As the oldest of five children, Houston native Dominic Johnson ’19 realized early in life that his family didn’t have the means to send him to college. So in high school, he focused on factors that could help him earn his way to a higher education: good grades, service activities and leadership opportunities.

His hard work paid off in 2015 when he received a Foundation Excellence Award (FEA) funded by the Hamill Foundation through the Texas A&M Foundation. The four-year scholarship allows him to attend Texas A&M and pursue a degree in chemical engineering without worrying about finances.

Since 1999, donors to the Texas A&M Foundation have supported more than 2,200 students like Johnson through FEAs, which are awarded to high-achieving undergraduates who overcome economic, social or educational disadvantages.

“This scholarship gives me a chance,” Johnson said. “It’s taught me to believe in myself and that other people believe in me too.”

Learn how you can fund a Foundation Excellence Award.