Former student Ralph Faxel, Jr. and his wife Brenda. |
Image: Courtesy of Ralph Faxel, Jr.
Brenda F. and Ralph Faxel, Jr. have established the Brenda F. and Ralph Faxel, Jr. '87, ’90 Endowed Scholarship. Distributions from this endowment will be used to provide one or more scholarships to full-time first-generation students in good standing pursuing an undergraduate degree in the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University.
Ralph is one of the first in his family to attend college. He had many inspirations for establishing this endowment, including his belief that access to an education at Texas A&M makes a difference. “I had a four-year McFadden scholarship that helped me to attend Texas A&M, but it also gave me the confidence to be there,” he said. “I had thought about establishing a scholarship for a while now, and with COVID-19 and retirement, it pushed things to the forefront.”
Ralph said that through his relationship with his family and with Texas A&M, he learned to make a difference. “I have worked with Texas A&M Engineering campus recruiting since 2001 and I believe that to hire diverse students, we need to educate diverse students,” he said. “I want to help maintain and improve the diversity among engineering students. A&M is better when we can all have a chance to experience the Aggie traditions. When ‘The Aggie War Hymn’ plays, we put our arms on each other’s shoulders and all sway together.”
Growing up, Ralph was familiar with Texas A&M and attended many campus events, and football and basketball games. Additionally, he was inspired to attend Texas A&M through his father’s work for a prominent Aggie, L.F. Peterson, for whom the Peterson building on campus is named. “As an early teen, I wanted to go to Texas A&M as I liked the comradery and being part of the Aggie family,” he said.
Ralph graduated with his bachelor’s in petroleum engineering in 1987, during the downturn in the petroleum industry. “I decided to stay at A&M to get my master’s in chemical engineering to diversify myself and still have access to the campus recruiting center,” he said. “As a Shell engineer, I was involved with campus recruiting from 2001 to present day, and helped recruit 127 Aggies to Shell. Now, as I am retiring after a gratifying career, I want to keep encouraging Aggie engineers to reach their goals.”
Ralph is one of the first in his family to attend college. He had many inspirations for establishing this endowment, including his belief that access to an education at Texas A&M makes a difference. “I had a four-year McFadden scholarship that helped me to attend Texas A&M, but it also gave me the confidence to be there,” he said. “I had thought about establishing a scholarship for a while now, and with COVID-19 and retirement, it pushed things to the forefront.”
Ralph said that through his relationship with his family and with Texas A&M, he learned to make a difference. “I have worked with Texas A&M Engineering campus recruiting since 2001 and I believe that to hire diverse students, we need to educate diverse students,” he said. “I want to help maintain and improve the diversity among engineering students. A&M is better when we can all have a chance to experience the Aggie traditions. When ‘The Aggie War Hymn’ plays, we put our arms on each other’s shoulders and all sway together.”
Growing up, Ralph was familiar with Texas A&M and attended many campus events, and football and basketball games. Additionally, he was inspired to attend Texas A&M through his father’s work for a prominent Aggie, L.F. Peterson, for whom the Peterson building on campus is named. “As an early teen, I wanted to go to Texas A&M as I liked the comradery and being part of the Aggie family,” he said.
Ralph graduated with his bachelor’s in petroleum engineering in 1987, during the downturn in the petroleum industry. “I decided to stay at A&M to get my master’s in chemical engineering to diversify myself and still have access to the campus recruiting center,” he said. “As a Shell engineer, I was involved with campus recruiting from 2001 to present day, and helped recruit 127 Aggies to Shell. Now, as I am retiring after a gratifying career, I want to keep encouraging Aggie engineers to reach their goals.”
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. If you are interested in supporting the College of Engineering and its departments or would like more information on how you can give, please contact Meredith Brown, assistant director of development.