Aggieland serves as a place for both academic and personal growth, leaving a lasting impact on those who find themselves here. For John J. DeShazo Jr. ’49, Texas A&M had a profound impact. As he embarked on a successful career in traffic and transportation engineering, he embodied the Aggie Spirit in every aspect. His son, Chuck DeShazo ’87, alongside friends, established the John J. DeShazo Jr. ’49 Memorial Endowed Scholarship to honor his legacy.
"My father lived, ate and breathed Texas A&M University and traffic engineering," Chuck said. "I thought this endowment would create an awesome legacy of his 74-year professional career."
Highway of Helping Others
John graduated from Texas A&M — then Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas — in January 1950 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He soon left for the open skies of the Texas Panhandle, where he worked for the Texas Highway Department.
Quickly climbing the ranks and developing new skill sets, John earned a certificate at the Bureau of Highway Traffic at Yale University and became the city of Amarillo’s first traffic engineer. In addition to his service to highway safety, John served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel.
With a robust career and a passion for seeing others succeed in his field, John devoted time to guiding budding traffic professionals, beginning with his work for the City of Dallas. Continuing mentorship into his consulting career, John molded prominent figures in the public sector; 12 of his mentees would later become city or county directors of transportation.
In addition to John’s service to fellow professionals, he was also involved with various organizations, including Rotary International, the World Affairs Council of Greater Dallas, the Boy Scouts of America, and the American Cancer Society (Amarillo).
Throughout his life, John was a proud advocate of the Aggie Core Values and took pride in sharing his passion.
Raised by an Aggie, Chuck found it easy to decide where he would further his education: Texas A&M. He cherished the Aggie Spirit his father had passed down.
"I was raised in a strong Aggie family, and my blood turned maroon at an early age," Chuck said. "My time at Texas A&M was very formative for me in terms of my global perspective, my interpersonal relationships, and the development of my business sense."
Like his father, Chuck was encouraged from his time in Aggieland to uphold tradition.
"He taught me to be future-oriented, optimistic, and to never give up," Chuck said. "Those are traits I hope to pass on to my son."
As Chuck reflects on the impact his father had on his life and those around him, he wishes to see future Aggie engineers empowered and encouraged.
"It would inspire its recipients to excel in their educational pursuits and to always be open to learning new things no matter what point they are at in their education or life," Chuck said.