THOUGHTS ON GIVING Every day, friends and partners of TAMIU are assuring, creating and encouraging legacies made real by supporting higher education. For some, this is part of a longstanding business or community investment, or perhaps a cherished family tradition. For some, it is a way to memorialize a beloved family member, friend or colleague. For others, this is a beginning and something they are eager to nurture. And for still others, giving at a larger scale is aspirational (for now!)… but as is wellknown, “ ’tis better to give…” Let’s meet some of the many who have, or continue to forge legacies at TAMIU. For over 10 years, Sabas Perez’s son Alfredo has been a monthly donor to TAMIU and granddaughter Yelitza Pérez Howard proudly serves the University as its dedicated director of career services. J. J. Haynes and his siblings honored their father’s athletic advocacy with a baseball field named after him at TAMIU – Jorge B. Haynes Field. He and his wife, Minnie Dora Bunn Haynes, an alum and former Alumni Association president, created an endowment to honor her daughter, now Minnie Dora Haynes Rodríguez. Radcliffe and Sue Killam and son David Killam helped make the University’s 300-acre home possible with their land donation and the Killams have created additional endowments to help advance students and programs. Radcliffe’s grandson Cliffe has created an endowment honoring his mother, worked as an adjunct professor and serves on many University committees. Former Mayor, the late J. C. Martin, Jr. served as a Trustee for the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, creating endowments and initiating an expansive cycle of funding for University programs and scholarships that exceeds $30 million to date. He was succeeded in 1997 by his late son, Joseph Claude Martin, III as Co-Trustee till his passing October 29, 2023. His grandson and great grandson now serve as Trustees. Longtime business owner and community advocate Peggy Newman created endowments, as have her children the late David T. Newman and widow Lulu and David’s sister Nancy and her husband Javier De Anda. The De Anda’s also support athletics through sponsorships. Dennis Nixon, as a trustee for the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust,has awarded TAMIU funds for scholarships and capital improvements including the KLRN-TAMIU campus and a lecture hall in the Academic Innovation Center. The University’s remarkable legacy gift of a seven-volume Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, a work of sacred art, was a gift from the Trust. Hank Sames and his wife Elizabeth created a college-bound mentorship program that pairs high school students with TAMIU faculty mentors throughout their high school experience. Upon completion of high school, it offers students a fouryear scholarship to TAMIU that supports tuition. The program is now in its 21st year. Antonio R. “Tony” Sanchez, Sr. was a staunch advocate for higher education and now his grand daughter Ana Lee Sanchez Jacobs and the Sanchez Family Foundation have created multiple endowments that provide critical support to programs for the School of Business that bears his name and engineering and nursing programs. Dr. Judith Zaffirini, our State Senator and higher education champion has dedicated legislation that has enabled the University to exist and excel. Her commitment to TAMIU is steadfast and has inspired her son Carlos Zaffirini to create an endowment that honors his mother and empowers student success. 5
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