Students thank scholarship benefactors, college patrons

Earlier this month, the Maroon Coats, student ambassadors of the Texas A&M Foundation, organized an impromptu “thank you” note-writing session in the Langford atrium for students to share their gratitude with scholarship benefactors and gift givers who support everything from departmental discretionary funds, to building projects, to faculty endowments.

"The event provided students a chance to realize that there are past generations of Aggies investing in their futures," noted Larry Zuber, the Texas A&M Foundation representative who coordinates fundraising for the College or Architecture.

Each spring, the college and its four departments award more than a half million dollars in scholarships for the coming academic year. Each department celebrates independently with scholarship ceremonies and presentations recognizing the accomplishments of the awardees.

Traditionally, the scholarship recipients pen thank you notes to their benefactors and often join them at dinners and other gatherings to express their gratitude in person and pose for a photo to commemorate the occasion.

"These meetings," said Zuber, "often involve not only the student recipient and the person who donated the scholarship, but also the faculty member who inspired the gift. It's a reminder of how many people are involved in the future of that young person and why we do what we do."