MUSIC MENTOR

Rogers donates $25,000 for Kent Finlay scholarship

The fond remembrance of a gifted mentor by one of Texas State University’s alumni will now assist in the education of a new generation at the school.

Alumnus and recording artist Randy Rogers continued his dedication to his alma mater by recently choosing to provide a $25,000 gift to the Kent Finlay Endowed Scholarship in Texas Music History.

This endowed scholarship was established in 2018 by Darcy and Rick Hardy, Rogers, the Randy Rogers Band and the Cheatham Street Partners, LLC, Texas State officials said.

On Feb. 15 at the Cheatham Street Warehouse, Rogers formally presented his donation to Dr. Mary Brennan, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Jason Mellard, director of the Center for Texas Music History and Brooks Hull, vice president for University Advancement.

Luis Ruiz-Pacheco, this year’s scholarship recipient, was on hand to accept the congratulations of Texas State officials and he also had the opportunity to meet the man who so significantly is contributing to his education in music composition.

Rogers said he graduated in 2001. He started playing music, notably the guitar, in 1999.

“I met him, Kent Finlay, here at an open mic event. When he passed away, I became more involved,” in continuing to promote music in San Marcos in the style of his mentor. Rogers said he bought the music venue in 2017.

According to Texas State officials, Kent Finlay graduated from the then Southwest Texas State College in 1961 with a bachelor of science degree in education. Finlay completed a master’s degree in 1964. A decade later, he opened Cheatham Street Warehouse, a live music venue in San Marcos, where part of his mission was to nurture and inspire a broad group of musicians and songwriters, many who have gone on to well respected careers around the world.

The university acknowledges that “Finlay’s impact on Texas musicians has been far-reaching,” noting that for the young people of this community and the rest of Texas, his contribution has enabled others to find success in the music industry and beyond in other areas of the arts.

According to Texas State officials, Finlay who passed away in 2015 gave this community “a far-reaching legacy that donors honor through the endowed scholarship.”

Mellard said, “We try to honor the history, and honor looking back, what came before,” and Finlay is a main part of that mission in San Marcos.

For Rogers, his relationship with Finlay was life-changing.

“Kent was my first mentor in the music business. And he gave me my first stage to play on. There would not be a Randy Rogers Band without Cheatham Warehouse and Kent,” Rogers said.

The scholarship is open to students of any major as long as they have a demonstrated interest in the field of Texas music.

The scholarship selection committee in the Department of History reviews applications annually and makes recommendations to the director of the Center for Texas Music History, who will make the final recipient selection or in some cases selections.

For those interested in pursuing music or music education, to apply one goes to the Bobcat Online Scholarship System known as BOSS.

The deadline to apply for $1,500 scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year is March 1.