Gift to Mays honors mentor J. Wayne Stark

J. Wayne Stark ’39

A Mays graduate and her husband have anonymously donated $75,000 to create the J. Wayne Stark Business Honors Scholarship to honor a mentor of hers during college. The couple also wanted to encourage students who are “smart, hard-working and driven towards receiving a good education and contributing to the worldwide community.” The Center for Executive Development at Mays will provide a $25,000 match to the gift, bringing the total endowment to $100,000.

Stark is commonly credited with doing more for students than perhaps any other faculty or staff member in Texas A&M’s history. “He selflessly took students under his wing, gave them great advice and encouragement, and truly made a difference in hundreds if not thousands of lives,” the donors explained.

Stark received his bachelor’s degree in history from Texas A&M, then returned in 1947 after serving in World War II. During his 33 years of serving Texas A&M, he oversaw construction of the Memorial Student Center and was instrumental in founding the MSC Opera and Performing Arts Society and the Student Conference on National Affairs.

The founder of the Stark scholarship says the gift is a way to pay back the generous donations that helped her get through college. “I managed to pay my entire way through school with scholarships and was extremely appreciative – my parents certainly couldn’t afford to pay for it. It’s always been a dream of mine to pay this generosity back.”

Mays Dean Jerry Strawser says he greatly appreciates the donors’ generosity. “The fact that this former student chose to honor a great man like Wayne Stark makes a special gift even more meaningful,” he explains. “This gift will make a significant impact in the lives of the students fortunate enough to benefit from it.”

About Mays Business School

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,000 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.