The Department of Chemistry offers
the following scholarships:
To an incoming freshman student.
To an incoming freshman student.
To an currently enrolled undergraduate
student. Fred McKee Garland was born in Corsicana, Texas on March
16, 1912. Being educated in the Texas public schools, he graduated
from Ft. Worth Polytechnic High School in 1929. He received the B.S.
degree from Trinity University at Waxahachie in 1934, the M.S. degree
in chemistry from Texas Tech University in 1936, and the Ph.D. degree
in chemistry from The University of Texas at Austin in 1939. Dr. Garland
was an assistant professor at Trinity University from 1939 to 1941
and a research chemist for Armour and Co., Chicago from 1941 to 1943.
During World War II, he was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, ultimately
serving as the Executive Officer of the 314th General Hospital in
Manila, the Philippines until the end of the war.
Rather than return to the cold winters of Chicago,
Dr. Fred M. Garland joined the Texas A&I University faculty
in 1946 at a salary of $3200/9 mon and retired in 1978 at a salary
of $26,091/9 mon. For 25 years he served Texas A&I as chairman
of the chemistry department and 16 years as the chairman of the
health professions committee. Many of his students achieved advanced
or professional degrees; by his own count, 16 PhD’s in chemistry
and over 100 dentists and 100 physicians. But in his retirement
letter to the president, "My most significant accomplishment
has been the assembling of a very strong staff, perhaps the strongest
on campus. The department is in good hands."
The chemistry faculty grew from two to seven, hiring
24 chemistry faculty, during his tenure as chairman. In addition,
modern laboratory equipment and library holdings were added each
year. Because of his persistence and leadership the department received
American Chemical Society certification in 1972 which is still maintained.
His commitment to the teaching profession was recognized in 1958
when he was one of six national finalists for the MCA Teaching Award
and again in 1977 when he was honored with the Minnie Stevens Piper
Foundation Award for "distinguished teaching on the college
level" in Texas.
Dr. Garland died in 1980, but his legend lives on.
He "lived" chemistry through his teaching, his students,
and his faculty. As one of his students in the mid-’50’s
aptly described him, "He could teach chemistry to a door knob."
In 1977, the Fred M. Garland Endowment Fund was established
for the purpose of annually recognizing an undergraduate chemistry
major who has shown professional promise in his/her academic achievements
and leadership qualities at Texas A&M University-Kingsville
(formerly Texas A&I University). To date this endowment fund,
which was built solely from the generous donations of former students
and colleagues of Dr. Garland, totals in excess of $26,000.
T o currently enrolled students.
William E. Findley, Jr., President of FESCO,
Inc. in Alice, Texas believes that the dedication, hard work and
service of his key employees deserve more than a watch and a hand
shake. He believes they deserve a means of permanent recognition
in a way that benefits the future.
With that in mind, Findley has announced the establishment
of the Charles R. Roberson Endowed Scholarship Fund in Chemistry
for students attending Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The
scholarship fund is in honor of his chief chemist for more than
39 years, Charles R. Roberson, who taught chemistry at the university
for two years while also working for Findley Engineering, forerunner
of FESCO, Inc.
"Charles is a gifted and dedicated employee and
a great person," Findley said. "We owe much to him for
the growth of our company and are delighted to honor Charles with
this scholarship fund."
Dr. Mauro Castro, chairman of Texas A&M University-Kingsville's
chemistry department, said he is thrilled that his students will
be able to further their chemistry education with the Robertson
scholarship.
"This new scholarship is particularly meaningful
because it comes from a local source and it honors someone who once
taught here," Castro said. "We really appreciate the many
opportunities this scholarship fund will provide for students eager
to pursue an dedication in chemistry."
Roberson was born Aprill , 1933 in Hill County, Texas
and attended grade school in a two-room country school within walking
distance of his family's farm. He graduated from Hillsboro High
School in 1950. Roberson commuted by bus to Hill County Junior College
in Navarro for two years with the intention of becoming a veterinarian,
then transferred to North Texas State College in Denton where he
changed his major to chemistry at the urging of a professor.
Roberson worked his way through college but still
managed to participate as a member of Alpha Chi Sigma national chemistry
fraternity, and was presented the Outstanding Chemistry Student
Award in his senior year at North Texas State College. He received
his bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1955.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army after graduation
and served from 1955-1957 with most of his military service at Fort
Belvedere, Md., where he was a phlebotomist.
Roberson returned to Denton and enrolled in a master's
degree program after his honorable discharge from the Army. In addition
to his studies, he also taught freshman chemistry before receiving
his master's degree in chemistry from North Texas State College
in 1958.
Needing Money to pursue a doctorate in chemistry,
Roberson accepted a temporary position as a chemistry teacher at
Texas A&I in Kingsville while he also worked part-time for Findley
Engineering in Alice.
The part-time job with Findley became a full-time
job in June 1960 when Roberson began designing and building the
first hydrocarbon laboratory for FESCO, Inc. During the next 38
years, he would build two more hydrocarbon laboratories and become
a key player in the computerization of the laboratories, even writing
the first computer program used by the laboratories in the 1970's.
Roberson is a member of First Methodist Church in
Alice, has served as president of United Methodist Men, was a chairman
of the Finance and the Pastor/Parish Relations committees, was instrumental
in establishing the acolytes, and has served as an usher and member
of the choir.
He was married to Jeanette Stanford from December
1966 until her death in February 1976, and was married to Margaret
Richardson from June 1980 until her death in February 1988. Roberson
and Nelda Moss were married December 22, 1990.
The Charles R. Roberson Endowed Scholarship Fund in
Chemistry has been established with a $25,000 donation from William
E. Findley, Jr., to the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Foundation
and will benefit students majoring in chemistry.
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