The Battalion - May 10, 2021

MONDAY, MAY 10 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2021 STUDENT MEDIA

CONGRATS GRADS

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

Beginning on May 12, thousands of Aggies will walk the stage in Reed Arena and receive their diplomas.

Aggies prepare for commencement Graduates reflect on past year of COVID-19 changes, look to future

By Kathryn Miller @Kathrynmiller0 As graduation ceremonies approach this week, the Class of 2021 prepares to be the second class to graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas A&M will be having in-person graduation ceremonies, taking place from May 12-21. To ensure social distancing, each graduate was allotted eight tickets for their friends and family to attend. For those who are unable to make the event, each graduation ceremony will be live streamed through KAMU. According to an NPR article, various universities and institutions across the nation are celebrating graduates in a variety of ways. Some schools, like A&M, are hosting multiple, smaller in-person ceremonies to comply with social distancing mandates.

Some universities, like Iowa State, are hosting large ceremonies in football stadiums and outdoor arenas, while others, like the University of Washington, are doing only virtual ceremonies.

Engineering senior Ryan Ramirez said graduating during a pandemic is a little

A&M recognizing 11,406 students at spring graduation COVID-19 precautions in place for upcoming graduation ceremonies

By Julia Potts @juliaapotts

my friends and family, especially my grandparents.”

Though his senior year was different than his other years in college, Ramirez said he didn’t feel he missed out on anything.

“Sure, the football games were different and most staple Aggie events were held

After returning to in-person graduation in December, Texas A&M will continue to maintain COVID-19 protocols throughout the spring 2021 ceremonies.

On Saturday, May 8, doctoral students walked the stage, with undergraduate and master’s ceremonies to take place from May 12 through 21 in Reed Arena, according to Texas A&M Today.

COVID-19 precautions will remain in place for the ceremonies, and graduates and guests are required to wear masks and will be expected to socially distance themselves from other groups.

Graduates may remove their masks for their graduation photo after walking the stage.

Each graduate has received eight tickets for guests, according to the A&M Graduation website. The doors for each ceremony will open for guests one hour prior to the start time, and the

ENDURING COVID-19 ON PG. 2

GRADUATION ON PG. 2

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

A&M’s face covering policy will be enforced for graduates and all visitors to Reed Arena.

daunting and doesn’t feel like a traditional send-off into “adult life.”

“I never really thought of myself as a COVID[-19] graduate until now, but I guess that is because COVID[-19] almost feels like a part of life,” Ramirez said. “As much as I wish it was a typical graduation, I am absolutely thrilled the vaccines already rolled out, so I can share this moment with

NEWS

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The Battalion | 5.10.21

Seniors reminisce on their time in Aggieland Class of 2021 experienced bouts of extreme weather, pandemic at A&M

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel The Class of 2021 has experienced events like no other during their four years at Texas A&M. In addition to enduring a pandemic for a year and a half during their final year in undergrad, the Class of 2021 has experienced extreme weather and huge moments in A&M Athletics.

Beginning her freshman year, English senior Madi Telschow remembers the cancellation of the first days of classes due to severe weather and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

“The storm and its flooding was devastating for so many families, including my own, but

it started out my freshman year by bringing us together,” Telschow said. “Everyone was involved somehow, whether it was through clean-up efforts or fundraising or blood donation, everyone found a way to help.”

Nonetheless, Telschow said there have been many experiences that have shaped her time at A&M that have made up for the slow start from the storm.

In 2018, the Class of 2021 joined in the storming of Kyle Field after the seven-overtime victory over LSU. Management senior Samantha Garcia said this game influenced her college experience beyond football through her time at A&M. “[The LSU game] impacted my college experience as I was able to witness anything is possible in a short amount of time as long as you have a support system backing you up,” Garcia said.

Following their junior year, the Class of

2021 saw many Black Lives Matter protests and the activism on campus. Marketing senior Carolina Jayme said she believes these protests were important because of the message they sent to the community about what the students believed in.

“Just seeing how people stood up for what they believed in, how people weren’t afraid to say what they thought was right and how people fought for the rights of everybody [was great],” Jayme said. “We stood as one, just knowing the effort was there to restore balance was great and I loved seeing all of the Aggie Network come together to [share] their opinions.”

Seeing the rare sight of snow multiple times during their college experience, public health senior K’Erika Green said being from the Bryan-College Station area, she never really saw snow before becoming a student.

“Seeing Aggieland as a winter land was

definitely an experience I’ll never forget,” Green said. “Seeing everyone come together to help each other and enjoy the snow at the same time was such a beautiful thing.”

When COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in March 2020, the Class of 2021 finished their junior year of college online, and any students received their Aggie Rings delivered to their front door.

With the end of their senior year, the Class of 2021 leaves with the retirement of Reveille IX and the transition to the 26th university president. The Class of 2021 will mark the second graduating class with a COVID-19 limited graduation ceremony, but the students will walk the stage at Reed Arena in the coming weeks, following in the footsteps of others in the Aggie family.

GRADUATION CONTINUED

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

Class of 2020 graduates were permitted to attend makeup ceremonies held in Kyle Field in March.

ENDURING COVID-19 CONTINUED virtually, but we really made the most of it,” Ramirez said. “I definitely missed getting to go in person and see my friends everyday … but I, along with the other seniors, were fortunate enough to have at least three and a half years to make friends in our majors. My heart really goes out to the sophomores and freshmen who haven’t truly had the chance to make and find those friends yet like we did.”

Although he’s not sure if it’s the nostalgia of his senior year or the distance caused by

COVID-19, Ramirez said one of the most memorable parts of his senior year was learning how to be intentional with friendships.

“The most memorable part of my senior year was getting COVID[-19] with my roommates while in the snow storm,” Ramirez said.

“I thought we were all pretty close before that, but throw in COVID[-19] and several days of Texas snow and that’ll really bond anybody together … senior year was different to say the least.”

Psychology senior Sheridan Steen said she’s gotten used to how COVID-19 has affected everyday life, including her graduation.

guests should leave with the graduate after the graduate’s picture is taken.

A&M interim President John Junkins said to Texas A&M Today that he praises this year’s graduates for their perseverance in a far-from-average university experience.

“In one of the most challenging academic years in recent memory, we’re very proud that our graduates’ hard work and persistence have paid off,” Junkins said. “For all of the Aggies who are making the transition from student to former student, we salute your accomplishments and celebrate your success. And we look forward to applauding your many achievements in the years ahead.”

For a full list of the graduation ceremony dates and times, scan the code below:

“Honestly, I’m glad graduation is spread out because I think it will be less stressful and an easier process,” Steen said. “But at the beginning of the pandemic, I thought life would be back to normal by now.”

However, Steen said she’s still nervous about her future post-graduation because of how the pandemic has extended into 2021.

“I’m excited to graduate and go to law school after living through a pandemic my whole senior year,” Steen said. “But as the second graduating class during COVID-19, I don’t know when we will ever get back to normal.”

CONGRATS CLASS of ’21 you can still pre-order your copy of the

2021AGGIELAND A photojournalistic record of your senior year.

Distribution of the 119th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook will be late Summer or early Fall.

Go Online to tx.ag/BuyTheAggieland or call 979-845-2697 to make your purchase. $81.19 (Includes Tax & Mailing Fee)

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The Battalion | 5.10.21

Celebrating Black female A&M graduates

Photo by Brandon Holmes

The brainchild of international studies senior Jabreon Jackson, a photo shoot celebrated their accomplishments of seven Black women in the Class of 2021.

Black Aggie women highlight unity, achievement with photo session

By Jessica Le @jxssicalx As graduation approaches, seven Black women participated in a photo shoot on Thursday, April 29, at the Jack K. Williams Administration Building to celebrate each of their achievements in unity. The purpose of the shoot was to raise awareness of the accomplishments Black women have made on campus during their undergraduate years.

International studies senior Jabreon Jackson said the photo shoot began with a vision she had several months ago.

“Sometime last semester, I had a passing thought of getting some of my friends together and taking this picture,” Jackson said. “I thought, ‘Let me do something to celebrate us in a very simple way and would be really fun and would be a lasting memory.’”

This semester, Jackson said she was able to narrow the photo idea down to what she wanted it to look like: Black Aggie women, all Class of 2021.

“I really wanted to highlight different female Black Aggies in a way that would celebrate

their accomplishments because oftentimes we feel overlooked,” Jackson said. “We’re here too, and we deserve to be celebrated, and so why can’t we celebrate each other?”

On the day of the photo shoot, sport management senior S’dney Goodman said she experienced a range of emotions.

“It was overwhelming in the sense that knowing that my time here at A&M was coming to an end, but I was happy because of the experience that A&M had given to me,” Goodman said. “It was a fun experience to be had, but then at the end of it, we were all like, ‘This is it. We’re all about to go our separate ways. Let’s enjoy this moment.’”

‘Fall’ing back into place

via tamutoday.tamu.edu

Texas A&M students will return to in-person instruction this fall for the first time since the beginning of the spring 2020 semester.

