LAREDO, Texas -- A trust has donated $10 million to Texas A&M International University. That marks the largest cash gift in the school's 10-year history.
The money, donated by the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, will support scholarships and internships for the university's graduate students. The trust has made significant local donations in the areas of religion, health and education.
Judge Solomon Casseb Junior of San Antonio, a co-trustee of the trust, announced the donation yesterday during a dedication ceremony for a $24.5 million planetarium that is part of the university's Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center.
Vergara, a lifelong resident of Laredo whose father was successful in ranching, oil and natural gas, died 16 years ago. The ceremony, on the anniversary of her death, included a remembrance Mass.
About 4,200 students, mostly from the border region, attend the university.
