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The Battalion
Page 3 • Thursday, July 15, 2004
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Former students graduate from running the MSC to running the corporate world
By Amber Gray
THE BATTALION
Thomas Champe Fitzhugh never imagined he would need any
the skills he learned during his term as MSC Council president
S 1 >n during 1970-71.
ty for i “If someone had told me then that I was going to use daily all I
Texa limed during my experience at the MSC, it wouldn’t have made
tS $1' Ijjy sense to me,” Fitzhugh, Class of ’71, said. “I definitely didn’t
tb nk I'd ever need any of it.”
t for;;! The Memorial Student Center Council president is a stu-
^gi' dent leader at the helm of an organization with a $6.4 million
M 6 < annual budget.
I “(The position) functions like the CEO of a small corporation,”
said Jim Reynolds, director of the Memorial Student Center.
■ The MSC Council president typically spends 35-40 hours per
Week of volunteer time to produce nearly 800 programs for the
RM student body and organize 1,400 activities every year. He or
-“ le is responsible for strategic planning, budgeting, organization
9*' Bsessment, and production of these organizations and activities
H Id works closely with other leaders such as the student body
lesident, the Corps commander, the Residence Hall Association
p csident and the vice president of Student Affairs, Reynolds said.
Despite their busy schedule, most MSC Council presidents have
PR between 3.5 and 3.9.
“These are bright, talented, creative and highly motivated stu
nts,” Reynolds said.
Since graduation, Fitzhugh has learned the leadership oppor-
ity was tremendously beneficial. With the practice he gained
iking in front of large groups and dealing with all kinds of peo-
e, Fitzhugh said he was much better prepared for the workplace,
lloweiil “It’s an experience I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else,”
y’sro Ftzhugh said. “Interacting with the organizations hasn't been too
open incredibly different than dealing with clients as a lawyer.”
eprefcl Fitzhugh has been practicing law for more than 28 years,
andc and has had the privilege of owning his own law firm,
•b. [Mtzhugh, Elliott and Ammerman, P.C. for the past 18 years.
KarJ; Following graduation, Fitzhugh spent two years on active
duty in the mili
tary, which led to
his work for the
National Security
Agency. He then
went on to help
found and run
another MSC, the
Maritime Security
Council. Partnered
with such gov
ernmental agen
cies as the U.S.
Department of State
and INTERPOL,
the MSC works to
prevent illegal drug
trafficking, theft,
piracy and terror
ism.
“I’ve been work
ing with the council
for 16 years,” he
said, “We were
working on anti-ter
rorism efforts long
before it was fash
ionable.”
He has stayed
involved with
A&M through establishing the Champe Fitzhugh International
Honors Leadership Seminar in 1992. This two-week, pre
freshman seminar gives chosen National Merit Semi-Finalists
or National Achievement Semi-Finalists the opportunity to get
to know each other through an international travel experience
in Santa Chiara, Italy.
“The program has been very successful,” Fitzhugh said.
“It opens the doors and students’ minds to study abroad oppor-
File Photos Courtesy of • THE ACGIELAND
Clockwise, from left: Tom Fitzhugh '71 is an attorney in Houston and established the Champe Fitzhugh International
Honors Leadership Seminar; Camm "Trey" Lary '95 began his own Houston law firm; John Oeffinger '75 is self-
employed and lives in Austin; Brooks Herring '80 works for Shell Oil Company and lives in The Woodlands.
tunities, and it’s definitely the accomplishment I’m most proud of.”
Fitzhugh has also been teaching maritime law at Texas A&M at
Galveston for the past eight years.
“I love working with students,” he said. “And 1 love the benefits
of teaching.”
From his experience as an MSC Council president from 1976-
77, John Oeffinger can only encourage students to get actively
See MSC on page 4
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