Sanchez Family Foundation Makes $10 Million Gift to TAMIU College of Business Administration

Texas A&M International University’s College of Business Administration has been named the recipient of a $10 million gift from the A.R. “Tony” and María J. Sánchez Family Foundation.

The Gift will be used to establish an endowment fund for the University’s College of Business Administration for its support, programming, activities and improvements.

The Sánchez’ said the Gift exemplifies the A.R. “Tony” and María J. Sánchez Family Foundation’s commitment to effecting social change and improving the quality of life for residents of South Texas and the border.

“Our family has deep roots here and a great affection for our hometown.  Through our Foundation, we are able to return some of our good fortune to the people and place that we truly cherish.  We are delighted to be able to give the College of Business Administration the ability to grow and excel further,” said Tony Sánchez.

His wife, María “Tani” Sánchez, noted, “By doing so, we strongly believe that we are effecting lasting social change here and providing a catalyst for an improved quality of life in South Texas.”

Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president, said the impact of the latest Sánchez gift is indeed life-changing for the young University.

“We have always been much-blessed by the partnership of the Sánchez family, but this gift is absolutely monumental in purpose and scope. While we feel this remarkable family’s presence daily here at TAMIU, this generous gift extends their vision beyond our imagination. All young universities like TAMIU dream of such a partner and we are so fortunate that they share and affirm our vision of higher education for South Texas,” Dr. Keck said.

The Sánchez Family has played a pivotal role in the University’s development and underwritten a number of initiatives that have greatly improved the quality of life for numerous South Texas residents.

True to their commitment to investing in the future of Texas and effecting social change, the Sánchez Family has awarded 86 full-time students, many of them first-generation college attendees, with scholarship gifts providing books, fees, and tuition for TAMIU undergraduate program completion. Known as the Sanchez Scholars, this select group is made up of four cohorts.

In addition, the Sánchez Family’s funding of TAMIU’s College of Business Administration’s Business Technology Center and Trade Room has enabled students’ access to the world of financial information in milliseconds, bringing business education to a new level at the University.

This September the Sánchez Family Foundation dedicated the Value-Investing Trading Room and Technology Center in the Western Hemispheric Trade Center. It offers University students one of the best equity trade centers in the nation, featuring both Bloomberg and Reuters news feeds, and gives TAMIU students a robust ability to analyze public and private equity and debt for companies from issuers around the world.

Through the generous gift of the Sánchez Family, this state-of-the-art virtual and digital “smart” center allows students to apply e-learning principles to business education and makes possible a remote-access educational facility for on-line business programs. It will better prepare students for job opportunities in the business sector while enhancing faculty research and professional development programs.

Equipped with an impressive variety of computer and telecommunications software including three plasma flat-screen monitors, 36 wireless laptop computers, 18 microphones for audience and students, three sensors which track speakers on local and distant sites and three Bloomberg-linked workstations, the Business Tech Center impacts TAMIU course offerings in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Management, Marketing, Management Information Systems and Production.

The Foundation also supports the popular A. R. Sánchez Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series.  A tribute to the late A.R. Sánchez, who envisioned the Series providing local students with an opportunity to hear from the world’s best scholars on a variety of world issues, ranging from politics, world peace, and higher education, to homeland security, the Latino vote, women’s rights, space exploration, and free speech in time of war, the Series is now celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Attracting nationally- and internationally-known scholars to TAMIU, the Series has brought lecturers ranging from Nobel Peace Laureates, prominent political figures, and gifted world scientists to award-winning authors and artists.

Other local efforts by the A.R. “Tony” and María J. Sánchez Family Foundation include support of the Texas/Mexico Border Regional Academic Health Center for Dental Workforce Training and Dental Care Access.

Housed in existing facilities in Laredo, namely the Gateway Community Health Clinic and the City of Laredo Health Department, this dental care project will bring numerous benefits to Laredo and the Mid Rio Grande Valley by helping address the shortage of dental health care providers and expanding oral health education in the region. It will not only enhance the training of pre-doctoral students and post specialty residents, but it will also provide long-term benefits to needy citizens of Laredo and the Mid Rio Grande Valley Area.

In addition to providing funding for the center for dental workforce training and dental care access, the Sánchez Family Foundation has agreed to fund the Mobile Dental Van Colonias project in Webb County. This project affords colonia residents the opportunity to receive basic dental services that are delivered by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s Dental School faculty and residents. To date, two of four sites have been visited:  Bruni Community Center at Rancho Peñitas West, and Rio Bravo Community Center, in the City of Rio Bravo.

From April 2007 to August 2007, a total of 9 weekend trips have been made between both communities, and 300+ patients at both sites have been screened and provided with approximately 2,500+ dental procedures ranging from cleanings and extractions to fillings, with an average of six to seven dental procedures per patient.  Two remaining sites to be visited will be Santa Teresita Community Center, and the Quad Cities at Oilton Elementary School.

For additional information, contact the University’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 326.2180, e-mail prmis@tamiu.edu or visit tamiu.edu.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday–Friday.

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