Tarleton alumnus Joe Long celebrated for another multi-million dollar gift

BY HAELEY CARPENTER / Editor-in-Chief

Tarleton State University held a celebration reception for Joe Long, an alumnus and long time supporter, on Dec. 18 for his recent contribution of $12.5 million to kickstart the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The reception was held at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center in Austin, Texas, a place named after the couple known for their generous donations. Attendees included board members of the Long Center, the Long Foundation members and faculty and alumni of Tarleton.

“[Joe] made the first million dollar donation and helped create the very first comprehensive campaign for the institution,” Tarleton President Dr. James Hurley said. “Joe’s path that he’s paved for all of us to follow has definitely been smooth because Joe puts his money where his mouth is. He asked others to give, but he gives first, and he does so through both stewardship and also soul leadership.”

The Long Center is named after the couple, as is the Lozano Long Division of Global, Community and First-Gen Initiatives at Tarleton.

Dr. Teresa Lozano Long passed away on March 21, 2021 at the age of 92.

They understand that others need an education; Joe said he is more than happy to help with that.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Hurley said. “It’s incredible to see a spirit of he doesn’t want any recognition with this last 12 and a half million dollar gift. He didn’t ask for any naming rights. He didn’t want the college named after him. He just said, ‘I want to leave a legacy of scholarships so those future doctors can better afford an osteopathic medical education.’”

This gift is part of the Texan Excellence Fund which is an opportunity for donations to be recognized and designated for specific use for the university and for the donors to encourage others to give as well.

Past donors like Dwayne Mayfield and Dr. Sam Pack have also made significant donations.

Joe Long is a graduate of the Tarleton Agricultural College then moved to University of Texas at Austin for his bachelor’s degree. When he graduated, he served overseas in the Korean War before coming back to Texas to teach high school.

Joe had a knack for banking, saving and investing.

“He was part of a group that organized two banks in Austin –First State and Community National. He later chaired and bought control of both. Those banks acquired seven more financial institutions and were combined in 1989 at First State Bank, with Joe as Chairman and CEO for the next nine years,” according to an artile in Tarleton State University Magazine Spring/Summer 2022.

These ventures led him to accumulate the money he donates.

The Longs have donated more than $200 million to Texas nonprofits and organizations.