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I went on the board, the Foundation Board, about seven years ago and
one of the things that happens when you go on a board like that is you're
sitting there looking around the room thinking, "What am I gonna do?
How can I contribute? What can I offer the university?" I think most
people want to do something and give back,
but you don't know where your place is or what you can do.
And one day, there was a discussion about
scholarship dollars that have been earmarked
for different segments of the community. I thought to myself, "Now there's somewhere
that I can help."
Atmos Energy, my job here it is to head all of the public affairs and community
relations for the company,
so I have the contacts in the relationships already
and it gave me an opportunity to give back to my university by bringing
representatives from the university
to Dallas metroplex area. One of our latest partnerships
is the literacy center located in west Dallas.
We've also has done a scholarship and in Atmos Energy name for
engineering.
We've also partnered on the new facility in Rockwall. Very excited to see
the new
Texas A&M Commerce facility there
and we're proud to be partners in
naming one of the rooms
with the Atmos Energy name,
so it's been a great educational partnership for both of us I think.
I was extremely honored
when I was called and told
that I was getting a Gold Blazer award. I was
surprised
but very honored. I thought
gosh,
I just, all I ever wanted to do was give back to the university that gave
me so many opportunities that helped educate me, helped
teach me a lot about life and send me out there.
Also always wanted to
help provide those students that need that opportunity that I had,
an opportunity to go to school there.
I started a scholarship, or an endowment for scholarship,
in honor of my mother.
She plays the ukulele
and loves music and so we started a music scholarship in honor of her
and just hoping that students that
want to have that
further education
will have a little bit of help and just
trying to pay it forward.