AdventureThe cost to run G-Camp is about $140,000per year. Teachers cover their travel to Col -lege Station, but all other expenses—fromtrans portation and lodging to park fees andacademic materials—is covered. Private giftsfrom our lead sponsor Saudi Aramco, as wellas donations from Chevron and ConocoPhillips, help cover much of the expense.

However, we need additional fundingfor the camp’s expansion, and an endowmentthrough the Texas A&M Foundation wouldensure this endeavor’s long-term security.

G-Camp is a sound investment notonly because post-trip surveys show an in-crease in teacher confidence, but also be-cause the geosciences play an increasinglyimportant role in solving some of the 21stcentury’s most pressing challenges.

The fact is, you don’t have to be a pro-fessional to get excited about geology. Youjust have to look at the landscapes aroundyou and realize that there is much morethan what meets the eye. To put it simply:You have to look beyond the surface. t

TO suPPORT G-CAMP, CONTACT:

CARA MIllIGAN ’08



(800) 392-3310 OR (979) 862-4944

[email protected]

Visit give.am/G- Camp to give online.


While attending G- Camp, teachersdevelop innovativelesson plans andcurricula for theirdistrict classrooms.This in turn inspiresa new generation ofstudents to considergeosciences careers.

As an outreach program in the College of Geosciences, G- Camp takes fifththrough 12th gradeteachers on a three-week geological tourof the Southwest .


fundraising campaign ever to take place inTexas and the second largest announcedby a public higher education institution:Lead by Example.

The name itself derives from the veryeager way in which Aggies lead throughdoing and action, owning up to the respon -sibility of tomorrow. As of June 30, morethan $2.6 billion has been raised toward the$4 billion campaign goal set for 2020, whichincludes funds contributed to the TexasA&M Foundation, The Association of For -mer Students, the 12th Man Foundationand the George H.W. Bush PresidentialLibrary Foundation. Funds from the cam-paign will bolster scholarship support, facultyresearch, college-based programs, athleticsand student organizations.

The campaign is grounded in threepillars: Transformational Education for allStudents; Discovery and Innovation forthe World; and Impact on the State, Na-tion and World.

We have come a long way since John Archi -bald McIver. Widely agreed by historians tobe the first student to enroll at Texas A&M,the Caldwell, Texas, native showed up oneday early for registration in 1876. Ratherthan ride his horse back to Caldwell, leg-end has it that he slept overnight beneatha tree and registered the next morning.

Take away the Old West factor, andMcIver’s story still resonates for one sim-ple reason: his eagerness.

Today’s Aggies have the same men tal -ity—one defined by an eagerness to learn,lead and better themselves in both academicand athletic endeavors. This eagerness isre flected in students who think criti callyabout the world around them, faculty whopush the boundaries of human discovery,and in the 12th Man standing ready and will -ing to support its fellow peers.

The same eagerness lies in the uni ver -sity’s dream for a new era of Texas A&M,to be ushered in on the wings of the largest

Eager to Lead

John Archibald McIverwas the first student to register at Texas A&Min 1876.

$2.6billionof $4 billion campaign goal( tota l a S o f J u n e 3 0, 2 01 7 )

Guided by three pillars and many generous donors, the Leadby Example campaign wil l usher in a new Texas A&M era.

A degree from Texas A&M already standsfor something: exceptional intellectual ex-periences, preparation in service and lead-ership, and the development of a criticalmindset. But it can stand for more. Imag-ine if every student had the opportunity toparticipate in immersive educational expe-riences beyond the confines of the classroomand even beyond “the other education” re-ceived through student organizations.

Campaign funds directed toward theTransformational Education pillar sup portexperiences such as living learning com -munities, where students seeking similaracademic goals or who have similar inter-ests live and learn together; capstone proj-ects, a culminating experience that allows

a graduating student to address an issueor question that interests them; and studyabroad and international work or researchexperiences.

These experiences prepare student-leaders who enter the world determined tomake things better. Expanding access tothese programs, however, should be accom -plished in a fashion that does not delaytimely graduation or increase a student’sdebt.


Expand Pe rspect ives

The call for globally attuned graduates

is being heard around the world. Texas

A&M ranks third nationally in students

having study, research, intern or volun -

teer experiences abroad and sends more

than 4,300 students to more than 100

countries each year. Since the start of

the campaign, donors to the Texas A&M

Foundation have given more than 30

glob al study schol arships and supported

various college-based in ternational pro -

grams.

