Kelsey Christian: What passionate Aggies they are and how dedicated they are to Texas A&M University. Helping connect the Canions to the areas they’re passionate about also showed me that the planned giving process is just as rewarding for the planned giving officer as it is for the donor.
Phylis & Steve Canion: So much! We’re always asking Kelsey questions, and she always has the right answer for us. That’s why we put so much trust in her with our decisions to give. She’s also helped us reconnect with Texas A&M and is our insight into current trends on campus.
KC: That we have so much in common. In addition to our passion for the university, we both love hunting and traveling. It’s been fun sharing stories of our experiences.
P & SC: The connections. We can sit with Kelsey for an hour and just talk, and she’s genuinely interested in everything we discuss.
KC: Passionate, kindhearted and adventurous.
P & SC: Morals, ethics and integrity. Those are three critical areas Kelsey excels in.
KC: The friendship that has evolved, by far. I couldn’t ask for a better Aggie couple to be lifelong friends with.
P & SC: Knowledge and friendship. This isn’t a business agreement like with an investor where we don’t know them and just talk on the phone. Kelsey has become part of our lives, and that’s made such a difference.
KC: Phylis has been on a National Geographic episode to talk about a dog-like Chupacabra she found on their ranch. Seeing the stuffed Chupacabra was amazing!
P & SC: All of them! Every time we see her, we come away with pictures of different events we’ve been at together, and all of them are a memory. Every day, life creates a new story, and Kelsey is now part of our story.
KC: Are very down-to-earth, welcoming and enjoyable to be around.
P & SC: We love everything about her: her personality, her morals and her passion for what she does. Whenever we tell Kelsey we want to donate, she never asks how much. Whether we want to buy a ring for a student veteran or give $100,000, she loves it. That’s important because we believe it’s not the amount but the love that goes into giving that makes such a difference, and Kelsey truly appreciates that.
KC: Grew from a normal, informational relationship between a planned giving officer and a donor to a personal friendship. The Canions are two of the greatest people. I look up to them for who they are and what they’ve done for Texas A&M, and I admire them as a couple and as my friends.
P & SC: Became so strong that we now think of her as our daughter. Like the famous phrase about Aggieland, people on the outside looking in might not understand our connection because they think we’re just giving money. But who helps us direct that money is just as important. That, and the relationship we’ve developed with her, is why Kelsey is so important to us. We’ll be friends with her forever.
