The Battalion - December 7, 2018

41st U.S. President

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2018 STUDENT MEDIA

George H.W. Bush

EXTRA

1924-2018

A nation says

Goodbye

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Photos by Cassie Stricker, Jesse Everett and Megan Cusick

Washington, D.C.

Houston

College Station

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Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Former president George H.W. Bush was honored at a departure ceremony from Ellington Field in Houston where his casket was transported to Special Air Mission 41.

A final flight from Houston Special Air Mission 41 departs from Ellington Field carrying Bush’s casket

By Taylor Fennell @TaylorPaige1299 HOUSTON — More than 100 friends and family members of George H.W. Bush gathered Monday morning at Ellington Field in Houston to watch as the former president’s casket departed on a journey to Washington, D.C., where Bush laid in state until

Wednesday.

The onlookers gathered close together in the chilly weather, chatting amongst each other about their connections to George H.W. Bush and speaking of his life with smiles on their faces. Special Air Mission 41, a Boeing 747-200B which usually serves as Air Force One, awaited its next passengers before the crowd.

At 10:40 a.m., Bush’s hearse arrived at the runway, surrounded by dozens of security personnel and followed by two charter buses full of family members. After 43rd Presi-

dent George W. Bush led the group onto the tarmac, a military honor guard approached Bush’s hearse and the former president was honored with a 21-gun salute.

Once the salute commenced, service members carried Bush’s casket to a lift, while the military band played. In a synchronized and powerful display, the band raised a note and service members raised the former president.

While the lift began to elevate the casket to the plane’s side entrance, Bush family members made their way to its main door, followed by Bush’s service dog, Sully. George

W. and Laura Bush waved to spectators from the top of the staircase and stepped onto Special Air Mission 41. After the family boarded the plane, it took off toward Maryland, where it arrived at Joint Base Andrews Monday afternoon.

Throughout the ceremony, expressions and discussions of guests did not appear to be made in pain, but seemed friendly and reminiscent.

The general feeling of the Bush family guests made one thing apparent: George Herbert Walker Bush was a man full of humor and wit — but he undoubtedly commanded respect.

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

George W. Bush is overcome with emotion while speaking about his father in front of the crowd at Washington National Cathedral.

‘In our grief, let us smile’ Family, friends and world leaders say farewell to 41 at funeral service in D.C.

By Taylor Fennell @TaylorPaige1299 WASHINGTON — The world’s eyes turned to the U.S. capital as global leaders paid tribute to the 41st president of the United States, sharing memories of his loyalty, humility and love.

George H.W. Bush was honored with a funeral ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral Wednesday morning, where more than 3,200 attendees listened to those who knew him best tell stories that defined the former president’s life. Among those presents were President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Charles, Prince of Wales, and all four living former presidents.

In a historic eulogy by the 43rd president, George W. Bush fought back tears as he spoke of his father’s love for his family.

“Through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man,” Bush said. “The best father a son

or daughter could have. In our grief, let us smile, knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom’s hand again.”

The tone of the ceremony was set by presidential biographer Jon Meacham’s assessment of the 41st president’s life. He detailed the story of Bush’s courage during a 1944 mission near Chichi Jima, in which the young U.S. Navy pilot’s plane was shot down.

Bush and his crewmates parachuted out of the plane, but the future president ended up stranded and alone in the Pacific ocean. Hours later, he was rescued by an American submarine. Meacham said this incident remained with Bush for the rest of his life.

“In a sense, the rest of his life was a perennial effort to prove himself worthy of his salvation on that distant morning,” Meacham said. “To him, his life was no longer his own.

There were always more missions to undertake, more lives to touch and more love to give.”

In his efforts to make a difference in more lives, Bush ran for political office and led successful initiatives that did just that.

Calling him America’s “shield,” Meacham highlighted the 41st president’s greatest ac-

complishments.

“On his watch, a wall fell in Berlin, a dictator’s aggression did not stand, and doors across America opened to those with disabilities,” Meacham said. “An imperfect man, he left us a more perfect union.”

Former Wyoming senator and Bush’s close friend Alan Simpson commended the former president’s efforts to reach across the aisle and ignore party lines — an action which could be particularly difficult, especially when discussing taxes.

“He often said, ‘When the really tough choices come, it’s the country, not me. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, it’s for our country that I fought for,’” Simpson said.

When the 43rd president began his eulogy, he used the words “instructive” and “optimistic” to describe his father. He said the 41st president provided his children with an example of a great leader, father and husband.

Bush said the last few months of his father’s life were difficult without his wife, Barbara Bush, by his side.

“After Mom died, Dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold Mom’s hand again,” Bush said.

Just as they did in Houston for the former first lady’s funeral service seven months ago, the Clintons and Obamas sat together in the front row of the ceremony, this time joining the Trumps and Carters for a complete gathering of the “Presidents Club.”

