The Battalion - April 22, 2019 by The Battalion

Photo illustration by Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

2019 Campus Muster Ralph Emerson Turner ‘28 • James Posey Alford ‘43 • James L. Powell ‘44 • Paul Napper ‘46 • James E. Wiley ‘46 • Israel Allan Lerner ‘47 • Charles Rogers ‘49 • Ben Chambers ‘51 • Edward Templin ‘51 • Dr. Horace W. Van Cleave ‘52 • Maj. Gen. (Ret) Charles Cargill ‘53 • Robert Truett “Bob” Childress, Jr. ‘53 • Jim Earle ‘54 • Blase Pantuso ‘54 • Dr. Donald Joe Anderson ‘55 • Donald Bowne ‘55 • David Strickler ‘55 • Garrett Maxwell ‘55 • Dr. James Carter Cooper ‘56 • Dr. Raymond Dietrich ‘56 • Kenneth M. Hankins ‘56 • James Paul Murray ‘57 • Kenneth Falkner ‘59 • Wilburn Cleo Smith ‘59 • Sidney Pitts ‘59 • Benito Flores ‘60 • Frank Glenn ‘60 • Bill Lightfoot ‘60 • Winston W. Loehr ‘60 • H.B. “Buddy” Payne ‘60 • Larence Wilding ‘60 • Robert Bower ‘61 • A.C. Hill ‘61 • William R. Howerton ‘61 • Edward Berry ‘62 • Warren Herrmann ‘63 • John Craig Beckmeyer ‘64 • Dr. Floron C. “Buddy” Faries, Jr. ‘64 • R.E. Merritt ‘64 • Jerry Partridge ‘64 • John Michael Seago ‘66 • Edward Lee Hollahan III ‘68 • Charles McGinty ‘68 • Santiago Jaime De Los Santos ‘68 • George Spangle ‘68 • Dr. Wendell Arnold ‘69 • Wallis M. Benedict ‘69 • Floyd Bridges ‘69 • Jack Chancey ‘69 • Lloyd Childress ‘69 • Dempsey Duprie ‘69 • Dr. Larry Dziuk ‘69 • LTC John Godfrey ‘69 • Gary Granade ‘69 • Douglas Helm ‘69 • Paul Henderson ‘69 • James Holley ‘69 • Gordon Hyatt ‘69 • Gary Kitchens ‘69 • Louis Igo ‘69 • Richard Jacobsen ‘69 • Lt. Col. Willard Mumford ‘69 • Larry Parsons ‘69 • Edward Phillips ‘69 • John Ray ‘69 • Dr. Harry Rook ‘69 • Lance Shaffer ‘69 • Albert Whipple ‘69 • Gregory Wood ‘69 • Gary Napper ‘71 • Fred Contreras ‘72 • Larry Norman Moore ‘75 • Jesse Cocke ‘76 • Lt. Col. Ernest Leon Smith ‘78 • Peter John Thomas ‘78 • Richard Alan Berry ‘79 • Dr. Christopher Reed ‘80 • Donald Eugene Brehm ‘81 • Rodney Monroe Starnes Jr. ‘81 • Becky Ann Elbert ‘82 • Sgt. Jon Kerness Hennigan ‘82 • Peggy Shafer ‘90 • Anne Kalinke ‘91 • Matt Grantham ‘92 • Jason Douglas Carter ‘93 • Brent Gattis ‘95 • Kris Ann Martin ‘95 • Jennifer Faltys ‘96 • Dr. Wally Attisha ‘97 • Charlton Clayton ‘13 • Mary Elizabeth Springs ‘14 • Michael John Whitehead ‘14 • Matthew Michael Wiese ‘14 • Kristen Lane Moss ‘15 • Sarah Sappington ‘15 • Kaylee Maddux ‘16 • Harrison Matthew Hughes ‘17 • Evan Andrew Smith ‘17 • Trevor Lynch ‘18 • Mark Christopher Wilson ‘18 • Thomas Pierce Followwill ‘19 • William Montgomery Gano ‘19 • Noah Joseph Gunhouse ‘19 • Van Le ‘19 • Adolfo Payan ‘19 • Alan Chuong Ton ‘19 • Emily Lynne Chaffin ‘20 • Hannah Michalski ‘20 • Mehrzad Monzavi ‘20 • Erik Kyle Hanson ‘21 • Grant Jacson Hernandez ‘21 • Andrew Keith Kalinke ‘21 • Sophie Pearl Rosenberg ‘21 • Anna Dryden Wegener ‘21 • Joseph William Little ‘22 • President George H.W. Bush • First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush • Clark Adams • Dr. Judith Ball • Dr. Zerle Carpenter • Dr. Henry C. Dethloff • Harris Granger • Barry Jackson • Distinguished Professor John J. McDermott • Dr. M. Sam Mannan • Robert Rakov • Donald L. Reddell • Dr. Winston T. Shearon • Dr. V.O. Speights • Ti Xu List compiled from “This Year’s Honorees” on muster.tamu.edu.

