The Battalion: April 12, 2018

THURSDAY, APRIL 12 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2018 STUDENT MEDIA

RING DAY + FAMILY WEEKEND

12TH MAN TRADITION ON PAGES 4-5 SWEETHEART RINGS ON PAGE 7 45 YEARS IN THE MAKING ON PAGE 10 Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

NEWS

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The Battalion | 4.12.18

FAMILY WEEKEND

A full list of events is available online at http://familyweekend. tamu.edu/events.

Compiled by Jordan Burnham

Baseball vs Alabama

Midnight Yell

There will be two opportunities to catch a baseball game this weekend, as families can watch the Aggies on Friday at 6:30 p.m. or Saturday at 1 p.m. Blue Bell Park is bound to be packed as students, former students and families watch the Aggies BTHO Alabama.

Midnight Yell is back this spring and will start earlier than usual, at 10 p.m. on Friday. If your family isn’t familiar with this Aggie tradition and you can convince them to stay up, this is the perfect opportunity to practice yells for the Maroon and White game.

Downtown Bryan Street & Art Fair

Family Weekend Carnival

If your family is interested in events in the community surrounding Texas A&M, there will be a street and art fair which showcases local artists’ works this Saturday in Downtown Bryan, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Live music and street performers will be featured and will allow families to experience a unique part of Bryan.

Families can enjoy carnival games and free food on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Recreation Center Terrace. This provides a great chance to bring some fun competition to family weekend, with games such as giant Jenga and corn hole.

Texas A&M Singing Cadets Spring Concert The Singing Corps of Cadets is hosting its annual Spring Concert on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. As an internationally renowned musical group, the cadets’ concert will be a great experience for family members of all ages.

Vice President for Student Affairs Open House Hosted in the home of the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs, the open house will give students an opportunity to meet with Daniel J. Pugh and his wife, Denice Pugh, and eat free kolaches. The event will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their address, 100 Throckmorton St.

Due to anticipated inclimate weather, Friday’s Aggie Ring distribution will take place at the Hall of Champions in Kyle Field.

FOOTBALL

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AGGIE RING DAY

™

A&M ready for spring game Aggie head coach Jimbo Fisher is ready to experience Kyle Field

By Angel Franco @angelmadison_ According to the bylaws in Article 17, Section 10 of the NCAA rule book, a football team is allowed 15 practices in the spring, but Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said if it were up to him, he would have twice as many.

As Fisher prepares to wrap up his first spring as the Aggies’ head coach with the Maroon and White game on Saturday, he said he hopes the game will be competitive and engaging for not only the players, but for the crowd.

“I hope [the] two teams come out there ready to compete, play their tails off and represent themselves and these fans and the people here at Texas A&M with great effort, great discipline, great toughness and go out there and play football the way it’s supposed to be played,” Fisher said.

This year, the spring game will be played in a normal game format, meaning there will be no scripted plays and scoring will not be modified. Fisher said this format will allow the players to get a real feel for the game, despite it being listed as a scrimmage on the practice schedule.

“There’s going to be mistakes, [but you have to] move and play the next play,” Fisher said. “If something good happens, process it, move on. If something bad happens, learn not to let one bad thing become two bad things. Manage the crisis and do the things you’ve got to do.”

The Maroon and White teams were selected via draft, which, according to Fisher,

was held Wednesday night, with the senior class acting as executives.

“We’ve got the seniors split [up],” Fisher said. “We’re going to find out what kind of general managers we’ve got here. There’s six or seven on one side and six or seven on another. They will collectively get to pick.”

Fisher said the drafting process will alternate between the two teams, with the opening pick being decided via coin flip.

For example, if one team selects a quarterback, the other team is awarded a quarterback. The other team will then make their selection, and so on.

“I like to see what they think of each other, too,” Fisher said. “I want to see who they want to play with.”

As the hours grow closer to the start of the game, Fisher said he is excited to see what his players have learned throughout the 14 practices they’ve had this spring.

Fisher said he will not play an active role in the spring game, as he wants to be able to take a step back and evaluate the players and truly be able to assess what work will need to be done throughout the summer and fall camps leading up to the Aggies’ Aug. 30 season opener against Northwestern State.

“I want to get away and, as I say, ‘Take the training wheels off,’” Fisher said. “I want to see how they manage the crisis and all the things that go on, the good, bad and all the different things. You’ve got to turn it loose.”

A&M’s Maroon and White game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff at Kyle Field, Saturday, April 14. Admission is free for everyone and no ticket is necessary for general admission. Tickets will be required for premium seating such as suites, clubs and lodge areas.

s: ate Day upd ing For gieR g g/A

The 2018 Maroon and White game wil be played at Kyle Field on Saturday.

tx.a

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

CONGRATULATIONS! 6,600 shiny new Aggie Rings will be delivered today at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center

April 13

9:45 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

April 14

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Aggie Ring Tickets will be distributed online at tx.ag/ AggieRingDayTicket beginning at 7 a.m. on March 30 through Aggie Ring Day. Limited tickets available per 15 minute timeslots.

Visit tx.ag/RingDay for more information, parking,

transportation and ensuring the best experience for you and your guests.

Celebrate responsibly. The Association of Former Students

and Texas A&M do not endorse or support any activities involving binge drinking.

The Association of Former Students is HERE for Aggies during their days as students and former students, THERE for Aggies as they make their way around the world and EVERYWHERE that the Aggie Network needs us to be.

FOOTBALL

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THE EVOLUTION OF A After E. King Gill, this is how the 12th Man became what it is today

TRADITION

By Gracie Mock @g_mock2

I

n 1922, a tradition began — but it would take almost 70 years before it would become what it is today. The

“I think it’s one of the prized positions on the field now, is the guy that gets to put on that jersey and wear the number 12.”

