Sid Kyle, the nephew of Edwin Jackson Kyle (namesake of Kyle Field), has created an enormous legacy and continues the incredible impact that the Kyle family has had on Texas A&M for over 125 years.
Beginning in 1972, Sid Kyle donated approximately 16,000 acres of land and mineral rights in Loving County. Upon his death, the Texas A&M System sold the land in 1994 and established an endowment for arid and semi-arid land studies. The System retained the mineral rights, and the land sale provided a modest income of about $50,000 per year to fund research for two decades. The total endowment was only around $1-2 million.
That level of impact changed dramatically with advances in fracking and other new technologies. By 2018, the endowment was generating over $1 million per month and had more than 142 active wells. Royalty income continued to increase, and the System decided to use the funds not only for arid and semi-arid land studies but also for important projects across the University.
In 2025, $30 million from the endowment was allocated to help pay for the Meat Sciences and Technology Center, and $50 million was allocated to help fund the Aplin Center.
It is incredible that someone who attended A&M 100 years ago and passed away over 30 years ago is still having such a profound impact on the University.
TL;DR: Sid Kyle lived up to the Kyle name, profoundly impacting this University and continuing to do so financially in perpetuity
Beginning in 1972, Sid Kyle donated approximately 16,000 acres of land and mineral rights in Loving County. Upon his death, the Texas A&M System sold the land in 1994 and established an endowment for arid and semi-arid land studies. The System retained the mineral rights, and the land sale provided a modest income of about $50,000 per year to fund research for two decades. The total endowment was only around $1-2 million.
That level of impact changed dramatically with advances in fracking and other new technologies. By 2018, the endowment was generating over $1 million per month and had more than 142 active wells. Royalty income continued to increase, and the System decided to use the funds not only for arid and semi-arid land studies but also for important projects across the University.
In 2025, $30 million from the endowment was allocated to help pay for the Meat Sciences and Technology Center, and $50 million was allocated to help fund the Aplin Center.
It is incredible that someone who attended A&M 100 years ago and passed away over 30 years ago is still having such a profound impact on the University.
TL;DR: Sid Kyle lived up to the Kyle name, profoundly impacting this University and continuing to do so financially in perpetuity