You can endow a global study schol -

arship for a student in any college or

major starting at $25,000, and gifts can

be payable over a five-year period. The

Foun dation has matching opportunities

through the John Tom Campbell ’45 En -

dowed Scholarship Program, which will

provide matching funds in $25,000 incre -

ments for 54 study abroad scholarships.

Twenty-seven of the matching schol -

ar ships were es-

tablished as of

June 30.

21st-century studentsare hunters ofknowledge. In today’sglobal economy, it ’s becoming more important for students to gainbroader perspectivesthrough studyabroad experiences.

III Transformational Education for al l Students:

Strengthen every student’s education by providing transformationalexperiences and supporting timely graduation with low debt .

From the tiniest molecules to the most ex-pansive galaxies, Texas A&M faculty andstudents have a hand in research that spansdisciplines and that has important humanties. With research comes the promise ofan swers to some of the most pressing issuesfacing 21st-century society: pover ty, en -ergy crises, water scarci ty, climate change,food shortages, and infectious diseases andepidemics.

Texas A&M stands today as one of thelargest research universities in the UnitedStates, with research conducted on everycon tinent. Its faculty-researchers generatemore than $866 million in research expen-ditures, all while enhancing undergraduateand graduate education by providing hands-

on research learning oppor tunities. In fact,20 to 30 percent of Texas A&M un der grad -uates participate in research activities.

Along with the University of Texas andRice University, Texas A&M is one of onlythree Tier 1 universities in the state. Yearafter year, massive and interdisciplinary re-search projects are funded on campus byagencies such as NASA, the Na tional In-stitutes of Health and the National Sci-ence Foundation.

Funds supporting the Discovery andInnovation pillar accelerate ongoing re-search initiatives and bring the best mindsin science and technology to Texas A&M.

Texas A&M ranksin the top 20 of theNational ScienceFoundation’s HigherEducation Researchand Developmentsurvey, based on expenditures ofmore than $866million per year.


Make Texas A&M a Research Dest inat ion

Texas A&M’s research capabilities would

not be possible without the talent and

energy of dedicated graduate students

and faculty.

One of the university’s most impres -

sive catalysts for attracting world-class

research talent to Texas A&M is the

Hag ler Institute for Advanced Study,

which brings world-renowned faculty

to study and teach at Texas A&M each

year.

However, to recruit even more lead -

ing faculty and advanced degree can-

didates, Texas A&M must expand its

financial and research opportunities.

Since the start of the campaign, donors

to the Texas A&M Foundation have

funded 31 faculty chairs, 26 professor -

ships and 27 faculty fellowships.

By funding an endowed graduate fel -

lowship or faculty fellowship, profes sor -

ship or chair, you can play a powerful

role in this mis -

sion, supporting

students and fac -

ulty as well as

research in the

field and college

of your choice.

Graduate fellow-

ship funding be-

gins at $25,000,

while fac ulty fel-

lowships start at

$150,000; profes-

sorships can be

established with

a gift of $300,000

to $500,000; and

chairs at $1 mil-

lion.

Discovery and Innovation for the World:

Through collaborative research and entrepreneurial approaches,address some of the world’s toughest challenges.III

Texas A&M is one of only 17 institutionsin the nation to hold the triple designationof land, sea and space-grant university. Itscommitment is first and foremost to thestate of Texas, providing valuable educationto first-generation students and studentsof all backgrounds, as well as devel opingproductive leaders who will enter the na-tion’s workforce. In fact, Washington Monthlyrecently ranked the university third nation -ally in research, service, social mobility andcontributions to society.

The university’s presence is also felt di -rectly in all 254 Texas counties through itspartnerships with Texas A&M AgriLife Re -search and the Texas A&M AgriLife Ex-tension Service.

But as Aggies, our responsibility ex-tends well beyond state borders—from theconservation of coasts and marine areas tothe exploration of space. Many of the uni-versity’s college-based programs are dedi-cated to making an impact beyond campus’5,200 acres.

Funds that support the Impact on theState, Nation and World pillar bolster TexasA&M’s ability to shape the world throughpolicy, security and leadership. t

To learn more, visit leadbyexample.tamu.edu.


As a land- grantuniversity, TexasA&M’s faculty, staffand students are actively addressingthe challenges offeeding a growingworld population,protecting preciousenvironmental resources and improving health.

Pos i t i on Texas A&MOn Land and On Sea

Two examples of Texas A&M programs

that impact the state, nation and world

are the Veterinary Emergency Team (VET)

and the Center for Texas Beaches and

Shores.