-RC Slocum

story of the 12th Man begins with E. King Gill standing on the sidelines, ready to play if his team needed him, and continues today as Cullen Gillaspia dons the No. 12 jersey.

As the story goes, the Aggies were playing Centre College in the Dixie Classic and the team was down to 11 men. Head coach Dana X. Bible called Gill to the sidelines to suit up and be ready to play if needed.

“He never actually went into the game, but the 12th Man represents that. [It’s] why the whole student body stands,” Gillaspia, the current 12th Man, said “It’s because at any point in time, they’re ready to go in the game. It’s kinda the sense of the student body being part of the game.”

While Gill’s story is widely circulated in Aggieland, little is spoken about how the tradition evolved into what it is today — a walk-on special teams player wearing the No. 12 jersey to represent the student body.

The first time this kind of 12th Man entered the game was in the fall of 1983, when then head coach Jackie Sherrill implemented the 12th Man Kickoff team, a group of 10 students who would play at home games.

This team covered kickoffs at Kyle Field until the 1991 football

Head Coach 1989-2002

Current 12th Man Cullen Gillaspia waves his arms at the crowd.

Cassie Stricker— THE BATTALION

season, when then head coach R.C. Slocum changed it to a one-man job.

According to Slocum, the rules for kickoff returns changed, moving the kicker back from the 40-yard line. This allowed players to run the ball more often and made the need for strong kickoff coverage important.

“We went through two changes, two successive changes, where they moved the kick off restraining line back and I didn’t want to sacrifice winning, or our ability to win by maintaining that, so I thought a good compromise and I talked to the whole staff, to be able to keep the concept, which we still have now, of having the 12th Man out there wearing No. 12,” Slocum said.

The players were still students who walked-on to the team and Slocum said this provided the opportunity for them to be part of the game.

“It gave some guys who were not good enough athletes to have been recruited as college football players, it gave them a role that they could still get into the games and go down and be involved in the game,” Slocum said. “That was fun, to see them and see the excitement they had.”

In the 1991 season opener against LSU, Jay Elliott was the first player to wear the No. 12 jersey and play as the 12th Man. Elliott said the 12th Man Kickoff team remained intact and certain players were voted on each week to wear the No. 12 jersey.

“In ’91, we had about 10 on the squad, total, and I was the first one to be singled out on the kickoff team,” Elliott said. “I probably played four or five games that year and then some of the other guys played the other games. Much different than the way they do 12th Man now.”

Elliott said there is a connection between the 12th Man and the student section, which can be felt from the moment the team runs out onto the field.

A bronze statue of E. King Gill stands in front of Kyle Field today. It was part of the redevelopment in 2014.

FOOTBALL

The Battalion | 4.12.18

The original life-size statue of E. King Gill stood in front of Kyle Field from 1980-2014 and is now located in front of Rudder Fountain.

“When you walk out there and they know you’re the 12th Man, you know everyone can run out but when the 12th Man waves the towel, in my personal opinion, the crowd gets much more loud and boisterous with the 12th Man going out there,” Elliott said. “If the 12th Man makes a tackle or gets a hit, the crowd erupts, probably twice as loud as they normally would get. There is a connection, because … we were playing for them.”

From there, the tradition became a walk-on player earning the position each week. In 2016, he earned a scholarship and the Friday before the season opener against UCLA, Gillaspia was named the 12th Man, wearing No. 12 in each game since then. He said he worked to become the 12th Man each day in practice.

“I called my mom walking into workouts at 5 a.m., dang near crying, and I’d be like, ‘Why am I here? Why am I doing this, I know I’m never gonna play,’” Gillaspia said. “That moment when they pulled my number out, that was the light at the end of the tunnel. It changed my life forever. It’s put its mark on me and I’ve put my mark on the 12th Man jersey.”

Gillaspia said being the representative of the student body is an incredible experience, especially with how loud the student section can get.

“You look up and you see ‘Home of the 12th Man’ and you see a student section that’s 35,000 students strong and they’re all yelling in unison, or swaying in unison, whatever they’re doing, there’s no place in the country like it,” Gillaspia said.

“We’ve played in some of the best places in the country and there’s not a student body that’s as involved, has as much pride, stay ‘til the end of the game and loves their team as much as the 12th Man.” There are three moments which Gillaspia said stand out for him during his time as the 12th Man, so far.

“The first was the first play I made against UCLA, and then really just the Tennessee game [in 2016] as a whole, that was a

5

Sam Moeller served as the 12th Man during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

really cool thing,” Gillaspia said.

“Probably my most favorite moment is blocking the punt against Alabama [in 2017].”

A friend once told Gillaspia the stadium goes crazy when the 12th Man makes a tackle, and he was able to experience that in his first game wearing the No. 12 jersey.

“In the third quarter of the [2016] UCLA game I made a solo tackle and I got up — I just got goosebumps, actually — I heard the stands and I heard the student body yelling and that’s one of the coolest, best moments I’ve ever experienced,” Gillaspia said. “You get up and you look and see ‘Home of the 12th Man,’ the place is going crazy and it’s over something that a walk-on [did], something that you earned that you did.

An unreal moment.”

Gillaspia said it is an honor to be part of Aggie history as the 12th Man and to represent the student body.

“I will be getting a degree from Texas A&M in May, I got my Aggie Ring, I got to play on one of the greatest football fields, football stadiums in college football and I got to represent the greatest tradition in college football,” Gillaspia said.