Although the purpose was to take photos, Jackson said even more than that, they were able to form a deeper bond over their shared experiences.

“When we got there, we could really feel the sisterhood,” Jackson said. “It was really fun within ourselves to celebrate each other … but [to] also talk about all of the different accomplishments that each of us have. Just within ourselves, we were so diverse in all of the different achievements that we have.”

Specifically, Goodman said she is proud to have been selected to join a prestigious and PHOTO SHOOT ON PG. 4

Upcoming fall semester marks return to in-person instruction

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel After two and a half semesters of mostly virtual learning, Texas A&M announced the fall 2021 semester will be delivered in person.

The announcement comes from a March 22 email from interim Provost Mark Weichold in which he notes the efforts A&M has made this semester, such as the COVID-19 random testing program, contact tracing and decreasing campus positive cases, have been successful. Weichold also mentioned the progress of the state of vaccine availability for students and those around the state.

The 2021 fall semester will mark the first traditional semester for the Class of 2024 due to classes being offered virtually with some in-person options for select classes.

Recreation, parks and tourism sciences freshman Avery Varvel said coming into college virtually has been an adjustment. Varvel said she is looking forward to attending more classes on campus and meeting more people in classrooms.

“I am definitely not too worried about it but right as I walk into class it can be nerve-wracking because it will feel like I am a freshman even though I am not [be]cause I have never experienced it,” Varvel said. “As much as I like doing school in my pajamas, I am excited to have in-person classes and get to meet more people in my major.”

Varvel said she is most looking forward to her a cappella group, the Femmatas getting to perform in-person.

“We are going to be able to start doing IN-PERSON ON PG. 4

CONGRATS Remember to carry the Aggie Spirit with you wherever you go.

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The Battalion | 5.10.21

OPINION

Creative Commons

The announcement of fall in-person classes brings praise to how A&M has handled the pandemic.

A&M’s pandemic response deserves an ‘A’ rating Columnist Sam Somogye discusses A&M’s handling of the pandemic and says returning to in-person classes is a good thing Sam Somogye

A

@samsomogye

lthough the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for over a year now, it has had the strange effect of feeling like it’s lasted a lifetime. Yet simultaneously, it feels like I was learning how to do the renegade dance (not well, by the way) on TikTok during peak quarantine yesterday. A triumphant return to normalcy is upon us, though!

For the most part, Texas A&M has done an excellent job of handling the pandemic. Things started off a little rough, sure. However, I challenge you to find someone who had a smooth transition from normal life to pandemic life.

A&M’s handling of the pandemic deserves an “A” rating for many reasons, but for time’s sake, I’ll name only a few.

First and foremost, the university’s COVID-19 testing program. Early on in the fall semester, kiosks were set up across campus to test for the coronavirus. All students have to do is walk up,

schedule an appointment and in just a few minutes they’ll have a plastic stick in their mouth or nose. Shortly after that, usually a day or two, they will have their results emailed to them. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! It should also be mentioned that this service comes free of charge.

The university did offer in-person classes in both the fall and spring semesters. However, if students didn’t feel comfortable coming to class, they had the option to opt out and attend class through Zoom. This was a considerate measure on the school’s behalf since many students may not have been fully on board with attending lectures in person just yet.

Wearing masks is not everyone’s cup of tea. Nonetheless, A&M has been vigilant about requiring anyone on campus to wear a mask while inside a building. I cannot count the number of times I saw an employee at Evans telling students to put their masks on properly. In fact, these employees would even make sure students were always six feet apart while sitting together. It is true that A&M has had some issues with compliance, but for the most part, they have remained dili-

gent in mask-wearing enforcement.

And now, it’s finally happening. No more Zoom lectures; no more online tests; no more breakout rooms filled with awkward silences partnered with blank screens. This is all thanks to A&M making the decision to return to all in-person classes in the fall of 2021. This news is elating, and the school is making the right decision in doing so.

Positive COVID-19 tests in Texas have steadily been on the decline for weeks now. This is after Gov. Greg Abbott made the executive decision to lift the mask mandate and allow businesses to operate at 100 percent occupancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is even starting to (slowly) get on board, announcing that it’s safe for fully vaccinated people to be outdoors without masks. With that being said, I’d like to take a moment of silence for all the “Karens” out there who will have to find something else to get mad about now. OK, back to my point, which is this: It’s time we get back to our normal lives.

A&M’s administration seems to agree since next semester things will essential-

ly be as they were pre-pandemic. This includes all in-person classes and, even better, full capacity sporting events, which means the 12th Man will be in full-swing at Kyle Field.

