Then & Now: Making Waves
Two generations of Aggie swimmers unite through the 1922 Fund
By Camryn Garner ’21
Vicki Brown-Sobecki ’78 vividly remembers the moment she told her father where she wanted to go to college.
She was just 12 years old, fresh off earning five first-place finishes at a swim meet held on Texas A&M’s campus. On the walk from Cain Pool to the Memorial Student Center to pick out a victory souvenir, she paused beneath an oak tree outside The Aggie Club building, turned to her dad and declared, “This is where I want to attend college.”
When her father gently explained that Texas A&M did not admit women at the time, her response was immediate:
“Well then, I’ll be the first.”
Brown-Sobecki did not just dream of attending A&M — she was determined to compete as a student-athlete at Texas A&M.
That dream became reality when Brown-Sobecki earned a spot on the Texas A&M Women’s Swimming & Diving team as one of the university’s first female recipients of an athletics scholarship — paving the way for generations of female student-athletes in Aggieland. As a student-athlete, she recognized the generosity behind her scholarship and made a promise to herself to do the same for others in the future.
“I thought, ‘One day I’m going to pay it forward,’” Brown-Sobecki recalled. “I told myself, ‘I’m going to be one of those donors and use whatever opportunity I get to give back because I’m receiving a very special scholarship from a person who has seen the value in that.’”
Today, Brown-Sobecki’s commitment to philanthropy continues through her involvement with the 1922 Fund, a 12th Man Foundation initiative dedicated to endowing scholarships for all student-athletes at Texas A&M. Since its inception in 2015, donors have pledged approximately $20 million to the 1922 Fund in support of student-athlete scholarship endowments.
Fulfilling her promise to give back, Brown-Sobecki and her husband, Dan, chose to endow a scholarship specifically for the Texas A&M Women’s Swimming & Diving program, helping future generations of swimmers in the same program where her own journey began.
“I would not be at Texas A&M if I did not have my athletic scholarship. I am blessed and so thankful to be on a scholarship here. It’s given me the opportunity to stay here for five years and live out my dream.”
One of the unique aspects of the 1922 Fund is the opportunity for qualifying donors to be paired with current Aggie student-athletes, fostering meaningful relationships between those who passionately support Texas A&M Athletics and the student-athletes who proudly compete for the maroon and white.
Since the fall of 2021, Brown-Sobecki has been paired with All-American swimmer Chloe Stepanek. A 2024 Texas A&M graduate with a degree in biomedical sciences, Stepanek is now pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology. Originally from Northport, New York, her accomplishments in both the pool and classroom reflect the legacy Brown-Sobecki has helped pave. With a 4.0 GPA, Stepanek made history as the first Texas A&M swimmer to earn SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors twice and is a 15-time All-American.
The 1922 Fund pairing has proven especially meaningful for both Brown-Sobecki and Stepanek.
“I was grateful when I was paired with Chloe because she is a sprinter like I was,” Brown-Sobecki said. “I was excited that I could relate to her training program and what she has to do in both individual competition and relays. It really was a perfect match because it was fun to see somebody have that opportunity like I did.”
For Stepanek, learning about Brown-Sobecki’s pioneering role at A&M left a lasting impression on her.
“I was in shock,” she said. “I was paired with this amazing woman who had so much history here, basically developing the swimming and diving program and being the foundation for what it’s become today.”
What began as mutual respect between two athletes has blossomed into a cherished bond. Brown-Sobecki has become a meaningful presence in Stepanek’s life, celebrating milestone moments like receiving her Aggie Ring, competing at swim meets and walking the stage at graduation.
“I would not be at Texas A&M if I did not have my athletic scholarship,” Stepanek said. “I am blessed and so thankful to be on a scholarship here. It’s given me the opportunity to stay here for five years and live out my dream.”
Together, Stepanek and Brown-Sobecki marvel at how far the program has come. Today’s Aggie swimmers train in what Stepanek calls the best facility in the country. For Brown-Sobecki, witnessing that progress brings deep satisfaction.
“When I see the facilities our team has today — the pool, the locker room and the nutrition center — I think back and I know it’s all been worth it,” Brown-Sobecki said.
Watching Stepanek’s success in and out of the pool, Brown-Sobecki cannot help but reflect with gratitude on more than five decades of progress.
“She’s all the things you would want a student-athlete from Texas A&M University to represent when she goes out into the real world,” Brown-Sobecki said. “It’s been a real blessing to have the opportunity to help her and her family make her dream come true. For 50 years, I’ve watched the progression. To the men and women who helped me get to this full circle moment, bless them all.”