Aggie Quick Connection
April 2013
Howdy! April means the end of the semester is quickly approaching and there is a lot of excitement on campus. Over the next month, it is important to communicate with your student about their coursework and their plans for the summer. April can be an overwhelming month with finals approaching, so it is imperative to support and encourage your student so they have a strong finish to the semester. Whether it’s finishing their first year at A&M or graduation, you play a vital role in your student’s success! April also means it is time for one of Aggieland’s greatest traditions, Parents’ Weekend! Texas A&M University prides itself on making its visitors feel welcome, and Parents’ Weekend has given parents and guests a special time to feel this warm greeting since its beginnings in 1919. Parents’ Weekend is organized by Parents’ Weekend Committee, comprised of 40 students and supported by Student Government Association. This special weekend is dedicated to Aggie parents and family, and gives Aggie students a chance to express their gratitude to those who have impacted their lives. We hope you will enjoy all this exciting time has to offer! As always, you can visit our webpage at http://parents.tamu.edu/ and feel free to contact us at (979) 845-5826, or aggiefamilies@tamu.edu if you have any questions. Thanks and Gig ’Em!
What’s Inside: Page 2: Parents’ Weekend
Parents’ Weekend is right around the corner! Join us April 12-14 as we celebrate the Aggie Family!
Page 3-5: Parents’ Weekend Schedule Page 6: Aggie Muster Page 7: Ring Dance Page 8: Commencement Page 9: Campus Happenings
Did You Know? There is an Aggie Families Facebook Page! Like our page at: https://www.facebook.com/AggieParentsAndFamily to receive campus information, and connect with other Aggie Families.
Parents’ Weekend PART OF THE FAMILY
Aggie Parents’ Weekend, April 12-14, 2013, is a warm “Howdy!” to all parents and family. When you have a child at Texas A&M University, you become part of the Aggie family. You are embraced by the camaraderie and Aggie spirit instilled in the student body, faculty and administration. We welcome you to experience this culture and get involved at Texas A&M by coming to Aggie Parents’ Weekend. Aggie Parents’ Weekend was first held in 1919 as a Corps of Cadets tradition for Mother’s Day. The ceremony allowed cadets to honor their mothers through awards like Aggie Mother of the Year. This cherished Aggie tradition became Aggie Parents of the Year in 1975 and has broadened its agenda to include school sponsored events, campus tours and award presentations. “Parents’ Weekend is a fun way to be involved with students,” said 2012 Parents of the Year, Kathy Smith ’81. “Brien and I are both Aggies so we can relate to many of the experiences that our kids have. But for friends of Texas A&M who aren’t Aggies, Parents’ Weekend is a great opportunity to learn about the traditions, values and truths that Aggies uphold.” The Parents’ Weekend Committee is funded by the Parents’ Weekend Endowment Operating Fund, created in 2005 through the Texas A&M Foundation. “The Parents’ Weekend Endowment Operating Fund supports many of the weekend activities. We chose to donate to the endowment because the committee does so much to make parents feel comfortable,” said Johnette Jarvis ’70. She and her husband, Jon Jarvis ’68 were recipients of the 1999 Parents of the Year award. “We were so honored by the experience that we chose to give back to an organization that is doing something to benefit the students and their parents.” Aggie Parents’ Weekend kicks off with Aggie Ring Day on April 12, 2013 followed by Midnight Yell on Kyle Field. See the next few pages for some of our highlighted events. For a longer list of events, visit: parentsweekend.tamu.edu To learn more about the Parents’ Weekend Endowment, contact: Cindy Munson ’99 (979) 458-1689
PARENTS’ WEEKEND COMMITTEE Executive Members Alex Pruett ’13 - Director Natalie Kuban ’13 - Associate Director and Finance Sara Bates ’14 - Parents of the Year Chair Alex Burns ’14 - Events Co-Chair Matt Pacholczyk ’13 - Events Co-Chair Leslie Jones ’15 - Marketing Chair Sarah Jane Moerbe ’13 - Student Relations Chair Events Subcommittee Alyssa Boyd Lindsey Dickschat Leah Espey Kailey Johnson
Marketing Subcommittee Joshua Dover Robert Killion Michelle Shaffer
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Parents of the Year Subcommittee Peter Berlanga Hassan Daramsis Tatum Norris Tate Watson Student Relations Subcommittee David Jordan Danielle Lynch Seth Maeker Kelsey Novosad Katharina Ojala Christopher Taylor
Fish Aides David Jordan Robert Killion Alex Laduca Madeline Manning Advisor Libby Daggers
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Parents’ Weekend
Schedule of Events
Indicates official Parents’ Weekend event hosted by Parents’ Weekend Committee All events are free unless noted with a $.
