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The Skinny on Scholarships

Scholarship endowments are among the most popular commitments the Texas A&M Foundation receives. Ask yourself what type of Aggie you’d like to support and get started today.

By Dunae Reader ’15

Lead photo by Leighton Jack ’14

What is an endowed scholarship?

Endowed scholarships provide benefits to students for generations. As your gift is invested in the Texas A&M Foundation’s portfolio, it produces annual returns that support the scholarship program you designate. While most donors create an endowed gift that will last forever, you can also fund a pass-through scholarship by making a one-time gift.
 

Scholarship endowments serve as transformative gifts that can significantly change students’ trajectories. Photo by Josh Huskin.

How can I customize my scholarship?

If you give through one of the scholarship programs noted below, you can customize your scholarship’s name and specifics about the type of student it supports. You can also create and name a college scholarship designated for students in a specific major and customize factors like GPA, student hometown or classification, extracurricular involvement or intention to pursue a particular profession.

What assets can I use?

You can use cash, securities, donor-advised funds, IRA distributions, real estate or other real property. All endowed gifts can be funded over a five-year period, and all gifts are tax deductible. You can also consider planning a future endowed scholarship with after-lifetime assets.

What are the benefits of creating a scholarship?

Scholarships can be life-changing for Aggies by rewarding excellence, removing the burden of part-time jobs and freeing up time for extracurricular activities, or simply providing academic motivation. Scholarship programs also offer special opportunities to form lifetime relationships with student recipients. Each program is administered differently within Texas A&M University’s individual colleges, but most offer the chance to mentor recipients, hear personal and academic updates, and meet your scholar at annual events.
 

From military heroes and academic achievers to underserved students and first-generation Aggies, you can customize what type of student your scholarship supports and the specifications for it. Use the accordian below to find the perfect scholarship match for each student classification below.
 

Academic achievers


Your scholarship match: President’s Endowed Scholarship (PES)

Student impact: The PES recognizes incoming freshmen who have achieved outstanding academic excellence in high school. Financial need is not considered. PES recipients are also eligible to receive a study abroad stipend from the university’s Education Abroad Office.

Endowment amount: $100,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years

Corps of Cadets members


Your scholarship match: Corps of Cadets Scholarship

Student impact: Four scholarship offerings reward outstanding cadets who demonstrate leadership, academic excellence and, in some cases, financial need.

Endowment amount: $25,000 to $500,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years

First-generation Aggies


Your scholarship match: Regents’ Scholarship

Student impact: Regents’ Scholarships support first-generation undergraduates whose annual family income is less than $40,000. Scholars live on campus during their freshman year, participate in a learning community, and have access to academic and social assistance programs.

Endowment amount: $100,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years

Globetrotters


Your scholarship match: Global Study Scholarship

Student impact: Global Study Scholarships give Aggies the gift of international education and travel. Programs vary in length, from one year or a full semester to one summer or less than one month.

Endowment amount: $25,000

Award length per recipient: Annual. Every year, a new student will benefit.

Military heroes


Your scholarship match: Aggie Veteran Scholarship

Student impact: Three scholarship offerings help fill the financial gap for Aggie student veterans or their spouses, most of whom cannot finish their degree within the 36-month GI Bill limitation.

Endowment amount: $25,000 to $100,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years

Underserved students


Your scholarship match: Foundation Excellence Award (FEA)

Student impact: FEAs help recruit and retain exceptional undergraduates from historically underserved groups in the Aggie student body, including those who face significant economic or educational hurdles.

Endowment amount: $50,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years

Student leaders


Your scholarship match: J. Malon Southerland Aggie Leader Scholarship

Student impact: This scholarship program rewards student leaders and reflects the university’s commitment to learning, leadership and service both inside and outside the classroom.

Endowment amount: $25,000

Award length per recipient: Annual. Every year, a new student will benefit.

Student researchers


Your scholarship match: Graduate Fellowship

Student impact: Fellowships support master’s and doctoral students as they pursue graduate education. In many cases, these Aggies conduct research with valuable impact on our future workplaces and communities.

Endowment amount: $25,000

Award length per recipient: Annual or recurring, depending on the length of the student’s degree program.

Well-rounded Aggies with financial need


Your scholarship match: Endowed Opportunity Award (EOA)

Student impact: EOAs are for entering freshmen with financial need who have proven their character, academic potential and leadership abilities through extracurricular involvement in high school.

Endowment amount: $25,000

Award length per recipient: 4 years


Get started on your custom scholarship today by contacting Al Pulliam ’87, assistant vice president for development, at the bottom of this page.

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Contact

  • Al Pulliam '87

  • Executive Advisor for Recruitment Initiatives & Outreach
  • Call: 979.209.0867

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