A $4 million gift from Pam and Larry Little will support scholarships for students in Texas A&M University's Mays School of Business and College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Photo credit: Butch Ireland
A $4 million gift to Texas A&M University will be used to create a scholarship program to support the higher education studies of future Aggie veterinarians and future Aggie entrepreneurs.
A gift from Pam ’75 and Larry Little ’73, established through the Texas A&M Foundation, will provide $400,000 each year for the next 10 years. These funds will be distributed to Texas A&M's Mays School of Business and the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) to support student scholarships.
At Maze, the Little Scholars program awards 20 scholarships worth $10,000 annually. These scholarships are the largest of their kind at the school. Ten of these scholarships will be awarded to first-generation students who will enroll as freshmen and plan to study marketing. The remainder will be awarded to her sophomore, junior, or senior Aggie students in need of assistance who are studying marketing or entrepreneurship.
An additional $2 million will support VMBS to provide 10 annual $20,000 scholarships to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students studying large animal medicine, equine medicine, and small animal medicine.
The creation of this program underscores the Little family's commitment to supporting the next generation of Aggies.
“Larry and Pam believe strongly in the idea of Aggies helping Aggies and model for all of us what it looks like to live the core Aggie values of selfless service.” said Mays Dean Nate Sharp. “They are committed to removing financial barriers that would prevent promising students from joining Maze and expanding their knowledge of marketing and entrepreneurship.”
Dr. John R. August, dean of VMBS's Carl B. King College of Veterinary Medicine, said the gift “ensures that Aggie veterinarians will graduate and serve thousands of animals across Texas.” “It will be done,” he said. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity. ”
“Thanks to the generosity of donors like Pam and Larry Little, veterinary students graduate from VMBS with less student debt than other students across the country,” Professor August said.
Over the years, the couple has provided financial support across Texas A&M's campus, including gifts to VMBS, the College of Education and Human Development, and the Twelve Foundation. They have also previously financially supported an ongoing scholarship fund established through the Texas A&M Foundation.
The Littles see their latest gift as an opportunity to help future generations of Aggies succeed. “Business education provides basic knowledge, but entrepreneurs often learn through trial and error,” Larry says. “As you go through life and business and you come to a point where you have to make a big decision, you need to be able to make the right decision. If you have the necessary background, you will be able to make the right decision.”
“We love animals, so it means a lot to me to be able to support future Aggie veterinarians,” Pam said. “People need to take care of their animals. One of the ways people can take responsibility for their pets is by working with a veterinarian to take care of their pets physically. That’s it.”
