June 24, 2020

The Class of ’73 Lonestar Company (Company L-1) endowed a $100,000 21st Century Scholarship so others can reap the bonds and benefits of being in the Corps of Cadets.

Four years in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University left an indelible mark on the life of Robert Flesher ’73, as sure as the sheen on freshly buffed senior boots.

“I have an intense love for the Corps and everything it did for me,” said Flesher, whose class of 18 cadets from the ’73 Lonestar Company (Company L-1) endowed a $100,000 21st Century Scholarship so others can reap the bonds and benefits of being in the Corps of Cadets. 

“Each of us feels fortunate to have been a part of the Corps of Cadets. It was there that we learned teamwork and leadership skills and were taught that service to God, country and others was a responsibility as well as a privilege,” explained the Army veteran who worked 35 years in the oil business. 

“One of the greatest blessings we received was the lifelong friendship of our fish buddies in Company L-1. Our friendships are a source of great joy and pride, and their value is immeasurable. It is our desire that others who want to experience what we did in the Corps are not kept from doing so because of a lack of finances.”

Grateful Recipient

To Benjamin Stromberg ’21, one of the first scholarship recipients in Company L-1, the $4,300 per year stipend has allowed him to focus on studies instead of fret over finances. 

“I can concentrate on what I’m here to do, to study and do well,” said the history and Spanish major. “I’ve bled maroon since I was a kid. The Aggie War Hymn was framed above my bed. With my dad being an Aggie, I’ve been aware of Aggie traditions my whole life.”

Stromberg became interested in the Corps during his junior year of high school in Dallas. “The more I learned about it, the more curious I became. I wanted to be part of something that was bigger than myself. I wanted to be part of a team and have a group around me that I could really trust and bond with. These are the people I love. I’ve gotten all I dreamed of and more from the Corps.”

BUDDIES FOR LIFE

That’s music to the ears of Flesher and friends.
 

“The hope is that those on this scholarship find the same kind of lifelong connections that we did,” said Robert Gootee ’73, CEO of an insurance company in Portland, Oregon. “I think that is the single biggest reason why we created this scholarship.”

The class of ’73 Company L-1 has held reunions for 20-plus years, but get-togethers aren’t restricted to annual events. Members meet frequently for fishing trips and all manner of social activities. And they’ve seen each other through every slice of life—weddings, family funerals and graduations.

Benjamin Stromberg ’21 is one of the first Class of ’73 Company L-1 scholarship recipients. The $4,300 annual stipend has allowed him to focus on studies instead of fret over finances. 

“The Corps has been the defining event of my life,” Gootee added. “These people are like family.”

Ditto, said Jim Ivey ’73, a retired Army engineer and logistician who held multiple command posts during his career. “Robert Flesher and I are both Army veterans, and we think it would be great if we can help out veterans with this scholarship, too. We’d love to see young men and women come back after their service and get involved in the Corps. This would be a nice way to help them so they won’t take on crushing debt.”

David McClung ’73 recalled a scholarship he received while at Texas A&M: $500 from the A&M Club of Northwest Louisiana. At the time, a considerable sum. “It’s nice to be able to give back,” McClung said. “Aggies learn early on that Texas A&M thrives because of the generosity of Aggies who have come before us. Personal determination to somehow provide the same benefit to future Aggies has become a reality because of our small part in this endowed scholarship.”

Keep It Going

The way Stromberg sees it, the class of ’73 Company L-1 scholarship has done more than just help him out financially. It serves as a template for the Aggie spirit of giving back.

“Those guys from Company L-1 class of ’73 are the embodiment of what it means to be an Aggie and pay it forward,” Stromberg said. “Their ability to come together and make a difference in people’s lives is what makes them so remarkable. I hope they know how much I appreciate this. I want to pay it forward for someone else someday just like they did. That’s my goal. Let’s keep it going.”

To learn more about how you can create a scholarship for a student in the Corps of Cadets, email givetocorps@txamfoundation.com

Four Ways to Support Students in the Corps:

Keepers of the Spirit Scholarships are awarded to cadets who aspire to the highest scholastic and leadership standards. You can fund a Keepers of the Spirit Scholarship with a $500,000 endowment, which will annually fund four scholarships for cadets in each class year. Recipients must maintain a minimum 3.2 overall grade point average (GPA). These scholarships defray the cost of tuition and expenses by $20,000 to $25,000 over four years. 

Corps of Cadets 21st Century Scholarships ensure that future generations of our nation’s leaders continue to come from Texas A&M. Recipients of this scholarship must maintain a minimum 3.0 overall grade point average (GPA). You can fund a Corps 21 Scholarship with a $100,000 endowment* and defray the cost of tuition and expenses by $16,000 to $18,000 over four years.

General Rudder Corps Scholarships encourage outstanding students with a high potential for success to commit to learning leadership in the Corps. Recipients of this scholarship must maintain a minimum 2.5 overall grade point average (GPA). You can fund a General Rudder Corps Scholarship with a $50,000 endowment and defray the cost of tuition and expenses by $8,000 to $10,000 over four years. 

Sul Ross Scholarships are awarded to deserving students with financial need. Recipients of this scholarship must maintain a minimum 2.3 overall grade point average (GPA). You can fund a Sul Ross Scholarship with a $25,000 endowment* and defray the cost of tuition and expenses by $4,000 to $4,800 over four years.