FRIDAY,APRIL 12 Aggie Moms’ Boutique .................................................................................... 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM 2nd Floor Memorial Student Center Aggie Gift and Craft Fair presented by the Aggie Moms’ Clubs
College of Liberal Arts Recognition Ceremony..................................................... 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Frymire Auditorium - Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library Center The college recognizes the outstanding academic accomplishments by students in Liberal Arts including Dean’s List and scholarship recipients. Student Recognition Ceremony 2:00-3:00, Reception 3:00-4:00
Aggie Ring Day .................................................................................................. 1:30 PM - 8:30 PM Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, AggieNetwork.com/Ring
Corps of Cadets Parents’ Weekend Review ..........................................................................5:30 PM Cadets will begin formation on the Quad at 5:30, and step off at 5:40. Formation on Kyle Field is at 6:00, and awarding of Flags will begin at 6:15 pm. Pass in Review takes place at 6:45, and Cadets will return to the Quad at 7:00.
Men’s Tennis..........................................................................................................................6:00 PM Mitchell Tennis Center, Mississippi State, $
Baseball................................................................................................................................6:35 PM Blue Bell Park, Mississippi State, $
Softball................................................................................................................................. 7:00 PM Aggie Softball Complex, LSU, $
Midnight Yell......................................................................................................................12:00 AM
Kyle Field Join the Yell Leaders and Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band as you experience a Fightin’ Texas Aggie Yell Practice! The purpose of Midnight Yell is to pump up the 12th Man for the next day’s big game!
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Parents’ Weekend
Schedule of Events
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 Aggies Abroad Breakfast (RSVP Required)............................................................8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building (across from Simpson Drill Field). Have breakfast and learn about international opportunities available through Texas A&M University. Breakfast from 8:00-9:30 followed by a presentation and a panel of students.
College of Architecture Open House....................................................................8:30 AM - 11:20 AM 2nd Floor Atrium Langford A Breakfast and registration 8:30-9:15, College and Department presentations 9:30-11:20
Aggie Moms’ Boutique...........................................................................................9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 2nd Floor Memorial Student Center Aggie Gift and Craft Fair presented by the Aggie Moms’ Clubs
College of Geosciences Open House....................................................................9:00 AM - 11:00 AM O&M Building
Open House Hosted By: President R. Bowen Loftin ’71 and Dr. Karin C. Loftin.....................................................10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Throckmorton Street, across from Duncan Drill Field The President’s Residence will be open to campus visitors. Light refreshments will be served.
Open House Hosted By: General and Mrs. Joe Weber ‘72.........................................................................10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Throckmorton Street, across from Sanders Corps Center The Vice President’s Residence will be open to campus visitors. Light refreshments will be served.
Taste of Aggieland...............................................................................................11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Duncan Drill Field In the event of inclement weather, this event will be moved to Duncan Dining Hall. Sample some of Aggie’s favorite Bryan/College Station restaurants and businesses! From the local deli to the finest Aggieland has to offer, this is the tastiest event Parents’ Weekend has ever seen. Join us for great food, student performances, and local retailers. $3.00 Food Tickets.
Baseball................................................................................................................................ 12:30 PM Blue Bell Park, Mississippi State, $
Maroon and White Spring Game............................................................................................ 2:00 PM Kyle Field, $ Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football’s spring game. The Fish Drill Team and Ross Volunteer Company will perform during the game.
Softball................................................................................................................................... 4:00 PM Aggie Softball Complex, LSU, $
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Parents’ Weekend
Schedule of Events
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 All University Awards Ceremony ......................................................................................... 9:30 AM Rudder Auditorium Students will be recognized for awards given by various areas of campus.
Corps of Cadets Awards Ceremony ................................................................................... 12:00 PM Rudder Auditorium
Softball.............................................................................................................................. 12:30 PM Aggie Softball Complex, LSU, $
Men’s Tennis......................................................................................................................... 1:00 PM Mitchell Tennis Center, Ole Miss, $
Baseball.............................................................................................................................. 1:05 PM Blue Bell Park, Mississippi State, $
What’s Happening Downtown?!
Downtown Street and Art Fair- Saturday April 13 10am-6pm The Arts Council is excited for the return of the Downtown Street and Art Fair on Saturday, April 13, 2013 in historic Downtown Bryan, Texas from 10am-6pm. This will be the 4th year artists have showcased their work for this growing spring festival. Please join this special event taking place in the 200 block of W. 26th Street during Texas A&M Parents’ Weekend. The Downtown Street and Art Fair is a collaboration between the Downtown Arts and Culture Association, Downtown Bryan Association, and the Arts Council of Brazos Valley. Please contact Rachel Lowenstein at 979-696-2787 or info@acbv.org for more information!