“It’s an honor that I don’t deserve and it’s something that I’ll be grateful [for] and indebted to Texas A&M forever. ‘Til the day I die, Texas A&M will have a place in my heart.”

Slocum said he is pleased with how the tradition has contin

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Cullen Gillaspia celebrates a defensive play against Auburn on Nov. 4, 2017.

ued and how the coaching staffs have maintained it over the years.

“We’ve had some great players represent the student body and wear that number 12,” Slocum said. “I think it’s one of the prized positions on the field now, is the guy that gets to put on that jersey and wear the number 12. I really enjoyed watching those people over the years run down and see the pride that they take in being that person to represent the student body.”

RINGDAY

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FILE

Balfour has only the best jewelers handle the thousands of Aggie Rings that are crafted each year.

Symbol of ‘The Spirit’ How Texas A&M’s iconic gold ring has changed over time

By Anthony Pangonas @apangonas While the Aggie Ring itself has transformed in its nearly 130 year history at Texas A&M, it remains one of the most prominent traditions uniting Aggies together around the world.

Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of The Association of Former Students and Class of 1988, said before the ring was standardized to the common design known today, each class had the ability to create their own class ring for their respective class year.

“There was a very strong class identity and class affinity,” Greenwade said. “That’s just the way things were done then with a college ring. Each class got to put their own touch on it. But over time, as the affinity for Texas A&M itself became the strongest affinity, I think there was that desire to have that consistency there.”

The ring was standardized in 1933 by then University President T.O. Walton to help control ring distribution and manufacturing, according to Greenwade. “[The committee standardizing the ring] had a concern that they didn’t want anyone to be able to have a ring made that had not earned the right to wear it,” Gre-

enwade said. “They felt that a Aggie Ring was something that should be reserved for those who attended Texas A&M.” Each ring is designed with a five point star, a rifle, a canon, a saber and an eagle since the change in ring design in 1933. Greenwade said the continued growth of students and former students wearing of the ring comes from the love of the university.

Beginning in the 1970s, students were allowed the option of different ring types, such as white gold or palera, but Greenwade said the type of metal and finish does not change the idea of the Aggie Ring.

“The only thing that differentiates a ring is the class year on the ring and the finish that you choose,” Greenwade said.

While Ring Day itself started in 2000, Greenwade said before that, certain days were set aside to give out the rings to students on campus.

Greenwade said the change in 2000 was meant to bring more excitement to students on receiving their ring, just as they felt when ordering it and earning it.

“It was much more low-key than it is now,” Greenwade said.

“The day itself didn’t have the excitement that it has today. So in 2000, we wanted to make the act of getting your ring as exciting as achieving that milestone of getting the ring.”

PROVIDED

Students recieve a sand dollar along with their ring at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Ring Day across Texas Corpus Christi, Texarkana officials describe their similar celebrations

By Kathryn Whitlock @Kathryn-whitloc8 Celebrated widely and variably, a class ring is more than a piece of jewelry on a finger — it symbolizes determination, encases memories and creates conversation.

After completing 90 hours of undergraduate coursework, Aggies have the option to buy their Aggie Ring.

Once the ring is purchased, a time is chosen to have their ring presented to them on Aggie Ring Day at the Clayton J. Williams Jr. Alumni Center.

According to Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of The Association of Former Students and Class of 1988, about 94 percent of undergraduates at Texas A&M will order a ring to commemorate their time at the university. On Ring Day, 100-175 students will come into the building at their selected arrival time, where their ring will be presented to them.

“It’s really elevated beyond what we anticipated,” Greenwade said. “We never anticipated that the girls would get dressed up for Ring Day. We never anticipated everybody bringing their families. I think it’s a wonderful addition because Ring Day turns into a multigenerational reunion of the Aggie Network. We provide a good platform and students took it and made it into something that’s just very special.”

Russell Wagner, executive director of alumni relations for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, said around 30 percent of the A&M-Corpus Christi student body purchases a ring when they have earned 75 undergraduate hours or 25 graduate hours.

“I think the great thing about the Islander Ring is that it symbolizes something different for everyone,” Wagner said. “Of course it symbolizes achievement in education, but it means a little something different to everyone. I have a ring, and I’ve worn it every day for the past 10 years. For me, it’s a constant reminder of

every memory I ever forged on this campus. It reminds me of the hard work I put in to get me where I am today. It also ties me to every alumnus that ever walked foot on our campus.”

Wagner said there are two windows for Islanders to order rings, both in the fall and spring semesters. Due to high attendance, the ring ceremony is broken into two events. At the ceremony, the university president discusses the history of the ring, the alumni president speaks on the connection the ring has to the campus and the event concludes with the presentations of the rings.

“Once the ceremony ends, we invite our ring recipients to the Islander Ring Wish,” Wagner said. “This tradition started in 2015. Each ring recipient is given a sand dollar at their ring ceremony. Like a penny in a wishing well, this token is then tossed into the fountain at Woo Sung Lee Plaza. It’s an event that our students really look forward to and has really grown the tradition of our ring program.”

Mark Missildine, Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMUT) alumni relations coordinator, said TAMUT is a young campus with developing traditions.

Being a small campus with around 2,200 students, 60 -80 rings per year are purchased. At TAMUT, students can order a class ring after completing 90 hours.

“We host a spring and fall Grad Fair,” Missildine said. “During the Grad Fair, rings can be purchased.

We have a spring and fall TAMUT ring ceremony.

During the ceremony, the rings are presented to the students by the university president.”

Missildine said at TAMUT, the ring ceremony is celebrated on campus the Thursday prior to graduation, where it is common for friends and family to attend.

