Texas A&M Foundation 2017 Annual Report
Welcome to the Texas A&M Foundation’s 2017 annual report.
A Year to Celebrate
At Texas A&M University, we are lucky to have dedicated former students and friends who are committed to ensuring the success of our institution through philanthropy.
Despite market volatility and a difficult few years in the oil and gas sectors, the Foundation provided $90.8 million to the university in fiscal year 2017. The stewardship of your gifts is our greatest responsibility, and we applaud your generosity.
As we continue the Lead by Example campaign—the most ambitious fundraising campaign our university has ever undertaken and the largest ever in the state of Texas—we are thankful for your personal commitment to Texas A&M’s success. With the help of our friends and investors, we have surpassed the $2.79 billion mark in this momentous effort to raise $4 billion by 2020.
Our Office of Gift Planning also experienced a tremendous year, raising 146 planned gifts for a total of $120.3 million. Finally, we are proud to celebrate our endowment performance. Thanks to our investment policies, best-in-class staff, exceptional governance and our dedicated Board of Trustees, the Foundation’s portfolio has achieved an average 7.7 percent annual rate of return over a 15-year period. We pride ourselves on our stewardship of the hard-earned money you entrust us with so that your gifts will have the most profound impact possible in perpetuity through the endowment.
As we look to 2018, we’d like to thank you again for your extraordinary support. We remind you that all gifts are significant, regardless of size, and we challenge you to find a better return on your philanthropic dollar than Texas A&M. With your support, we are leading by example and ensuring that Texas A&M continues to be a leader among institutions of higher education.
T. Randall Cain ’82
Chairman of the Board
T. Randall CainTyson Voelkel '96
President
Tyson Voelkel2017Lead by Example Campaign
160,000
Individual donors who've contributed to the campaign
20,643
Corporate/foundation donors who've contributed to the campaign
581,048
Gifts made to the campaign
2017Foundation Financials
in fiscal year 2017
in fiscal year 2017
Gifts to Texas A&M
Donors gave more than $254 million to the Texas A&M Foundation and Texas A&M University during fiscal year 2017. This total includes cash gifts, future pledge payments at full face value, and revocable and irrevocable planned gifts.
7,955
Total donors
13,888
Total number of gifts received
$254,083,244
Total value of gifts received
$18,295
Average gift value
$0.01 to $15,000,000
Range of gift value
The A&M Legacy Society recognizes individuals, corporations and organizations whose cumulative giving through Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation totals $100,000 or more.
New Members
Total Members
Legacy
Heritage members in the A&M Legacy Society are individuals who have included a gift for the benefit of Texas A&M in their estate plans.
Heritage
Number and Value of Gifts by Class Year
3,460 former students made 6,513 gifts to the Texas A&M Foundation totaling more than $130 million during fiscal year 2017.
Total value of gifts received from former students during fiscal year 2017
Giving by Donor Location
More than 10,600 gifts totaling more than $172 million came from donors residing in Texas. Donors in Massachusetts gave 63 gifts totaling more than $20 million, while donors in California contributed 477 gifts for more than $6.5 million—making those states second and third in total gift value, respectively. Thirty-one gifts came from donors living overseas.
Leading Corporate and Foundation Donors by Cumulative FY 2017 Giving
Many donors double, triple or quadruple the amount of their gifts by taking advantage of a corporate matching program. During fiscal year 2017, corporate and foundation donors matched 1,374 gifts to the Texas A&M Foundation for a total of $2.7 million.
Foundation Funds Made Available to Texas A&M
The Foundation annually makes millions of dollars available to Texas A&M for students, faculty, facilities and programs according to donors’ wishes. In fiscal year 2017, these funds totaled $90.8 million.
2017
$103,900,000
Annual total for fiscal year 2017
2017
$90,800,000
Annual total for fiscal year 2017
Planned Giving by the Numbers
The Foundation’s Office of Gift Planning helps donors establish after-lifetime and dual-benefit gifts that will aid Texas A&M University and its students in the future. For fiscal year 2017, the Foundation documented $120.3 million in planned gifts, which includes gifts that will be received by the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation. From 1999 to 2016, the Foundation has documented more than $1 billion in planned gift expectancies.