Texas A&M is more than a school — it’s a family Photo chief Cassie Stricker says Muster is a poignant display of Aggieland’s most cherished values Cassie Stricker

@cassie_stricker

hen I walked into my first Muster ceremony as a high school senior on April 21, 2015, I had no idea what to expect. I was invited to the Comal County A&M Club’s Muster ceremony because I was one of their scholarship recipients. I remember thinking that I must just be going to some kind of club meeting or reunion — probably a barbecue or something (I was very wrong). As I sat in that room — a first-generation Aggie who knew nothing about A&M’s traditions — I struggled to understand what was happening. By the time the Roll Call began, I had determined that the names being called were those of Aggies who had passed away, but I still didn’t understand why “Here” rang out in unison after each name. I didn’t under-

stand why this was an event that the club would invite their scholarship recipients to, and I definitely didn’t understand why Muster was so important to everyone there that night. Now, as a senior in college preparing to attend my fourth Campus Muster ceremony, I get it. While working for The Battalion, I’ve had the privilege of photographing Campus Muster on two occasions, and this year will be the third. Being in such close proximity to the reunion class and the families gathered to answer for a loved one they’ve lost allowed me to see Muster from a new perspective. Aggie Muster is so much more than just a gathering. It is a time to remember the past, to look forward to the future and to celebrate the lives of fellow Aggies who have passed away. At the Campus Muster, a speaker will address the crowd and tell stories about the lives of students in 1969. The members of the reunion class get to remember their time

on campus and grow in camaraderie, both at the ceremony itself and at the Muster BBQ held earlier in the day. Later, Roll Call for the Absent begins. When the names of Aggies who passed away in the last year are called, their family and friends answer “Here” and light a candle. This serves as a reminder that those who we have lost are still present in spirit. When the Roll Call ends, Reed Arena is silent except for the sound of the Ross Volunteers marching in a slow cadence. There, in between the stage and those seated on the floor level, the RVs render a 21-gun salute. After Taps is played, the ceremony is dismissed. At Muster — whether it be on campus or at one of the hundreds of ceremonies held across the world — the Aggie Spirit is fully alive. With every tear-soaked face made visible by candlelight, with every “Here” whispered by all those gathered and with every candle lit, the Aggie Spirit becomes more evident.

I understand now that maybe the reason the Comal County A&M Club invited me — a high school senior — to their Muster ceremony, was because they wanted to extend to me that piece of the Aggie Spirit and show me that I hadn’t just picked a college to attend; I’d found a family that would be at my side from the first time I said “Howdy” to the last time my name is called and my friends and family say “Here.” The 2019 Campus Muster ceremony will celebrate the lives of about 140 people who have passed away in the last year. You may not have known them personally, but they are family just the same. I encourage each of you to join me in Reed Arena at 7 p.m. to answer “Here” for the Aggies we’ve lost, just as future Aggies will for you someday. Cassie Stricker is an agricultural communications and journalism senior and photo chief for The Battalion.

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The Battalion | 4.22.19

Photos by Megan Cusick and Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Left: The 50th Reunion of the Class of 1969 has a separate wall in the Reflections Display to show what A&M was like when they were in school. Right: Muster speaker Dwight Roblyer, Class of 1984, visits the Reflections Display in the Flag Room.

A look into the lives behind the Roll Call Muster Reflections Display features personal belongings of honorees By Meagan Sheffield @mshef350 A clarinet, a collection of treasured video games and a 1953 football game program are a few of the personal belongings featured in this year’s Muster Reflections Display. The Reflections Display is a way to recognize Muster Roll Call honorees and is set up in the MSC Flag Room through the morning of Muster. While about 140 names will be read at campus Roll Call, there are 61 Aggies represented through items in the display. Reflections Display coordinator and kinesiology senior Emma Bracket said coordinators started contacting families of Roll Call honorees in December to ask if they wanted to contribute items to the display or if they would prefer to send a photo to put on the Reflections Wall.