“The TAMUT ring serves as an enduring symbol of the values and traditions of TAMUT coupled with each students unique educational experience,” Missildine said. “The TAMUT ring represents a lifelong link with fellow classmates and alumni.”

RINGDAY

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PROVIDED

PROVIDED

Cecil Kirksey, Class of 1958, surprised his wife with her Sweetheart Ring in March during the 2018 Sul Ross Reunion weekend.

A ring fit for a sweetheart Sweetheart Rings were meant to highlight important women in student’s lives prior to 1972

By Megan Rodriguez @MeganLRodriguez When Sharon Kirksey, University of North Texas graduate and wife of Cecil Kirksey, Class of 1958, entered The Association of Former Students during the 2018 Sul Ross Reunion weekend, she never expected to be greeted by loved ones and presented with an Aggie Ring of her own.

Initially proposed in the 1930s and approved in April 1942, the first Sweetheart Rings were contracted on April 10, 1944.

Originally called “miniatures,” these rings are replicas of male Aggie Rings from 1972 and prior, created for the mothers and wives of former students. These pieces of Aggie gold are identical to a female Aggie Ring, but with the class year of the former student who is presenting the ring and the option of either being engraved with the name of the student or recipient.

2,700 Sweetheart Rings were ordered between 1943-1962 and 34 were sold in 2017.

For Sharon, this gift from her husband was a complete surprise. Cecil told her they were going to finalize paperwork for a scholarship the two recently established and it wasn’t until they walked up to the office and were surrounded by family Sharon realized what was happening.

“My grandson picked up the box, opened it and said, ‘Here Grandma,’ and I was just floored,” Sharon said. “I had no earthly idea that [Cecil] had planned anything like that. We had never talked about that.”

Sweetheart Rings were introduced at a time when women could not attend Texas A&M, but were still recognized as valuable supporters of the student body, according to Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of The Association of Former Students.

“It was designed to be a program that would allow students and former students to honor their mothers or their wives for their support in helping put them through school,” Greenwade said. “That program was discontinued after 1972. It was discontinued when we reached a point when women were attending A&M and when women could earn an Aggie Ring.

Today, any class 1972 or prior can still order a Sweetheart Ring for their spouse, but those are the only ones who are eligible to do so.”

Sharon said A&M has been an important part of her relationship with her husband ever since they met at a dance on a blind date in 1957.

“I was a freshman at North Texas and he was a junior at A&M,” Sharon said. “We corresponded through the summer and in the fall, when he was a senior, I started going to the football games. I had a friend who was going to Dallas and I would go from Denton to Dallas and ride down with her. My

husband and her husband were drum majors for the Aggie Band in 1958. At the first game, my husband gave me an Aggie pin, which aren’t available anymore.”

Sharon and Cecil continued dating until Cecil graduated and was sent on a tour of duty for 13 months in Korea. During that time, Sharon said she graduated from college and when Cecil returned home, they got married on April 2, 1960.

Decades after graduation, Sharon said she and Cecil still have a love for Aggieland, which they show through regular attendance at sporting events, creation of scholarship funds and connections to the university due to relatives who have also attended.

Cecil said he considered purchasing a Sweetheart Ring for his wife for a long time and saw their visit to Aggieland for the Sul Ross Reunion as the perfect opportunity to do so.

“I wanted [the ring] to signify that she has been a partner all these years and certainly a true Aggie,” Cecil said. “I didn’t need to show everybody, but that certainly does show people that she has been and I didn’t want to overlook that.”

Sharon said by wearing her Sweetheart Ring, she is showing her support and love for A&M. “When I look at it it makes me think of the band,” Sharon said. “I have always been very fond of the band, of course with my husband being one of the drum majors. … I’m very pleased. Even at 80 years of age I will proudly wear it at every A&M function.”

RINGDAY

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PROVIDED

Angel’s parents, Mark and Daya, will travel 10 hours, from El Paso, to attend her Ring Day.

A family affair Thanks Mom and Dad for being my biggest supporters Angel Franco

@angelmadison_

T

here have been times in my life when I suddenly become aware I am living in a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.

Watching my parents drive away as they dropped me off freshman year, looking around the student section as we interlock arms in unison singing the War Hymn or desperately gasping for air after laughing too hard with my friends.

Friday, a new memory will be added to this collection. It’s hard to believe soon I will have my very own piece of Aggie gold.

Now, 90 hours later, I laugh at how foolish I was to think that all I needed to get my ring was 90 community service hours (first gen probs).

However, there was a time when I didn’t know whether or not I would reach Aggie Ring Day. About a month into college, my family and I faced financial hardship.

My first semester was brutal. Never did I imagine I would visit a food pantry or I would worry if I had enough gas money to make it to class. Soon, the only thing on my parents’ minds was making sure I made it back home to El Paso for winter break. As I loaded my car, unsure of whether or not I would return to Aggieland, I couldn’t help but feel thankful.

I’m thankful for the opportunity my parents gave me to follow my dreams, thankful for the sacrifices they make to give me the world, thankful to know what it means to be an Aggie and thankful to experience what Aggieland had to offer.

By the grace of God, our luck turned for

the better and I was able remain enrolled at Texas A&M. For those who know me, y’all know how close I am to my parents and how many times I call them a day and for those of you who don’t know me, it’s not weird. I’m just an only child.

I can’t thank my parents enough for the phone calls full of advice when I was having a meltdown or the three-way conversations which turn into a ‘Let’s roast our daughter’ session, despite us being in three different places.

So, when Friday comes around and my parents finish flipping a coin to see who puts the ring on my finger, I will try my best to soak in all the emotions I will remember for the rest of my life.

I’ll probably cry because we’ve gone through so much to get to this point and the journey was hard, but it was worth it.

