Contact: Refel Rushing, 214-762-1668
Ralph B. Rushing Endowed Scholarship in Music established at Texas State University
Longtime education champion, songwriter, and proud Texas State University alumnus Refel Rushing is sharing his love of music and his alma mater by establishing a $60,000 endowment for TXST music students.
Rushing’s gift comes as the TXST music program is experiencing great growth. Capital funding is under way for a new music building that is expected to take the music students’ experience to new heights. The TXST School of Music includes 30 music ensembles, the 350-member Bobcat Marching Band, symphony orchestra, six choral ensembles, opera, four jazz bands, a rock ensemble, two salsa bands, two mariachi groups, and 12 smaller instrumental ensembles – and increasing space to serve all of these great opportunities is a high priority for the university.
Students are accepted to the TXST music program through competitive auditions, and the new state-of-the-art, 129,000-square-foot music building is expected to serve almost 600 music majors. Rushing’s gift will help some of those talented student musicians realize their educational dreams, with distributions starting in 2024.
Rushing has been a loyal member of the Texas State Alumni Association since earning his MBA at the San Marcos university in 1972 and is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas State University. He has long been an advocate of providing financial aid in the form of student loans and scholarships to all students needing financial assistance — either to gain access to a postsecondary education or to stay in school to complete their education.
A financial innovator, Rushing distinguished himself for his contributions to student loan financing in Texas and across the United States. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of LoanSTAR Funding Group, Inc., based in Bryan, Texas, for more than 30 years. Rushing also played a pivotal role in the formation of the Greater Texas Foundation, a public charity dedicated to increasing postsecondary education access for all Texas students and which has awarded more than $104 million in grants since its inception. Rushing served as director of the organization for several years following its establishment and continues to serve as chairman of the foundation board.
Rushing is hopeful that his music endowment may coincide with the construction of the new music building, which is part of a larger University Master Plan to create a Performing Arts District on the campus. For more information on the Campus Master Plan, visit masterplan.fss.txstate.edu.
Rushing lives on his ranch in North Central Texas, where he raises cattle and pursues a host of interests, including song writing. For more information on Rushing, visit https://www.refelrushingmusic.com/ or https://www.refelrushingpoems.com/.
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