Heat exchange is a fundamental aspect of chemical engineering and an essential building block for student learning in engineering higher education. Recognizing the value of hands-on experience, Jo Anne ’98 and Mike Donovan ’96 established a fund to bring advanced heat transfer equipment to Texas A&M University engineering labs, laying the foundation for student success in a rapidly evolving field.
The why
Mike Donovan grew up in Houston in a family of athletes but paved his own path in the field of entrepreneurship. By age 14, he started and eventually sold his first landscaping service, driven by a talent for both business and science. This early start shaped his work ethic and approach to problem-solving.
Donovan’s journey to Aggieland was not seamless. He initially considered East Coast universities and service academies for football, but sudden changes in coaching and scholarships forced him to adjust his plans.
He ultimately landed at Texas A&M and quickly discovered a campus and community that felt like home. Joining Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Donovan forged lifelong friendships and lasting memories, which made his college experience especially rewarding.
Academic rigor defined Donovan’s time in Aggieland. He pursued chemical engineering and was a diligent student. Ironically, the course he struggled with most — Unit Operations— ended up shaping the direction of his career.
"I’ll never forget the day when my mentor turned a bunch of valves [on the heat exchanger]” said Donovan. “[Mr. Bradshaw] asked, 'So, what’s it doing?' I stared at the machine, clueless, and admitted I had no idea what I was even looking at. He just smiled and said, 'Keep watching, you’ll figure it out.' I realized then how my mountain of textbooks actually meant something, in the real world, and it opened my eyes to all the possibilities chemical engineering offered. I've carried that lesson, and that gratitude, with me ever since."
The experience stayed with him after graduation and later inspired the name of his company, Heat Transfer Solutions.
Rather than following a traditional engineering career, Donovan chose the less-beaten path of sales and entrepreneurship, bridging the gap between technical expertise and client needs. He combined engineering principles with a talent for communication — skills that are vital in his field.
Years later, Donovan saw firsthand that the heat exchanger equipment, which inspired his professional journey, was severely outdated in Texas A&M’s chemical engineering labs. He noticed students using tools that lacked the versatility and quality he remembered from his own education. This realization sparked the idea for his gift, a commitment to modernized lab technologies, ensuring future engineers benefit from relevant, hands-on training.
Alongside his wife, Donovan established the Jo Anne '98 and Mike Donovan '96 Zachry Common Lab Equipment Fund to support these improvements.
For Donovan, giving back is about gratitude and legacy, not recognition. His investment in lab equipment is designed to prepare Aggies to overcome industry challenges and innovate with confidence.
He and his wife hope that future generations can build the same foundational experiences that fueled his career success and lifelong connection to Texas A&M.