According to Bracket, the Reflections Wall started a few years ago to honor those whose families could not come and set up a display or mail items. “One of the coolest interactions I’ve had on the day of set up was with a family,” Bracket said. “They told me, because he passed away last year right after Muster, that they thought he was already forgotten. Then the next thing you know, we’re calling them to show that we wanted to honor him and continue his legacy.” Lauren Kraus, Reflections Display coordinator and psychology senior, said there are few restrictions put on what items the families can display. One of the items that stood out the most to Kraus was one man’s Aggie Ring which he made into a pendant for his wife to wear. “There’s really no limits; there’s no rules to anything,” Kraus said. “The family can personalize the display in any way that they like. Some are more simple and some are more complex. It’s whatever the family thinks char-

acterizes their loved one the best.” This year is Bracket’s and Kraus’ first time on Muster Committee, the organization responsible for planning each aspect of the tradition on campus. Muster Committee dates back to the 1950s and is a part of the Student Government Association. As display coordinators, Bracket and Kraus spent the week before Muster in the Flag Room from 7 a.m. to midnight to monitor the display. They take inventory of the items at least twice a day, and when they need to leave for something such as class, Ross Volunteers help stand guard in the room. “It’s an extension of what I want to do with my life,” Bracket said. “I work with student veterans currently and I want to serve the military in the future as a doctor. Muster — it’s everything I’ve wanted to be as a person because it remembers the people that others believe are forgotten and has this great capacity for love.” Kraus said she joined Muster Committee because she was a Muster Host twice and

wanted to get further involved in the tradition. “I applied for committee because I do it for the families,” Kraus said. “One day, they will be honoring all of us, and this committee will be standing just as strong as it does today and host my family as well.” Students who host the families of Roll Call honorees’ at their houses the night before Muster are called Muster Hosts. These students take shifts throughout the duration of the display to monitor the items and learn more about the honorees. Kinesiology senior Alex Herbert said this year is his first time as a Muster Host, a position he has been wanting to fulfill his entire time in college. “I figured since I was graduating in 20 days, there’s no better time than the present to give back to the university that’s given me so much. It’s the best way to feel connected to the Aggie spirit,” Herbert said.

Answering the Muster call A&M lecturer reflects on selection as keynote speaker, preparation for Monday’s ceremony By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim Four days before delivering his Campus Muster speech to thousands of community members, Dwight Roblyer, Class of 1984, stands before a clutter of loose-leaf papers occupying what was once his desk, and he is at peace. When the clock strikes 7 p.m. on April 22, the Texas A&M political science lecturer will provide the keynote address to a crowded Reed Arena at the 2019 Campus Muster ceremony. The Aggie tradition presents current and former students from across the globe with the opportunity to gather and reminisce on their time shared at A&M, as well as commemorate the Aggies who died within the past year. The honor of being selected as keynote speaker is not lost on Roblyer, who notes the company of generals, governors and Aggie alumni he now joins. Roblyer said his selection to speak astonished him so much, he repeatedly asked Muster Committee members if a mistake had been made. “When they asked me, it was just really hard to conceive, because I know the kinds of people who have spoken at previous Musters and it’s not me,” Roblyer said. “I’m very ordinary compared to all those people. I told my wife that night [of the selection] as we were leaving the restaurant, ‘Honey, I don’t know if you realize this, but this is going to change our lives.’ This is a whole different level of involvement and exposure.” Roblyer never envisioned himself as a person who would be asked to give the keynote address. However, Aggie Muster Committee Speaker Executive David Pham said Roblyer’s ability to make a lecture hall feel like “an extension of home” was one of many reasons for his selection. “We know that students and faculty know who he is, and they see him in the light to carry on the spirit of Muster,” Pham said. “It’s something that we can completely trust him with because we know he’ll put forth his whole heart, soul and dedication into it.” Juggling 650 students while perfecting his keynote address hasn’t been an easy task. With the support of a committee primed to solve any issue thrown their way, Roblyer said it has felt even easier getting to know them throughout his writing process. “It’s been interesting re-exploring the power of A&M in the process of writing the speech,” Roblyer said. “I think that’s probably one of the things that’s