Next semester will be my last, and I couldn’t be happier that my time at the university I love will end the same way it started. This includes class discussions where I’m often that guy who loves to play devil’s advocate, because why not?

It includes getting my same coffee order at a Starbucks on campus and walking into class a minute or two late sometimes (or all the time — I promise, I’m a good student). It includes all the little things that this pandemic stole from us, and I’m so thankful A&M is giving them back to its students.

Some may not like A&M’s move to return to normal-ish life. But if not now, when? We can’t live like this forever, and I’m thankful to attend a university that sees that.

Sam Somogye is a political science senior and columnist for The Battalion.

IN-PERSON CONTINUED

Photo by Brandon Holmes

On April 29, a photo shoot to highlight the representation of African American women on campus took place.

PHOTO SHOOT CONTINUED selective honors program.

“I was just initiated into Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society,” Goodman said.

“I believe it’s one of the oldest long-standing honor societies in the country and for A&M, and getting into that society is by invitation-only.”

Sociology senior Tiara Kinnebrew said she is also proud of the accomplishments she and the other women have made

during their academic careers.

“I was able to achieve my childhood dream of illustrating children’s books … [and] I managed to be published three times so far,” Kinnebrew said. “Despite stressful situations and adversity, we all made it through … We went through difficult times, and we all preserved and are graduating.”

Ultimately, Goodman said the photos represent both the recognition and celebration of Black female Aggie graduates.

“The overall purpose of the photo shoot is to highlight that the African American women that are on Texas A&M campus … are making great strides as well,” Goodman said. “The [number of] African Americans on the campus … is very small, so we wanted to use this photo shoot to highlight that we’re [here], we exist and we are also making strides. We’re graduating from Texas A&M, this school that can be recognized all over. This is the time to be celebrated.”

gigs again, that will be some of my first times performing with them in a normal year,” Varvel said.

“Apparently we normally have a couple of weeks, so that will be crazy to be able to perform in-person.”

Speaker of the Faculty Senate John Stallone said the only concern the Senate has is in regard to professors who are more susceptible to being infected with COVID-19. Stallone said the leadership team has expressed its concern to university administration.

“We have asked the administration to take this under advisement and consider those people who provide a reasonable health-based request to allow them to have an alternative teaching assignment, presumably online as opposed to in-person, so they are not at risk,” Stallone said.

After having to learn how to teach online so quickly, Stallone said he believes the transition back to the typical way of teaching should be smoother than the switch to online.

“Now going back to normal teaching should be an easier, more welcomed thing by most faculty,” Stallone said. “I think it is a good thing as long as we are not experiencing another spike in COVID[-19] by the time the fall semester starts.”

Weichold said the university will continue to monitor situations through the summer and will address the campus community if any changes need to be made.

“Please know that your health and well-being are important to us as we make this transition. While the fall semester is five months away, we will be monitoring conditions carefully,” Weichold said in his March 22 email. “If changes are needed, we are prepared to adjust appropriately. We will continue to inform you as close to real-time as possible so that you are aware of the direction the university is taking.”

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LET’S BE FRIENDS Brady Stone, Editor-in-Chief Myranda Campanella, Managing Editor Julia Potts, News Editor Bec Morris, News Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Jennifer Streeter, Asst. Sports Editor Casey Stavenhagen, Asst. Sports Editor Shelby McVey, Life & Arts Editor Jessica Le, Asst. Life & Arts Editor Amina Butt, Maroon Life Editor

Joshua Howell, Opinion Editor Caleb Powell, Asst. Opinion Editor Will Nye, Photo Chief Abbey Santoro, Asst. Photo Chief Mitchell Beddingfield, Multimedia Editor Annie Wells, Multimedia Editor Cori Eckert, Design Editor

@THEBATTONLINE

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2021 sprint semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media,a unit of the Division of StudentAffairs.Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

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

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The Battalion | 5.10.21

The Battalion moves under new leadership

PROVIDED

PROVIDED

Journalism sophomore Shelby McVey will serve as The Battalion’s summer editor-in-chief and international studies junior Myranda Campanella will be the fall and spring editor-in-chief.

The Battalion welcomes new summer, fall, spring leadership Staff Report Later this May, The Battalion will move under new editorial supervision after three semesters with its current editor, journalism junior Brady Stone, at the helm.

Journalism sophomore Shelby McVey was recently named the summer editor-in-chief of The Battalion, and international studies junior Myranda Campanella will hold the position in the fall and spring.