I’ll think about the stories Dad tells us about his run-ins with Aggies and how proud he is to be an Aggie dad. I’ll think about how strongly Mom stands in the doorway as I leave for school with tears streaming down my face, knowing she is hurt to see me leave but proud to see me chase my dreams.

Although I’ll wear the ring, it is not just mine, it is ours. Every time I look down at our ring, I’ll think back to the conversations where we calculated the hours, discussed the details and dreamt about what this day would be like.

It’s true when they say, teamwork makes the dream work because this has been a team effort. And boy am I get lucky to have my very own dream team.

I love you Mom and Dad. Angel Franco is a telecommunication media studies junior and sports editor for The Battalion.

PROVIDED

Megan will recieve her Aggie Ring on Saturday.

PROVIDED

A small ring with big meaning

Kathryn is the first member of her family to attend Texas A&M.

The symbol represents memories which shaped me

An immeasurable honor

PROVIDED

My Aggie Ring is proof hard work pays off

Anthony has been part of both the Aggieland and The Battalion during his time at A&M.

Megan Rodriguez @MeganLRodriguez

E

ven before coming to Texas A&M I knew the Aggie Ring was important, but the reasons I had heard are not the reasons why I am now anxiously awaiting Saturday morning.

I was told it would stand out, help me network and of course, I heard the classic stories of people who were hired on the spot when an employer saw their Aggie Ring. So, while I was happy to get a college ring, I was more excited for the possible assistance finding a job. However, nobody told me how many memories this small piece of gold would bring to mind.

I didn’t know I would meet my best friend the day I moved into my dorm freshman year and be receiving my ring with her during our junior year. I didn’t know this ring would remind me of all the movie nights, long talks and study sessions I had with her.

Nobody told me the tradition of my Aggie Ring would bring to mind the dozens of other traditions I have experienced during my time here. From avoiding walking under the Century Tree, even if it was the fastest route to class, and hearing some of my favorite jokes at Midnight Yell. Then, on a more solemn note, it will bring back memories of times I held back tears at Silver Taps ceremonies for students whose parents I spoke to for their child’s Silver Taps tribute articles.

Nobody could have possibly known to

tell me my ring would remind me of unforgettable journalism conferences, countless interviews, late production nights and the incredible friendships I would develop at The Battalion.

I didn’t know it would take me back to IHOP runs with my Bible study, early mornings volunteering in the media booth at my church or connecting with people of all ages through various ministries.

Everyone who spoke so highly of their rings failed to warn me it would remind me of the stressful study sessions at Evans Library, the weeks when I constantly got fewer than four hours of sleep and the outrageous amount of coffee I consumed.

It makes sense nobody told me though.

Nobody could have possibly known just how incredible my years at A&M would be and the way this ring would bring back all these memories.

Yes, my ring will stand out and maybe it will spark up a conversation during a job interview, but that doesn’t matter to me anymore. My ring will serve a greater purpose as my personal piece of Aggieland I can keep forever.

Even when I’m far away from the tall oak trees down Military Walk, even when I’m not just a few minutes away my favorite study spot by the Liberal Arts and Humanities Building, even when I am miles apart from The Battalion newsroom, I will have my ring. I will hold tight to this small treasure and even tighter to the memories it represents.

Megan Rodriguez is a communication junior and news editor for The Battalion.

Remember with a ring The piece of gold will remind me of this important place

Anthony Pangonas @apangonas

A

s I took college tours and went to different campuses, Texas A&M stood out from the rest and once my acceptance letter arrived, it was very clear I had already made my decision to become an Aggie.

Fast forward to completing 90 hours at this university, and the Aggie Ring is a symbol of my time here. I learned a lot, not just through my studies here at A&M, but also about myself and where I want to go after I leave the university.

I walked into my original McFadden dorm not knowing what to look for in the next four years, but as time went on, I found myself reaching out and joining different parts of the community, such as St. Mary’s Catholic Center and Student Media. Joining The Battalion and being Editor-in-Chief of the Aggieland Yearbook for the past two years has led me to see so many parts of this school I would of never seen if I did not have my jobs down in the basement of the Memorial Student Center.

Now, as I look to the future, apply to graduate school, look for jobs and go

forward from my time as a undergraduate at A&M, this ring is a reminder I am a part of this circle of Aggies who help each other whenever possible. The same ones who stand for the fallen at Silver Taps and Muster. The same ones who stand in Kyle Field on Saturday, supporting our football team. The same ones who can say, “I am a Aggie too and I am a part of the history of this university.”

While there are things I would change if I could go back, I have the opportunity to keep moving forward and look forward to the opportunities that will continue after I graduate, leave this school and become a former student. The ring on my finger is a reminder of that and as I move forward in life, I will not forget my time here at A&M. Anthony Pangonas is an economics senior and sci-tech editor for The Battalion.

Kathryn Whitlock

@Kathryn-whitloc8

A

t first glance, the Aggie Ring is a piece of jewelry with minuscule etchings and grooves which rests on a finger. Embodying laughs, tears, late nights and early mornings, my Aggie Ring will surpass any notion of an ornament.

Being a first generation Aggie, knowledge of the Aggie Ring was terse. Not until witnessing a Ring Day of a close friend two years ago did I understand the gravity and honor of the ring. On Friday, I will be the first of, hopefully, many in my family to have an Aggie Ring placed upon my finger.

In August 2015, Neeley Hall became my new address. Waking up on the first day of class in my twin-sized bed within the small modular dorm, life as I knew it changed.

My day began with CHEM 101, and ended late with BICH 107, thus creating a seemingly claustral lifestyle. But retrospectively, I was embarking on a journey which overflows in noteworthy life lessons.

