Fore the Kids

Houston Texas A&M grads find success in scholarship fundraising – their way.

Houston Howdy Club members stay connected to the Aggie family and raise money for scholarships at happy hours.

Walk into the downtown Houston bar and grill Pub Fiction on gameday and you won’t find an empty barstool in the house. What you will find are throngs of Aggie loyals crowded around television sets cheering on the maroon and white. But don’t be fooled – this isn’t just an ordinary game-watching party – it’s an Aggie scholarship fundraising event for the Houston Howdy Club. Between monthly happy hours, golf tournaments, game-watching parties, tubing trips, sponsorships and advertising, the club is bringing in the big bucks to relieve the financial burdens of Texas A&M University students.

Proceeds from the spring Grip It and Rip It Golf Tournament also support the club's scholarships.

The club’s members, aged 22 to 35, challenge the stereotype of a typical A&M donor. “I think oftentimes people incorrectly assume that recent graduates don't give back or aren't in a position to contribute,” said Matt Maddox, the club’s director of scholarships and a 2004 graduate of A&M’s Mays Business School. “But the Howdy Club proves that recent grads can and do give back. I would encourage every recent grad in the greater Houston area to participate in the Howdy Club and be a part of this story.”

Supporting scholarships for Texas A&M students has been a cornerstone of the club’s mission since its formation in the 1980s. During the past two decades, the club has distributed more than $300,000 in scholarship support to Aggie students.

“The Howdy Club awards scholarships not only because we recognize the increasing cost of education faced by Aggie students and their families, but also because we want to reward students who make the most of their Texas A&M experience,” Maddox said.

Each year, the club disburses $20,000 in pass-through scholarships to A&M sophomores, juniors and seniors based primarily on their demonstration of Aggie spirit.

Intramurals like beach volleyball, flag football, kickball and softball keep Howdy Club members fit and having fun!

“We want to fund scholarships that reward students for the very thing that makes Texas A&M different than all the other schools: the Aggie spirit,” said Ashley Cassel, Howdy Club president and a 2005 speech communication graduate. Maddox said the club “recognizes that students who exemplify the Aggie spirit not only make our university better, but they also are more likely to give back to Texas A&M, both financially and as lifelong ambassadors of the school.”

In October 2011, the successful fundraising efforts of the club allowed the group to double its existing endowed scholarship through the Texas A&M Foundation on top of the annual pass-through scholarship support.

"The crown jewels of the Howdy Club scholarship program are our endowed scholarships,” Maddox said. “While the success of the club’s fundraising efforts rises and falls, the endowed scholarships can be counted on to always be there. There is also pride in knowing that the hard work and generosity of today’s Howdy Club members will pay dividends through the endowment long after we are gone.”

By Rachel Dohmann ’07

The Howdy Club is accepting applications for their pass-through scholarships through Feb. 17, 2012. Learn more about their scholarships, read eligibility requirements and apply on the Howdy Club website.