College of Medicine debuts new name at white coat ceremony

Following a historic philanthropic gift by Arlington entrepreneur Naresh K. Vashisht ’72, the College of Medicine is now the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine. The college officially launched its new name in front of a packed audience during its annual white coat ceremony on Aug. 9, 2025.

Held at Rudder Auditorium on the Texas A&M campus, the ceremony welcomed 200 new MD students—the Class of 2029—who donned their first white coats and took the Hippocratic Oath, marking their formal entry into the profession of medicine and signaling their commitment to advancing medicine for the greater good.

“Today marks a very special day—not only in the lives of future Aggie physicians, but also in the history of the college—and the Class of 2029 will forever be a part of that legacy,” said General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University.

“Let this day be a powerful reminder to our medical students that they are part of something far greater than themselves: a proud tradition of excellence, a community built on selfless service, and now, the beginning of a new chapter in the story of the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine,” Welsh continued.

The college’s renaming, unanimously approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents last November, honors a historic gift made by Mr. Vashisht to the college—the largest in its 48-year history.

Recognizing the college’s innovative work, Vashisht’s gift will create full-tuition scholarships and a dean’s excellence fund to support the college’s strategic needs, establish a fund for medical research and innovation, and support Texas A&M’s Rural Medicine Program.

Growing up in India, Vashisht experienced firsthand the transformative power of education.

“Once one person in the family is educated, the whole family’s quality of life improves,” he said. With his gift, he hopes that others can obtain the same type of quality education that prepared him for a successful career.

“Mr. Vashisht’s story embodies resilience, dedication, and an unapologetically positive impact—qualities that align profoundly with our values” said Amy Waer, MD, FACS, MPSA ’23, dean of the Vashisht College of Medicine.

Vashisht’s career has spanned four decades and two continents. He initially worked with major and independent oil companies in various engineering and management positions before founding and becoming CEO of Omimex Resources Inc. in 1987.

Vashisht holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. He also has a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M and an MBA from Eastern New Mexico University.