Clad in incessant lab reports and calculus homework, I viewed Aggie Ring Day as an event far from being grasped. It was easy to lose sight of the long-term plan and become entangled in the daily monotonous online assignments. However, clarity reveals the unrelenting assignments tuned me for my ring.

As told by my mother, anything worth

having requires hard work. So, each lecture, project and review session proved to be the causal events that led me to where I am now — a place of gratitude.

With the event only days away, I find myself basking in peace; knowing I have made it this far pushes me to move on with greater momentum and hope. This ring is a mile-marker.

Reflecting appreciation, the ring will illuminate my multifaceted love of Texas A&M. I love that I can be true to myself, yet still be surrounded by people polar-opposite from me; I love that I can have four exams in one week and still tend daily to little hobbies; I love only having to drive two minutes to get to campus; I love that no matter who you are, where you came from or where you plan to go, A&M will love, accept and guide you to the niche that needs you and you need in return.

From eating waffles for every meal at Sbisa to running around a field and catching insects for entomology, my ring will make me fiercely proud of my memories at A&M. Ninety hours: two words which hold an infinitude of emotion, work and perseverance. This ring will remind me of those 90 hours and the accompanying memories.

Aside from myself, this ring will evoke a love of my community. Without my family, friends and professors, no ring would be placed on my finger this Friday.

Kathryn Whitlock is a biochemistry junior and life and arts reporter for The Battalion.

RINGDAY

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The Battalion | 4.12.18

The long journey to Aggie gold After 45 years, Jan Weston will receive her Aggie Ring Saturday

By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo

PROVIDED

Jan Weston met her husband Ben, class of 1974, in the Fall of 1972. Two years later, they were married. The bottom picture is Weston’s mother and father at Ring Dance in the 1940s.

Jan Weston first stepped onto the campus of Texas A&M as a freshman journalism major in 1972.

This Saturday, she will finally receive her Aggie Ring after 45 long years of waiting.

Though Jan’s journey has lasted longer than most, she said she is just as excited as she was her first day on campus to finally don the universally recognized symbol of Aggieland.

“It is hard to put into words how I feel,” Jan said. “I am ecstatic. This is absolutely a dream come true for me. I am literally fulfilling a lifelong dream.”

Jan’s first day in Aggieland was one which changed her life forever. It was on her first day she met a certain upperclassman, who would later become her husband. Benjamin Weston, Class of 1974 and member of the Corps of Cadets, was assisting freshmen move into Krueger Hall — the first female dorm — when he noticed his underclassman helping the young Jan move into Krueger Room 137. Ben quickly took over the task, and Jan and Ben were married two years later.

Ben enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after his graduation, which took place only a week before his wedding to Jan, who went with him, despite only just finishing her sophomore year of college. She enrolled at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) and earned her bachelor’s degree.

The Westons later moved to Amarillo, Texas, where Jan currently teaches pre-AP geography to the sophomores of Randall High School.

She also earned a master’s degree in history from West Texas A&M during this time. Despite having two degrees under her belt, Jan said something was still missing. She knew she wanted to earn a degree from A&M and finish the journey she began in 1972, but she couldn’t find an online master’s pro-

gram which fit her interests.

Rather than calling it quits, Jan turned to her faith in God for an answer. She began praying continually for God to open a door, turning to Psalm 37:4 for comfort. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart,” the verse reads. Jan’s prayers were soon answered when she received a call from her sister, Christi Gates, regarding an online master’s degree program in educational psychology. The sisters enrolled in the program together.

Jan’s journey has been far from easy. A fall in her high school classroom broke six bones in her body, including her hip in two places and her lower back, which forced her to postpone taking the Graduate Record Examinations until the fall of 2015. In addition to this setback, Jan is a full time teacher and currently has 180 students. She said there is always plenty to do in addition to her coursework, and Ben often pays the price.

“My sweet husband hasn’t had a hot meal that he hasn’t prepared himself since this journey started,” Jan said. “He has been very supportive, thankfully. Ben encourages me when I get tired and need the extra support.

Christi was always a huge support, as well. She too is a school teacher, so we were going through this at the same time. I think the most difficult part is the time it takes on top of my day job teaching school. It has been difficult at times, but that is how much this school and this ring mean to me.”

Jan’s hardworking attitude is something which runs in her family, as is her Aggie Spirit. Her father, Ted Claycomb, graduated from A&M in 1949 with a degree in agricultural education. During Jan’s youth, her father, who was an agriculture teacher at Royse City High School, would take her family to Aggie football games. This was no easy feat for the Claycombs, as the trips cost the family about $100. “[My dad] worked extra hours at the cotton gin in the summer to earn enough money to pile his four little girls into the old Pontiac station wagon with our mother and go to Col-

lege Station for a game,” Weston said.

“For me, it was a trip to the Promised Land. If we were really lucky, there might be enough money to get an Aggie shirt. He instilled in me and my sisters a deep love and appreciation for this school. It has only grown deeper through the years.”

Those trips to College Station instilled in Jan the Aggie Spirit, which she exhibited from a young age. The most notable occurrence of this came at the end of first grade, when she and her classmates were instructed to sing ‘The Eyes of Texas,’ the University of Texas’ fight song, as the finale of their end-of-the-year musical performance.

“I flatly refused to sing it,” Weston said. “I stood there with my little arms folded across my chest and my mouth tightly shut. The music teacher told my dad, and he didn’t make me sing it either.”

On Jan. 12, all of Jan’s hard work and waiting finally paid off, as she ordered her own little piece of Aggie gold. Two of her sisters joined her for the special occasion, one of whom wears her own Aggie Ring. Gates graduated last year from the same program Jan is working to complete.

