When he attended Texas A&M University, Thomas G. Roesner ’94 was so busy earning enough money to pay for school that he never got to enjoy an Aggie football game. Working full-time at Albertson’s while chasing his engineering degree, Thomas would ride his motorcycle to campus to ensure he could get to and from work and his next class in time.
“I went to school every day in my black pants, black tennis shoes, my Albertson’s shirt, and my apron in my backpack,” Thomas said.
Thomas and his wife Glenda established the Glenda and Thomas G. Roesner ’94 Endowed Engineering Scholarship to ease some of the financial burdens students may face and help them have a more robust college experience.
A Maroon Family Tree
The Aggie spirit runs deep in the Roesner family, spanning three generations. On both sides of Thomas’ family, the Roesners’ and Golobys’, there is a combined 22 graduates from Texas A&M University. While Thomas was attending Texas A&M, so was his sister Paulette C. Roesner ’92 and four of their cousins. Aggieland makes you part of a tightly knit community, and even more so when you are here with family.
“In our family, everyone wears an Aggie Ring. It’s part of our tradition,” Thomas said.
The Roesner’s exemplify what it means to be an Aggie — giving back to the university and its students to inspire a cycle of success. With this scholarship, the Roesner family have now created a total of four scholarships to support Aggies.
Their three previous scholarships honor family members. Thomas’ father Raymond E. Roesner ’67, his grandmother Betty Jochetz Roesner, and his grandfather George E. Roesner ’35 each have their own scholarship at Texas A&M.
Thomas and Glenda themselves have previously donated to the Zachry Engineering Education Complex, and they have their own brick on the Engineering Quad. Wanting to do more for students, they decided to establish their own scholarship.
The Impact of Aggieland
Thomas uses his mechanical engineering degree as the director of business development and engineering at Scout Surface Solutions. In this role, he helps oil and gas companies be responsible and innovative with their use of surface equipment.
Thomas stays connected with Aggieland as a member of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Advisory Council. He supports both the department and its students by providing information on the ever-changing mechanical engineering industry. Additionally, he has served as a judge for students in the engineering laboratory class, allowing him to cultivate relationships and promote educational growth.
Glenda graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in business and marketing. Ever since 1985, she has been invested in the world of banking, leading to her current position as senior vice president at Stellar Bank.
Together, they live with excellence and integrity. Both believe in “doing the right things regardless of the circumstances or personal consequences” and “having an unwavering desire and commitment to do one’s best academically and in all other aspects of life.”
With their scholarship, they are leaving a lasting legacy that exemplifies those beliefs. This scholarship is helping mechanical engineering students invest in their studies and excel academically.
“I am a third generation Aggie, this is what you do,” Thomas said.