$120,300,000
Total value of planned gifts documented
146
Number of planned gifts documented
$10,000 to $8,000,000
Range of gift value
$15,828,889
Value of realized gifts during fiscal year 2017
$168,652,770
Value of realized gifts in the last 10 years
New Endowments Breakdown
The Foundation prides itself on enhancing the academic experience at Texas A&M University for both students and faculty. Donors who create endowments for scholarships, chairs, professorships and fellowships leave a legacy that enhances Texas A&M’s core mission of providing the highest-quality undergraduate and graduate programs.
Endowment Values by Unit
Shown below is the value of each unit’s endowment held by the Texas A&M Foundation for the benefit of Texas A&M University as of June 30, 2017. The combined value of these endowments totals more than $1.3 billion.
*Includes Texas A&M University Press, KAMU-TV, Reed Arena, non-designated endowments and endowments with split beneficiaries.
Endowment Performance Over Time
The Foundation invests endowments using asset allocation to maximize growth while safeguarding capital. This chart illustrates the market value of a $100,000 endowed scholarship created in 1980 and its cumulative value of student stipends. This single endowment would have paid out more than $357,700 by 2017.
Long-Term Investment Pool Growth
The long-term investment pool (LTIP)—which has a total value of $1.6 billion—has consistently met or exceeded our portfolio management guidelines, resulting in both the growth of funds available to Texas A&M University and the asset size of the portfolio. The LTIP is composed mostly of endowments, but also includes other non-endowed funds invested for the long term.
Investment Performance
The Foundation has a solid record of investing. Over the years, we have consistently met internal performance goals and outperformed many peer organizations, ranking in the top or high second investment quartile.
Long-Term Investment Pool Asset Allocation
By investing assets, the Foundation preserves the purchasing power of gifts while providing steady earnings for Texas A&M.
2017Impacts
Every gift makes an impact. Here’s a look at how some of your gifts are benefiting Texas A&M University students, faculty, colleges and programs.
Elevating Texas A&M
A $20 million gift from Jon L. Hagler ’58 names the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University. Funds from his gift will help attract and support academic visionaries from around the world, elevating Texas A&M to a new level of scholarship.
Read More
Catalyst for Health
A planned gift from Debbie and Mike Hilliard ’73 will create a new entrepreneurship minor and certificate program in the College of Liberal Arts; endow scholarships for student entrepreneurs; and support the Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance.
Read More
Family Legacy
Through a charitable bequest in his estate, Maier Foundation President Brad Rowe '97 will create a need-based scholarship fund for future Aggie engineers. The gift honors his father, a chemical engineer and graduate of the University of Kentucky.
Read More
Investing in Mays
Mays Business School receives more than $35 million in commitments from the Mays Family Foundation, the McFerrin family and the Charles Koch Foundation in support of its entrepreneurial programs. These gifts will make Texas A&M a leading destination for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Read More
“During the last few years, we have seen the institute develop from a promising idea to a burgeoning reality—one that has the capacity to dramatically elevate the quality and reputation of Texas A&M. By creating the Hagler Institute, Jon’s endowment will carry the torch forward, accelerating the institute onward in its mission to be a cornerstone of excellence at Texas A&M that will enhance the university in perpetuity.”
-Dr. John Junkins
Founding Director, Hagler Institute for Advanced Study
“The Huffines Institute mission aligns with the College of Education and Human Development’s overall priority of improving the quality of life among individuals and communities for a healthier Texas. We believe this gift will allow us to make an impact on the health of the public as well as prepare our students to be leaders in the human performance field.”
-Dr. Joyce Alexander
Dean, College of Education and Human Development
"Scholarships give students a chance. My scholarship taught me to believe in myself and that other people believe in me too."
-Dominic Johnson '19
Chemical Engineering Major
Foundation Excellence Award Recipient
“My biggest takeaway from my entrepreneurship education at Texas A&M is simply the willingness to go do it. Donors and all the people working behind the scenes at the university give students that chance. Many startup companies may not pan out, but the experience of trying is a lesson more powerful than anything you read in a book or learn in a class. I am thankful for the people at Texas A&M who have pushed me to take risks.”
-Chris Bybee '17
Student Entrepreneur
2017Initiatives
The Texas A&M Foundation matches your interests to funding priorities, no matter what your passion. Below are a few of our major fundraising initiatives for the coming year.
Support Aggie Veterans
Empower Aggie veterans.
