The original version of this story appeared in the 85th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Official Game Program

Fred McClure is used to carving his own path.
 
In 1976 he became the first Black person to serve as student body president in the history of Texas A&M University. And in 1998 he was named the first Black person to serve as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association (CBAA), becoming one of just two individuals ever to serve four years in the position.
 
McClure's latest honor will help others carve their own path.
 
The CBAA announced that its internship program will hereby be named after McClure, a testament to the impact the former chairman and current board member has had on the association.
 
"Fred has been a remarkable leader and has left an indelible mark on our organization," said Bry Patton, current CBAA Chairman. "We felt this was a tremendous way to honor Fred's legacy and make sure that legacy lives on for generations through the Fred McClure Internship Program."
 
The internship, designated for an ethnic minority, will last a semester, running from the summer through January.
 
"We take great pride in our internship program and providing valuable opportunities for young professionals to learn and grow," said Rick Baker, CBAA President/CEO. "We have always looked to include diverse candidates, but we felt it was important to make a stronger commitment to diversity and inclusion as part of our program moving forward. Fred means so much to the Cotton Bowl and me personally. I'm elated we are recognizing his lasting impact."
 
McClure said he was "most honored" by the association deciding to name the internship program after himself.
 
"I think the program is going to be a great program, and it's of great value to both the interns who get the opportunity to have the experience, and also the Cotton Bowl itself, being able to give young people exposure to what the organization is all about."
 
McClure also said the internship program, in terms of having a minority candidate, will help broadcast the program and the opportunities that exist within the CBAA.
 
"It's not just we're looking for trailblazers, necessarily, what we're looking for are folks who might not normally have the opportunity to participate … and it causes an aggressive move to seek out candidates who can fulfill the commitments the Cotton Bowl has made."
 
Speaking of opportunities, McClure said he's been fortunate enough to have a lot of them throughout his life.
 
In addition to being a chairman and board member for the CBAA, McClure has also had many different roles working with his alma mater. He served as a vice chairman of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, vice president of the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the 12th Man Foundation.
 
Currently, McClure – a graduate with summa cum laude honors and the 115th distinguished alumnus honoree at his alma mater – is the executive director of the leadership initiative for Texas A&M.
 
McClure's accomplishments haven't been isolated to his former college, however. He's had many different roles and other leadership positions. He also served as an assistant for legislative affairs under two Presidents of the United States, President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan. In addition, McClure was previously the Chief Executive Officer for the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation.
 
To top it all off, in 1994 McClure was named by Time Magazine as one of America's 50 promising leaders at age 40 and under.
 
In short: McClure has accomplished a lot, but he also said a lot of his accomplishments are tied together. One thing built on another, he said. He became a board member of the CBAA because of connections he made from not only attending Texas A&M, but also excelling there as both a student and the student body's president.
 
"And the rest kind of goes from there," McClure said.
 
But McClure had to start somewhere, and for many people an internship can be the start they need. McClure said his internships helped him realize that he wanted a career in public service.
 
And now McClure has an internship in his name.
 
"It's a great honor," McClure said. "I hope that the students who have the opportunity to receive the internship will learn greatly from it, and perhaps they'll have experience that will be long lasting for them. And so maybe down the road they might be lucky enough to be so honored [with an internship named after them, as well.]"