In a tweet shortly before the service, Trump said the ceremony would serve as a tribute to the 41st president’s remarkable life.

“Looking forward to being with the Bush family,” Trump’s tweet said. “This is not a funeral, this is a day of celebration for a great man who has led a long and distinguished life.

He will be missed!”

The weight of the 41st president’s absence was emphasized several times throughout the ceremony, and Simpson’s speech highlighted the loss in an intimate prayer.

“None of us were ready for this day,” Simpson said. “We mourn his loss from our own lives and what he was to each of us. …

We all knew on one unknown day, he would return to his God. Now we give him up. We commend him to your loving hands. Thank you for him.”

“Not only was George H.W. Bush one of the greatest presidents in our nation’s history, he also was one of the finest men to serve our country in so many ways. We are proud to call him a son of Texas A&M University and will do everything in our power, through his presidential library, to keep his memory and accomplishments alive for all time.”

-Chancellor John Sharp

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Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

The clergy of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church stand in silence during the departure ceremony that followed George H. W. Bush’s funeral.

Family, friends bid Bush farewell in Houston Second funeral honors 41st president with speeches from close loved ones

By Samantha Mahler & Kathryn Whitlock @mahlersamantha & @kathryn_whitloc8

Photos by Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

George W. Bush and Laura Bush exit Air Force One at Ellington Field in Houston.

Final landing Bush’s remains arrive in Houston in preparation for Thursday’s funeral

By Hannah Falcon @hannahfalcon_ The only sound that could be heard over the engines at Ellington Field was a single drum from the 77th Army Band from Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Wednesday evening, half an hour after the scheduled landing time, a CBS reporter called out that he saw Special Air Mission 41 approaching over the orange horizon. A crowd of over a hundred watched patiently and silently as the Bush family touched down in Texas for the 41st president, George H.W. Bush’s upcoming funeral service in Houston.

Spectators included students from the George and Barbara Bush Center for Scholars and Houston Christian School. The family was also welcomed by an honor guard and band, including members from the Marine Corps, Navy, Army and Air Force, who performed a 21-gun salute with canons while the band played “Hail to the Chief.”

Shaunte Cooper, 147th Attack Wing executive officer, acted as the lead public affairs officer for the Bush funeral at Ellington Field.

The public affairs team has been preparing for the funeral for the past five years, running through the sequence of events twice a year, according to Cooper. Her team lept into action on Sunday to prepare for media arrival on Monday and Wednesday.

“It is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Cooper said. “It’s just a very solemn occasion, so I want to make sure that my team gives the president the honors he deserves and we want to do the very best job. It is an absolute honor to be out here for him.”

Cooper met Bush at Ellington Field during Hurricane Ike relief efforts. She said when he arrived at the base, Bush wanted to personally meet everyone there. Cooper called Bush a “true patriot” because of his service to the nation and said he put his country first at all times.

“Hurricane Ike was pretty devastating to Houston as well,” Copper said. “Most people remember Hurricane Harvey because it was more recent, but President Clinton and President Bush put on a relief effort [for Hurricane Ike], and they hosted it right here at Ellington Field.”

Immediately following the ceremony, Bush’s casket was transported via motorcade to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, where he laid in repose until Thursday at 6 a.m. The former president’s funeral service at St. Martin’s began at 10 a.m.

George H.W. Bush was honored Thursday morning with eulogies at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, where he has been a member for more than 50 years.

With over 1,000 guests, the funeral included a eulogy by grandson George Prescott Bush, liturgy readings from six of his granddaughters and six grandsons as honorary pallbearers. Among those present were the Oak Ridge Boys, who performed “Amazing Grace,” and Reba McEntire, who performed “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Former Secretary of State James Baker, a longtime friend of the former president, discussed Bush’s accomplishments, moral character and unwavering, peaceful leadership.

“As we have heard and as we know, George Bush was a charter member of the greatest generation,” Baker said. “As we gather here to salute him, his incredible service to our nation and the world are already etched in the marble of time.”

Through initiatives such as Points of Light

and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the 41st president and his wife continued a life of public service even after their time in the White House. Baker said Bush’s accomplishments reflect the best parts of our country.

“His wish for a kinder, gentler nation was not a cynical political slogan,” Baker said. “It came honest and unguarded from his soul.”

After reading a letter the former president had written to him, Baker teared up at the end of his tribute to Bush and offered a response on behalf of all those gathered in memory of him.

“We rejoice, Mr. President, that you are safely tucked in now and through the ages with God’s loving arms around you,” Baker said. “Because our glory, George, was to have had you as our president and as such a friend.”

George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner and the former president’s oldest grandson, discussed what Bush was most thankful for, beginning with his family. George P. Bush told stories of spending summers at his grandparents’ house in Maine.

“We all grew up in awe of my grandfather, a larger than life figure who we’d catch fly fishing off the rocks in Maine, talking up where the blue fish were running,” George P. Bush said.