The VET in the College of Veterinary

Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is the

largest and most sophisticated veteri-

nary medical disaster response team in

the country. (See page 20.) There are

nam ing opportunities for a responder

dorm trailer and mobile units, as well

as for another priority: a warehouse

in College Station to house the unit’s

equipment. Additionally, the program

seeks a $15 million endow ment for a

director’s chair and operational ex-

penses to secure its long-term future.

The Center for Texas Beaches and

Shores at Texas A&M University at Galve -

ston was established in 1993 by the

Texas Legislature to address beach ero -

sion, wetlands

loss, and coastal

resiliency and sus -

tainability. The

cen ter seeks a

$5 million research

and operational

en dowment to

con tinue its work

conserving and

protecting the

Texas shoreline,

bays and water-

ways through in-

novative research

in cooperation with

government and

private sector

agen cies.

Impact on the State, Nation and World:

Integrate Texas A&M’s land- grant origins with its top-tier researchstreng ths to serve the state, nation and world. III


Be More Cyber-SecureBy ChRysTAl hOusTON

Daniel Ragsdale, director of the Texas A&M CybersecurityCenter and professor of practice in computer science and engineering, explains how you can protect yourself in an ageof increased hacking and identity theft .

As more people have smart devices in their homes, on their wrists and in

their pockets, our vulnerability to cyberattacks multiplies. At the same time,

large-scale criminal networks with sophisticated technology are on the

rise in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. It seems every day that stories

about individuals, corporations and governments being hacked grace the

front pages.

Criminals go where the money is easiest, but that’s good news for indi -

viduals willing to do a few simple things to improve their personal cyber se -

curity. With a little effort, you can make yourself a less attractive target.

Accept inconvenience. Look for services that offer two-factor authenti -

cation: the requirement that to log into your password-protected content

from one device, you must complete a step through another device, such as

enter a code delivered via text.

Keep your devices locked—especially your phone. Make sure your

phone screen has a passcode or swipe pattern so that if you accidentally mis -

place it, you don’t lose your identity along with your device.

Use a password manager. “It is now beyond human capacity to remember

all of the passwords we need to be secure,” said Ragsdale, noting that some

individuals have up to 100 password-protected accounts, which leads to

poor practices such as reusing passwords and not changing them often

enough. The solution? Pay for a password manager. Most services cost be -

tween $3 and $40 per year and generate secure passwords for unlimited

accounts. To access your password list, you’ll have to jump through a few

hoops—like two-factor authentication—but it beats the alternative: a

homemade Excel spreadsheet.

Beware of “smart” technology in your home. To limit your susceptibil -

ity to cyberattack, change all of the automatically-generated passwords as -

sociated with your home’s technology. This includes appliances with voice

activation, webcams, and programs that control your home’s heating and

cooling systems.

Use modern software and update it regularly. “Tech companies stop

cre ating updates for your software as it ages, making it more vulnerable,”

Ragsdale said. Similarly, for any piece of software you own, don’t neglect

installing automatic updates—most are security patches.

Watch out for spear phishing. More than 269 billion emails are sent world -

wide daily; the average office worker can receive as many as 121 in a 24-

hour period. “As email volume increases, so do spear phishing attempts,”

Ragsdale said. “This is when a scammer includes a piece of information

about you in an email to make it look more legitimate.” Don’t click links or

download documents from emails that are unexpected, look suspicious or

come from an unfamiliar source. When in doubt, consult an information tech -

nology professional, and don’t open the email until you have thor oughly re -

searched the sender. t

401 GeORGe Bush dRIve

COlleGe sTATION, Tx 77840-2811

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U . S . P O S T A G E P A I D


finalreviewThe motto of the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) is “Serving our

state and nation every day.” As the largest and most sophisticated veterinary med -

ical disaster response team in the nation, the VET provides cutting-edge emer -

gency management education and builds on the legacy of service at the heart of

Texas A&M University. One of its primary roles is supporting Texas Task Force 1

during natural and man-made disaster rescue missions.

Over the course of its deployments, the team has cared for 34 search and res -

cue canines, 345 cats, 225 dogs and 224 other animals.

Watch a video about the Veterinary Emergency Team at give.am/VETVideo.

Documents

Texas A&M’sVeterinary Emergency Team impacts the ﬆate ... 2017 Spirit.pdf36__Buttoned Up One of the most respected Aggie organizations, the Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats mark