McVey, who started with The Battalion in 2019 as a Life & Arts reporter and now serves as Life & Arts editor, said joining The Battalion was one of the best decisions she has made in college.

“I’ve always encouraged people if they were even thinking of joining The Batt to just take the leap and do it because honestly I never saw myself making the connections I have and that’s all because I have The Battalion backing me,” McVey said. “It’s given me such real-world experience, so the fact that I have real-world influence on freshmen and new staff now and get to help them write the stories they have dreamed about, whether they write about news, politics, sports or whatever is so cool.”

This summer, The Battalion will be transitioning back to a summer print schedule for the first time since 2019, and Stone said he

looks forward to seeing McVey lead The Battalion back into a sense of normalcy.

“Seeing Shelby grow these last four semester has been amazing,” Stone said. “She has definitely found her niche, and I am so excited to see her help our younger staff members find theirs as well. I know good things are to come this summer.”

Campanella, who was an assistant news editor in the fall of 2020 and managing editor for the spring semester, said she also is looking forward to a more normal semester but is ready to serve The Battalion’s readers no matter the circumstance.

“It will definitely be a good environment for our staff who will finally get to meet each other in person,” Campanella said. “News is always flowing but I’m hoping for less and less bad news coming out next semester. I definitely look forward to focusing on A&M, traditions and our daily campus coverage ... I feel like our staff is itching to be back so that will be good.”

After serving as one of The Battalion’s chief student leaders for the last semester, Stone said Campanella has the expertise and experience to make the most of two semesters as editor-in-chief.

“Myranda can digest and produce news so easily and I think that is what The Battalion needs, especially heading into some post-pandemic coverage,” Stone said. “The Batt is in great hands in the coming semesters and Myranda is one of the biggest reasons why.”

Psychology sophomore Kylie Sledge will serve as the 2021-2022 editor-in-chief of the Aggieland Yearbook.

Sledge to serve again Kylie Sledge enters second term as Aggieland Yearbook editor-in-chief

By Brady Stone @bradystonex For the second consecutive year, psychology sophomore Kylie Sledge will lead The Aggieland Yearbook as its editor-in-chief.

Sledge, who started at The Aggieland in the fall of 2019 as a photographer, soon began writing and designing before serving as the 2020-2021 editor-in-chief of the yearbook. Facing unexpected bumps in the road has been difficult for her staff as they navigate not only building a yearbook but life as students as well, Sledge said.

“This last year has been kind of a whirlwind,” Sledge said. “When I got editor-in-chief last year I absolutely did not expect our first semester to be totally virtual and with so many challenges that came with COVID-19.”

Moving forward, Sledge said she and her staff will take the lessons they have learned from this last year in stride as they complete this year’s book and move onto building next year’s.

“This last year has taught me so much

about perseverance and adaptability,” Sledge said. “I had to change leadership styles because I wasn’t able to see all of our staff in person. We had to change the way we communicate, but I think it’s been beneficial for us and our overall communication skills.”

General Manager of Texas A&M Student Media Douglas Pils, Class of 1992, said Sledge’s organizational skills and ability to work quickly has been a strength of hers.

“Rising up from section editor to editor-in-chief is a difficult jump,” Pils said.

“Being able to deal with good issues and bad issues and meld everything into a cohesive unit — she’s done a good job of that ... Next year may be hard because she’s set such a high standard for herself by doing tremendous work in a trying year.”

As the 2021-2022 academic year quickly approaches, Sledge said she is excited to get started and has many plans to help her staff return to normalcy.

“I want to have in-person meetings, staff bonding time and just get everyone more involved,” Sledge said. “I think being virtual, our staff has felt a little distant from each other and having a staff that feels like family and being able to trust each other is so important.”

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OPINION

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The Battalion | 5.10.21

THE BATTALION PUBLICATION NOTICE This print edition of The Battalion is the last of the semester. The Battalion will suspend print production until its first summer issue on June 2. For web content and breaking news, follow The Battalion on its social media accounts @TheBattOnline and online at thebatt.com.

Letter from the editor Journalism junior Brady Stone says goodbye after year-long term as editor-in-chief Brady Stone

T

The Battalion’s Maroon Life Magazine 2021 Housing Guide is on newsstands now and the New Students’ Guide to Aggieland will be available in print on May 13.

@bradystonex

he end of one of the hardest years in history is in sight.

Since spring 2020, The Battalion has reported on the issues students and professors have faced in the classroom and beyond. Aggies faced job losses and the deferral of internship offers, and many have changed their career paths due to instability. Additionally, many have been affected personally by the pandemic, whether it be financial hardship or having to socially distance from friends and family members.