Among other things, George P. Bush said his grandfather was thankful for God and his country. According to George P. Bush, his grandfather did not just speak often about his nation’s great values, but also lived them.

“In our times together, our big, wonderful and competitive family saw the personal goodness that led to his recognized historical greatness,” George P. Bush said. “He left a simple, yet profound legacy to his children, to his grandchildren and to this country.”

The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson Jr. delivered a homily praising the gracious disposition of the former president. He recalled moments spent with Barbara Bush prior to her passing in which she spoke of her adoration for her husband. Levenson said Bush emulated a demeanor that was self-effacing and altruistic.

“The end depends on the beginning, and this is a good ending because from the very beginning, George Bush was committed to a life not for himself but for others,” Levenson said. “We gather today charged with three tasks — saying goodbye, giving our thanks and lifting our lives up to hope. Bidding farewell is the hardest of these tasks because we must acknowledge that this world is not the same without this great man. The tectonics plates of our world have shifted.”

Hannah Falcon — THE BATTALION

Pallbearers carry George H. W. Bush’s casket onto Locomotive 4141 for his journey to College Station.

Leaving the station one last time Communities pay respects to Bush on train route from Houston to Aggieland

By Hannah Falcon @hannahfalcon_ Houston said goodbye to George H.W. Bush for the last time on Thursday.

The 41st president’s Houston funeral ended around 11 a.m. when he made a grand exit from St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. The altar servers were the first to leave the church through the honor guard’s ceremonial formation, followed by the color guard. Bush’s children and grandchildren watched from the other door as pallbearers carried out his casket. The band played “Hail to the Chief” as the casket was loaded onto the hearse to go to the Union Pacific Westfield train station in

Spring. The clergy lined the road and saluted as the motorcade drove by.

When the motorcade arrived at the train station at 12:30 p.m., the ceremonial troops were standing in formation in the misty afternoon. The Bush family donned black umbrellas as they stood in front of the 77th Army Band from Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Army 1st Lt. Steven M. Webster led the body bearers as they carried the casket from the hearse to the funeral train car, distinguished by its American flag pattern and window for viewing the casket. The band ceased playing when the casket entered the funeral car, and the Bush family and clergy boarded the train.

After a silent moment, the Locomotive 4141 whistled twice to mark the beginning of it’s journey to College Station.

Thousands lined the railroad tracks between Spring and College Station to pay re-

GEORGE H.W. BUSH 1924 - 2018 Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of President Bush on his passing. President Bush spent most of his life serving the public and had a long career in both domestic politics and foreign affairs. He was also a devoted husband and dedicated father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

President Bush was intimately involved in the Library and Museum from attending exhibit openings and forums to frequently being seen in the museum and surrounding grounds. He could also be seen around town and on campus. So many people here have been touched by his life and by getting to know him personally. Through this Library and Museum, we will continue to honor his life and legacy with our utmost reverence.

Warren Finch, Director of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum For those wanting to give their condolences, the Bush Library and Museum will have condolence books in the Presidential Rotunda through the end of December. Please visit Bush41.org for more information.

spects to the late 41st president. Among the crowd were honor guards from the Spring Fire Department and Cypress Creek Fire Department. They hoisted an American flag on the buckets of two tower trucks and staged honor guard members in Old Town Spring along Main Street.

“This is historic, to be given the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than ourselves nationwide,” said Michael Alaniz, co-commander of the Spring Fire Honor Guard. “It’s something we’ll probably never be able to do again.”

The honor guards carried axes and colors to honor their former commander in chief.

“Members who have prior service — serving our country in the armed forces — definitely feel a big connection,” Alaniz said. “As for the others, I can’t speak for everyone, but I think it’s a huge honor to be a part of this.”

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Meredith Seaver— THE BATTALION

The train route began in Spring and finished on Wellborn road near Kyle Field. Members of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and Ross Volunteers were there to welcome the Bush family.

Welcome home, Mr. President

Bush reaches final resting place after 70-mile train journey from Houston to College Station Thursday

By Jordan Burnham @RJordanBurnham

On a gray and rainy Thursday, the faint echo of a train whistle was heard as silence engulfed the Texas A&M campus. Minutes later, the casket of the late George H.W. Bush was escorted from a train car to a hearse.

College Station saw a historic moment Thursday as the 41st president was laid to rest alongside his wife, Barbara and daughter Robin. Before reaching the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Bush’s body was escorted by family members and close friends via Locomotive 4141 until reaching Texas A&M, where the family was met with a song by the Singing Cadets and a salute from Ross Volunteers. As the former president’s casket was escorted to a waiting hearse, the Aggie War Hymn echoed through the air, performed by members of the Aggie Band.

Colonel Michael Fossum, NASA astronaut and Class of 1980, was among the special guests in attendance of the train crossing ceremony and said one thing was never in question with Bush: his integrity and his honor.

