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Aggieland for All

Established in 1999, the Foundation Excellence Award has helped thousands of underserved students join the Aggie family.

By Mamie Hertel '24

Lead photo provided by Texas A&M Division of Marketing & Communications

June 14, 2022


Congratulations! You have been accepted into Texas A&M University.  

For a prospective student, reading these words marks the beginning of an Aggie story. Filled with exhilarating football games, meaningful friendships and endless opportunities, this story can be a remarkable journey that leads to a successful, impactful life.  

But for many, the dream of writing an Aggie story does not come true with acceptance into Texas A&M. Despite having incredible potential to become influential leaders, many students from disadvantaged backgrounds cannot confirm their acceptance due to financial challenges.

Since 1999, the Foundation Excellence Award (FEA) program has helped remove these financial barriers and given thousands of students from historically underserved groups the opportunity to achieve higher education at Texas A&M. Through this program, outstanding students are given a chance to write their own Aggie story.  

Round Rock and Full Circle 

Originally from Round Rock, Texas, Eboni Emelogu ’08 began her Aggie journey as an electrical engineering student. A member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Student Engineers’ Council, Emelogu gained an education and a network that has launched her career at Oncor Electric Delivery as a transmission operations region director, a role where she oversees the groups that provide planned and reactive support to the transmission system in the Central Texas area.
 

A Chance to Connect 

As the oldest of four, John-Beloved Osho ’22 was unsure if college was a possibility for him. After receiving a Foundation Excellence Award, Osho was relieved of financial burdens and given the opportunity to experience the Aggie network. “Aggies have a strong reputation for loyalty and supporting future generations,” Osho said. “The commitment that donors and former students express for Texas A&M and its students is exactly what makes our university stand out among the rest.” 

Photo by Will Walker '13

Osho established meaningful ties in Connect, a community service and networking organization, and Legion, a men’s social organization. Through his experiences, he has developed a deep appreciation for those who gave him and many others the chance to be a member of the Aggie family. “When individuals like my FEA donor create scholarships, it speaks volumes to the trust and belief Aggies have toward each other,” Osho said. “I am beyond grateful for the support of my scholarship and hope to one day give back to others.” 

From the moment she graduated, Emelogu knew she wanted to give back to Texas A&M. An FEA recipient herself, she sought out information on the Texas A&M Foundation’s website. In an email containing the e-brochure she requested online, she saw a familiar name: Marcy Ullmann ’86. “I remembered Marcy from when I was a student sending thank-you notes to my FEA scholarship donors,” Emelogu shared. “It was a full-circle moment speaking with her again, but as a donor myself this time.”

By establishing an FEA scholarship, Emelogu created an opportunity for students from Round Rock majoring in electrical engineering whose shoes she was in a few short years ago. Her gift is a testament to the FEA program’s ability to open doors for leaders of character who will serve the Aggie community.

Pledges, and Promises 

Emelogu’s full-circle story of generosity is one of thousands of Aggies who have overcome financial challenges with the help of a scholarship.

As the population of Texas continues to change, the FEA program strives to make Aggieland a place for all to achieve the same success Emelogu has. Recipients receive a stipend from $2,000 to $2,500 and can be awarded for one year up to four based on academic qualifications, extracurricular activities and financial need. 

Each year, FEAs support approximately 500 Aggies. Although the program has garnered more than $15 million in total gifts and pledges in the last 23 years, there are still many disadvantaged students who are accepted into Texas A&M but do not enroll for financial reasons.

Donors like Emelogu can help change that. Gifts of $10,000 to establish a one-time, four-year FEA for one student can be paid in full or over the course of four years with annual contributions of $2,500. For a perpetual impact, individuals and corporations can endow an FEA through a $50,000 gift that will support Aggies for generations. 

With the creation of an FEA, a deserving student is given an invaluable gift: the ability to accept the invitation to write their own Aggie story. Each additional scholarship allows a unique journey to unfold as a student receives the means to make a difference and lead a life grounded in the Aggie experience that was made possible by the kindness of others. 
 

To learn how you can make Aggieland a place for all through a Foundation Excellence Award, contact Al Pulliam ’87 at the bottom of this page. 
 

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Contact

  • Steve Blomstedt '83

  • Assistant Vice President for Discovery Programs
  • Discovery
  • Call: 979.599.9623

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