But as this semester winds down, there is hope in sight. As you read this, millions of vaccinations continue to be administered, and slowing the spread seems within grasp.

Current and former students alike have faced the adversity this academic year has thrown at them with all of A&M’s core values at the forefront.

Despite this adversity, my friends and coworkers at The Battalion have so often put their jobs first during a very tumultuous time for student journalists, and I have them to thank for my strength.

Hannah and Cori, you two have been my rock for the past year.

You both are extremely talented and I am so excited to see what you achieve — Hannah after graduation and Cori with one year left at The Batt. I will miss chasing our 11 p.m. deadline every week and our 1 a.m. trips to McDonald’s for a hot and spicy. Y’all are some of my closest friends and your support this past year I cannot repay.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Camryn and Myranda, you are two of the smartest people I know.

I couldn’t have chosen anyone better to serve as my managing editors these past two semesters, and thank you for dealing with my shenanigans. Camryn, I am so excited to see you continue to grow in post-college life, and I will continue to be one of your biggest cheerleaders (behind Hollis of course). Myranda, I am so excited to see you lead The Batt into post-pandemic coverage, and

Will Nye — THE BATTALION

The clock in The Battalion’s newsroom contains pictures of the current editor-inchief, a tradition signifying that the editor is “always on the clock.”

I know you will continue to build on the amazing work past editors have established.

To the rest of The Battalion’s staff: All of you could not be more different, but getting to work alongside you as you produced outstanding content for your respective desks has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

I’m so excited to continue to see your work these upcoming semesters. I know exactly how hard being a student and being a journalist can be, but trust me, your rough patches have paid off.

Angelique, having you in my corner during my term as editor-in-chief has been my biggest blessing. Of course your expertise in journalism and publishing has provided me with so much, but I thank you most of all for your compassion. You have been a goto not only for work advice but for life advice and even that one time my car was towed. I’m so thankful to have you as a mentor and look forward to my last year in Aggieland with you on my team.

Mr. Pils, to be honest, last summer it felt like we would never get here. From The Battalion’s seemingly endless reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic to your personal experiences at home with your wife being a nurse, this last year was a lot. I thank you so

much for not only being The Battalion’s advisor and ad manager but also for showing all of us what it looks like to be a kick-ass parent.

You and Honny both deserve all of the pats on the back. As I prepare to move on from The Battalion, it’s reassuring to know you’re just a call away.

To our readers: I am so thankful for the support we have received these last few semesters. Thank you for the retweets, the likes, the comments and the constructive criticism. I have enjoyed editing and producing content for you from news and opinion to life and arts and sports. I hope each of you recover well from this last year and are able to enjoy The Batt’s post-pandemic coverage.

As a writer, I know cliches are a big no-no, but I will leave you with one: this isn’t a goodbye, but a see you later. I look forward to completing my degree this last year in Aggieland and will be popping my head in on occasion to help wherever I am needed. My time as editor is something I will never forget and although I will miss the newsroom, I’m excited to finally get some sunlight.

Thanks and Gig ‘em!

Brady Stone is a journalism junior and editor-in-chief for The Battalion.

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HELP WANTED

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The Texas Renaissance Festival is looking for a graduating accountant to help us establish a great accounting procedure.

We are exploring Universities in search of someone who is graduating with a degree in accounting.

We have two theme parks and a real estate business. We need one person in our office to communicate with all the staff, keep them oriented and pointed in the right direction to prevent theft, recording cashflow, recording income, formulating budgets and handle taxes.

This is a great opportunity for a person interested in living in the Magnolia area, we are 6 miles north, in Todd Mission, TX. Our completive pay will be more than any accounting firm. You will have the latest and best accounting system using Oracle NetSuite.

Please contact George Coulam, Owner and Chairman of the Board:

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George@Stargatemanor.com Office: 936-894-0147

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Paid Nursery Workers Needed for Church. Sunday Mornings and Wednesday Evenings. Please contact Mary at mary@christsway.org or 979-776-5000.

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54 Fortune teller 56 Vaughan of jazz 57 Junkyard dogs 58 Suffix with psych59 City on the Brazos 60 The hunted 62 Hodgepodge 63 Food grain 64 Wild oxen 67 Vacation spot 68 Abbr. after a comma

SWANSONG

7

The Battalion | 5.10.21

PROVIDED

Agricultural communications and journalism senior Emily Wedemeyer graduates on May 15 at 9 a.m.

