By Elaine Barnes
Coordinator, Alumni and Donor Communications
August 23, 2019 (Kingsville, TX) – The Texas A&M University-Kingsville Foundation announced, with gratitude, the largest singular gift from an individual in the university’s almost 100-year history. The $19.5 million bequest is also the leading commitment to date for the university’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, With You. Without Limits. The Campaign for Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Given by an anonymous donor, the transformational gift will include more than 7,800 acres of Texas ranchland, presently valued at $16 million, plus $3.5 million in cash – all dedicated to King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management (KRIRM).
“Texas A&M University-Kingsville is honored to receive this tremendous gift that will have a significant impact on the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. Through this donor’s immense generosity, our students, faculty and researchers will be able to expand the work to which they are committed, managing our nation’s range and wildlife and preserving our rich ranching tradition. A historic gift of this nature reflects a tremendous vision and spirit of philanthropy and we are incredibly grateful,” stated President of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Dr. Mark A. Hussey.
This partnership will allow students pursuing a master’s degree through KRIRM the opportunity to conduct real-world case studies on land and animal management, including brush control, grazing management, livestock management, wildlife management and marketing. The investment of cash will establish an operations and management endowment that enables KRIRM to manage the ranch to support teaching, applied research, and outreach to ranching industry stakeholders according to the KRIRM mission. A portion of the planned gift will support the Veterinary Technology program at Texas A&M-Kingsville and provide scholarships for students attending veterinary school.
Texas A&M-Kingsville publicly launched its With You. Without Limits. Campaign in April 2018. With this planned gift, donors have generously given $94.6 million, nearing the campaign goal of $100 million in private support. The university has recorded more than 19,000 gifts from more than 4,600 donors since the campaign’s inception, with each gift securing our university’s future while preserving and honoring its unique heritage as an integral part in the success of South Texas.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Texas A&M-Kingsville Foundation, we are ecstatic about this donor’s investment in the university, and specifically the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management,” said Brad Walker, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Foundation CEO. “We know that Texas A&M-Kingsville is without limits, but to achieve the university’s mission, it really does take the support of individual donors and alumni. This planned gift ensures a tremendous future for both the institute and the university.”
For more information about the impact of With You. Without Limits. or to learn how you can make a gift to the university, please visit this link.
Learn more about KRIRM as the only Master of Science in Ranch Management program in the world here.