![Kathy and Mike Havel](_news-images/Havel-donor-ETID-internal-June2020.jpg)
Kathy and Mike Havel '76, along with Metro Custom Plastics, have established the Kathy and Mike Havel '76 Scholarship. This endowment will be used to provide one or more scholarships to full-time students in good standing pursuing an undergraduate degree in multidisciplinary engineering technology - STEM education track from the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University.
Having always enjoyed working with his hands and learning how things worked, Mike knew he wanted to enter a career field that would allow this. “A degree in engineering technology from Texas A&M was a perfect match for my interest and career path,” he said. This led to a 38-year career at Metro Custom Plastics, a plastic injection molding company, where he is currently president.
Mike and Kathy hope that their gift will lead to more manufacturing jobs in both Texas and the U.S. “Our country has a great need for employees that can work with their hands and minds, but one of our biggest challenges as a U.S. manufacturer is finding trained craftsmen, tool makers and technicians,” Mike said.
The inspiration behind their gift is about future teachers. “This scholarship is intended to help educate future teachers that can teach shop and technology classes in Texas high schools,” Mike said.
The new multidisciplinary engineering technology degree with a STEM educator focus encompasses courses from both the College of Engineering and the College of Education and Human Development, and prepares graduates to teach at the secondary education level.
The Havels come from a long line of Aggies, having a total of 18 Aggies within their extended family. Kathy and Mike’s two children, Christy ’03 and Andy ’05, and their daughter-in-law Lindsey ’05, also graduated from Texas A&M. Mike is a current active member of the engineering technology and industrial distribution advisory board and both Kathy and Mike are on the Dean's Development Council for the College of Education and Human Development.
Giving With A Purpose
The College of Engineering is one of the leading engineering programs in the United States, ranking first in undergraduate enrollment and ninth in graduate enrollment. Endowments supporting the students in the college have an immeasurable impact on their education. If you are interested in supporting the College of Engineering and its departments or would like more information on how you can give, please contact Kelly Corcoran, senior director of development.