This Fund Helps Aggies Experience Student Orgs, and It Needs Your Support

Since its spring 2022 inception, more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students have used the fund to defray the costs of participating in recognized campus organizations, including Memorial Student Center programs, Freshman Leadership Organizations, The Big Event leadership, Fish Camp leadership, sport clubs, fraternities and sororities, leadership conferences, and Extended Orientation programs like Fish Camp, T-Camp and Howdy Camp.

The Aggie Experience Fund has provided an average of $250 in financial support to each applicant for a semester; the total amount a student can receive over their college experience is $1,500.

Currently, the fund’s corpus totals $775,000, thanks to five endowments and numerous non-endowed gifts from individuals and groups. But since August 2023, the Division of Student Affairs has recorded a 34% increase in applications as word of the fund spreads. That surge has caused leaders to set their sights on creating a $5 million endowment that would distribute enough funds to help 800 students annually.

Until that happens, many applications will be turned down due to insufficient funding. “Our students are definitely showing the need, but we need the further support of our Aggie community to grow the Aggie Experience Fund and positively impact many more students’ college experiences,” said Dr. Vicki Dobiyanski ’03 ’06, associate vice president in the Division of Student Affairs.
 

Maximilian “Max” Kaase ’27, a materials engineering major from Houston, serves as the business leader and project manager for Texas A&M University’s Design Build Fly Team.

Utilized the Aggie Experience Fund for: Travel to the annual international event where the team’s plane, which is designed and built based on American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ specifications, is flown in competition.

Funding was critical because: “This event is the culmination of our year, but we can only afford to send a small portion of our team. We took many more members this year thanks to the Aggie Experience Fund. The event is also a great networking opportunity since many sponsors send representatives, so attending can lead to professional relationships and internships.”


 

Claudio Rodriguez ’25, a mechanical engineering major from Orange County, California, is president of MAES: Latinos in Science and Engineering.

Utilized the Aggie Experience Fund for: The MSC Fall Leadership Conference. “The conference elevated my leadership skills by teaching me how to implement a team culture where everyone has input. As a result, everyone in MAES started working together more, and our membership increased from 50 Aggies in 2023 to 150 in fall 2024.”

Funding was critical because: “Three other MAES officers and I were leaning toward not attending the conference due to costs. The Aggie Experience Fund took away the financial burden so we didn’t have to pull money from savings or worry about covering tuition or rent.”


 

Sarah Buchanan ’27, a biomedical engineering major from Pearland, Texas, competes in all-around events for the Texas A&M Gymnastics Club, which placed second nationally in 2023-24.

Utilized the Aggie Experience Fund for: Club dues, which help cover the semesterly cost for uniforms, equipment and travel.

Funding was critical because: “Being able to continue competing in gymnastics in college means not having to choose between my major and my sport. Having these funds available to participate on a club team as opposed to attending a university with a funded NCAA team meant that I could commit to my engineering studies.”