Two Local Business Leaders Give Texas State University $2.5 M Gift For Student-Athlete Scholarships, Endowments

SAN MARCOS – John and Chloe Navarrette, San Marcos business leaders and philanthropists, have made a $2.5 million gift to Texas State University to support student-athlete scholarships and endowments.

The outright gift and bequest will be used primarily for scholarship support for eight athletic programs in perpetuity. The goal is to encourage involvement from other passionate Texas State alumni to increase support for the athletics programs, coaches and student-athletes.

“We are humbled to be able make a gift of this size to help our deserving student-athletes in this way,” John Navarrette said. “We have always felt the coaches and student-athletes have been an extension of our family.

“We have been in the San Marcos community most of our lives and realize the impact Texas State has on Central Texas and across the state,” he said. “Scholarship support is the number one priority as we move forward together to become a national research university, and I hope this gift will help inspire others to give back.”

In eight years, athletics endowments have increased from $900,000 to $10 million, which included a $1 million matching gift from San Antonio businessman and alumnus Dan Diepenhorst in 2015 and a $1 million matching gift from El Paso philanthropist and alumnus Richard Castro in 2017. 

“John and Chloe have supported our coaches and student-athletes since 1987,” said Larry Teis, director of athletics at Texas State. “This gift will make a huge difference in educating our student-athletes and shows how passionate they are to help our young men and women.  They help not only through financial resources, but also through service to the Alumni Association, McCoy College of Business Administration, Development Foundation and Bobcat Athletic Foundation.” 

The gift will be used to establish endowed scholarships for student-athletes. The gift will also be used to establish endowed scholarships for students enrolled in the College of Fine Arts and Communication and the McCoy College of Business Administration. All recipients will be known as Navarrette Scholars.

“I could not be more pleased with this transformational gift from John and Chloe,” said Texas State President Denise Trauth. “They have been staunch supporters of athletics and are valuable members of the university community. With this gift, they become our newest Texas State Heroes.

“Our fundraising priority here at Texas State University is scholarship support,” she said. “This gift will not only help our student-athletes, it will also be critical for our students in the McCoy College of Business Administration and the College of Fine Arts and Communication.”

In recognition of this gift, Texas State will name the coaches offices in the newly renovated University Events Center, the John and Chloe Navarrette Coaches Suite.

“As a first-generation college graduate, Texas State University is a primary reason why I felt compelled to make this gift,” said John Navarrette. “Chloe and I loved our time as students here and have always had a desire to give back to a university that has been such a big part of our lives for the past 50 years.”