From following his grandfather, a former Texas A&M University English professor, around the halls of the Academic Building as a kid to practically living in the Zachary Engineering Building as a student, Earl O. Wilson ’82 has always had a deep connection to Texas A&M. In honor of this connection, Earl and his wife Marsha established the Marsha and Earl O. Wilson ’82 Endowed Scholarship.
A Legacy in Aggieland
Growing up, Earl would visit his grandparents in College Station, and his grandfather and him would habitually travel the two blocks to campus from their house. Visiting Aggieland as a child formed many memories, from Thanksgiving game days to late night visits to admire bonfire. Earl knew he was an Aggie before he could spell it.
Earl’s father, who also attended Texas A&M, helped fuel Earl’s desire to become an Aggie. “While he didn't graduate, he was always proud of his time there,” Earl said. Having shared experiences with some of the most influential people in his life helped solidify the decision to attend Texas A&M.
“The highly regarded engineering program coupled with my familiarity with A&M was a perfect fit,” Earl said.
The engineering program, as Earl recalls, set him up for a storied career. Gaining foundational knowledge in electrical engineering systems and processes allowed Earl to solve complex problems across a range of subjects.
“The many outstanding people that I met, both fellow students and professors, provided great examples of kind, hardworking and wonderful people,” Earl said.
Earl took advantage of the variety of organizations offered by A&M. As a member of the Amateur Radio Club, he would do things like broadcast messages around the world during bonfire and provide communication support for the sports car club at their rally.
Upon graduation, Earl wanted to find a job in which he could support the United States. That’s when he became a software engineer at E-Systems, now L3Harris, a defense contractor. He spent his entire career there, eventually retiring as a senior manager.
Working at L3Harris at the Greenville, Texas location, Earl was heavily involved in programs for their primary customer, the US Air Force. His facility focused on airborne ISR - intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Earl and the teams he worked with and managed during his career provided software systems that equipped our nation's defense.
Continuing the Tradition
While at Texas A&M, Earl received multiple scholarships. These scholarships, paired with his on-campus jobs, allowed him to focus more on his studies and obtain his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. The aid he received from these scholarships inspired Earl to establish one of his own.
Aiming to support students studying signal processing, Earl hopes more students will follow in his footsteps. Spending his whole career working for a defense contractor, he saw the importance of his role and his company as a support system for our country, and he hopes others will see that too.
Aggieland has always been a part of Earl’s life, no matter where he goes. With this scholarship, he is only strengthening his connection to Texas A&M and the other members of the Aggie Network.
“The people I met at Texas A&M were kind, friendly and willing to help others whether it was class assignments, community projects or getting through difficult times,” Earl said.