Two students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University were among the 10th class of Maroon Coats recognized by the Texas A&M Foundation in April. Elton McIntosh ’19 and Hudson Lorfing ’19 attended the coating ceremony at the Jon L. Hagler Center, where current and former members gathered to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary.
Maroon Coats are student leaders who serve Texas A&M by nurturing a friendly and welcoming environment. They enhance the impact of the Texas A&M Foundation through ambassadorship, stewardship and selfless service by thanking donors for their gifts and interacting with them at Foundation-sponsored events.
McIntosh believes ambassadorship and personal relationships are at the very core of what makes Texas A&M so special. When beginning his freshman year it was a group of Maroon Coats that stepped in to welcome and support him. He said their love for this university was evident and inspired him to apply.
“The purpose of Maroon Coats is two-fold: to serve as an ambassador from the student body to our donors, and to act as a liaison between the Foundation and our student body,” McIntosh said. “This is accomplished by a number of different activities, including giving tours to prospective students, acting as hosts at donor events and encouraging students to write thank you letters to generous alumni.”
Lorfing has witnessed the beneficial impact scholarships have on the lives of fellow students. He said many of his 
friends attend Texas A&M on scholarships thanks to the Texas A&M Foundation.
“The impact of this organization centers around the focus of connecting students with donors and alumni to provide them with feedback, experiences and an idea of how their contributions affect students at A&M,” Lorfing said. “Personally, I joined the group to say thank you to donors and develop relationships to hopefully, one day, be where they are.”
Lorfing hopes students will grow to understand the impact the Foundation has on them and discover ways they can contribute to it in the future.