The days are long, but the years are short Sports writer Emily Wedemeyer reflects on four years of personal growth

Emily Wedemeyer

F

@emilynwed

reshman year Emily arrived in Aggieland incredibly ambitious, yet arrogant. As a third generation Aggie that spent a lot of weekends in College Station growing up, I was excited to finally be a student myself and honestly thought I knew everything there was to know.

That attitude didn’t last long as I was quickly humbled by the vastness of Texas A&M. I was the typical freshman – excited to meet new people, make new friends and get involved in one of the thousand student organizations A&M has to offer.

My eager self immediately applied to three organizations and was absolutely devastated to be informed of my rejection from all of them. I was confused, heartbroken and lonely.

Looking back, I’m thankful for the trio of rejections I received. Freshman year allowed me to find a friend in Jesus like never before. That year was full of personal growth and spiritual maturity, and for that, I am grateful.

Sophomore year Emily experienced a lot of answered prayers. I was given the opportunity to work in A&M’s athletic department and met who I now consider to be my dearest friends through Delight Ministries and Kappa Alpha Theta.

I removed the word “no” from my vocabulary and allowed my social calendar to become overwhelmingly full. Any time I was tempted to complain about my busy schedule, I quickly reminded myself that I finally had what I prayed and longed for so deeply: community.

Despite having to set my alarm for 4 a.m., I’m glad I didn’t pass up the opportunity to attend College GameDay when the crew came to College Station for the A&M-Clemson football game.

Even though it was pouring down rain, standing alongside Wellborn to witness former President George H.W. Bush being laid to rest on campus was absolutely worth it. And although I was exhausted from standing for nearly five hours already, there was no way I could turn down the invitation to celebrate A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU. Those moments and many more from sophomore year are what made me realize when people say your college years are the best of your life, they’re right.

o May Minimester classes begin May 17 o Summer I classes begin June 7 o Summer II classes begin July 12 o Fall classes begin August 30

Junior year Emily had one word on her mind: “bloom.” As an upperclassman that had established myself in various capacities, my goal was simply to flourish where I had been planted.

Sadly, the coronavirus pandemic quite literally uprooted that goal when A&M sent students home for the Spring Breakturned-summer vacation.

I found myself bitter and frustrated as I attempted to stay academically motivated while finishing the semester back home via Zoom. I received my Aggie Ring from a UPS delivery driver and all sporting events were suspended a few weeks after I joined The Battalion as a sports journalist — convenient timing!

It didn’t take long for me to miss College Station. I missed my friends, going to class and debating at which coffee shop I wanted to spend the next several hours studying. Part of me even missed competing for a parking spot on sorority row for chapter meetings each Monday night.

As disappointing as it was to be robbed of half a semester in Aggieland, I couldn’t help but consider how blessed I am to attend a university I love so dearly — a place I yearned to return to.

Senior year Emily was determined

to make up for lost time. I sought joy in late night Songfest practices, took advantage of a week’s worth of canceled classes due to the snowstorm and accepted the challenge of stepping into a leadership role within my Bible study.

Other highlights of senior year include discovering The Kyle House, becoming a flag football Intramural champion, dunking my ring and experiencing my final year of undergrad alongside my sister, Audrey’s, first as an Aggie — whoop!

The fact that I’m walking the stage next week seems impossible. It feels like just yesterday my family was helping me move into my dorm room. I still remember thinking “What now?” as I watched them drive out of the parking lot that day.

Throughout my time as an A&M student, I’ve experienced some high highs, low lows and a lot of ordinary days in between. More than anything else, the past four years are a testament of The Lord’s faithfulness and provision. I am filled with gratitude and will forever be in awe of Texas A&M. Emily Wedemeyer is an agricultural communications and journalism senior and sports writer for The Battalion.

REGISTRATION is OPEN for MAY MINIMESTER, SUMMER, and FALL.

Our flexible scheduling and caring professors can help you succeed!

REGISTER

NOW!

www.blinn.edu/admissions

SWANSONG

8

The Battalion | 5.10.21

Photos by Samantha Mahler and Will Nye — THE BATTALION

Journalism senior and sports editor Hannah Underwood graduates on May 14 at 12:30 p.m.

The hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say Longest-tenured member of the editorial staff finally forced out Hannah Underwood

T

@hannahbunderwoo

his will be my 391st article for The Battalion.

It has been 1,330 days since I was first hired as a sports writer on Sept. 18, 2017, and what an incredible (almost) four years it’s been.

