The Matthew Gaines Initiative is a recognized student organization at Texas A&M University, which seeks to highlight the contributions of Senator Matthew Gaines and the 12th Texas Legislature, who were critical in the founding of Texas A&M. With funding for a memorializing statue of Sen. Gaines secured, the next step is finding an artist and increasing awareness of the initiative on campus. All of the hard work is paying off, and those leading the initiative aren’t finished honoring him.
The project of memorializing Gaines has been discussed and worked on for decades, says Erica Pauls, president of the Matthew Gaines Initiative. With funding secured for the statue of Gaines, the initiative is a step closer to completing this long-awaited project.
“We’re just that group that was able to cross it to that finish line,” says Pauls. “Our group started in fall 2018.”
Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs Daniel Pugh’s interest in the project birthed a task force composed of faculty, says Pauls. When the need for student input became clear, Pauls jumped at the opportunity, volunteering to fill the role of president. With the assistance of the Texas A&M Foundation, Pauls and her team within the Division of Student Affairs work towards honoring Gaines with a statue as well as developing plans beyond, she says.
The Matthew Gaines Initiative is a meaningful project for many, says Pauls. She says her involvement with the project has brought her a sense of being a part of something bigger than herself.
“We’ve had people that graduated in the 90s come up to me ... saying that ‘what you’re doing is so great ‘cause I remember when I went here this was something that was being worked on when I graduated,’” says Pauls. “So to know that we’ve be enable finish this goal decades later is just, it’s been great.”
The successes and contributions of Gaines are historically well-known but not publicly known, says Pauls. In striving to reach the goals of the initiative, Gaines’ selfless service, leadership, and perseverance in history are retold. These qualities and accomplishments can inspire the next generations who come to Aggieland, she says. Students and faculty alike can cultivate hope to impact lives in a way that’s reminiscent of the service, leadership, and perseverance that Gaines held.
“We’re letting people know that change makers can look any type of way; change makers can come from any type of background,” says Pauls. “That’s actually our mission: to prove that any Aggie, no matter what race, religion, background—that they can make a lasting impact on Texas A&M University—on our campus.”
The Matthew Gaines Initiative’s fundraising for the statue surpassed the $350,000 goal with the help of current and former students, Chancellor John Sharp, President Michael K. Young, and others, says Pauls.
The open competition for professional artists or artist teams to commission a site-specific public art installation is underway. Artists should consider figurative elements as part of their concept and the words unity, nurturing, spirit, diversity, and inviting when coming up with ideas for the public art installation, according to the Division of Student Affairs.
The statue will be located on the university’s main campus, in a high-traffic area near the south side of the new Student Services Building.
Pauls and her team have been working on outreach for the past two years in efforts to raise awareness of the Matthew Gaines Initiative. A survey in 2017 revealed that less than 20 percent of students were aware of the campaign, says Pauls. The team hopes that percentage will skyrocket in a new survey that will be distributed in fall of 2020.
“We hope we’ve done our job and we hope that people on campus and even off campus will know about our mission and know what we’re doing,” says Pauls.
Those involved with the Matthew Gaines Initiative are in the process of developing ways to continue honoring him, says Pauls.“We’re just super excited,” says Pauls. “The Matthew Gaines [Initiative] isn’t done yet and we just want to let people know that we are not done with fundraising ’cause we still are working towards memorializing him in any way we can past the statue.”