Poetry Symposium- April 11-13 The Department of Hispanic Studies, along with the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas will host a symposium titled Poetics Versus Philosophy: Life, Artifact, and Theory on April 11-13, 2013. The symposium will close on Saturday, April 13th at 8pm with a poetry reading & discussion open to the public at Grand Stafford Theater in Historic Downtown Bryan. For more information contact the Department of Hispanic Studies at (979) 845-2125.
Aggie Quick Connection
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Traditions: Aggie Muster
April 21, 2013
Aggies gathered together on June 26, 1883 to live over again their college days, the victories and defeats won and lost upon the drill field and classroom. Eventually the annual gathering evolved into a celebration of Texas Independence on San Jacinto Day – April 21st. Over time the tradition of Muster has changed, but its very essence has remained: “If there is an A&M man or woman in one hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas.” Muster is celebrated in more than four hundred places worldwide, with the largest ceremony on the Texas A&M campus in College Station. Aggie Muster as we know it today is credited to E. E. McQuillen ’20, who served as the Executive Secretary of The Association of Former Students. It is fitting that he was honored to serve as the first Campus Muster speaker in 1944. Muster is a time to look to the past, present, and future… not only to grieve but to reflect and to celebrate the lives that connect us to one another. A gesture so simple in nature yet so lasting in spirit, Muster is the lasting impression every Aggie leaves with us; it reminds us of the greatness that lies within these walls, of the loyalty we possess, of the connection that binds us, and of the idea that every Aggie has a place of importance – whether they are present in flesh or spirit. The Campus Muster Ceremony and Roll Call for the Absent will begin on April 21st at 7:00pm in Reed Arena. The doors will open at 5:00pm; seats are available on a first come first served basis. This year’s Muster Speaker will be Bill Jones ‘81. For detailed information about Muster, including the Roll Call for the Absent, visit http://muster.tamu.edu/. For more information about a Muster ceremony near you, visit http://aggienetwork.com/muster/.
Events Taking Place on Muster On Campus Muster Activities Flag Raising Ceremony Academic Plaza 9:00AM Camaraderie Barbeque Simpson Drill Field 11:00AM - 2:00PM Reflections Display Memorial Student Center Flag Room 9:00AM – 3:00PM
Campus Muster Ceremony & Roll Call for the Absent Reed Arena 7:00PM (Doors open at 5:00PM)
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On Campus Muster Speaker Bill Jones, Principal at The Jones Firm, practiced law in Houston for fifteen years in a litigation practice, first with Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Hill & LaBoon, LLP (now known as Locke Lord LLP) for six years, then nine years with Cash Jones, LLP, including trial and appellate work in state and federal courts of all levels involving complex business litigation. Jones served as General Counsel to the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas for Governor Rick Perry from December 2000 to November 2003. From November 2003 to December 2005, he served as a partner with Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP practicing in government relations and commercial litigation. From January 2006 to February 2010, Jones served as a partner with Vinson & Elkins, LLP. practicing in public law. He currently owns The Jones Firm, a public law and government relations firm in Austin and is Co-Managing Partner in a start-up company, AFCI Texas, LLC. Jones has served on numerous boards and commissions including the Texas A&M University Board of Regents (2003-2011) and holds the title of Chairman Emeritus. While at A&M, he was a member of Company A-1 in the Corps of Cadets. He also served as First Brigade Commander and was a member of the Ross Volunteer Company Honor Guard. He also served as Class President and Chair of the MSC Fall Leadership Committee. He is a former Member of the Texas A&M Former Students Association Board. He was named the 2010 Texas Aggie Bar Association Lawyer of the Year. He served on the Texas A & M Corps of Cadets Development Council Advisory Panel. He is currently serving as Commissioner of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission, and is an Executive Board Member with the Austin Chamber of Commerce. He was selected as one of the 2011 - 2012 U.S. News - Best Lawyers in America.® Jones has a B.B.A. from Texas A&M University (1981), with a major in Management and a J.D. from Baylor University Law School (1985). He is married to Johnita Davis Jones, Texas A&M class of 1983 and they have three children, Cameron (24), Katie (21), and Carson (18).
