Thank You for Leading by Example
for Student Affairs Programs
COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES' HELPLINE
“The HelpLine saves lives and has been a lighthouse of hope during this pandemic for many of our students. Being able to call the HelpLine for any reason including during times of extreme loneliness and isolation is such an important service we offer to remind our fellow Aggies that there are others on this campus who care about their mental health and want to support helping them successfully complete their degree. Having funding to ensure HelpLine volunteers are properly trained and have everything they need while on shifts providing direct service is invaluable. We are so grateful to the donors of the Lead by Example campaign for their donations to the HelpLine.”
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Susan Vavra ’93, HelpLine Director
Funding:
$25,000
Donors:
Houston A&M Mothers’ Club
Number of Calls Received per Academic Year:
1,000
Funding to be Used for:
- Training expenses for student volunteers
- HelpLine Awareness Week expenses
- Marketing materials
- Appreciation dinners and service awards for student volunteers
PESEK AGGIE FAMILY ENDOWMENT
“We will always be grateful for this assistance. I am inspired to help other students in need when I have the resources.”
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Jagadish Kumaran Jayagopal ’15, an industrial engineering Ph.D. candidate
Funding:
$25,000
Donors:
Erika ’14 and Chris Pesek ’97 of Dripping Springs, TX
Funding Used for:
- Emergency student expenses such as travel costs, car repairs, hotel stays and food
WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER
“The funding provided by our endowments allows us to expand our current programs to meet the needs of the students that we serve. This academic year, we launched a mentorship program, the AMPLIFY | Women's Mentoring Circle, in a partnership with the Aggie Women Network, a Constituent Network of The Association of Former Students. Our goal was to have 25 mentor/mentee pairs the first year of the program; however, current and former student interest has far outpaced our expectations! We had 72 pairs our first semester and 141 pairs this semester. We expect the program to continue to grow as word spreads across campus and would not be able to expand the program without the generous support of our donors."
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Heather Wheeler ’03, director of gender and sexual diversity for Student Life
Funding:
Two endowments totaling $50,000, plus a planned gift of an additional $85,000
Donors:
- Mary ’80 & Kim McDowell ’76, Shady Shores, TX
- Lynn Hagan ’77, Gause, TX
Number of Aggies Served:
- Since 2013, more than 1,000 students have been trained to negotiate a fair salary using objective research to value their skills.
- More than 400 students attended the Elect Her: Aggie Women Win Conference, which trains women to run for elected office at the university level and beyond. One conference alumna, Lorraine Birabil ’19, was elected to serve in the Texas House of Representatives in 2019.
Funding to be Used for:
- Add a remote attendance option for the Elect Her: Aggie Women Win Conference to engage students at Texas A&M branch campuses
- Expand the AMPLIFY | Women's Mentoring Circle
HACHTMAN FAMILY FISH CAMP ENDOWMENT
“I was able to form new friendships at A&M that I hope will last my time here. I've been able to come out of my shell and interact with more people because of Fish Camp. [The scholarship] allowed me to start my freshman year off with a great start.”
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A recipient of a Hachtman Family scholarship who attended the 2020 Fish Camp
Funding:
$100,000
Donors:
Anne ’90 and Mike Hachtman ’86 of Houston, TX
Fund Inception:
2016
Approximate Number of Scholarships Awarded:
60
Funds Used for:
- Financial support for students who need assistance to attend Fish Camp.
- Preference is given to students who are the first generation in their family to attend college.
MATTHEW GAINES SOCIETY FUND
“Senator Matthew Gaines embodies our university’s core values of selfless service, integrity, excellence and leadership. I hope that students passing by the statue can feel inspired to persevere in their own lives in the same way Senator Gaines did.”
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Erica Pauls ’21 Matthew Gains Society president
Funding:
More than $265,000
Funding to be Used for:
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- Commissioning of statue of Matthew Gaines
- Construction of a plaza near the Student Services Building where the statue will be located
- Establishment of the Matthew Gaines Society
Anticipated Completion Date for the Statue and Plaza:
End of 2021