Michael and
Elizabeth Walzel of Houston will endow a scholarship for chemical
engineering freshmen at Texas A&M University.
"Attracting and retaining outstanding freshmen is a top priority
for our department, together with helping to alleviate the high
cost of a university education for our students. We really thank
Mike and Liz for their leadership and generosity in providing this
much needed scholarship. Endowments such as these not only help
students immediately, but for many years to come," said Dr. Michael
V. Pishko, chemical engineering department head and Charles D.
Holland '53 Professor.
The Michael L. Walzel '82 Scholarship will be established with a
$30,000 gift to the Texas A&M Foundation.
"My chemical engineering degree has been a great enabler for me,
and I want to help give that same opportunity to deserving students
for years to come," said Mike Walzel, global improvement and
external manufacturing leader with The Dow Chemical Co.
Mike serves on Texas A&M's Chemical Engineering Advisory
Council. He holds two degrees from the university, a bachelor's in
chemical engineering and a master's in business administration.
As a key Dow liaison at Texas A&M, he has been instrumental
in recruiting and arranging for corporate support across campus. He
recently directed the successful Dow Aggies campaign that also
resulted in a scholarship for freshman engineering majors.
Elizabeth Caldwell Walzel is a 1984 chemical engineering
graduate of Colorado State University. Also employed by The Dow
Chemical Co., she is director of Manufacturing & Engineering
Technical Services as well as president of Dow Engineering Co. She
serves on the College of Engineering Dean's Advisory Board at
Colorado State University.
Highlights of the Walzels' previous support of Texas A&M
include the C.D. Holland Scholar Program in the chemical
engineering department, the Association of Former Students and The
12th Man Foundation. They are active in their local A&M
Club.
"I have known Mike and Liz for more than 20 years. This is just
another example of how strongly they believe in making higher
education available to deserving students," said Don Birkelbach,
assistant vice president of engineering with the Texas A&M
Foundation.
The Texas A&M Foundation is a private nonprofit organization
that encourages and manages investments in Texas A&M academics
and leadership programs.