“That life of honor is one that we need to recognize, remember and for goodness sakes, let’s all of us in our own way try to emulate,” Fossum said.

Chemical engineering senior and vice president of the Sing-

ing Cadets Abu Akki said he was humbled by the opportunity to honor the late president by performing for the Bush family and friends. Frigid weather and rain were virtually unnoticeable as the singing cadets were focused on ensuring the president’s remembrance, Akki said.

“I also had a chance to sing for Barbara Bush’s funeral in April, and it actually rained then as well,” Akii said. “It felt fitting because I think those two in particular have a certain love for A&M and a certain love for our nation that is very honorable and really something that I admire.”

A&M Regent Phil Adams wore a pair of cufflinks he received from the late president and said that Bush saw a community of like-minded, service-minded individuals at A&M. “In us, he saw values — core values that he shared,” Adams said. “He saw a passion for freedom and opportunity and all things good about America. He saw shared values and he saw a passion for America.”

Aggie band commander and honors history senior Caleb Brown said that Bush requested the Aggie War Hymn be played at the ceremony, showing his love for A&M’s traditions.

“We’re a long-standing institution, and we just happened to be the ones that were given the honor,” Brown said. “It just really reminded me what it is we stand for, which is ultimately respect and loyalty to our country.”

Industrial distribution sophomore Anydo Romera was among the crowd of community members who gathered around College Station to watch the presidential train arrive.

“Primarily, I live my life on the ideology of ‘surround your-

self with people better than you’ — and to exemplify an astounding person, a phenomenal person and a model citizen for everyone to look up to,” Romera said. “I would like to pay my respects for a great man.”

President of the Singing Cadets and industrial engineering senior Corey Bowers said he immediately noticed the large crowd of people gathered across Wellborn Road as he walked onto the stage where he sang during the ceremony.

“To be there at the final stopping point of the train and then sing in President Bush’s honor as they got off the train — that was something that you can’t really put into words,” Bowers said.

As the motorcade pulled away from the ceremony, former president George W. Bush could be seen waving to the crowd through his window.

After leaving the railroad crossing, the motorcade made its way to the Presidential Library, where over a thousand members of the Corps lined the road to pay their respects.

Corps commander Adam Buckley was able to salute the motorcade as it approached the library. He held a salute again as an unprecedented 21-jet flyover passed over the burial site in Missing Man formation.

“The whole reason we were there was to try to show support and appreciation for everything [the Bush family has] done,” Buckley said. “He put Texas A&M on the national forefront. He brought to the nation what the people in Texas — and especially the local area — have known for so long, which is the Aggie Spirit.”

Making headlines on campus

Former Battalion and Eagle reporters recall early interviews with Bush 41

By Jane Turchi @JaneTurchi

As George H.W. Bush approached his final resting place on the grounds of his presidential library and museum, former Battalion staffers recalled their experiences meeting the 41st president.

Melissa Oberholtzer, Class of 2003, interviewed Bush for The Bryan-College Station Eagle in 2005. Oberholtzer was a Battalion reporter from 2001 to 2004.

As a student journalist, Oberholtzer was assigned to cover Bush’s induction as an honorary member of the Singing Cadets. According to Oberholtzer, she was able to ask Bush silly questions like whether he sang in the shower or sang to his wife, Barbara.

“It was the coolest moment of my career,” Oberholtzer said. “They were not typical questions for a former president, but it certainly was a fun story to do.”

Surrounded by Secret Service and Bush’s office members around the room, Oberholtzer recalls the experience being both intimidat-

ing and eye-opening. As the only member of the media present, Oberholtzer spoke with George and Barbara Bush for three minutes.

According to Oberholtzer, George H. W. Bush was feeling under the weather at the time of the interview, but continued to give her his full attention. While some might call it a coincidence, Oberholtzer likes to say she caught a cold from the former president of the United States.

“I hope people remember Bush 41 as a genuine and amazing person we should thank for a lifetime of service to our country,” Oberholtzer said. “He made me feel like I was important, even if it was for a short time.

[Interviewing him] was a memory that will last me a lifetime.”

Brady Creel, director of development, engagement and outreach at Texas A&M Qatar and Class of 2003, also had the opportunity to meet George and Barbara Bush when he was in Aggieland.

In May 2001, the former president and first lady were in town for ABC reporter Sam Donaldson’s lecture at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. Creel attended a private luncheon before the conference at Bush’s campus apartment as one of two A&M

journalists invited.

“President Bush and Mrs. Bush enthusiastically embraced Aggie values, culture and tradition,” Creel said. “It always seemed to me that they were as proud of Texas A&M as we were of them.”

Creel said the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum brought groundbreaking history and current affairs right to A&M’s front door and often into its classrooms.

