SpawGlass a Texas-based construction company will give scholarship money to STEM freshmen Living-Learning community at Texas State.
The scholarships, totaling $53,000, will most likely be given toward two incoming students, according to Director of Department of Housing and Residential Life Rosanne Proite.
Proite said only $3,000 will be used while the remaining $50,000 gains interest in upcoming years to continue the scholarship annually in an endowment. An endowment is a scholarship where the donated money gets put away and the earned interest is what is awarded to scholarship recipients year after year.
SpawGlass has done multiple projects with Texas State for the past 20 years including construction and remodeling of on-campus housing, medical centers, parking garages and grocery stores.
SpawGlass most recently worked on Blanco Hall. This previous work with the company influenced Proite to reach out to SpawGlass.
“I decided that it would be a natural connection because (SpawGlass) has already had a connection with the university through the different projects that they’ve completed,” Proite said. “It felt like (contributing to the STEM LLC) would be something that (SpawGlass) might be interested in because they do contribute to various charitable organizations.”
Proite said the endowed scholarship would benefit SpawGlass by exposing students to the company and potential employment post-graduation.
“Setting up a scholarship would be a win-win for everybody,” Proite said. “(SpawGlass) wants to make a connection with our students, and they hire our students. What we’re intending to do also is provide opportunities for them to interact with our freshmen who live in those communities, to help them see what their career paths might look like.”
SpawGlass Austin Region President Kirby Baird said said the company gives out scholarships to Texas State and other universities across Texas such as Austin Community College, Texas A&M and Rice University.
“We think education is extremely important; we hire our construction professionals out of the construction technology, construction and science (schools), so it’s just a form of giving back,” Baird said.
Although the company is responsible for giving the $53,000 scholarship to the STEM LLC, it is not its decision as to who will receive the money. Baird said Texas State’s Department of Housing and Residential Life are the ones who decide how much money will be given to students as well as which students will be receiving it.
All applicants must be prospective, incoming, first-time undergraduate students for fall 2020 and declared a STEM major. The applicant must be in the top 25% of their high school graduating class and have a FAFSA on file that demonstrates financial need in addition to residing in the STEM LLC for both the fall and spring semesters of their first year. Application criteria is decided by DHRL, undergraduate admissions and the financial aid office.
Anna Pineda, biology freshman, said she believes the endowed scholarship will make high school seniors want to attend Texas State more due to the opportunities provided.
“They can get research funded if it applies to construction engineering students; that’s more money for them to further their education,” Pineda said. “They can experience more things and are likely to get a future job with the company itself.”
For more information on the different Living-Learning Communities at Texas State visit https://www.reslife.txstate.edu/llc/.