18 New Endowments from $1M Match Challenge

by Heather Elsik, Office of Alumni Services & Giving

 

June 26, 2020 (Kingsville, TX) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville Foundation announced the completed establishment of the Arrington Match endowments at the university, adding $2 million in newly endowed funds. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the remaining new endowments at its regularly scheduled meeting on May 14. With that action, all $1 million available from a gift of the Nadine Arrington Estate has been matched with gifts from several donors who established new endowments with the Foundation.

Five years ago, Texas A&M University-Kingsville announced the largest unrestricted gift in its history from the Nadine Arrington Estate in the amount of $1.3M. The university, in partnership with the Texas A&M-Kingsville Foundation, designated $1M to launch the Arrington Match Challenge. The program was created to inspire donors with a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $125,000 to create new endowments totaling $500,000 towards scholarships and an additional $500,000 for faculty support.

Alumna Nadine Arrington ’46, who passed in 2009, will never know how far the legacy she left her alma mater would extend. The final gift commitment of the Arrington Match Challenge was received in May, generating an additional $1.53M in support for the university. Eighteen endowments have been funded with 11 of those going toward scholarship support impacting dozens of students already. At least one scholarship endowment was established in each college and for athletics. Other endowments were established to support programs in Chemistry, the College of Business Administration and the John E. Conner Museum.

Half of the matching gift – $500,000 – has gone to support the faculty of Texas A&M-Kingsville with professorships in Civil Engineering, Natural Gas Engineering and the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. “It’s another very good day for the future of Texas A&M-Kingsville,” said Brad Walker, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Foundation CEO. “We are thrilled for our donors who took advantage of this opportunity to double their impact at the university. I really appreciate the Foundation Board of Trustees and the university leadership working together to make this unique match available.”

Each gift of the Arrington Match is part of the With You. Without Limits. Campaign, the university’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign. In January, the Foundation announced the campaign had surpassed its goal of $100 million 20 months ahead of schedule. 

To take part in the With You. Without Limits. Campaign – which runs through Aug. 31, 2021 – or to learn more about the values and pillars of the Texas A&M-Kingsville Foundation, please visit www.javelinagiving.org/withoutlimits.