Acknowledging Altruism

Legacy Society

Established in 1989, the Legacy Society is home to donors whose gifts total $100,00 or more to any of Texas A&M’s five fundraising entities: the Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation, the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, and the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Association. The Legacy Society boasts more than 9,000 members since its inception who have given a collective $6.1 billion to support Texas A&M.

Along with its new member events, the Foundation also hosts other events throughout the year, including the introduction of Legacy Weekends this fall—a chance for Legacy members to revisit their college years through exclusive campus tours and a tailgate. For donors who cannot make the drive to Aggieland, the Foundation will bring Texas A&M to them through newly introduced regional events. Starting in July 2023, these events in cities across the state will connect local Aggies to each other. A concierge service is another new perk coming this summer, as Legacy members can ask the Foundation’s help in coordinating their trips to Texas A&M, including arranging campus tours.

Kelli (Bewley) Adam ’91 ’09 and her husband, Daniel, joined the Legacy Society 10 years ago. Through the society, the Adam family has connected with countless likeminded people who want to be part of Texas A&M’s ongoing growth and success. “We joined a community of passionate individuals who share our love for Texas A&M, and this membership signifies our commitment to the university and grants us access to exclusive opportunities," Kelli said. “From the annual gathering that allows us to reconnect with old friends to the more intimate events where we make new connections, each experience has been filled with fellowship.”

Heritage Membership

The concept of leaving money to Texas A&M through wills or other planned gifts started with James “Cop” Forsyth, Class of 1912, who encouraged his classmates to establish the first class-sponsored President’s Endowed Scholarship using a combination of current funds and estate gifts. The Foundation later began recognizing these donors through Heritage Membership. While it started as a subset of the Legacy Society, the group has evolved in recent years and is now its own program with more than 2,400 donors who have created planned gifts for Texas A&M.

To become a Heritage Member, donors can leave a planned gift of any size to the Foundation. Lynn ’81 and Kenneth Keefe became Heritage Members in 2013 after planning for a Regents’ Scholarship and an Endowed Opportunity Award scholarship in their wills.

“Attending Heritage Membership programs and seeing and interacting with scholarship recipients brings us incredible joy,” Lynn said. “They truly are the future, and it redeems our faith in the future of society when we see these terrific young men and women.”

Heritage Members can also attend a special barbecue in College Station during football season—a perfect time for members to meet new people and eat good food. Similar to the Legacy Society, the Foundation will start hosting regional events for Heritage Members this fall.
 

Sterling C. Evans Medal

Sterling C. Evans, Class of 1921, is a familiar name to most Aggies. The namesake of the Sterling C. Evans Library and Annex, Evans gave back to Texas A&M through donations and service, including roles on the Board of Regents, the Texas A&M Research Foundation Board and the Texas A&M Development Foundation Board. During his time as president of the Board of Regents, Evans played an important role in the admittance of women and Black students into Texas A&M. In honor of his pioneering leadership, the Foundation made Evans the namesake of its most prestigious award recognizing donors who make outstanding contributions to Texas A&M.

Since its creation in 1998, the Sterling C. Evans Medal has been awarded to 35 individual donors and couples who have displayed a long record of service, leadership and philanthropy to continue the university’s success. The medal is given on a highly selective basis, and its recipients are chosen at the discretion of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Like Evans himself, recipients of the Sterling C. Evans Medal are visionaries. Through the time and donations they have invested in Texas A&M, they have encouraged countless students, faculty and researchers to reach their goals and make a difference for the state, nation and world.

“The Sterling C. Evans Award is an award for people who are visionaries, for selfless servants who give more than they take, for people who believe deep in their hearts–deep in their Aggie DNA–that this university means so much because it stands for so much,” said Tyson Voelkel ’96, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “Regardless of what they’ve supported, they’re helping move this university into the future.”