notable on my mind. The whole idea of why this place is so different: That our predecessors would come up with an event that’s part memorial service and part family reunion. It’s an odd sort of mash-up, but it works well here.” In the final stretch of edits and preparation, Roblyer said he appreciates Muster for reasons beyond presenting, because Monday concerns everyone. Roblyer explained that to softly call the Muster is to discover an empathy far greater than any tragedy. “Why do we attend a memorial service for somebody that isn’t our immediate relative?” Roblyer asked. “Quite often, it’s because we are there to support the family member that we know. It’s a matter of saying, ‘Hey, we’re here for you.’ It’s a show of solidarity, support and compassion, and I think it’s very much the same when it comes to the Aggie family.” Among this year’s Campus Muster honorees are former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush and former President George H.W. Bush, who was commander in chief while Roblyer served in the United States Air Force. Roblyer said it is a great honor to help commemorate “two very special Americans,” but maintains that every honoree is of equal importance at Aggie Muster. “One of our goals is not to try and elevate any of the lost members above any of the others, because they’re all vitally important to their circle and this community,” Roblyer said. “It’s another set of important people on the list, with all of them being important.” Though Roblyer may still be awaiting the pinch to wake him from the dream, Stafford Toone, Class of 2018, said he is not surprised by the Muster committee’s selection because he’s “the perfect fit.” “When I first heard of Dr. Roblyer’s selection by the Muster Committee, my very first reaction was to buy a plane ticket so that I could be in College Station and hear from him,” Toone said. When Toone first arrived at A&M, he carried many of the same worries other new students do, but as a student “30 years older than everyone else,” assimilating on campus proved most difficult. Toone said the fear dissipated the day he sat in Robyler’s state and local government course. In a class which hundreds of students take a semester, he never went home feeling left out. “What [the selection] told me was that enough people had recognized the same qualities that I had seen enough of to say he’s the right guy for this job, and that makes me really happy,” Toone said. “I really think, in some ways, this is the reward he deserves for his commitment to his students and the school.”

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Political science lecturer Dwight Roblyer, Class of 1984, was announced as the 2019 keynote speaker at the end of February.

Here.

They couldn’t have known the kind of tradition they were starting as they crowded around each other in foreign trenches, reading the names of fallen Aggies. They couldn’t have known how many would gather around the world to remember their time at the school that bound them together. They couldn’t have known what it would sound like to hear thousands of voices answer “Here.” We know now. The Texas A&M Foundation proudly supports this year’s Muster and every Muster to come.

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The Battalion | 4.22.19

PROVIDED

The Class of 1969 last gathered on campus in October of 2014 for their 45th Class Reunion. Their 50th class reunion began Sunday and continues through Wednesday.

Class of ‘69 gathers on campus to share memories and Muster Members of 50th reunion class reflect on lasting connection with classmates By Noah Woods @noahwoods_3 Hundreds of the 2,448 seniors who graduated in 1969 have returned to Aggieland this week to reminisce about their college days at their 50th class reunion, which spans from Sunday to Wednesday. For some of the members of the Class of 1969, the 50th class reunion will be another chance to see classmates outside of weekly breakfast get-togethers, said Phill Callahan, chairman for the 1969 Campus Muster and class agent for the last 25 years. “For the last 11 years, we have done breakfast at Denny’s on Friday mornings,” Phil said. “It’s supposed to be at 6:30, but half of us get there around 6. We have had the same waitress for 11 years. That breakfast group has become kind of a class council, as we advise our four class agents about business in our class of ‘69.” 1969 class council member, former yell leader and A&M faculty member for 46 years

Bob Segner said he considers his former classmates his best friends. “We came here as strangers and left here as brothers,” Segner said. “As I have grown older, that thought has dawned on me more and more, and it is so absolutely true.” Larry Lippke, Class of 1969 and former drum major in the Aggie Band, said the opportunity to share memories and old experiences with fellow classmates so many years later is one of his favorite things about Muster. “Our class really came together over Bonfire and football games,” Lippke said. “Our junior year, we went to the Cotton Bowl and beat Alabama when Gene Stallings was our coach and Bear Bryant was coaching for Alabama. I remember how cold that day was. ... I can still recall sitting in my dorm listening to the radio for the first game we won that season against Texas Tech when we played them in Lubbock.” Callahan reminisced about one of his favorite memories during his time as a student. One of Callahan’s role models is former A&M president General James Earl Rudder, who signed the diplomas for seniors in 1969. “It was our senior Muster,” Callahan said. “It was so significant because Earl Rudder