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Traditions: Ring Dance
April 28, 2013
Ring Dance began on May 15, 1936 and was conceived by a group of seniors who decided that since the Aggie ring is the traditional mark of one whose days on the campus are soon to be over, a dance with the ring as the predominant theme would be appropriate as a final function of the Senior Class. The first Ring Dance had no admission charge and was preceded by the Senior Banquet. It took place with an orchestra in the mess hall and had one plaster Ring replica for the official portraits. Ring Dance occurred from 8pm to 12am because there was a rule on campus that there couldn’t be any dances on Sunday. Since its creation in 1936, Ring Dance has come to be as much a part of Aggieland as the many other traditions that have existed as long as the school itself. This dance will be for many the last social function of their years at Aggieland. As each senior steps into the replica of the Aggie Ring, they can turn their ring so that the class year no longer faces them-it faces the world. Seniors are able to reflect over the past years spent in Aggieland and anticipate the future. As each person steps away from the ring, another two step in, continuing the tradition that will go on as long as there is an Aggieland. Ring Dance 2013: Through The Ages Ring Dance is an opportunity for the Class of 2013 to come together one last time to reflect on years spent together, their personal growth, the friendships that they cherish, and the achievements made since they first stepped foot on campus. The 78th Annual Ring Dance, “Through The Ages,” will be held on April 27, 2013 from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. in the Memorial Student Center. Tickets are on sale now at the MSC Box Office, as well as online at http://boxoffice.tamu.edu/. Ticket pricing is as follows: April 1-26th: $40/single, $70/couple Day of the event: $55/ticket, no couple price Tickets can still be purchased the day/night of the event through The MSC Box Office. However, students are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. More information about Ring Dance can be found at http://ringdance.tamu.edu/. G. Michael Photography will be creating Ring Dance Portraits at this year’s dance. For more information about photo packages, visit their website at: http://www.gmichaelphoto.com/specials/RingDance.html
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Commencement Information
May 2013
Commencement May is almost here and we could not be more excited about the thousands of Aggies who will soon graduate and officially join the Aggie Network. Below you will find a full listing of the events for commencement ceremonies with more detailed information available at http://graduation.tamu.edu/ Commencement Convocation Commencement ceremonies begin with a convocation that features one notable speaker. This year’s Commencement Convocation will take place on May 9th at Rudder Auditorium at 5:30 pm with Speaker: Congressman William H. “Bill” Flores, Texas A&M Class of 1976. The commencement exercises at which degrees will be conferred will follow in subsequent ceremonies on May 10th and 11th. Students will not be required to wear academic regalia at the Commencement Convocation, but will need to do so at the subsequent degree-granting exercises. Commencement Ceremonies Thursday - May 9, 2013 2:00 p.m. Ceremony Location: Rudder Auditorium • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Friday - May 10, 2013 9:00 a.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates and Undergraduates in Liberal Arts 2:00 p.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates and Undergraduates in Architecture • Graduates and Undergraduates in Geosciences • Graduates and Undergraduates in Science • Graduates and Undergraduates in Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences 7:00 p.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates in George Bush School of Government and Public Service • Graduates and Undergraduates in Education and Human Development Saturday - May 11, 2013 9:00 a.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates and Undergraduates in Mays Business School 2:00 p.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates and Undergraduates in Dwight Look College of Engineering 7:00 p.m. Ceremony Location: Reed Arena • Graduates and Undergraduates in Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Campus Happenings Academic Calendar
April 2013
April 11-26 · Preregistration for the 2013 first term, second term, 10-week summer semester, and fall semester. April 21 · Muster. Campus ceremony. April 29 · No regular course exams (except for laboratory and one-hour classes) given on these days. April 30 · Last day of spring semester classes. · Last day to apply for all degrees to be awarded in May. · Redefined day, students attend their Friday classes. · No regular course exams (except for laboratory and one-hour classes) given on these days.
Student Health Services Events Grocery Store Tour: Myth vs. Fact – Don’t let the labels “fool” you Dates: April 17, 18, 24 (Times Vary) Students can join Meghan Windham, MPH, RD, LD as she walks through the HEB on Holleman Drive, and shows students how to shop efficiently, healthy, and smart! A small fee of $5 gets students a reusable grocery tote, lots of coupons, and the opportunity to sample tasty recipes! Students should visit shs.tamu.edu/events to sign up and reserve their spot! 12th Man Tips to BTHO stress The semester might be winding down and the stress might be cranking up, but health is still important as students begin to prepare for the end of the semester. Follow “12th Man Tips” to help end the semester strong and BTHO stress! Do you know other members\ of the Aggie Family who might want to receive this newsletter? Please feel free to forward it to them, or tell them how to sign up for the listserv. Visit: http://parents.tamu.edu/listserv for instructions to subscribe/unsubscribe.
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