During Creel’s time as a student, Bush put the university in the international spotlight, hosting numerous heads of state and foreign dignitaries to visit and present lectures on campus.

While covering these events, Creel said reporters and photographers from The Battalion were treated as working members of the press equal to those from New York and Washington. According to Creel, this unique experience was priceless to himself and other Aggies.

“He made the dateline ‘COLLEGE STATION, Texas’ a regular occurrence for wire services and newspapers around the world, as news media covered newsmakers visiting Aggieland,” Creel said. “And today, President Bush brings the international press corps to Texas A&M one last time. I envy the reporters from The Battalion who get to be part of it.”

Christopher Ferrell, senior program manager at S&P Global Platts, interviewed Bush while covering the unveiling of the White House in miniature exhibit at the presidential library in November 2001. A new reporter for The Eagle, Ferrell recalls being nervous but honored to meet the former president.

Ferrell shook President Bush’s hand and asked several questions. According to Ferrell, Bush was very personal and treated him with respect even though he was “just some kid from the local paper.”

“You could tell that he loved Texas A&M and understood how special it was,” Ferrell said. “I think he brought something incredibly special to the school through his association.”

A week after the event, Ferrell received an autographed photo of himself shaking hands with the former president. After hearing of Bush’s death, Ferrell looked back at the photo, cherishing the experience.

“This week has really been a reminder of how incredible the relationship between Texas A&M and George Bush has been,” Ferrell said. “I think Aggies were very fortunate to have that bond with him.”

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‘How proud we are at Texas A&M’ Chancellor Sharp reflects on university connection to Bush

By Samantha Mahler @mahlersamantha

Merdith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp awaits the arrival of George H.W. Bush in College Station on Thursday.

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp was one of several honorary pallbearers selected for 41st President George H.W. Bush’s Houston funeral and interment in College Station.

Sharp served as the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in the 1990s and met Bush when the 41st president would go to Austin to visit his son, George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum officially opened its doors on A&M’s campus in 1997, and Sharp later became

A&M System chancellor in 2011.

Though academics and A&M’s national reputation both came into play when Bush was deciding where to place his presidential library, Sharp believes it was the student body that the former president and his wife, Barbara, fell in love with.

“The students here, for whatever reason, I don’t know if they come here this way, if they get this way when they wind up here, but they take the core values to heart,” Sharp said. “They are respectful. I’ve heard people say, including him, say that all you have to do is walk across this campus for 20 minutes and you will feel good about the future of Texas and the future of this country.”

As the nation paid its respects, Sharp said even those who differed from Bush in their political views

have joined together in memory of the former president.

“I think everybody, whether they were democratic or republicans or whatever, upon reflection of 41, George H.W. Bush’s life, have come to the conclusion that he was the man who believed in service,” Sharp said. “Party was way down the line from that and something that he tolerated, not embraced, I think.”

According to Sharp, Bush was someone who wanted good for his country and did a great job representing the nation as president.

“It has been a while since we’ve had anybody like him, and I suspect it will be a while into the future before we have a president like him,” Sharp said. “How proud we are at Texas A&M to be associated forever.”

Inspired by selflessness Bush School graduate remembers class visit from the 41st president

By Meagan Sheffield @mshef350

Courtesy — THE BATTALION

Alexandra Gonzalez (pictured here with George P. Bush) was inspired by George H.W. Bush’s political legacy when deciding to attend the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

A chance encounter in Reed Arena Kayce Smith recalls interaction with Barbara and George Bush

By Angel Franco @angelmadison_ President George H.W. Bush was known for his approachability and willingness to talk to students every time he was on the Texas A&M campus.

Sports anchor Kayce Smith, Class of 2011, said running into Bush and his wife, Barbara, as a sophomore at A&M was something she never thought would happen.

Smith said George and Barbara Bush walked past her while she was running camera wires for 12th Man Productions at Reed Arena prior to a basketball game.

“We went to Reed Arena very early in the day,” Smith said. “The secret service detail was there, so I figured that they were in the building, but I didn’t really think we would see them.”

As a student, Smith said classmates and people she met always talked about how they would see Bush working out at the Student Recreation Center or walking around campus, but she never thought she would run into the former president and first lady herself.

Smith said she was running a wire near the sideline of the court when she heard people walking up to her.

“All of a sudden I heard somebody say ‘Honey, can we help you with that?,’” Smith said. “I looked up and it was Barbara Bush — surrounded by her guys — and right behind her was 41. It just shocked me. It was one of those moments where I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m seeing them.’”

After the initial shock wore off, Smith said she had a short conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Bush. Although the interaction was brief, Smith said it will stay with her forever — mostly because she said they made her feel like she was the most important person in the world to them in that moment.

“They made me feel like it actually mattered what I was telling them, knowing fully well that they had a million other conversations with people every single day, especially students on campus,” Smith said.

Years later, Smith says she looks back at the interaction in disbelief, but feels honored to have met the former president and first lady.