was the president of the university in 1969, and unfortunately by March of 1970 General Rudder had passed away. So that was the last campus Muster he attended.” Through all of Segner’s accomplishments, ranging from operating a successful construction company to receiving the Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching, he credits his success to the principles he learned while at A&M. “I would summarize the person I am today through the Aggie Core Values,” Segner said. “During our time at A&M, those values had not been published, but after reflecting on them, I realized that the values were the expression of how we lived our lives. That was it. Those were our keys to success while on campus and our lifelong careers long afterward.” Callahan said the achievements of his class and their desire to give back to the university are reasons why the class of 1969 is so distinguishable. “Our class has made a difference and is known as one of the classes of that era that has provided leadership, service back to the university and financial support of over 12

million dollars from our alumni,” Callahan said. “We had three Association of Former Students presidents in our class, two members of our class as campus Muster speakers and a president of the 12th Man Foundation.” Throughout the years, A&M has gone from an all-military, all-male and all-white school to one that accepts students from all backgrounds. Through new embraces and progress, the university at its core has held the same spirit, Segner said. “The heart and soul of our students are still strong and still bleeding deep maroon,” Segner said. “Take heart, Texas A&M has changed in so many ways, but at its essence, it is still the same.” While students may look different than they used to, Lippke said the attitudes and mentality toward classmates have stayed the same. “Respect for your fellow students — that is the foundation of the university,” Lippke said. “Everybody is an Aggie, regardless of where you are in life in terms of wealth, gender, sexual preference or religion. There’s no better or no worse, just Aggies.”

Remembering two honorary Aggies Muster roll call to include George and Barbara Bush By Savannah Mehrtens @SJMehrtens

Courtesy of the Barbara P. Bush website

Former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush will both have their names called at the 2019 Campus Muster ceremony.

Former President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush will be on the roll call for this year’s Campus Muster Ceremony. Muster honors Aggies who have passed away in the previous year but also recognizes non-Aggies who had an impact on the community, including faculty and staff. George H.W. Bush, who died Nov. 30, 2018, and Barbara Bush, who died April 17, 2018, will be called on this year’s roll call for the absent and a candle will be lit in their honor. Jim McGrath, vice president of The George and Barbara Bush Foundation, said one of the reasons Bush wanted to have his presidential library and museum at Texas A&M was because of the devotion to traditions and values of the university. “Muster is maybe the most emblematic, most solemn embodiment of those values,” McGrath said. “I know they are both looking down from heaven smiling at the prospect that they, who did

not officially attend the university, would be taken into the heart of the Texas A&M family in this very, very special way.” McGrath said the spirit of service at A&M was also important to President Bush. “There’s a prevailing sense of patriotism, of just a shared set of values,” McGrath said. “It was a special connection for the Bushes and the ceremony that will transpire Monday evening is just the latest sign that we have that the Texas A&M community reciprocates that love.” Helena Shakesby, human resources management graduate student and chair of the Aggie Muster Committee, said it was an easy decision to include the Bushes in this year’s campus ceremony. “Their impact was very much tangible,” Shakesby said. “And we felt it was obviously the correct way to show the final respect to members of our Aggie family by honoring President and Mrs. Bush at Muster here on campus and also at the Musters around the country and the world.” The Bushes will be honored in the same way all Aggies are at Muster, equal with all the names on the roll call. “We wanted to make sure we balanced the respect for their im-

pact and the magnitude of their roles in American and global history, but also that we show them the same respect that we afford to every Aggie through the tradition of Muster,” Shakesby said. Maria Peurach, international affairs master’s student at the Bush School of Government and Public Service and president of the Bush School Student Government Association, said when President Bush passed away, it was an emotional time for everyone. Now, she is glad to see him honored at Muster. “Even though he didn’t attend Texas A&M, we know he was so proud to be associated with Texas A&M,” Peurach said. “He choose A&M to have his library even though he didn’t even go here, so that just says something about how highly he regarded Texas A&M.” For Peurach, having the Bushes’ names called at Muster will be one of the many honors the late President has received and will hold a special meaning with current and former students in attendance. “On top of all the other honors and that he’s received, I think to have the entire Texas A&M University to honor him in this way would be one of the biggest,” Peurach said.