I’ve gotten to cover some amazing games, including a 74-72 seven-overtime thriller against LSU in Kyle Field (which was only my third football game to cover). I’ve navigated the challenges of this job in the middle of a sportsless pandemic. I’ve met some incredible people both in and out of the newsroom.

For what is supposed to be a joyous occasion, I think I have cried more this past month than I have ever cried in my life. Almost daily, the thought of having to leave The Battalion has popped into my head and sent me into a full-blown meltdown.

For those of you who know me, you know that I’ve never been a crier. I cry maybe twice a year — if that. My high school friends lovingly refer to me as the “emotionless” one of the group. And that’s normally true.

But for the last month, as my final days at A&M have quickly dwindled, I began grieving the inevitable: leaving

behind Aggieland and the memories I’ve made here.

There is one specific part to my college journey that has solicited these emotions, though.

It’s not the late nights spent studying at Evans. I can count on one hand the number of times I stepped foot in the library.

It’s not weekends spent roaming Northgate. Again, I only went a handful of times.

It’s not strolls down Military Walk or Saturdays spent standing at Kyle Field or classes in Bolton Hall. While those were certainly parts of my college experience, they are but small pieces to a much larger puzzle.

Rather, the bulk of my time at A&M was spent in a sometimes spooky office in the basement of the Memorial Student Center, and it’s what I have always known I would miss the most upon ending my time in College Station.

The Battalion has been the defining factor of my college career, and without it I’m honestly not sure who I am or what I’ll do.

A year ago, I was offered a position covering football and men’s basketball for the Dallas Morning News, which I’m sure seems like a no-brainer to accept.

And it should have been. But for me, it was a heart-wrenching decision that

represented something more than just a step-up career-wise. For me, it meant leaving behind The Batt, the only place I have ever truly felt a sense of belonging.

I couldn’t fathom leaving before my four years were fully up. Heck, I’m still not ready for my time here to end.

So though I did accept the position with the Dallas Morning News, I also maintained my role as sports editor with The Batt, which was probably a selfish decision.

But here’s the thing …

I chose to come to A&M because I wanted to be the sports editor at The Battalion. That was always the endgame for me. And now that it’s over, I feel lost. I suppose every graduate feels this way — we’ve undoubtedly become accustomed to the agonizing reliability of schoolwork since pre-k — but it’s not the school part I’ll miss.

During my two years as sports editor, I have said “I hate it here” and threatened to quit more times than I can count, but those threats were never serious. I can’t imagine my life without The Battalion in it, but that’s about to be my reality.

I know I’m already way over my word count (that’s become sort of a habit, much to the chagrin of one editor in particular), but I have a few people I need to thank for making my college

experience what it was.

First, thank you to my family, who allowed me to miss out on various holidays and get-togethers in order to cover games, write stories and follow my passions.

Thank you to our advisor Douglas Pils, who is undoubtedly the guiding light behind the magic that is The Battalion. You have encouraged me to do better and to be better daily, even though I’m sure I have disappointed you more times than I can count. You have been more of a father figure to me than you know, and I am beyond thankful for all the early morning “Where is this story at” and “Do you think we should do a story on this” texts.

(P.S. If you want to keep paying me, I’ll gladly stick around the Batt Cave.)

Thank you to my predecessor Angel Franco, who gave a chance to a quiet freshman and trusted her with assignments she was not at all equipped to undertake. I may not say it, but your support has meant the world.

To Brady Stone, I honestly don’t think I have enough space to thank you for everything you’ve given me over the past two years, but to sum it all up: Thank you for letting me annoy you on a daily basis with my constant worrying and pessimism; thank you for letting me sneak quotes into headlines and socials even though I know it pained you to do so; and most importantly, thank you for being from Hawkins.

Sidenote to Brady and the best dang page designer in the state of Texas Cori Eckert: Thank you for all the post-production McDonald’s runs. Any time I see the golden arches or hear the words “Hot and spicy,” I’ll think of y’all.

To my Battalion Family, past and present: I know I’m a pain to deal with, but please know that I love each and every one of you dearly. You have truly made my time here so special, and I am better for having known you. I wouldn’t trade those seemingly endless nights spent editing in the newsroom until we thought we were going to go insane for the world, although I will never take a normal sleep schedule for granted ever again.

There are truly not enough words to encapsulate my time at The Battalion, so I’ll just leave it at this.

For the last time as your sports editor, Thanks, Gig ‘Em and God Bless.

Hannah Underwood is a journalism senior and sports editor for The Battalion.

PEER MENTOR APPLICATION

caps.tamu.edu/aggies-reaching-aggies/ Deadline to apply is June 1st, 2021