“I look back and think ‘Wow, in those very few moments that I had talking to Barbara and to George, I felt like I mattered and he was the president of the United States,’ so it was a very cool moment,” Smith said.

The Bush School of Government and Public Service was founded in 1997 in honor of former President George H.W. Bush, and through the school, he was able to interact with and impact many students.

Alexandra Gonzalez, Class of 2015 and 2018, works as a development specialist at the Association of Former Students and is the president-elect of the Brazos County A&M Club. She received her masters of public service and administration from the Bush School and served as chief ambassador of the school’s ambassadors council.

Throughout her time in the graduate program, she met several prominent figures in government, including the 41st president.

Gonzalez said her most memorable experience was the day Bush attended her Governors of the State, Nation and World class taught by his son, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

“He was just a few seats over to my right, and that was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever been able to say — that I attended class with a former president,” Gonzalez said.

“The magnitude of what he must have experienced and the kind of decisions that he had to make, that just really sank in.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, Gonzalez said she was inspired to enroll in graduate school because of the Bush School’s reputation and legacy.

“I’ve always known that I have a desire to lead, but more importantly, serve others,” Gonzalez said. “Whatever capacity that may be, a degree in government and public service would be invaluable, and it just happened to be the tremendous bonus that Former President Bush’s School of Government and Public Service is located at the best university in the world, right here at Texas A&M.” Gonzalez said she grew up admiring the Bush family and their service to their country. After the death of Barbara Bush in April, Gonzalez organized a candlelight vigil in the former first lady’s honor. Gonzalez has past experience in honoring fallen

Aggies through Muster and Silver Taps, as part of her former role as chair of Traditions Council.

“My gut instinct and reaction to honor such a profound woman was our core value of respect,” Gonzalez said. “I knew what it would take to really be able to show how much she meant to the Bush School. I saw an opportunity to practice what I’ve learned at Texas A&M, and that is to lead, do what is right, and exercise our core values.”

Members of Gonzalez’s capstone project helped her plan the candlelight vigil. Gonzalez said she incorporated several elements in the event that are present in A&M traditions like Silver Taps. The night Bush died, Gonzalez received several Facebook messages from current Bush School students asking for help in planning a candlelight vigil for the president.

“It was really neat to see that my simple act of doing what Aggies do, seeing how my example to lead my classmates in this ceremony has carried forward and inspired the next class of Bush School students,” Gonzalez said. “It was really inspiring to see that come full circle.”

Gonzalez was invited to be a bus captain for Bush’s funeral services on Thursday, where she helped people move from a certain part of campus to where they would be able to view the train’s arrival.

“I could be on the corner, just flagging people where to go, and that would be enough for me,” Gonzalez said. “Just the fact that I was thought of and asked to be able to participate in what will be one of the greatest days in Aggieland to honor this great Texas Aggie and former president is such an incredible experience.”

Gonzalez said she most admired how much Bush cared about people.

“Even in his time of public service, he took the time, regardless of who you were, if he interacted with you, to show appreciation,” Gonzalez said. “That is something that I think is so unique in this day and age.”

Gonzalez said that even though Bush was not a graduate of A&M, he was still a Fightin’ Texas Aggie.

“This entire university has the beautiful burden and blessing to carry on the values and the reputation and the esteem of Former President George H.W. Bush,” Gonzalez said.

IN MEMORY OF HONORARY SINGING CADET

PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH “Let future generations understand the burden and blessings of freedom. Let them say we stood where duty required us to stand.”

g n i r o n o H 41 1925 - 2018

“It is humbling to know that my classmates and I have been entrusted with the responsibility of carrying on President Bush’s legacy of service to our great nation.

I will continue to carry that burden with honor.”

“President Bush’s legacy is marked by more than just a life dedicated to public service. 41’s faith, integrity, and commitment to the good of others is an inspiration.

I am honored to continue his legacy.”

ELLIE HOOPER, Residence Hall Tour Coordinator Bush School of Government/Class of 2020 Master of Public Service and Administration

MIKE CAMMISA, Residence Life Graduate Hall Director Bush School of Government/Class of 2019 Master of International Affairs

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The Battalion | 12.7.18

FILE

George H. W. Bush threw the ceremonial first pitch when A&M played Yale on March 5, 2016 at Olsen Field in College Station.

‘A thrill of a lifetime’

A&M and Yale baseball teams recall meeting George H. W. Bush in 2016

By Heath Clary & Angel Franco @heath_clary & @angelmadison_

Before he was president, George H.W. Bush was the first baseman for the Yale Bulldogs.

Bush was one of the first athletes to ever play in the College World Series. In the 1947 season, the Bulldogs went 19-10-1 during the regular season and made it to the inaugural College World Series, but ultimately lost to the University of California 8-7.