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Fifty years after their graduation, hundreds of the estimated 2,056 living members of the Class of 1969 are reuniting in College Station to reminisce on their college days and see how campus has changed. Their schedule of events includes a class photo, unveiling of their class gift and attending Campus Muster together. Check-in is every morning at the Hilton hotel and more information can be found on the Association of Former Students’ website.

Come together at Kyle Field Plaza with Aggies visiting for Muster over good food and good bull. The Yell Leaders, Fish Drill Team, Aggie Wranglers and Reveille will be there to partake in a brisket and sausage lunch. Texas A&M students can pay for a $10 ticket online or in-person using cash or dining dollars. Tickets are $13.25 for non-students.

Campus Muster Ceremony Monday, April 22, 7 p.m.

Spirit Plaza Dedication Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m.

Thousands will gather by candlelight in Reed Arena to honor every Aggie — or honorary Aggie — who died this year. The 2019 annual Roll Call of the Absent will include George H.W. and Barbara Bush along with about 140 Aggies. Political science lecturer Dwight Roblyer is this year’s keynote speaker.

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The Class of 1969 donated money to construct a Spirit Plaza adjacent Academic Plaza and Military Walk, honoring the traditions of Silver Taps and Muster. The plaza features a compass and several monuments engraved with information and quotes about the traditions. The dedication is a part of the Class of 1969’s 50th reunion.

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THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the 2019 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

The Muster monument was a gift from the Class of 1995. It is now located in the Spirit Plaza, which is adjacent to Military Walk.

Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

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Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

The new Spirit Plaza features monuments honoring the Donald Coward Letter, Muster and Silver Taps.

Spirit Plaza provides new home for monuments to tradition Dedication to highlight lasting legacy of Muster, Silver Taps in Aggieland By Camryn Lang @CamrynLang Honoring the history of Silver Taps and Muster and looking forward to the traditions’ future, the Class of 1969 will dedicate the Spirit Plaza at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The special ceremony is scheduled the day after Muster to emphasize the importance of the tradition to the university. The Spirit Plaza is located in front of Academic Plaza, stretching from the intersection of Houston Street and Old Main Drive to the Texas A&M seal on Military Walk. The plaza features monuments to Muster and Silver Taps, as well as an engraved plaque displaying a letter by Donald

Coward — a freshman cadet who wrote about his first experience at Silver Taps shortly before he was killed in a car accident in 1968. Coward’s letter is read at Fish Camp each year as part of a presentation about Silver Taps. The special ceremony will feature a speech from President Micheal K. Young and a Class of 1969 agent who will transfer the responsibility of the plaza to the 2019 class representatives. Class of 1969 agent Bill Younkin has been part of the project since its inception five years ago at his 45th class reunion. Younkin said every detail of the plaza has meaning, all the way down to the bricks in the ground. “There is a compass with a stripe that goes right through the middle of it,” Younkin said. “It connects to the Bell Tower and goes right to Sully — right through the heart of the campus. Highlighted are north, west and south,

but there is no highlight on east. Silver Taps is blown three times, but its not blown to the east because the sun will never rise on that person again.” Tony Watson, Class of 2017, was brought on to assist in the construction of the Spirit Plaza’s monuments. He said the original plaque listed the number of countries a Muster has been held in, but they chose to remove the number so as not to limit its reach. “It’s now set up that the way the [Muster plaque] reads will continue to grow with Muster,” Watson said. “We really wanted, more than anything, for students in 2069 to understand what the purpose was.” Muster host and business management sophomore Jacob Ginnings said after being closely involved in Muster for two years, continuing to honor the stories of past students gives current students an appreciation

for A&M’s history. “Being a host, engaging in Muster and learning all these stories, it’s something you choose to do because you care,” Ginnings said. “It’s a commitment to the class — to respect them, to hear their stories, to know where you came from, all of it. Seeing those stories makes you more appreciative of where you’re at. And that’s one thing I really like about Spirit Plaza and everything on campus.” The design encompasses several statues and plaques and has left room for more to be added later on. Watson said the plaza is meant to stand the test of time as students graduate and freshmen take their place. “There is not a more important tradition than Muster or Silver Taps,” Watson said. “There is nothing that draws the student body closer together.”

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The Muster Committee, made of 30 students, has responsibilities including booking Reed Arena, selecting a keynote speaker, preparing the Reflections Display and compiling the Roll Call.

Muster committee focuses on ‘compassionate logistics’ Meet the students who pour their hearts into annual campus ceremony By Lauren Slusher @LaurenSlusher10 Every April, current and former Texas A&M students gather to honor fellow Aggies who have died during the year. Muster is one of A&M’s most recognizable traditions, but what many people don’t know is that Campus Muster is the work of just 30 students. Muster Committee is the group of A&M students who organize the annual Roll Call for the Absent in Reed Arena and other associated events. These 30 students are divided into subcommittees with different responsibilities that together make Campus Muster possible. Serving on the Muster committee is completely voluntary and none of the students are interested in compensation. Instead, members of the Muster committee are invested in honoring Aggies and carrying on A&M traditions. Kaley Markos, sport management senior, and Brandon Williams, electrical engineering senior, are program executives. Markos and Williams are responsible for managing their subcommittee, which oversees the preparation of Reed Arena for Campus Muster. Planning includes everything from booking Reed Arena to individually tying 2,500 ribbons for

the ceremony. “The visual you see at Muster is just candles and darkness, and that’s so beautiful, but there are so many details our committee works so hard on all year that contribute to that beauty,” Markos said. A key element of Muster is the keynote speaker. The process of making speaker arrangements falls to speaker executive David Pham, recreation, park and tourism sciences senior, and his subcommittee. Pham said the decision to choose political science lecturer Dwight Roblyer, Class of 1984, as the Muster speaker was based on his service to A&M, as both an educator and as an Aggie. “Not only is he an amazing educator, but he also caters to the Aggies and the student body,” Pham said. “Each year, he opens up his home, along with his wife, Cathy, to students for Thanksgiving. He fully embodies the Aggie core values. He’s a representation of what it means to be an Aggie. All he does is to serve and give back and shape the community around him.” Muster honors Aggies who have passed in the last year and provides comfort to their families. These tasks fall to the Roll Call and families subcommittee, led by international studies junior Amy Burdette and biomedical sciences senior Martin Osorio. An eight-member committee compiles Roll Call, prepares the Reflections Display in the Flag Room and coordinates with the 150

Muster Hosts. Osorio said he considers Muster to be highly personal for him. The first Muster he attended was for a friend honored during the ceremony. Osorio said seeing Muster impact his friend’s family inspired him to become more involved. “Being able to impact those families and really show them A&M cares about them now and will forever is so beautiful to me, and it’s so comforting to me to know I will have someone do that for me as well,” Osorio said. Burdette’s first job on Muster Committee was to coordinate the Reflections Display. She said the display is impactful to both students and families. “Seeing students walk through there and feel connected to the Roll Call is just really special,” Burdette said. “A lot of the families might not have been Aggies or might not know a lot about Texas A&M. It’s been so meaningful to me that I’m able to be a small part in helping them understand how much Aggies remember and love their person.” Although Campus Muster is one of A&M’s most prominent traditions, the Muster Committee still works hard to inform students of the event, according to communication senior and Muster Committee awareness executive Michael Sims. The Awareness Committee advertises on campus through social media, videos, posters and banners during the week before Muster.

Though the outreach efforts may seem overwhelming to coordinate, Sims said he attributes his success to his subcommittee. “At the end of the day, I have such an amazing group of people with me, so it’s really not hard work,” Sims said. “It’s amazing to see what they have accomplished.” The center of this operation is human resource management graduate student and Muster Committee chair Helena Shakesby. She has participated in Muster for the past four years, in positions such as Muster host, reunion class liaison, Roll Call and families executive and committee chair. Shakesby explained what she calls “compassionate logistics,” the art of planning a profoundly emotional event. “It’s a very delicate balance,” Shakesby said. “We adapt our process to ensure that the emotional integrity of Muster and the heart of Muster is placed above all. We work very hard to make sure that though we are planning and executing an event, those who we do it for and why we do it stay at the forefront.” To each member of the Muster Committee, Muster is about honoring Aggies, no matter what they did during their life, simply because they are Aggies. “You honor people who you may have never met before, but you knew them, because they were an Aggie,” Sims said. “Come the night of Muster, that’s enough for me to say ‘here’ for them.”

Today, as we celebrate Aggie Muster, remember and reflect on all that unites us as the Aggie Family.