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Sylvia Kelley Executive Director, Advancement

Two examples of Alumni impact

When it comes to people determined to use their resources to benefit others, there is no question that A&M-Commerce Alumni are among the best. Every time our Alumni reach out to students, it’s always generously and with a heart to make a difference. I’ll share just two instances here.

Alumni lend Spence a hand

At a reception hosted by Betsy and Elmer Ellis, who is a member of the Foundation board, nearly $25,000 was raised in contributions and pledges.

They did more than collect money that night, though. They also handed some out—to a worthy young man named Spencer Lawrence Woods.

Spencer is a 2001 high school graduate who attended Tyler Junior College until this time last year. He’s volunteered in a nursing home, as a mentor to young people, and as a mission trip sponsor. Education, English and Spanish are his study interests.

“It’s a great thing that you’re providing for students,” Spencer said to the group that night. “I’m honored to be your first recipient.”

Spencer’s parents were there, and since many of us there were parents as well, we all shared in their sense of pride as the tall, trim young man accepted his scholarship with such poise and obvious gratitude.

Even biggest gifts make difference that is bigger still

The second example is Charline Dauphin, another resident of deep East Texas. Charline and her late husband, Sidney “Chief” Dauphin (who, like Spencer, also happened to go to Tyler Junior College), have long supported the University. Following Chief’s death in 2001, Charline established a graduate assistantship in football in her husband’s name.

Charline recently made another sizeable contribution to A&M-Commerce—always a cause for celebration, believe me! But I think you’ll also be proud to know that Charline does more than support the work of your Alma Mater. She has a keen interest in cancer prevention and, in fact, helps fund a program being developed by doctors at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to educate those in middle school about the harmful effects of tobacco use.

So faithful has her support of cancer education been that she recently was invited by former president and Mrs. George H.W. Bush to a special symposium, including a visit to their home at Walker Point, Maine. Following the loss of a daughter to leukemia, the Bushes established an endowment for innovative cancer research at M.D. Anderson.

Long before Charline was rubbing elbows with international VIPs, though, she was rubbing elbows with the likes of Dr. Wathena Temple here in Commerce. Charline was Dr. Temple’s secretary, working to help support Chief through his schooling.

Years later, she and Chief would start their own home healthcare business that would give them the resources to support any number of good causes. Today, Charline knows what it means to do her part for the “big picture”—like cancer prevention. But at the same time she hasn’t lost touch with how it feels to be a lone student fighting for every precious dime to pay for every precious class.

...May these two small examples serve as reminders that your gifts change people, one priceless life at a time.

Scholarship endowment to memorialize Alumna’s mother

A former boss of hers once said that Floy McGuyer Adams was 20 years ahead of her time. Her daughter, Linda Adams Ellis (MA ’67), would agree. To pay tribute to the woman who was such a strong influence in her own life right up until her mother died in 2002, Linda has accomplished what many find is the most appropriate tribute: She has established an endowment in her mother’s honor. She explains that because her mother never closed the chapter on her own learning, it was only fitting to establish a scholarship in her name. The Floy McGuyer Adams Endowed Scholarship will benefit Campbell Soup employees and their children. Back in the ‘60s, when the majority of her female counterparts still remained at home, Floy took on a job at the Campbell Soup factory in Paris. But it wasn’t just any job. Despite a lack of formal training in the field, Floy’s abilities allowed her to assume the duties of an industrial engineer until her retirement in 1983 at age 65. Retirement was only the beginning—the beginning of her journey around the globe. In addition to traveling, the former PTA president and community fundraiser also loved books, history and people, Linda says. However, Floy was also accomplished when it came to more traditional pursuits such as crafts, woodworking, and sewing—including designing and creating her own fashions.

As a mother to Linda and to her brother, Nick Adams, Floy told her children that the sky was their only limit. “She had a way of letting you go while watching and making you think that you were on your own,” Linda remembers. Today, she has a few words to remember Floy by: “Her language was peppered with scripture and salt. Her plain, direct approach left little to the imagination….If you broke it, Floy could live without it….As a friend, there was none truer.”

For information on contributing to this or other endowments, please call 903- 468-8180.

Foundation Board


Members of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Foundation Board are (seated, left to right) Wyman Williams (BS ’69), Bill Estes (BS ’41), Janice King (BS ’46, MS ’51), University President and CEO Keith D. McFarland, Executive Director for Advancement Sylvia Kelley, Don McCaskill (BBA ’49), Administrative Assistant Jan Ainsworth (BFA ’96), and Kathryn Bryan (MBA ’80). On the back row are: Coordinator for Advancement Services Glenda Anderson, John Davis (BBA ’74), Jack Norman (BS ’61), Michael Bartley (BA ’70), Larry Walker (BS ’62), Tim Meads (BBA ’82), A&M-Commerce Professor Bobby Carmichael, Foundation Chair Tracey Wolfe (BS, ’73, MS ’76), Sondra Fowler (BS ’75), Margaret Ferrell (BS ’57, MS ’73), Buddie Barnes (BS ’76), Gary McCollum (BS ’62, MS ’63, Distinguished Alumnus ‘94), Lloyd Basham (BBA, ’68, MBA ’70), Al Watson (BBA ’69, BS ’76, MBA ’76), Gary Fernandes (Distinguished Alumnus ’92), and Brent Dyer (BBA ’75). Not pictured are Jim Ball (BS ‘64), Barbara Bass (BBA ‘77), Robert Campbell (BBA ’49, MED ‘51), Mike Cavender (BBA ‘82), Elmer Ellis (BBA ’64, MBA 69, Distinguished Alumnus ‘97), Maxine Flatt (BS ‘70), Chip Harper (BBA ‘70), Joe Hinton (BS ’57, MED ’58, Distinguished Alumnus ‘88), and Jim Talbot (BS ‘73).