Bush was the team captain his senior season in 1948 when they returned to the CWS after a 21-9-1 season. However, his team saw another loss, this time against the University of Southern California 9-2.

As the Bulldogs’ first baseman, Bush had a .976 fielding percentage in 1947 and a .992 fielding percentage in 1948.

On June 5, 1948, Bush met legendary baseball player Babe Ruth and shook hands with

him.

According to Baseball Almanac, Bush attended 10 games while in office. Bush became the first U.S. president to throw out a first pitch in Canada when he attended a Toronto Blue Jays game on April 10, 1990.

In 2016, Bush’s two favorite universities, Texas A&M and Yale, met on the diamond.

The former president threw out the first pitch.

A&M bested the Bulldogs 13-0, but for A&M head coach Rob Childress and the rest of the team, it wasn’t the victory that made the experience special.

“To have [Bush] here on the field with his former school, Yale, and to be at Texas A&M has got to be one of the best moments of my career in front of several dog piles and championships,” Childress said.

The Aggie’s head coach said he met Bush at a dinner about 10 years prior and had nothing but respect for the former commander in chief.

“President Bush has a gift where any time you’re visiting with him, he makes you feel like what you have to say is the most important thing in the world, and I think there are a lot of people around the world that could

attest to that,” Childress said. “That is a gift that very few people have, and if you’ve met a person like that, you will never forget it.”

Bush threw the pitch from his wheelchair to then-freshman pitcher Stephen Kolek, Class of 2019.

Kolek was tasked with catching the first pitch that season, but when it was announced Bush would throw it out against Yale, some of his A&M teammates suddenly wanted the position.

“I remember I had to defend my job a little bit,” Kolek said. “It was an awesome experience and one that not very many people ever get to do. He’s done so much for the country, and to even be in the same proximity with him is amazing, much less catch a pitch from him.”

The Yale players met Bush and his wife, Barbara, the morning before one of the games while taking a tour of his library, which Yale coach John Stuper called “a thrill of a lifetime.”

“The entire team gathered around him and he was as down to earth and friendly as you could imagine,” Stuper said. “He engaged the players, asking them where they were from,

and seemed pleased to know of our large contingent of Texas boys.

A little while later, we were asked to step back, and former first lady Barbara Bush joined the group.”

The A&M-Yale game also marked the release of the Aggies’ red, white and blue jerseys that they now wear in home sweep opportunities. A&M’s director of baseball operations Jason Hutchins helped design the patriotic uniforms with Adidas. With the President in attendance, it was the perfect chance to debut the new uniforms.

“It’s not like A&M to go outside the maroon and white,” Kolek said. “But when you’re supporting America like that, it’s an awesome feeling.”

All in all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all parties involved, and one that the players and coaches will never forget. “[That] was an extraordinary day that we will all remember for the rest of our lives,” Stuper said. “We may forget the scores of the games, but we will never forget the day we had the opportunity to meet two of the finest Americans our country has ever produced. I feel blessed to have been part of it.”

FILE

Bush takes flight Former president used skydiving to celebrate

By Kathryn Whitlock @kathryn_whitloc8

FILE

George H.W. Bush went skydiving for his 80th birthday on June 13, 2004. He jumped over his presidential library in College Station.

George H. W. Bush joined the U.S. Navy in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

During a 1944 combat mission as a Naval Aviator, Bush was shot down near the Japanese-occupied island of Chichi Jima, parachuting out of his plane into the Pacific ocean.

Over five decades later at the age of 73, the former president jumped over a military base in Arizona, fulfilling a wartime promise to skydive for fun. This

became something of a tradition for Bush, as he marked his 75th, 80th, 85th and 90th birthdays with similar jumps.

Celebrating his 80th birthday, the Army’s 229th birthday and the 227th anniversary of the American flag adoption, the former president skydived on June 13, 2004 in College Station.

Jumping from 13,500 over the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Bush landed in tandem with U.S. Army Golden Knight parachutist Sgt. Bryan Schnell.

Upon landing, he was awarded the U.S. Army’s basic parachuting badge. Actor Chuck Norris and Fox News managing editor Brit Hume accompanied Bush

on the jump. Former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, former Mexican President Carlos Salinas and Bush’s son Jeb were on site to watch the jump as well.

On Nov. 10, 2007, Bush made another parachute entrance for his presidential library’s rededication ceremony, jumping in tandem with Army Sgt. 1st Class Mike Elliott of the Golden Knights.

In 2014, Bush made a final tandem jump under a red, white and blue parachute from 6,000 feet in Maine, despite being confined to a wheelchair and battling a form of Parkinson’s disease. Once again, he jumped in tandem with Elliott.

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The Battalion | 12.7.18

‘Public service is a noble calling’ Former president left lasting legacy with graduate school at Texas A&M

By Jennifer Reiley ‘15 & Gracie Mock ‘18 The Bush School of Government and Public Service has been part of Texas A&M University’s landscape since 1997, and its presence has made an impact on the people, both students and faculty, that have come through its doors.

