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The Perfect Match

By utilizing gift-matching programs like Michelle '88 and Todd Steudtner ’87, you can generate extra financial support for Texas A&M.

By Clare Fusselman '21

November 5, 2020

Since graduating, Michelle ’88 and Todd Steudtner ’87 have generously donated to Texas A&M University, but they never dreamed they would have the financial resources to fund endowed scholarships. However, after discovering their employers’ gift-matching programs, the couple learned that they could have a bigger impact than anticipated.

Gift-matching programs add financial value by matching a gift dollar for dollar (and in some cases, even tripling or quadrupling the gift value). “We feel fortunate to work for companies that offer these types of programs so we can leverage funds to make a bigger impact than we could alone,” Michelle said.

Five Advantages of Matching Gifts

 

1. DOUBLE, TRIPLE OR EVEN QUADRUPLE YOUR IMPACT.

The power of matching gifts comes from the fact that a little can go a long way. Corporate matching opportunities can double, triple, or even quadruple the amount of your original gift. In fiscal year 2020 alone, companies matched 1,628 gifts by individuals to the Texas A&M Foundation for a total of $2.4 million. Search our online database to find out if your employer will match your gift to the Foundation. If you do not see your company listed, talk to your human resources department about gift matching options.

2. MATCHING GIFTS DO NOT REQUIRE AN EMPLOYER TO PARTICIPATE.

Not all companies offer matching opportunities, but there are additional resources available at Texas A&M that provide the same benefits. In the past, many foundations and even individual donors have established matching programs to inspire gifts and help other individuals expand their impact. If you have a specific giving interest at Texas A&M, contact one of our development officers to ask about our creative matching programs.

3. THE BENEFITS ARE PLENTIFUL. THE PROCESS IS SIMPLE.

Matching gifts can include a check, cash, credit card or publicly traded securities. A matching gift is a simple yet powerful way to generate extra financial support for Texas A&M.

4. YOU CAN INSPIRE OTHERS.

What better way to spread your philanthropic spirit than by helping future donors realize a greater giving potential? By establishing your own matching fund, you can encourage others to donate by increasing the impact of their gifts.

5. CREATE YOUR AGGIE LEGACY.

To give to Texas A&M is to leave a legacy—one that will develop tomorrow’s leaders, contribute to innovative research and elevate the university’s influence. Thousands have chosen to create a significant impact by giving to the university, and matching gifts offer an advantageous way to create your own Aggie legacy.

A senior aerospace engineering major, Waylon Lee ’20 readily acknowledges that Texas A&M and the Steudtners’ scholarship opened up a world of possibilities, including becoming an intern at NASA.

The Plano couple committed to creating their first endowed engineering scholarship of $70,000 in 2017. Making an initial gift of $5,000, the Steudtners pledged to fulfill their portion of the gift over a five-year period by utilizing the matching programs at their respective employers, PepsiCo and Texas Instruments, which both provide a one-for-one match of their annual gift. The Steudtners’ scholarship was awarded to an undergraduate engineering student immediately during the 2017-2018 academic year.

“It’s really cool that the Foundation and our companies have provided us with an avenue to renew our passion for Texas A&M,” Todd said. “We’re thrilled to support what we’re passionate about and utilize our matching funds so we can maximize as much as we can.”

The couple found the process so affordable and effortless that they committed to creating a second endowed scholarship of $50,000 in 2018. This gift, which again uses their employers’ matching programs, supports undergraduate students seeking a degree in information and operations management in Mays Business School.

Thanks to their scholarships, students like Waylon Lee ’20 and Megan Chumchal ’21 are being given the opportunity to write their Aggie journey.

Megan Chumchal ’21, a senior management information systems major, echoes Lee’s gratitude and is grateful for the opportunities her scholarship has provided her.

Doors of Opportunity

A senior aerospace engineering major, Lee readily acknowledges that Texas A&M and the Steudtners’ scholarship opened up a world of possibilities, including becoming an intern at NASA and eventually getting a full-time job offer at the Johnson Space Center. “I chose Texas A&M for the highly established engineering program,” Lee said. “Never would I have dreamed of the possibilities it would open for me.”

Without having to worry about a job to offset the financial burden of school, Lee had the time to pursue a lifelong dream: getting his pilot’s license. He credits these opportunities to the Steudtners’ generosity.

Chumchal, a senior management information systems major, echoes Lee’s gratitude and is grateful for the opportunities her scholarship has provided her. Her time at Texas A&M has been pivotal in her life, allowing her to grow not only academically but also as a person. Upon graduating, she will work full-time as a junior business analyst with Hartigen Solutions.

“This job offer is one of the many testaments to the ways this scholarship has and will continue to impact my life,” Chumchal said. “Thanks to the Steudtners, I was able to make my dreams a reality.”

To learn more about matching gift opportunities, contact Jesse Natal, matching gift coordinator, by submitting a message using the form below.

More About Matching Gifts

Give a Gift, Match a Gift

Members of the ExxonMobil A&M Club have utilized ExxonMobil’s matching program to commit nine endowments supporting Aggies.

Major Gift Establishes Norman Borlaug Endowed Research Scholars Program

A $1 million gift from Cactus Feeders establishes the Norman Borlaug Endowed Research Scholars Program at Texas A&M University.

The Domino Effect

After receiving a PES while he was at Texas A&M, Travis Owens ’06 and his wife Shan Wang are giving a scholarship of their own for Aggie engineers.

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