Endowed Scholarship Banquet Honors Islander Students and Donors
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The annual 2018 Endowed Scholarship Banquet, held Feb. 20 in the University Center, promoted bonds of friendship and gratitude between generous donors and well-deserving Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students. At the dinner, 112 scholarship recipients had the opportunity to thank the donors who are changing their lives by supporting their educational goals. More than 100 donors attended.
An endowed scholarship is intended by its donor to provide scholarship support not just for one year, but in perpetuity.
“Thanks to my scholarships, I’ve learned what generosity through an endowment is all about,” said Lailah Cobble, a finance major at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and student emcee for the event. “It’s not just about giving money away – it’s about supporting dreams of a brighter future for this generation, and generations to come.”
Dr. Kelly M. Quintanilla, president and CEO of A&M-Corpus Christi, addressed banquet attendees, sharing how scholarships are important to all students, but especially to first-generation college students. Also making special remarks was Dr. Robert Ferguson, past president at A&M-Corpus Christi, who, with his wife Gloria, recently established an endowment to support the Islander engineering program. In addition, Chip Urban, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Foundation President, spoke on behalf of the Foundation, which helps the Island campus attract the best and brightest students and faculty by funding scholarships, professorships and research. The Foundation also supports capital improvements such as classroom technology and campus facilities.
During the program, Mariella Jimenez, a freshman math major, shared her experience after receiving two endowed scholarships – the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Scholarship Endowment and the Drew M. Bingham Foundation Endowed Scholarship.
“I feel a ‘healthy pressure’ to do well in school as I’m now representing not just my own family, but the Garcia and Bingham families as well,” shared Jimenez. “I have a deep desire to one day give back to first-generation college students, like myself.”
Additionally, 14 donors were honored as new or upgrading members of the Endowed Scholarship Council. They are:
- Bateman Family Endowed Scholarship in Education
- Celika Storm Endowed Scholarship in Business
- Celika Storm Endowed Scholarship in Nursing
- Dr. Hector P. Garcia Scholarship Endowment
- Drew M. Bingham Foundation Endowed Scholarship
- Fred and Vanessa Braselton Family Endowed Scholarship
- Greater Texas Foundation Removing Educational Barriers Scholarship Endowment
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas-Corpus Christi Chapter Endowed Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Loris J. Welhausen Quasi Endowment
- Willard (Jeannine) Hammonds Sr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship
- Nancy T. Goodman Endowed Scholarship in Nursing
- Robert and Gloria Furgason Endowment
- Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa Endowed Scholarship
- Thomas John Ferguson Endowed Scholarship in Marine Biology
For more information on ways to support student scholarships, contact the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Scholarship Office at 361.825.3703; email scholarships@tamucc.edu.