At Aggie Ring Day this Saturday, Jan will accept her ring from her husband, with all three of her sisters in attendance. With the addition of Jan’s ring, her family will have a total of 30 Aggie Rings to their name.

“I will be 64 years of age when I walk across the stage on May 11,” Weston said. “I think I will have to teach until I am 150 or so to get my money back. But you and I both know that is not why I did it. I will have a degree that says I made it. I completed a degree from the best university in the world and on April 14, I will have the ring to prove it.”

RINGDAY

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The Battalion | 4.12.18

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Petroleum engineering senior Benjamin Harrison’s (left) ring was returned to him by business graduate student Jason Thomas (right) who found it for sale on eBay.

Traveling ring demonstrates the power of the Aggie Spirit One Aggies’ purchase leads to the relief of another Aggies’ dismay

By Hannah Falcon @hannahfalcon_ While scouring the internet for Aggie gear, Jason Thomas, business graduate student, found an Aggie Ring for sale on eBay. After purchasing the ring, Jason set out to find its owner.

The morning after the Texas A&M vs.

Kansas basketball game, Benjamin Harrison, petroleum engineering senior, woke up without his Aggie Ring. The 2018 class ring Harrison had received only a year prior was about a size too big, making it all too easy to slip off in the chaos of the basketball game, according to Harrison.

“While we were out that night it must’ve

slipped off my finger without me noticing, so that’s how I woke up without it,” Harrison said. “And then we flew back Sunday morning because we had to be back to study. It was a really short trip, so I was stuck in a position where I couldn’t stay and find it.”

Jason said he contacted the seller on eBay, who claimed to be selling his own Aggie Ring because of hard financial times. After purchasing the ring, Jason said he found Harrison’s name engraved on the inside and set out to find him. Harrison reported his ring missing just days before Jason contacted The Association of Former Students, looking for the owner of the ring he had purchased.

“I reported it to the Aggie Ring Association about a week after I realized it wasn’t coming back and that ended up paying off big time,” Harrison said. “I got a call from my mother and she let me know that Jason Thomas, a man in Austin, happened to be scrolling on eBay looking for Aggie gear and happened to

come across an Aggie Ring on there.”

After Jason and Harrison had sorted out the whole debacle, Macalah Thomas, technology management junior and Jason’s daughter, returned the Aggie Ring to Harrison, free of charge.

“When he got his ring back he was so excited. He was smiling and so happy, it was a really great experience,” Macalah said. “[An Aggie Ring] is a symbolic connection with the ideals of Aggieland.”

Jason is a nontraditional student at A&M. He already has two bachelor’s degrees, one master’s degree and a Ph.D., but Jason said he decided to pursue a master’s degree at the Bush School after seeing how much his daughter loved the Aggie Spirit. Now, Jason is about a year away from receiving his own Aggie Ring. He said he wants his daughter to be the one to present his ring to him, after she receives her Aggie Ring in the fall of 2018.

“I really didn’t understand the sense of

community that came with being a part of Texas A&M until Macalah toured and everybody was so open and inclusive. She took to it right away, but for me [the ring] really represents bridging the gap,” Jason said. “When I grew up, education wasn’t really available to me so I joined the Army, but I never had the opportunity to have a real college experience.”

Harrison said he could not be more grateful to Jason for showing him what the Aggie Spirit really is.

“It’s a part of me now and especially after this entire process it means that much more to me,” Harrison said. “To hit such a low, losing my ring and then to hit such a peak when it came back made my entire college career. I thought I knew what the Aggie family was before, but now he has fully embodied the tradition here at A&M.”

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The Battalion | 4.12.18

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RINGDAY

13

The Battalion | 4.12.18

An Aggie’s worst nightmare A Friday the 13th Ring Day brings back a few ring horror stories

By Diana Paredes @paredesaguilera An important milestone in an Aggie’s life is getting their ring after countless hours of homework and studying, but sometimes things can go horribly wrong.

It’s not unusual to hear a college student complain about losing their personal belongings after a crazy night on Northgate or a long day of class, but it is rare to hear about someone losing their Aggie Ring. However, on occasion, there are horror stories even Aggie Rings cannot stay away from.

When Natalie Hughes, engineering freshman, looked back at her family’s long line of Aggies, she said there was one catastrophic moment when her aunt accidentally swallowed her ring.

“So basically my aunt, whose ring dunk it was, was trying to chug her drink as quickly as possible and then when she reached the bottom of the pitcher, there was no ring,” Hughes said. “Mom said that her eyes bulged the moment that she realized when it happened, and then she said the entire family went crazy.”

Casey Clarke, electrical engineering senior, said he witnessed a student lose his ring during a football game at Kyle Field.

Although he didn’t know the person, he said he remembered paying more attention to the ring nightmare than the actual football players that day.

“My friends and I were near the nosebleed section for that game,” Clarke said.

“I remember turning around and seeing some kid’s ring fly off their hands. I can only imagine how hard he must have been clapping, but it legit flew off his finger and landed on the part of the stadium that gives the student section shade.”

For a long time, people only focused on the student’s ring as opposed to the game or the yells, according to Madison Sanchez, biomedical sciences sophomore.

“Everyone was freaking out for him,” Sanchez said. “They were watching him and the roof of the stadium as if we could do something for him. I think we could all feel his pain. It took almost two hours to get someone that worked at the stadium that could come to the rescue. Eventually, someone did come to help though and they got his ring. The whole thing was very traumatic for him, I can imagine. We all cheered once he got his ring back. It was a happy ending at least.”

