Scouts are taught at a young age to cheerfully and selflessly serve others, with the hopes that they take that mindset with them when they leave their homes and go out into the world.
If you’re looking for evidence that this works, look no farther than BUILD, a student-led organization
at Texas A&M University that’s powered in part by Eagle Scouts.
BUILD’s primary purpose is to convert 40-foot-long shipping containers into fully functional medical clinics that are shipped to impoverished areas both within and outside of the United States. It’s a lot of work that requires a lot of time and energy.
In other words, it’s the perfect job for an Eagle Scout.
“I got involved with BUILD when I was looking for a student organization to join,” says Evan Brunner
(Eagle Class of 2022), who joined as a freshman and now is a senior serving as the organization’s
chief operating officer for the 2025 calendar year. “I did not want to be a part of another organization where you just hang out. At BUILD, I have the opportunity to practice my leadership skills I learned in Scouting while also making an impact literally across the globe.”
What is BUILD?
BUILD was established in 2013 in an effort to create a new university tradition.
“It is about taking the passion, the work ethic, the ingenuity and the selflessness of Aggies and creating something that will permanently impact lives,” according to a statement on the BUILD website.
Over the past decade-plus, BUILD has raised more than $1 million in donations to fund the $35,000 Texas Aggie Medical Clinics (TAMCs) at no cost to the organizations who operate them, thanks to the hard work of more than 15,000 student volunteers.
“The construction is hard work and requires a lot of time and effort, but every day, I see my friends show up with smiles, eager and ready to take on the day’s tasks,” says Ian Harrup (Eagle Class of 2021), who serves on BUILD’s marketing team. “In Scouts, you learn about the importance of leaving a legacy and being a part of something bigger than yourself. For me, BUILD embodies that perfectly.
“At BUILD, every day is an Eagle Scout project, and you volunteer knowing that your small part contributes to a larger whole that will help a lot of people.”
Doing the job right
It wouldn’t do anyone any good if BUILD’s clinics didn’t work as intended. That’s why the team is meticulous about getting it right.
Each standard TAMC contains spaces for patient triage, laboratory tests and private treatment.
They are outfitted with lighting, fans, air conditioning, heating, and both 110-volt and 220-volt electrical outlets. Each clinic comes with its own generator and includes upper and lower cabinets, three sinks, and plenty of shelving and countertop space.
Ethan Hardy (Eagle Class of 2022) is one of BUILD’s 25 construction superintendents. He helps
facilitate building the TAMCs by leading volunteers through the construction cycle process.
“It’s a physically demanding service project,” Hardy says, “but what I’m most proud of is seeing returning volunteers. That means we’re doing our job of having a welcoming environment where people want to come back and continue to work and give with us.”
Once the TAMCs are done, they are delivered to Houston-based nonprofit Medical Bridges, which distributes them to underserved areas to help bridge the healthcare infrastructure gap on a global and local scale.
Since BUILD’s founding, TAMCs have been deployed to multiple communities in Texas and more than 20 developing countries across the world.
“Scouting laid the foundation for my passion for service,” says Christopher Permetti (Eagle Class of 2022). “The Scout Law and Oath instilled values in me that I carry every day.
“Scouting, along with my Christian faith, has helped me understand that life is about something bigger than myself. BUILD allows me to live that out — serving alongside others, developing as a leader and helping create real, lasting change in the world.”
Photos courtesy of BUILD
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