Planting the Aggie Spirit

As Sandra Schneider ’94 was reading an email from the Texas A&M Foundation’s gift planning office, she noticed a survey. Seeing that the reward for survey completion was a pack of maroon bluebonnet seeds, Schneider didn’t need much prompting. Like most Aggies, she coveted all things maroon. It was from this survey that the Foundation first learned of the gift she had made in her will for Texas A&M University.

The Will to Give

Schneider is one of many proud Aggies in her family and said she couldn’t imagine attending any other university. She took advantage of the opportunities being an Aggie provided her. As a student, she became involved with Fish Camp, T-Camp, Kappa Alpha Theta and the Aggie Orientation Leader Program. This involvement fueled her love for the university and her fellow Aggies. “I underwent tremendous personal and academic growth during my four years at Texas A&M,” she said. “Being involved on campus allowed me to grow in leadership and pursue friendships in different ways.” It was a culmination of this involvement that inspired this Aggie to establish a planned gift for Texas A&M.

Schneider had already written Texas A&M into her will, but she had not notified the Foundation. After two Foundation planned giving officers reached out to her in response to her survey, she learned that she could direct her gift to an area of the university she felt passionate about. Having read and been inspired by many of the Foundation’s articles featuring first-generation students, Schneider instantly knew where she wanted to give.

Passing It Back

With a deep desire to support underprivileged students, the former student created the Sandra Schneider Foundation Excellence Award to provide scholarships to students from underrepresented groups, including minorities and students from economically disadvantaged areas and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

“I realize how fortunate my family members and I are to have Texas A&M educations and experiences,” Schneider said. “I know many worthy students will not have the opportunity to attend college simply because of money.”

Schneider hopes her scholarships will encourage students to follow their passions and inspire them to one day pass it back to the next generation of Aggies. “The Aggie Spirit is reliant on former students passing down its importance,” she said. “By directing my gift through the Foundation, I can create a more meaningful impact by affording future Texas A&M students with the same opportunities I attribute much of my success to.”

Schneider looks to plant the importance of the Aggie Spirit everywhere she goes, and now, thanks to the Foundation, she can plant that spirit with purpose to create a brighter future for Texas A&M.

Tell Us About Your Gift

Giving through the Foundation allows you to direct your gift for a specific purpose, whether that be Texas A&M students, faculty, colleges or programs. The first step in doing this is to be sure your gift is directed to the “Texas A&M University Foundation.” Once your gift is properly directed, our experienced gift planning staff will assist you in matching your on-campus interests to support your passions. The final step is to complete a gift agreement. This formal document tells the Foundation where to use the money once it is received.

If you have named Texas A&M University in your will, let us know so we can thank you. By notifying the Foundation, you’ll become a member of our Heritage Society, an elite group of individuals who have included Texas A&M in their after-lifetime wishes. Your planned gift of any size will also count toward fulfilling Texas A&M’s Lead by Example campaign, a $4 billion fundraising endeavor that will enhance Texas A&M’s capability to address challenges facing the state, nation and world.

Have you planned a gift for Texas A&M University in your will? Contact Angela Throne ’03 at the bottom of this page.

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