The Mays Family Foundation committed $25 million to Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. This gift is the largest commitment in the school's history and is part of the Mays family's overall lifetime giving of $47 million.
In support of Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Foundation has received a commitment of $25 million from the Mays Family Foundation, the largest single commitment in the school’s history. The gift is part of an overall lifetime giving of $47 million, including a $15 million commitment in 1996 that resulted in the school’s renaming to Mays Business School.
The $25 million contribution will develop students’ entrepreneurial capabilities through a new Lowry Mays Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy program with the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, and will support several areas of innovation in Mays Business School, including the proposed expansion of the school’s headquarters, the Wehner Building, and the school’s study abroad programs.
The Mays Family Foundation was established in 1994 by Lowry Mays, a 1957 graduate of Texas A&M’s business school, and his wife Peggy to perpetuate their personal philanthropy. Lowry Mays, the founder of Clear Channel Communications, is an avid supporter of Texas A&M and a longtime resident of San Antonio, Texas.
Lowry Mays has been actively engaged in advancing the quality of Texas A&M University. His most consequential service was his appointment to The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, where he served two non-consecutive terms (1985 to 1991 and 2001 to 2007), including chairman from 2003 to 2005.
“I am honored to help support the school’s vision to advance the world’s prosperity with a $25 million gift over the next 10 years. I am especially grateful to support Mays Business School’s vision to develop Transformational Leaders and to tackle the challenges of Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” he said.
The commitment is a significant milestone in the university’s “Lead by Example” campaign, and pushes the current campaign total past $2.5 billion. The campaign, which officially launched in 2015, has a goal of $4 billion, and is the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of higher education in Texas.
“Lowry Mays’ engagement with the business school of his namesake has led to its rise among the top business schools in the nation, with specific impact in entrepreneurship and innovation thanks to his dynamism and commitment,” said Michael K. Young, Texas A&M University’s president.
Mays Business School gave the inaugural Peggy and Lowry Mays Impact Award to the school's namesake and benefactor.
As a result of the couple’s generosity, both financially and through their service, Mays Business School recently selected them as the school’s first recipients and namesakes of the Peggy and Lowry Mays Impact Award. The award honors those who have a distinguished record of impacting Mays Business School through exemplary giving and strong leadership.
“Lowry Mays is a great example of Mays Transformational Leaders: Responsible, ethical leaders with entrepreneurial mindsets and vision, who have strong business competencies and personify selfless service,” said Eli Jones, dean of Mays Business School. “We appreciate his commitment to our school’s vision to help advance the world’s prosperity. We continually strive to live up to the honor of bearing his name.”
“I continue to be humbled by the generosity of the Mays family, and the leadership that Lowry and Peggy demonstrate every day of their lives,” said Tyson Voelkel, president of the Texas A&M Foundation. “Their latest support through their family foundation not only enriches Mays Business School, but enhances Texas A&M University beyond measure.”
Mays Business School
At Mays Business School, we step up to advance the world’s prosperity. Our mission is to be a vibrant learning organization that creates impactful knowledge and develops transformational leaders. Mays Business School educates more than 6,200 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing, and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its programs, and for faculty research.
Texas A&M Foundation
The Texas A&M Foundation is a nonprofit organization that solicits and manages investments in academics and leadership programs to enhance Texas A&M’s capability to be among the best universities.
“Lead by Example” Campaign
Launched in 2015, Texas A&M University’s third comprehensive fundraising campaign, “Lead by Example,” is a joint effort between Texas A&M and its affiliate organizations: the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation. With a goal of reaching $4 billion by 2020, it is the largest higher education campaign in Texas history and the second largest conducted nationally by a public university. The campaign will generate gifts in three major areas: Transformational Education; Discovery and Innovation; and Impact on the State, Nation and World.
