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Honoring a Tradition

Former Bush School student and planned giving scholar Antonio Ramos-Michael ’20 prepares for a life of service.

By Lori Ferguson

Photos courtesy of Antonio Ramos-Michael '20

May 2, 2022


U.S. Army 1st Lt. Antonio “Tony” Ramos-Michael ’20 has no trouble envisioning his future: eight years of active-duty service followed by 12 years as a reservist or member of the National Guard. After completing his active-duty commitment, he’ll seek a job in government at the state or local level, or even the federal level if the right opportunity presents itself. “I like the idea of making laws or policies to help the little guy,” he observed. And when he’s a bit older, he’d like to try his hand at teaching like his father, who taught elementary school for many years. “I think it would be fun to be a high school history teacher,” he mused.
 

Tony stands proudly with his father, Edwin Ramos-Echandi '78, who also served in the Corps of Cadets.

At this juncture, the details remain unknown, but one thing is clear to this graduate of the Bush School of Government and Public Service: serving others comes first.

The Path to Service

When he began to think about college, Ramos-Michael quickly realized that his desire to serve dovetailed nicely with the ethos of Texas A&M University. “My father, Edwin Ramos-Echandi, was Class of 1978 and a proud Aggie, so I was very familiar with Texas A&M’s core values of service and leadership,” he explained. “I also knew I wanted to serve in the military—it’s a family tradition—and I discovered I could get an ROTC scholarship to Texas A&M to help with the cost of college.”

Shortly after arriving at the university, Ramos-Michael learned of a dual program at the Bush School that would enable him to complete both his bachelor’s in political science and master’s in public service administration in four years, leveraging the extensive Advanced Placement (AP) credits he had earned in high school. He was sold. “I loved the Bush School,” he said. “The professors were incredible; they had a lot of practical experience in the field, which made it really interesting to learn from them.”
 

An Aggie Hero

William “Bill” Bowie ’43 and his wife, Betty, created their endowed scholarship program to prepare graduate students at the Bush School for a life in public service. It was a calling Bill knew well. A Texas native and lifelong Dallas resident, he earned his bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M, then entered the U.S. Army to serve his country. He distinguished himself as a captain in the 411th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, participating in the Normandy invasion and the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. In his obituary, it was noted that Bill’s proudest wartime accomplishment was ensuring that no one under his command was injured or killed due to an avoidable accident.

Like his scholar, Tony, who followed many years later, Bill was also a strong believer in education. After the war ended, he attended the University of Wales at Monmouthshire and then returned to the U.S. to earn a master’s in petroleum engineering from The University of Texas.

During the ensuing four years, the eager Aggie leveraged every opportunity to further his education and gain leadership experience. He was especially active with the Corps of Cadets, initially serving in Company B-2 before becoming a 3rd Brigade Sergeant Major his junior year and Commander of Company C-1 his senior year. “The Corps was a wonderful experience,” he enthused. “I had a good time, made friends and learned a lot about peer leadership.”

Ramos-Michael pursued service and leadership opportunities off-campus as well, interning with U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX 28th District) the summer after his freshman year and with U.S. Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD 2nd District) the summer after his junior year. “I learned a lot about the process of drafting and passing policies while working for Congressman Cuellar and saw firsthand how a district office works while interning with Congressman Ruppersberger,” he recalled.

An Example to Follow

The former student was quick to point out that he could not have pursued so many extracurricular activities if not for the scholarship support he received throughout his four years at Texas A&M. In addition to his ROTC scholarship, he also secured financial support for his graduate education through the Betty C. and William H. Bowie ’43 Endowed Scholarship Program.

Huge proponents of education, the Bowies planned a gift to the Texas A&M Foundation in 2014 using an IRA. After their lives, the gift funded an endowment that, today, supports Aggies learning the ins and outs of public service at the Bush School; cadets who are gaining the foundation for their future success; and additional Aggie undergraduates who just need a helping hand.

 



“I’m so grateful to the Bowies—to Mr. Bowie for his service to our country and to Mrs. Bowie for supporting her husband,” Ramos-Michael said. “And I’m so appreciative of the scholarship they provided. Their support, together with my ROTC scholarship, enabled me to attend college without having to work during my time on campus. Instead, I was able to accept unpaid internships, study abroad and participate in the Corps—all things that increased my understanding of public service work and enhanced my leadership skills so that I can realize my goals.”
 

Interested in helping pave the way for future public servants? Contact Angela Throne ’03 below to discuss planned giving options that are most beneficial for you.


 

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