Endowing Excellence
Angelo State alum Kelby Hagar was always a top student, and now his generosity will benefit current and future generations of ASU’s brightest minds.
A native of Hereford in the Texas panhandle, Hagar graduated summa cum laude from ASU in 1992 with his Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He then graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and embarked on a varied and highly successful career that has included stints in corporate law and high-level entrepreneurship. That led to his current position as president and managing director of Argonaut Private Equity, which manages over $1.5 billion across three active investment funds.
Last spring, Hagar visited the ASU campus and met with students in the Honors Program and Housley Principled Leadership Class. He was so impressed that has he gifted $1 million to the university to fund a new Angelo State Academic Excellence Endowment.
“I hope this new endowment can supply funds to support these worthwhile programs,” he added. “I would encourage other alumni to get back to campus and meet with some of these incredible students! They are impressive, and they need our support.”
“These students are going to do wonderful things moving forward, and if I can help make their days at Angelo State more fulfilling, I’m thrilled to be able to do that.”
A first-generation student from a small town, Hagar also needed support simply to start his higher education. He got it first from his dad, who took him on a college tour with the intent to visit several institutions, and then from ASU.
“ASU was the first place we visited, and I was offered a Carr Scholarship,” Hagar said. “We were standing outside the Administration Building, and my dad said, ‘You know, you’re going to love going to school here.’ I told him I wasn’t sure and still wanted to see other schools. But he said, ‘Didn’t you see the size of that scholarship? You’re going to love going to school here.’”
“The Carr Scholarship (now Distinguished Scholarship) was really important for our family,” he added. “When I got ready to go to law school, I didn’t owe any money for my ASU degree. That made going to Harvard financially viable. That scholarship program is such a vital and important part of Angelo State.”
“I would encourage other alumni to get back to campus and meet with some of these incredible students! They are impressive, and they need our support.”
Initially a political science major, Hagar naturally gravitated toward the ASU Student Senate, eventually winning election to student body president after a heated campaign against the incumbent graduate student. He also has fond memories of Thanksgiving Monopoly game marathons in the residence hall with guys who remain his close friends to this day. But he reserves a special affection and respect for three particular ASU professors, Dr. Ed Olson (political science), Dr. Phillip Holcomb (English) and the late Dr. Kurt Buerger (accounting).
“My very first class at ASU was with Dr. Olson,” Hagar said. “He made me realize there was a whole world outside of ASU. The things he taught and talked about made you realize that you could leave Angelo State and go do anything. He was spectacular in that regard.”
“He was also instrumental in helping me get into Harvard Law School,” he added, “both from the standpoint of telling me I was capable and helping me with the application, and then once I got in, convincing both me and my family that it was the right thing to do. I owe Dr. Olson a tremendous debt.”
Holcomb’s and Buerger’s influence kicked in after Hagar changed his major to business.
“Dr. Holcomb’s business communication class had a tremendous impact on me,” Hagar said. “He demanded excellence from his students. I think a lot of students disliked his class because of that, but I was just the opposite. I loved it, and I developed a long-term relationship with him because of it. Also, the lessons he taught me in business communication, I still use them every single day. He was such a tremendous professor.”
“I took the majority of my accounting classes with Dr. Buerger,” Hagar added. “I found him engaging, pleasant and very smart. I learned a lot from him, but more than anything else, he was that professor who would put his arm around you and help you when you needed it. He truly cared for the success of his students.”
“Creating those types of opportunities for the best students on campus is a huge win for the school, and I think it will pay dividends for generations to come.”
Perhaps just as significant, Hagar’s time at ASU also gave him a natural sense of adventure.
“I was always curious about learning more and being in the middle of something exciting,” Hagar said. “All my stops in my career have been in pursuit of experiencing new things and interesting places to be. It played out that way, and I’m really happy.”
“Today, what I really enjoy is being around younger, really smart people,” he added. “Getting to spend time with our younger staff is the most exciting part of my day. I really thrive on that.”
And now, thanks to Hagar’s generosity, many more people will have an even better chance to thrive at ASU.
“Creating those types of opportunities for the best students on campus is a huge win for the school, and I think it will pay dividends for generations to come,” Hagar said. “These students are going to do wonderful things moving forward, and if I can help make their days at Angelo State more fulfilling, I’m thrilled to be able to do that.”
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