Coming from a long line of Aggies, Callie Johnson ’13 headed to Aggieland for her college education. At the same time, Andrew Johnson ’13 made his way to College Station, Texas, to experience the Aggie core values through the Corps of Cadets. Callie and Andrew’s paths crossed when they were lab partners in a mechanical engineering class. Years later, the now-married couple has created the Callie and Andrew Johnson ’13 Endowed Scholarship to support future Aggie mechanical engineers.
“We both benefitted from an endowed scholarship while in school,” Callie said. “The financial relief it brought our families is an unmatched feeling, and we want to reward a hard-working student and hopefully give them the same feeling of peace.”
During their time at Texas A&M University, Callie and Andrew focused on working hard to earn their degrees while being involved in some of the many on-campus organizations. Callie was actively engaged in Memorial Student Center Aggie Leaders of Tomorrow, and through her time there, she gained valuable soft skills that would later serve her career.
Andrew balanced his course load with the challenges of being in the Corps of Cadets and receiving leadership development. The scholarships that the Johnsons received allowed them to devote their time to gaining remarkable experiences through their involvement in campus organizations.
Encouraged by their own experiences, Callie and Andrew decided to establish the Callie and Andrew Johnson ’13 Endowed Scholarship to support students in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering who are also members of the Corps of Cadets. The Johnsons hope their gift will provide financial relief to students, allowing them to focus on achieving excellence in their studies while participating in other growth opportunities on campus.
“The leadership development I gained in the Corps of Cadets, coupled with the technical knowledge and hands-on experience in my undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees, has benefited me in my career,” Andrew said.
Their transformative learning experiences outside the classroom helped both Callie and Andrew quickly transfer their technical engineering skills to their careers. As successful professionals, Callie and Andrew acknowledge that their careers have been positively impacted by their time spent in Aggieland — both inside and outside the engineering lab.
The Johnsons hope their gift will provide Aggie engineers with financial relief and inspire future generations to continue the circle of giving. Callie and Andrew want to encourage mechanical engineering students to strive for excellence while selflessly serving others in their community.