A New Home for Aggie Veterans

Don and Ellie Knauss consider education “the great equalizer,” and they believe military veterans are among those most deserving of the opportunities it offers. This conviction and their generous spirit inspired a $5 million gift that allowed the Veteran Resource & Support Center (VRSC) at Texas A&M University to expand into a renovated space.

About 200 special guests celebrated the opening of the new facility in a private gathering on June 14 in the Memorial Student Center (MSC) on campus. The 10,000-square-foot space provides improved infrastructure for VRSC staff to provide support for the nearly 4,500 military affiliated students and their families, as well as a number of military-affiliated student organizations.

The VRSC, which is part of the Division of Student Affairs, provides numerous specialized resources and programs for Texas A&M student veterans. Since its opening in 2012, veteran enrollment has more than doubled in size, with Texas A&M now home to over 1,200 student veterans seeking both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The center’s 12 strategic programs proactively support these student veterans from “application to vocation” by focusing on academic, financial, and personal well-being as well as career success. In addition, the center provides support and resources to military dependents and spouses either enrolled or as family members of enrolled veterans, and provides space and advisory support for several military-affiliated student organizations.

The new, state-of-the-art Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center is the only one of its kind in the country. In addition to the 17 office spaces for staff and student workers and a multi-purpose room for staff, the center boasts a meeting space with 85” monitors that double as digital white-boards with an attached catering kitchen, a library study space which also houses an 85” white-board monitor and two open-access lab computers resting on programmable, adjustable height desks, a cozy and well equipped lounge that includes a third open-access lab computer that also rests on a programmable, adjustable height desk, and a stocked kitchen dedicated to student veteran needs. The center was designed with the overall concepts of providing spaces for student veterans to study, share experiences, grow as students and leaders in their new college environment, and to help newly arriving student veterans adjust to college life.

In addition to the VRSC’s functionality, the center is also home to a very special artwork collection by renowned Aggie artist, Benjamin Knox ’90. When designing the space, the concept of artwork paying tribute to all of the military service branches and recognizing the service-to-civilian transition was something that staff felt was important; it defines who and what the center is about. Desiring something custom and meaningful, the VRSC approached Benjamin Knox, who humbly jumped at the opportunity to honor our nation’s service men and women with this personal tribute. Thus, the “Defenders of Freedom” series was born, and is proudly displayed at the entrance to the VRSC. This series of seven paintings depicts notable and important aspects of each branch of service, Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, with the final painting focusing on the transition of our service members from service through college and into civilian life and careers. As a personal and meaningful touch, the artwork contains several depictions of Aggies who have served – or are currently serving – in the military and NASA, as well as the Knausses. 

Housed in the Memorial Student Center, the campus building dedicated to those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country, the VRSC is appropriately located at the end of the Hall of Honor, next to the MSC Veteran’s Lounge and the Student Veterans of America at Texas A&M University’s office, creating a home away from home for student veterans at Texas A&M University. 

“My career took some fun and unexpected turns because we decided we were going to follow Don’s career path, and I was lucky enough to find jobs whenever he was moved or promoted, which was often!” Ellie said. 

Don grew his career first with P&G and later with Frito-Lay, Tropicana, The Coca-Cola Company, and finally Clorox. He holds key roles at three companies: Clorox Co. (director and chairman of the board), McKesson Corp. (independent director), URS Corp. (director) and Kellogg Co. (director).  

He serves as chairman of the board at the University of San Diego and as a board member for the U.S. Marine Corps University Foundation and Morehouse College. A baseball enthusiast since the age of 5, he is responsible for renaming the Houston Astros’ stadium after Minute Maid and campaigning to keep the Oakland Athletics in Oakland. As a 2006 recipient of the ROBIE Award from the Jackie Robinson Foundation, he often reflects on the epitaph inscribed on Robinson’s grave: “A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives.” It has become a mantra that guides the philanthropy and service of both Don and Ellie Knauss. 

“We may never achieve true equality, but we can create equality of opportunity,” he said. “If you're in a leadership position, you can find ways to ensure that everyone has a fair and equitable playing field. Unless it can create wealth, there is no society on the planet that can take care of its most needy citizens, raise the standard of living, or make the investment necessary to preserve and protect the planet. That wealth must be created on a fair and equitable playing field. This is the inspiration behind our gifts to Texas A&M. We are trying to make the playing field fair and equitable so that every student veteran gets a fair shot to maximize the talent God gave them.” 

Media contact: Ashley Drake, Texas A&M University Division of Student Affairs, Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center, 979-845-3161, adrake@tamu.edu