Texas A&M To Break Ground On New Business Education Complex

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School will hold a ceremony to break ground on the expansion to its new Business Education Complex (BEC) at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28. The ceremony will include a short program emceed by Texas A&M Foundation President Tyson Voelkel ’96 that will feature speeches by Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks, recently retired Abrigo President and CEO Wayne Roberts ’85, Texas A&M Student Body President Case Harris ’22 and Mays Interim Dean Ricky Griffin.

The groundbreaking for the complex — which will expand Mays’ footprint beyond the Wehner Building and Cox Hall to include a new state-of-the-art building and inviting outdoor space — marks a key milestone in the school’s quest to become the nation’s preeminent public business school. Mays already is ranked No. 23 overall and No. 13 public by U.S. News & World Report and 35th in Entrepreneurship Studies by The Princeton Review.

Slated to be completed for occupancy in the spring semester of 2025, the new building’s design will extend and enhance Mays’ strong commitment to being a vibrant learning organization. “The new building is designed for the 21st century and advanced learning models,” said Roberts, who committed $7.5 million as the lead donor for the new building. “It will be beautiful aesthetically and architecturally, and it will be a prominent part of campus.”

Cox and Perkins Exploration President and Chairman Jerry Cox ’72, who pledged a $5 million gift toward the new building’s atrium, said, “To achieve the preeminent designation, we need to have the best students, the best faculty members, the best leadership and the best facilities. This new facility will be one of the most innovative and creative environments in all the nation’s business schools.”

The complex will become an epicenter of activity on Texas A&M’s West Campus. The new building’s design will promote interactions, creativity and knowledge generation through a variety of flexible spaces, including a grand atrium, café, and collaboration and huddle spaces. Additionally, the complex’s Collaboration Plaza will offer outdoor seating, providing a place for Aggies and visitors to relax, meet or study.

The new building will also have high-energy, flexible learning studios with the latest technologies, which will allow faculty to create engaging instructional experiences through teaming and hybrid learning environments. Additionally, say school officials, it will house one of Mays’ premier assets, the Center for Executive Development, furthering Mays’ commitment to lifelong learning.

The construction of the BEC expansion is being financed through a mix of funds from the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost, as well as significant private contributions through the Texas A&M Foundation.

The private contributions include commitments totaling over $36 million from Mays’s extensive and dedicated community of former students, current students, faculty, staff and partners. “This amazing addition to the Business Education Complex would not have been possible without the steadfast support and financial investment by our donors, large and small, who so strongly believe in our mission and vision. Wayne Roberts, Jerry and Kay Cox, and the Mays family — as well many, many others — have all stepped forward to help us on our path to preeminence,” Griffin said. “This new world-class facility will help us further showcase all of the wonderful things we are doing at Mays Business School.”

When it opens, the new complex will become a central part of the business school’s commitment to developing transformational leaders who can help advance the world’s prosperity. “The BEC will allow students to become more active learners and ultimately to be lifelong learners,” said Mays Family Foundation President Kathy Mays Johnson, daughter of the business school’s namesake, Lowry Mays ’57. The Mays Foundation committed $15 million as the lead donor toward the collective BEC. “It’s all about cultivating transformational leadership, inspiring students to excel while creating a better future for everyone.”