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“Let the love of learning rule humanity”

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the Office of Undergraduate Studies Proudly Announces Our New Members for 2018 Induction Ceremony & Introduction of the Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Juniors for Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University at Galveston, and Texas A&M University at Qatar.

Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 2:00 PM Rudder Theatre Complex The mission of Phi Kappa Phi is to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education & to engage the community of scholars in service to others. www.phikappaphi.org FACULTY Amy Earhart Meg Penrose COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES Karissa Yamaguchi, Outstanding Junior Rachel Adams Emilie Baker El Jirie Baticados Hope Beitchman Drew Finn Justin Graham Holly Halfmann Samuel Hayes Abigail Hoelscher Sarah Jeffreys Mary Morgan John Mosior III Jorge Ordonez Kimberly Phelan Brandon Salinas Keleigh Trabing Coy Westbrook COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE Nicholas Houser, Outstanding Junior Jacob Goebel Aubrey Hemphill Riley Hood Nicholas Houser Tung Nguyen Joseph Reich Amreen Shajahan Emma Sumrow Rachel Wooten MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL Ryan Zepeda, Outstanding Junior William Anderson Kathryn Batts Rachel Berg Amanda Boliek Price Burnett Hayden Chandler Clayton De Jong Paul Di Sarro Elizabeth Dicken William Draughon Bradley Greer Paraskevi Hauptmann Marissa Heffley Jonathan Livingstone Gabriel Lombardo MacKenzie Pask Darby Ramsdell

Nelson Rhea Joseph Scott Emily Stafford Cory Steinmann Lola Storey Uzair Waheed William White Taylor Wiest Ryan Zepeda COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Rachel Koerner, Outstanding Junior Tamara Abke Jessica Alt Marisa Barrera Zephaniah Bartie Emma Brackett Jordan Brown Ebony Carlisle Caroline Cash Ashley Chakales Alyssa Clark-Anaman Jessica Cradduck Natalie Delgado Gwyndolyn Ellis Jason Ferrell Seth Fewell Alexandra Grima Melanie Hartt Jillian Haug Megan Heatherly Kathryn Helms Stephanie Huisman Reem Hussein Ecaroh Jackson Kelci Jacoby Melissa Loredo Anne Luong Meredith MacIvor Ayissa Maldonado Kayla McGee Angela McWhorter Callie Nelson Evan Nichols Isabel Nolte Falon Penland McKenzi Poehl Laura Reeves Stephanie Rivera Lauren Rocha Hannah Rook Miriam Rosales Anna Self Kennedy Uptegraph James Waldrop

Nedra Washington Autumn Whaley DWIGHT LOOK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING William Newman, Outstanding Junior Matthew Armstrong Tate Banks Lauren Borden Elizabeth Bruttomesso Micah Dermott Jacob Downey Pranav Gadangi Reza Gheisari Geoffrey Guss Claire Hartman Mason Jerome Mason Kinkeade Junho Lee Samuel Lee Ross Luna Haochen Luo Grace Marcantel Morgan Payne Robert Reese Justin Sayasith Aaron Schmidt Nathan Schmitt Blake Smith Nathan Snyder Alexander Staggs Eric Swinny Philip Venesky Christopher Walker William Word COLLEGE OF GEOSCIENCES Jacob Escobedo, Outstanding Junior Jacob Birenbaum Julia Hillin Brandon Kerns Szu-Ting Kuo Kysan Woolverton COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS Nathan Howard, Outstanding Junior Riley Callahan Guadalupe Cantu Robert Cotto-Thorner Hannah DiLullo Ashlynn Harris Georgia Love Katelyn McCarthy Katelyn McDonough Jossa McKimmey Robert Mohn

Lauren Mullins Christine Newberg Madeline Oines Denise Ortiz John Petroff Jordan Pratt Frederick Purifoy Jr. Blake Ross Jasmine Sausedo Julia Schrank Lauren Sheffield Rachel Smith Keridwyn Spiller Hayden Stephens Sydney Stevens Meredith Stoops Ryan Sullivan Eliza Thomas Tiffany Tigges Kirsten Worden Yunheng Xu Naibao Zhao COLLEGE OF SCIENCE Tristan Pace, Outstanding Junior Parker Bamback Anik Banerjee Candace Grimes Mena Kozman Diego Molinari Rory ODwyer Tristan Pace Hunter Robert COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Menaka Tandon, Outstanding Junior Kayla Callaway Camron Costa Chloe Costello Jared Eichner Sarah Elmer Tyler Hastings Austen Herron Kellianne Huffman Marleini Ilanga Jordan Jaafar Veronica Kierig Elizabeth Langley Grant Read Eric Rozell Montgomery Smith Savanna Smith Sophia Torres Micah Waltz

John Zhouyang Wu TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: GALVESTON Karthik Ramaswamy, Outstanding Junior Alan Baich Sarah Bordelon Taylor Brown Amanda Ceming-Barbato Taylor Cubbage Richard Dally Sarah Hamrock Madison Hazen Todd Jahns Melanie Martinez Jessica Quillen Hunter Rasberry Brandon Scully Alexa Smith Jacob Smith Ryan Swaney Edward Thompson Nicholas Thornton Jennifer Ulery Hayley York TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: QATAR Syeda Akhter TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: SCHOOL OF LAW David Krieghbaum Jr. Peter Kuylen GEORGE BUSH SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES Bill Campbell Richard Clifton David Hidinger Michael Jones Jr. Tara Medrano COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH Ifedioranma Anikpo Sima Bordbar Dennis Garcia-Rhodes Jr. Colleen Russell COLLEGE OF NURSING Paige Ward

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