A&M International Student Awarded Brand Scholarship

Texas A&M International University student Manuel Gamboa has been named recipient of The Joe Brand Memorial Scholarship for 1996-1997.

A Nixon High School graduate, Gamboa is a sophomore mathematics major. He plans to teach in the public schools after completing his degree at A&M International.

The Joe Brand Memorial Scholarship was established in 1995 as a perpetual endowment by the Brand Family as a tribute to the late Joe Brand, a business leader who long supported local education and community service institutions. In 1996, the Brand family made a second contribution which significantly increased the endowment and will provide support for more students in the coming year.

A&M International president Dr. J. Charles Jennett said the continued generosity of the Brand family will have an enduring effect on the community as Texas A&M International University continues to train future leaders for the region.

"We are honored that the Brand family has chosen to create a lasting memorial to the late Joe Brand through scholarship support for students. Gifts such as this enable us to continue to provide deserving students with the opportunity to receive a quality education, ultimately improving their lives and the life of the community," said Dr. Jennett.

Brand, who passed away November 1, 1994, was a pioneer in local fashion merchandising and an international legend in the world of high fashion. His Joe Brand stores in Laredo and McAllen became centers of innovation, drawing a select customer base that came from throughout Texas, Mexico, and South America.

The store's clientele through the years has included luminaries from the political, social, and entertainment worlds.

Born in Manor, Texas on Dec. 12, 1902, Joe Brand was a Laredo resident since 1931. The first Joe Brand Store in downtown Laredo opened in 1935. It initiated a chain of stores that included two in downtown Laredo, a glamorous store in Mall del Norte and two stores in McAllen.

Brand was longtime director of The Laredo National Bank and was a charter director and board secretary of the former Laredo Savings and Loan Association. He was a trustee of the Laredo Independent School District. Throughout his lengthy career, he was especially involved in sponsoring events that raised funds for educational and community service institutions.

For more information on The Joe Brand Memorial Scholarships, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at the University, (210)-326-2225.

University office hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu