Branded

THE BATTALION N PRESENTS:

Spring 2011

100 Years of Success

Branded Looks Inside

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Agriculture and Life Sciences celebrating 100 years, the different opportunities the College offers and a little bit of Aggie football.

We hope you enjoy what you read. You can always see stories like this and more each semester in AgriLeader. The magazines are distributed on campus, or you can subscribe by visiting agrileader.tamu.edu.

EDITORIAL STAFF Colton Atkins Cameron Gott Audrey Tompkins

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS Holli Leggette Chris Shepperd

ADVISING EDITOR Tracy Rutherford, Ph.D.

AgriLeader Magazine

SPECIAL THANKS TO

AgriLeader Ezine Magazine

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the second largest college at Texas A&M with 6,775 students enrolled in Spring 2011. But what goes on inside the college is often overlooked.

With a vision for spreading awareness and bringing attention to the college, the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications has been producing the AgriLeader, a magazine that focuses on the college, since 2002.

In 2009, the AgriLeader branched out and started an electronic version of the magazine. This allowed access for the stories and news coming out of the college to reach a greater audience. For both the print version of the AgriLeader and the ‘e-zine’ students in AGCJ 405 are responsible for the creation and design of the magazine.

Students on staff with the magazine conduct interviews, write stories, design layouts, take pictures and sell ads. At the end of each semester the class produces two publications.

You can now add a third publication to that list. What you hold in your hands is the second edition of Branded, created in collaboration with The Battalion, to reach an even greater audience.

The name Branded KDV VSHFLDO VLJQL¿FDQFH LQ WKH College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Brands were—and still are—used to identify livestock on Texas’s many farms and ranches.

Branded also describes the thousands of students, faculty, staff and former students who are proud to call themselves Aggies. They swarm Kyle Field on football gamedays, celebrate Aggie Muster around the world and walk across campus every day. We are all branded with Aggie pride, and the staff of “Branded” hopes to share that spirit with readers all over Aggieland.

The paper you are holding, the chairs you sit in during your next class, even the clothes you are wearing have all come from agriculture in some form or fashion. Agriculture is often regarded as a thing of the past, but as you will see in this issue, the future is bright for agriculture and the impact it KDV DQG ZLOO KDYH RQ HYHU\ RWKHU ¿HOG RI VWXG\ DW 7H[DV $ 0 University.

Each semester as the magazines are published, stories are told of professors making a difference every day in the classroom, research is explained and displayed for everyone to see, and perhaps most importantly, agriculture is made mainstream through the efforts being made in both the classroom and the laboratory.

Branded is just one more way to share the message. In this publication you will see stories about the College of

BRANDED

The Battalion Texas A&M AgriLife Communications Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Table of Contents Best of, Best of Football

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Remembering The Agriculturist

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Putting the “A” in A&M Since 1911

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Continuing a Legacy

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100 Years at a Glance

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A Journey to Remember

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Best of Ag, Best of Football Story by James Solano Photo by Stuart Villanueva, The Eagle Bryan-College Station When Greg Vincent and AgWeb.com launched the pilot competition for “Who Has the Best Agriculture School?â€? and football program in the nation, he was searching for exactly that. In doing so, AgWeb.com &DPSXV 7RXU PDGH LWV ÂżUVW HYHU YLVLW WR $JJLHODQG RQ Halloween weekend, October 30, 2010, for the Texas A&M versus Texas Tech football game at Kyle Field.

In its inaugural year, A&M was one of four universities selected to compete for the opportunity to showcase their school this past fall during the 2010 football season. The other schools selected were: Iowa State, Purdue and Mississippi State. Vincent, the editor of AgWeb. com and creator of the competition, visited Texas A&M in October and Iowa State on November 6, 2010, for the Iowa State versus Nebraska football game at Jack Trice Stadium. “We [AgWeb.com] picked A&M and Iowa State to visit because they are the top two go-getters,� Vincent said.

The notion Vincent had when creating the competition was to spotlight the connection he has noticed between rural areas and the love they have for football—which spawned the idea to visit top-agriculture universities and see what connections actually existed. )URP WKH FRUQ EHOW RI ,RZD WR WKH FRWWRQ ÂżHOGV RI Texas, Vincent surprisingly found a major connection, especially at A&M. While blogging during his campus tours, Vincent wrote, “I’m not exactly sure what I’m in for here [at 7H[DV $ 0@ EXW LWÂśV VXUH WR EH RQH WHUULÂżF ZHHNHQG RI learning about the university with deep roots in agriculture and the military that is one of the most tradition-rich universities in the country.â€?

Vincent met with student leaders, faculty and football players all involved in agricultural studies. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M boasts the largest enrollment of agriculture students in the nation, with more than 6,800, many of whom are involved in athletics at A&M, including football. “I am very impressed with the leadership opportunities for ag students [at A&M],� Vincent said.

Among the notable football players Vincent met thebattalion

with on his campus tour of A&M were senior linebacker Von Miller, a university studies major with an emphasis in agricultural leadership development and poultry science, and former standout A&M football player Ty Warren, an “We [AgWeb.com] picked A&M and Iowa State to visit because they are agricultural leader- the top two go-getters,� - Vincent ship major.

Miller is a two-time All-American football player, college level and beyond. and was the 2010 recipient of the Butkus award—the “When you’re able to reap the harvest from the hard highest honor a linebacker can receive for exceptional work you put in, it’s all special,� Warren said.

SHUIRUPDQFH RQ WKH ÂżHOG 0LOOHU ZLOO HQWHU WKH 1)/ Vincent found the connection between agriculture 'UDIW DV DQ HDUO\ ÂżUVW URXQG SURVSHFW and football that sparked AgWeb.com’s competition and “Being in an ag school and having great professors tour at Texas A&M. around me, I just decided that that’s the way I wanted to The familiar Aggie saying, “from the outside lookgo,â€? Miller said. “It was really the only thing that inter- ing in you can’t understand it, from the inside looking ested me other than football.â€? out you can’t explain it,â€? best summarizes the manifestaVincent also met with two-time Super Bowl cham- tion of pride and love Aggies have for their football team pion Ty Warren. While injured from the New England and alma mater.

3DWULRWV :DUUHQ UHWXUQHG WR $ 0 WR ÂżQLVK XS KLV DJULBut, in the end, when AgWeb.com tallied the votes cultural leadership degree. for “Who Has the Best Agriculture School?â€? and football Warren contributes to the local community by work- program in the nation, Iowa State outscored Texas A&M ing with youth. He has been recognized for his contribu- with a surge in solicited poll voting, upending the Aggies tions in founding the First and Goal Foundation with his as the 2010 winner. wife as a community outreach program. Warren credits “Texas A&M had a very strong showing in the pollhis agricultural leadership education for his success and ing, and even looked like they might win it all for a short ability to mentor the youth. time,â€? said Vincent. “Alas, they did not. But a strong In his interview with Vincent, Warren explained effort by their [Texas A&M] faculty and an invite from how he used his personal experience of being completely their ag communications department to speak to their unprepared for college as inspiration in founding his or- students brought them into the running.â€? ganization. “I was challenged in school, but I wasn’t challenged For more information on the contest visit AgWeb.com. at home,â€? Warren said.

The First and Goal Foundation is aimed at helping high school students learn about important life skills and helping them understand what it takes to succeed at the 3

Jim Lehmann `52 was the editor-in-chief of the Agriculturist magazine. The Agriculturist was published from 1940 -1952 and 1954-1972.

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Remembering the Agriculturist Story by Lindsey Preble At 80 years old, Jim Lehmann the Texas A&M class of ’52 alumnus can recall dates, names, places and small details most people half his age wouldn’t remember, and has preserved many of his memories of days as a student at Texas A&M College, 58 years ago.

Lehmann remembers a time in A&M’s history when all students were male and Corps members, and there were no entrance exams or SATs—any boy who had a C average in a Texas high school was eligible to enroll.

Only 650 students were admitted each semester, and tuition cost $25 a semester. Freshmen were housed on West Campus in old tar paper shacks from World War 2, and the area where the Bush School now stands was a hog farm.

It may have been a simpler time, but it wasn’t an easier time. “They sat us down when we arrived in the fall of ’48 and said, ‘Look around. The guy on the left and the guy on the right are not going to graduate,’â€? Lehmann VDLG Âł$QG WUXH WKH\ GLG PRVW RI WKH FXOOLQJ WKH ÂżUVW WZR \HDUV ,I \RX PDGH LW WKH ÂżUVW WZR \HDUV WKH FKDQFHV were that you were going to graduate eventually. A lot of them made it in four years. Some didn’t.â€?

Lehmann did graduate in four years with a degree in dairy science, and he spent his senior year working as the editor for the Agriculturist—the precursor magazine to the AgriLeader.

While the AgriLeader has a print and online version, advertisements, videos and slideshows (in the online version), full-color photographs and is produced on a computer, the staff of the Agriculturist only had typewriters to write stories and the Texas A&M University Press to publish them.

Some things have remained the same, like the content of the magazine. Like the AgriLeader, the Agriculturist published stories about anything related to agriculture. Lehmann said his two favorite stories to write were about his relative’s earthworm farm in Luling, Texas, and his interview with former Texas governor Allen Shivers. “I got an appointment with Allen Shivers in his JRYHUQRUÂśV RIÂżFH DQG KH ZDV ZHDULQJ D ZKLWH OLQHQ suit, and he didn’t give me much time,â€? Lehmann said. “Maybe he gave me ten minutes—maybe.

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“I probably learned more [about developing my journalism skills] IURP WKH HDUWK ZRUPV WKDQ P\ ÂżYH minutes with the governor!â€? he said with a laugh.

While Lehmann said he enjoyed writing in high school, Texas A&M College didn’t offer a liberal arts degree. The Liberal Arts 6FKRRO VHUYHG WR KHOS VWXGHQWV IXOÂżOO degree requirements like English and sociology because all students could only major in technical areas like engineering or agriculture. /HKPDQQ ÂżOOHG XS KLV HOHFWLYHV ZLWK English classes and an agricultural “I never would’ve gotten out [of my hometown] without this communications and journalism publication.â€? - Lehmann class that met in the now demolished Goodwin Hall, near where the with opportunities and friendships he never would have YMCA building stands today. had otherwise.

After graduation, Lehmann’s experience as editor “People from all over the country came to Fort and a writer for the Agriculturalist helped him land a Bragg, and I was rubbing shoulders with Harvard, military position at the Psychological Warfare Center in Yale, and Princeton graduates,� Lehmann said. “I’m Fort Bragg, North Carolina, during the Korean War. still friends with some of these folks. I never would’ve Lehmann said, “They wanted to know if you could gotten out [of my hometown] without this publication.� write an article. We were dealing with propaganda here, and it was an art. If you’re dealing with propaganda, Also, see this story in the Fall 2010 AgriLeader Ezine it must look very professional. If you’re out there Magazine at agrileader.tamu.edu/ezine.html.

GURSSLQJ VRPH OHDĂ€HWV WKHUH FDQÂśW EH PLVWDNHV RQ WKHUH Otherwise, the natives will know that it’s rigged. It’s got to be done right, it’s got to look very professional—it’s got to look good. “We were creating propaganda for military purposes, hopefully to save a few of our friendlies’ lives.

Maybe to get somebody to surrender. We were dropping it right on them with an airplane. It was just in its infancy 1979 - Norman Borlaug, then, but now it’s known as Special Warfare.�

1971 Nobel Peace Prize After serving two years at the Psychological Warfare Laureate, joined the Center, Lehmann decided to become a dairy farmer, and he farmed for 52 years before he sold his cows to dairy College of Agriculture farmers in California. faculty.

He never pursued a career in writing after his time at the Psychological Warfare Center, but said his experience there and as editor for the Agriculturalist provided him

Did you know:

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Top: Original Agriculture Building completed in 1922. It now houses the Department of History and the Glasscock Center for Humanities Research.

Bottom: New Agricultural and Life Sciences Building which is located across from Reed Arena. The building is now home to the Vice Chancellor and Dean’s OfÀce Agrilife Research and ([tension directors’ ofÀces three departments classrooms and administratiYe ofÀces.

Photos courtesy of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 6

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Putting the “A� in A&M Since 1911 Story by Lauren Thompson Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduates approximately 1,400 students every year.

Now take that number and multiply it by the number of days in a century. Agriculture is big, really big. Through humble and modest beginnings the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has grown into the largest college of agriculture in the United States, but it’s taken more than 100 years to build this claim to fame.

The centennial celebration was kicked off with a reception at the Clayton Williams building on Feb. 9, 2011.

Student Representative for the Centennial Committee, McKenzie Watkins, said, “The Centennial marks an important point in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences history.

We’re celebrating 100 years since the college opened; 100 years of agriculture and life sciences, but more importantly, 100 years of making a difference, educating Aggies and non-Aggies, and telling the story of agriculture.�

In 1876 the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas was established as a land-grant college and enrolled a mere 166 students. During its early years the AMC gave little more than lip service to agriculture, with only 18 percent of students graduating with an agricultural degree from the years 1880 to 1881.

The later years of the decade showed a clear surge in interest, and in 1890 the college graduated as many students in agriculture as engineering.

According to the centennial website, “Three years later, for WKH ÂżUVW DQG RQO\ WLPH LQ LWV KLVWRU\ $ 0 JUDGXDWHG PRUH agricultural than engineering students—eight for agriculture, seven for engineering.â€?

Despite small beginnings agriculture has withstood the test RI WLPH DV VPDOOHU SURJUDPV SURGXFHG ÀHGJOLQJ DFDGHPLF departments, and later the establishment of a School of Agriculture in 1911, with the College designation following in 1963.

Many students may not realize that the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences reaches farther than West Campus.

There are many student athletes whose academic major is in the college, in fact Texas A&M’s hallowed football playing ground “Kyle Field� was named for Edwin. J. Kyle, a professor of horticulture, in 1904.

The Centennial Celebration’s mission is to promote awareness about the college to current, prospective and former students through a series of special events. One event is the Centennial Lecture Series, an event that will showcase the strong scholarship and research of the college. It will feature speakers from around the world who will engage faculty, staff, students and the university community to highlight agriculture and issues that impact society.

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One of the highlights of the Centennial Celebration will occur on September 15 with the attendance of Temple Grandin on the Texas A&M campus. Grandin, Ph.D., is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She is an award winning expert in animal behavior and livestock facility design.

Grandin also has been featured in a life story by HBO and named RQH RI WKH PRVW LQĂ€XHQWLDO SHRSOH E\ Time Magazine.

Crowning the Centennial Celebration is the grand opening of the new Agricultural and Life Sciences Building across from Reed Arena on October 29. The complex will have four different buildings housing the Vice Chancellor and Dean’s 2I¿FH WKH $JUL/LIH 5HVHDUFK DQG ([WHQVLRQ GLUHFWRUVœ RI¿FHV three academic departments, classrooms and additional DGPLQLVWUDWLYH RI¿FHV 7KH &HQWHQQLDO &HOHEUDWLRQ LV D ¿WWLQJ ZD\ IRU VWXGHQWV faculty and alumni commemorate the progress of the Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. With more than 6,000 students currently enrolled the college will continue to shape the future by offering a broad range of opportunities and excellent educational experience.

For more information about the Centennial Celebration and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visit: http://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/college100 Left: Jackson Kyle served as the Dean of the School of Agriculture for 33 years.

Kyle Field was named after him.

Right: The Branded Staircase (1978) in the Kleberg Center holds almost 2,500 brands from Texas ranches.

The School of Agriculture maintained cattle on campus for research and teaching.

Cattle are now located at the Texas A&M Beef Center within the O.D. Butler, Jr. Animal Science Complex.

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Continuing a Legacy Story by Kasey Lettunich Photos courtesy Joelynn Donough

Texas A&M students participate in judging livestock where they observe certain characteristics of animals and place those animals in order from “best� to “worst.�

Your nerves are getting the best of you. What if you say the wrong thing or you stumble uncontrollably? You could be the one standing between your team and the National Championship, the reason they are second by mere points. The pressure builds until you walk out of the room after giving \RXU HLJKWK VHW²¿QLVKHG ZLWK \RXU FDUHHU IRU JRRG Welcome to the world of livestock judging. Livestock judging is a competitive event where teams of individuals MXGJH IRXU DQLPDOV DQG SODFH WKHP IURP ¿UVW WR IRXUWK &RQtestants judge 12 classes, and once they are done judging the classes, participants give eight sets of oral reasons. Oral reasons explain why individuals placed the class the way they did.

Sounds easy, right? The catch is that there is a set of ofÂżFLDOV ZKR GHFLGH WKH FRUUHFW SODFLQJ RI WKH FODVV 7KH REMHFW of the game is to be as spot-on with placings as possible and to drop fewer points than the other competitors.

7KH ÂżUVW OLYHVWRFN MXGJLQJ FRQWHVW WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO Livestock Exposition, was held in Chicago in 1900 and was won by a team from the University of Illinois. Four years later, Texas A&M University started a team, which would stay competitive well into the 21st Century.

The International was held in Chicago until 1975 and then was moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1976. It was deemed the National Championship, and teams came from every state to compete for the coveted title. Though other contests were created and held in Denver, Kansas City, Fort Worth and even Houston, the only contest that truly mattered was the International.

Texas A&M has won 11 National Championships and is ranked third in overall wins among all the other colleges.

(Iowa State leads with 20 and Kansas State University is second with 13.)

Legacy continued on page 9

Did you know: 1987 - Texas A&M developed different colors of bluebonnets, including maroon.

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Legacy continued: Women did not compete until the late 1970s and HDUO\ V DQG WKH ¿UVW ZRPHQ WR MXGJH DW 7H[DV $ 0 were on the 1980 team. Today the women are extremely competitive, and it’s not uncommon to see women outnumber men at contests.

In livestock judging, judges evaluate beef cattle, swine, sheep and occasionally horses. The animals have changed immensely over time. Cattle have undergone the biggest transformation. From the 1900s to the 1950s, the cattle were short and fat, and their stomachs would drag the ground. In the 1970s-1980s, cattle were leaner and larger-framed, and people wouldn’t even be able to look over them. Currently they are at a happy medium, according to current Texas A&M livestock judging coach Jake Franke ’04, ’06.

Franke believes that although everything from the participants to the livestock have changed, the spirit and

tradition of the Texas A&M livestock judging team has not. “Since the team’s establishment in 1904, the livestock judging program has gone through numerous changes, but has remained a competitive and disciplined program that is respected across the nation,� Franke said.

Franke competed on the 2003 National Champion team and went on to help coach the 2004 and 2006 National Champion teams. In 2007, Franke took a break from judging to pursue a different career but then decided he couldn’t stay away from the competition.

In August 2009, Franke returned to A&M to coach the 2009-2010 team. Although the team did not win the National Championship this year, Franke was named Coach of the Year.

Did you know: 1984 - Fred McClure, an agricultural economics student, elected Àrst African-American Student Body President. McClure later become a Texas A&M Regent.

100 Years at a Glance Morrill Land Grant College Act signed by US President Abraham Lincoln.

1862

Board of Directors of AMC selects Thomas S. Gathright DV ÂżUVW SUHVLGHQW RI $0& DQG &DUOLVOH 3 % 0DUWLQ DV professor of agriculture and science. Initial organization of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas into courses and departments; courses included chemistry, farm tillage, horticulture, arboriculture and the care of stock in the senior year. First students matriculate to AMC. Formal opening ceremonies held at AMC

1866

Texas Legislature accepts an obligation to provide for the Agricultural and Mechanical College (AMC) of Texas.

1876

1890

Work on plant pathology initiated with appointment of Helga Ness. First two Master of Science degrees awarded. Second Morrill Act authorized southern states to establish land-grant College for African Americans. This led the Texas Legislature to establish Prairie View A&M University.

Agriculture Building constructed (later Science Hall).

1900

AMC Board of Directors forms School of $JULFXOWXUH ZLWK (GZLQ - .\OH QDPHG DV ÂżUVW Dean. AMC evolved into three separate divisions: Resident teaching, Agricultural Research, Agricultural Extension.

1903

Department of Agriculture divided intro three departments: Animal Husbandry (John A. Craig, Head), Plant Husbandry (Edwin J. Kyle, Head), and Farm Husbandry (F.S. Johnston, Head).

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture offered at AMC. Common courses remained as curriculum guidelines until after World War II.

1911

1916

Separation of Schooll off A Agriculture i from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations. For the next 40 years, with only a few exceptions, the faculty of the School of Agriculture and the staff of the Experiment Station were separate.

Stock Judging Pavilion and Dairy Barn erected.

100 Years continued on page 10

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100 Years continued:

Agriculture Building erected.

Construction of Dairy Center, Beef Cattle Center, Poultry Building and Laboratories, Poultry Classroom Building, Swine Classroom Building and Laboratory, Two Horse Barns, Dairy Feeding Barn and Horticulture Greenhouse.

A&M College of Texas renamed Texas A&M University and “schools� become “colleges.� Women allowed to enroll in Texas A&M University on a limited basis.

Professional graduate studies authorized for the College of Agriculture combining management skills and technical knowledge (internships and papers utilized rather than thesis). First degrees led to the 0DVWHU RI $JULFXOWXUH GHJUHH WKH ÂżUVW SURIHVVLRQDO graduate degree at a land-grant college.

Graduate School formed. Poultry Husbandry Building constructed.

1922 1923

1924 1932-34

Campus creamery built.

College of Agriculture Development Council appointed and organized.

1950-51

1951

1963

New Administration Building for AMC. Vacated space in 6\VWHP $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ %XLOGLQJ ÂżOOHG ZLWK DGPLQLVWUDWLYH RIÂżFHV RI 7H[DV Agricultural Extension Service, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and VXEVHTXHQWO\ WKH 2IÂżFHV RI 9LFH &KDQFHOORU and Dean of Agriculture.

Enlarged campus building program: Administration Building; Animal Industries Building; and Agricultural Engineering Building (now Scoates Hall).

1975

Brooke Leslie, an agricultural development student, is elected WKH ÂżUVW IHPDOH VWXGHQW ERG\ president.

Agricultural Natural Resources Policy Internship Program (ANRP) begins.

1981

1987

1990 1994 1993

Meat Science and Technology Center named for Manny Rosenthal.

Robert Justus Kleberg, Jr. Animal and Food Sciences Center and the Heep Center for Soil and Crop Sciences and Entomology built.

2011

Agriculture and Life Sciences Building, AgriLife Center and the AgriLife Services building constructed on the Texas A&M University west campus.

First phase of Center of Southern Crop Improvement Center built and complex named for Norman E. Borlaug in 1999.

Did you know: 2005 - (lsa Murano, Ph.'. was the Àrst Iemale and Àrst +ispanic appointed Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences and Director, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Murano was appointed President of Texas A&M University in 2007 and resigned in 2009.

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Photo courtesy of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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A Journey to Remember MARY-RUTH PATRANELLA RETIRES AFTER 71 YEARS OF SERVICE Story by Ryan Nordling Photos by Texas A&M AgriLife Communications The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been an integrated part of Texas A&M University’s history, and one employee was there for many historic moments of the college.

Through the years, many distinguished Deans have led the college through the challenges and tribulations. Their support teams are those who work behind them during busy and tough times. Mary-Ruth Patranella, administrative assistant to the Dean of the &ROOHJH ZDV D FRQÂżGDQW WR PDQ\ JUHDW OHDGHUV LQ WKH college since 1939. +HU ÂżUVW MRE DW 7H[DV $ 0 8QLYHUVLW\ ZDV with the Poultry Science Department of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station where she counted eggs and did bookkeeping. Her schedule was regulated by a whistle that blew when she started work, took her lunch break and ended work.

Patranella’s second job in 1944 was with the meats laboratory where she did bookkeeping. During her career at A&M, an accident occurred in the lab of the Animal Industries Building. While the tale has become famous around campus, Patranella says the stories have been told wrong. “The morning was very cold; Roy Simms and two other men were downstairs cutting meat when Simms cut himself and bled to death,� Patranella said.

The department alerted ambulances, faculty members who were on campus and the public about the accident. Patranella saved many documents about the accident and said it occurred around 1959, not 1965, like many articles have reported.

Patranella worked during President Earl Rudder’s term. Rudder was president when females ZHUH RIÂżFLDOO\ DOORZHG WR HQUROO DW WKH XQLYHUVLW\ Before, many of the females were admitted if they had a family member working at Texas A&M. Patranella’s daughter was one of the few women in D ÂżQDQFH FODVV “Allowing females to attend A&M gave them an opportunity to get a good degree,â€? Patranella said.

Rudder died in 1970 while he was president. “Rudder was a great leader who trusted his coworkers,� Patranella said. “In one of his meetings, he thebattalion

said that he signed papers based on whose signature was on it before his.�

Another incident that Patranella recalls is the %RQÂżUH FROODSVH LQ 6KH VDLG VKH ZDV DW KRPH listening to the early morning news when she heard about the tragedy. “The following work week was controlled by SROLFH RIÂżFHUV ´ 3DWUDQHOOD VDLG Âł)DFXOW\ PHPEHUV were not allowed to park their cars around the Williams Administration building.â€?

Patranella and many other faculty members had WR SDUN RQ :HVW &DPSXV DQG EH EXVVHG WR WKHLU RIÂżFHV In 1966, Patranella was promoted to administrative secretary to the Dean. Since then, Patranella has worked for the following Deans: R.E. Patterson, H.O. Kunkel, Charles Arntzen, Ed Hiler, Elsa Murano and Mark Hussey. While working for the Deans, Patranella has had the opportunity to grow close to their families and be their support in leading the College.

She was awarded the Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Staff and Administration and the President’s Meritorious Service Award.

Her passion for the College is shown through her many years of dedication. Patranella retired on November 30 at the age of 90.

Top: Mary-Ruth Patranella with Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Mark Hussey, Ph.D. Patranella was recognized for her service to Texas A&M at a retirement reception in November 2010.

Bottom: Texas A&M University President Bowen Loftin and Àrst lady Reveille showed their appreciation to Patranella at the reception

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