Donors support Aggie engineers in labs and lecture halls

From a dryland wheat farm in West Texas to the classrooms at Texas A&M University, Doug White ’78 has built a remarkable career in chemical engineering. Now he and his wife Donnice are giving back to ensure future Aggies have the same opportunities.

White first discovered his passion for engineering thanks to a high school mentor. 

“A science teacher at Canyon High School noticed my aptitude for math and science and encouraged me to attend an engineering conference at Texas A&M during my junior year. That trip lit the spark,” he said. “From that point on, my goal was clear: go to college and become a chemical engineer. Through a combination of good fortune and a successful wheat crop, I was able to attend as a first-generation college student.”

While at Texas A&M, White joined the Aggie Band and maintained his focus on his studies — forging lasting relationships and meeting Donnice, who would later become his wife. Both pursued their chemical engineering degrees and launched rewarding careers in the industry before starting their family.

After a 34-year stint in the chemical industry, primarily with DuPont, White returned to Texas A&M as a senior lecturer in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering. 

“I enjoyed helping students and young engineers connect theory to real-world processes,” he said. “Teaching in the Unit Operations Lab was a natural fit — it allowed me to focus on applied learning and help students develop the skills they would need in industry.”  

During his decade as an instructor, White taught more than 1,600 students and says it remains one of the most rewarding chapters of his career.

As committed Aggies, the Whites decided to support the department further through funding for upgraded lab equipment and by establishing a scholarship. 

“Heat transfer is a fundamental unit operation in nearly every chemical engineering role, and the Unit Operations Lab needed improved equipment to better teach those concepts,” he said. “When the department began fundraising for a new apparatus, Donnice and I felt it was important to participate.”

The scholarship, targeting first-generation students, holds special meaning for the Whites. 

“We chose to support first-generation chemical engineering students because we understand how unfamiliar and intimidating that path can be,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate in our opportunities, and this felt like a meaningful way to help students with similar backgrounds reach their goals.”

Thanks to the generosity of Doug and Donnice White, Texas A&M’s College of Engineering continues to thrive, empowering new generations of Aggies both in the classroom and beyond.