Following the first quarter of Friday's game against Sacramento, Spurs Sports & Entertainment presented a $100,000 check on behalf of Silver & Black Give Back to the LCpl Benjamin Whetstone Schmidt Endowed Professorship in History at Texas Christian University. The professorship was created in the name of Benjamin Whetstone Schmidt, the late son of longtime team physician David Schmidt.
Benjamin was killed in action during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2011, and asked that half of his $400,000 life insurance policy be given to TCU for the creation of a scholarship. Benjamin hoped to become a history professor after leaving the Marines, and though he never got the chance, the scholarship (which has raised over $500,000 to date) helps one service-oriented student per year achieve the same dream.
With the scholarship well-funded, Benjamin's family hopes to impact even more lives with a newly-created professorship to support an endowed History professor at TCU. Matt Bethea, director of development for TCU's AddRan College of Liberal Arts, said “It's not just going to touch one student at a time. It will touch 20 a semester because that professor will be teaching in history.” The $100,000 gift presented at the game kicks off a campaign that aims to raise over $1 million, enough to sustain the professorship for many years to come.
Though Benjamin can't be here himself to teach history to eager young minds, the endowment ensures that his impact on the world won't be lost. If you wish to learn more, or support the fund yourself, visit heartofpurple.com