b'COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENTCONTRIBUTING TO HIGHER EDUCATIONBY DORIAN MARTIN 06M aria Coco del Socorro Gon- Jose, who has owned a thriving den-zalez understood the impor- tal practice in Laredo for more than tance of education. As the first inthree decades. My wife, Annette, her family to attend college duringand I wanted to give a big thank you a time when many Hispanic womento Texas A&M because of the expe-didnt have that option, the Laredo,riences the university has afforded Texas,elementaryschoolteacherus and our children. DID YOU KNOW?wasdeterminedthathersons would follow in her footsteps. OurTo show his gratitude, Jose named mother believed her job was to edu- the Texas A&M Foundation as theFirst-generation students, or cate her three boys and have thembeneficiary of his life insurance pol- those whose parents have obtain a college degree, said Dr.icy. This planned gift will be used to Jose M. Gonzalez Jr. 81. It wasntcreate two endowed scholarships.not earned a bachelors if we were going to college; it wasOne of them honors the legacy of hisdegree, account for nearly when we were going to college. Shemother, who didnt live to see her was talking about the importancesons receive their advanced degrees,25% of Texas A&M Universitys of building citizens before it wasby supporting Aggies in the Collegeundergraduate population.in vogue. of Education and Human Develop-ment. The second scholarship will The quality of education that JosesupportstudentsintheCollege and his brothers, Jose R. Roomyof Science, where Jose earned his Gonzalez 79 and Gerardo N. JerryBachelor of Science degree.Gonzalez84,receivedatTexas A&M University prepared them toJose relishes the opportunity to help attainprofessionalsuccess.Overfuture generations find their place as the years, the three brothers haveAggies. As a Catholic, I was raised remained involved in Aggieland bytocontributethroughtithing.In regularly attending home footballplanning my estate, I wanted to give games and providing financial sup- a portion to a charitable group and port to The Association of Formercouldntthinkofabetteroption Students. than the Foundation, he said. For the university to remain strong and Today, Cocos influence extends tobe at the forefront of higher educa-the next generation of the Gonzaleztion, we all need to contribute.family. Six of her grandchildrenincluding Joses two children, Jose M. Gonzalez III 17 and Angelica B. Gonzalez 19earned their degrees in Aggieland. Texas A&M has givenMaria Coco del Socorro my immediate family so much, saidGonzalez as a college graduate10 | TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION|OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING'