Texas A&M is leading the way toward the future of health care with its one-of-a-kind Engineering Medicine, or EnMed, program. EnMed is a graduate school option developed in partnership between the colleges of engineering and medicine along with Houston Methodist Hospital to foster “physicianeers”—a new kind of physician with the engineering prowess to develop world-changing health care technology.

EnMed students simultaneously earn fully-integrated engineering and medical degrees in four years. Responding to the rapid advances in technology, this new type of medical education prepares professionals with the clinical skills to diagnose symptoms and treat patients, along with the engineering mindset to solve problems, invent new technologies and rapidly move these innovative ideas to practice in patient care. 

As it continues to expand, EnMed seeks scholarships for student enrollees and faculty chairs for professors leading the program. Furthermore, funding is needed to support awards for student capstone projects with commercial potential.

To learn more about supporting EnMed, contact Reagan Chessher ’96, senior director of development, at (979) 862-6415 or rchessher@txamfoundation.com or David Boggan ’79, senior director of development, at (979) 436-0811 or dboggan@txamfoundation.com.

Upon the direct recommendation of the late President George H.W. Bush, the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University has made intelligence studies a core focus of its academic mission. Since its inception in 1997, 31-year CIA veteran James Olson has led the Bush School’s intelligence studies program, and approximately 300 Bush School graduates have entered intelligence careers.

Students pursuing intelligence studies take part in a rigorous two-year curriculum that emphasizes hands-on skills, foreign language, intelligence, research and public service. The Bush School combines this well-rounded academic curriculum with practitioner faculty like Olson.

To continue producing principled leaders of character for careers in national intelligence, enhancements must be made to secure the school’s position as a leading force in the field. The school seeks funding for recruiting and hiring seasoned practitioners with intelligence experience as well as intelligence fellows to engage with students on subjects not currently covered in the curriculum. Given the growing number of students interested in intelligence careers, the Bush School also seeks to expand the courses offered in this area.

To support the Bush School’s intelligence studies program, contact Michael Bottiglieri ’89, senior director of development, at (979) 458-8035 or mbottiglieri@txamfoundation.com.

Vision continues to become reality at the Leach Teaching Gardens on West Campus, where plans to grow the space severalfold are underway. As designs for the next 20 acres take shape in architects’ sketchbooks, the project seeks to engage members of the community who are interested in planting the seeds for its second phase.

Phase I of The Gardens at Texas A&M University opened to the public in 2018 and has already hosted more than 3,000 people of all ages on formal tours. Even more visitors have dropped in just to enjoy the seven-acre green space, which includes welcoming sites for teaching, research and outreach. Twenty-one themed gardens boast numerous species of trees, ornamentals, herbs and other horticultural plants.

The next 20 acres, Phase II, will continue to advance education, culture, discovery and wellness while embracing community outreach. Features may include a family garden, floral displays and a reprise of The Grove outdoor venue. Donations at every level help keep The Gardens blooming and support internships and programs, while there are also naming opportunities for current and future gardens.

To support The Gardens, contact Allyson Tjoelker ’02, assistant vice president for development, at (979) 458-7929 or atjoelker@txamfoundation.com. Learn more at gardens.tamu.edu.

Throughout Texas A&M’s history, Aggies have consistently stepped up when called upon to serve their country. Of the numerous veteran resources offered on campus, three prominent programs are seeking financial support:

• The Veteran Aggie Leaders for Outreach and Resources (VALOR) program is a mentorship program that connects incoming veterans with experienced student veterans to help ease the transition back to civilian life. While endowments of $25,000 or more will support the program, a $500,000 endowed gift would make VALOR self-supporting.

• The Student Aggie Veteran Enhancement Fund (SAVE) is an emergency fund awarded in times of crisis to help student veterans remain in school when financial circumstances threaten to force them to drop out. Donations at any level will help support this fund.

• The Aggie Shields program is a student organization that collects used textbooks to fill the Veteran & Dependent Textbook Loan Library, removing the financial burden of buying textbooks from veterans’ shoulders. During the past six semesters, Aggie Shields saved student veterans and their family members more than $314,800 in textbook costs. The program needs approximately $20,000 per year to operate. While gifts to support one or more years of operations are welcome, a $500,000 endowed gift would make the program self-supporting.

To learn more about supporting these programs or other student veteran resources, contact Dave Fujimoto ’17, director of development, at (979) 458-2634 or dfujimoto@txamfoundation.com.