Roc’C ’83 and Mark Semmelbeck ‘83 have established the Roc’C ’83 and Mark Semmelbeck ’83 Excellence Endowment. This endowment will be used to support the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program at Texas A&M University.
Mark and Roc’C said the purpose of their endowment is to advance the work of the college of engineering’s development of a world-class entrepreneurship program for Aggie engineers.
“Many of my Aggie engineering friends started their own businesses to provide skills and products developed with Aggie spirit, knowledge and wisdom,” Mark said. “I believe the combination of an engineering degree from Texas A&M, and the desire to start and grow a business is one of the most rewarding professional paths a person can embark on.”
Mark said his mentor and advisor in petroleum engineering, Dr. Steve Holditch, was also an entrepreneur. “His world-class engineering company, S.A. Holditch & Associates, is where I started my engineering career,” he said. “Steve's motto of ‘I always reserve the right to get smarter’ is exactly the attitude that results in Aggie engineers being leaders in their disciplines and companies all over the world.”
Mark and Roc’C hope that participants in the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program will gain skills to make better products and better companies. “Our engineering school is one of the best in the world. It will also be a school that changes the world for the better,” Mark said. “A part of that will come from graduates who participate in these programs.”
How to Give
The College of Engineering is one of the leading engineering programs in the United States, ranking first in undergraduate enrollment and ninth in graduate enrollment. Endowments supporting the students in the college have an immeasurable impact on their education.