With hundreds of new veterans expected to enroll at Texas A&M annually and an increasing number of enrolled spouses, the Division of Student Affairs hopes to endow at least 150 scholarships over the next few years to ease the financial needs of Aggies who have valiantly served. Although veterans receive GI Bill benefits, many are unable to complete their degrees within the 36-month limitation, increasing the need for supplemental funds. Scholarships can also ease the challenging transition from military to civilian life.
You may choose to fund one of three types of veteran scholarships, ranging in value from $25,000 to $100,000. All gifts are payable over a five-year period, and because your gift is endowed, it will support Aggie veterans forever with annual stipends.
To learn how you can support Aggie heroes, visit our website or contact Torii Kapavik ’11, director of development for student affairs. You can also watch how Ray Dilworth ’18 (left) is already being impacted by a scholarship.
Give NowFund Global Study Scholarships
Send Aggies abroad.
The call for globally-attuned graduates is being heard around the world. Texas A&M ranks first nationally in students having study, research, intern or volunteer experiences abroad and sends more than 5,300 students to more than 100 countries each year—a number that continues to grow.
Global study experiences, which vary in length from one week to one year, prepare student-leaders who enter the world determined to make things better. Most students cite financial constraint as the primary reason they are unable to participate in these programs.
By funding a global study scholarship, you can give promising Aggies the edge they need to become leaders and attract future employers. You can make a one-time gift or endow a scholarship for a student in any college or major with a $25,000 gift, payable over a five-year period. The Foundation has matching opportunities through the John Tom Campbell ’45 Endowed Scholarship Program, which will provide matching funds in $25,000 increments for 54 study abroad scholarships. Thirty-four of the matching scholarships were established as of September 30.
To learn more, visit the Global Study Scholarships webpage or contact Marcy Ullmann ’86, director of scholarship programs, at (979) 845-6383 or mullmann@txamfoundation.com.
Give NowEnhance Accounting Education
Name the Department of Accounting.
A $10 million fundraising campaign is underway to name the Mays Business School Department of Accounting in honor of James J. Benjamin, department head since 1982.
Nearly $7.5 million in pledges and commitments has been raised thus far. Funding will provide young people in the field additional opportunities to explore the accounting profession. In addition, funds will allow the department to recruit outstanding faculty; develop international opportunities for students to learn global accounting practices; and support high-impact educational programs, such as the Professional Program and the Energy Accounting Program.
Experiential learning is key to applying knowledge learned in the classroom to the real world. When students can explore different business paths before taking the plunge into real life, they are increasingly motivated in their studies and can make more informed decisions regarding their career specialization.
To make an endowed gift of $25,000 or more to support the naming initiative, contact Brian Bishop ’91 at bbishop@txamfoundation.com or (979) 862-3615.
Give NowAdvance Faculty Teaching and Research
Fund a faculty chair, professorship or fellowship.
When you invest in faculty, you give Texas A&M University an academic edge. Top-notch faculty members attract not only other superb professors but also superb students. Because state funds cover only basic faculty requirements, private support is more critical than ever. Endowed funds can create fellowships, professorships, or chairs.
Faculty gifts may be named in memory or honor of a person, class or organization of the donor’s choice. Gifts are tax-deductible and may be funded through cash, securities, real estate or your estate. Most faculty gifts are payable over a five-year period.
The Texas A&M Foundation invests endowed funds in a way that maximizes growth while safeguarding the principal. Then, the Foundation annually distributes only the earnings on your investment. Most donors choose to create an endowed gift that will last in perpetuity, but you may also choose to fund a one-time gift. You can direct your gift to support a faculty member in a particular field of study.
To explore giving opportunities, visit the Texas A&M Foundation’s faculty webpage.
Give Now2017Thank You
Thank you for visiting the Texas A&M Foundation’s online annual report. We hope you enjoyed reviewing our 2016-2017 highlights and leave inspired about ongoing efforts to enhance and advance Texas A&M University.
No annual report would be complete without an Aggie-sized thank you to our donors. Whether a former student, friend, corporation or foundation, we appreciate your enduring spirit and commitment to Aggieland. Your contributions support Texas A&M’s third comprehensive campaign, Lead by Example, a $4 billion fundraising endeavor to enhance Texas A&M’s stature as a world-class institution of higher education. This campaign is a joint effort between Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation.