Establishing the Bush School Even before Bush was elected president in 1988, representatives from A&M were proposing he build his library in Aggieland.

“The story goes that several members of the board of trustees had been pushing him all along to run for president,” original Bush School director Charles Hermann said in a 2015 interview. “When he was actually elected in November of 1988, they said, ‘Now you have to put your library at A&M.’ He is reported to respond, ‘Well, that is a very generous offer, but first, why don’t you let me be president.’”

Later, when the library selection process officially began, A&M’s proposal differed from those of other schools, including Rice and Yale.

“Texas A&M built into their proposal that if he put his library here, they would create a new professional school of public service and co-locate it with the library,” Hermann said.

In 1991, it was announced that A&M would be home to not only the Bush Library, but also the Bush School. Plans did not move at a rapid pace at first, as many expected Bush to win re-election in 1992 against Bill Clinton.

Ray Bowen, former A&M president from 1994 to 2002, said he started at A&M right when the plans picked up pace.

“The president did not get re-elected for a second term, so the process of breaking ground [and] building the facilities was accelerated quite a bit as I came into the university,” Bowen said in a 2015 interview.

Bowen said when he arrived on campus, there was an air of excitement because the Bush school was expected to bring “a lot of

attention the university.”

In 1997, Hermann came to A&M to design curriculum and find faculty for the school.

The school’s dedication was held separately from the library’s at the request of Bush, who was worried the school’s opening would be overshadowed by the news about the library. The school was dedicated just before the first semester of classes started in the fall of 1997.

“We also had a concert that night in Rudder Auditorium, and Lyle Lovett and his band played a free concert for the dedication of the opening,” Hermann said.

Professor Bush in the classroom Once the school opened in the fall of 1997, Bush spent time visiting the class of 18 students on multiple occasions — a tradition he would continue for as long as he was able. Hermann said the former president was also included in an annual international affairs simulation.

“I got him always to play the President of the United States in the simulation,” Hermann said. “I’d tease him each year and say, ‘I know this could be a stretch for you, Mr. President, but would you mind playing the president in the simulation.’ And he did.”

One of the female students in the initial class was from Germany, and Hermann said she spoke to Bush about how she would not be at A&M if he had not been president.

“The Berlin Wall fell, and Bush orchestrated the unification of Germany from East and West Germany, and she was from East Germany,” Hermann said.

Today, the school offers master’s degrees in public service and administration along with international affairs.

Bush’s presence, Hermann said, has also been influential in bringing guests to campus.

Bowen said he thought the influence of the school and its guests began to expand after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, particularly in the fields of national and homeland security.

“It brings to the campus policy makers, political figures, people of all kinds who would not necessarily find a reason to be there,” Bowen said. “It’s enriched the academic environment really across the board.”

PROVIDED

Former president George H.W. Bush poses with Bush School graduates on May 10, 2002.

Remembering Bush’s major legislative works Throughout his four years in office, President George H.W. Bush put his support behind several influential bills that still impact Americans today. Here’s a look at five of them:

1 George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act into law in 1990.

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The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, requiring food labels to include serving sizes, the number of servings in a container and nutrition information such as calories and grams of fat.

2

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a multi-faceted civil rights law which prohibits discrimination against disabled Americans. The law requires employers to reasonably accommodate employees with disabilities. It also requires public business and entities dealing with matters such as transportation and housing to accommodate disabled users.

Under the Americans With Disabilities act, telecommunication companies must ensure consumers with disabilities have equal access to content through services such as closed captioning.

Creative Commons

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act

Americans with Disabilities Act

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Immigration Act of 1990 The Immigration Act of 1990 increased the maximum limit of new immigrants to the United States each year. Additionally, it created a ‘lottery’ that randomly assigned visas to applicants and lifted regulations that restricted immigrants who tested positive for HIV.

North American Free Trade Agreement The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a trilateral agreement between The United States, Mexico and Canada. It was signed in 1994 with the goal of eliminating trade and investment barriers among the countries. According to an assessment by the Council on Foreign Relations, trade between the U.S. and its North American neighbors has more than tripled in the years since, and U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico now account for more than a third of the nation’s total.

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Clean Air Act Amendments The Clean Air Act declared that improving air quality promotes public health and laid out measures to enhance it. The 1990 amendments required the federal government to take more responsibility and implemented regulatory programs to control acid rain.

By Taylor Fennell

GEORGE H.W. BUSH | 1924-2018 Words cannot express our gratitude for President Bush’s myriad lifetime accomplishments, not only for the international and national impact he had as President, but also in his post-presidency work as an advocate and supporter of charitable causes, including at Texas A&M University. We hope that President Bush’s life will serve as a constant reminder of how one Point of Light can inspire others to make a life of meaning in service to others.

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