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Sweet new setup Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Junior quarterback Kellen Mond rushed for one touchdown against Lamar.

A&M kicks off SEC play against Tigers No. 8 Auburn to visit Kyle Field on Saturday for Aggies’ first conference game of the season By Yuritzi Elizondo @aightyuri FILE

porting the food service program that we have going on here at Aggie Hospitality.” Other enhancements to concessions, including redesigned menu boards and the addition of 250 bar team members, are intended to optimize fan food experience at Kyle Field. “The atmosphere at Kyle Field on a game day is unmatched, and we want to deliver a dining experience and warm hospitality to match,” said Chris Warner, vice president of hospitality & strategy for Aggie Hospitality. “We looked at what worked and where we had opportunities to continue to improve from previous seasons, canvassed the culinary community and brought in several new offerings and processes across all areas.”

The No. 17 Texas A&M football team looks to stay on a roll after its bounce-back victory over Lamar last week. As the Aggies head into the start of Southeastern Conference play, No. 8 Auburn will visit Kyle Field coming off an impressive offensive performance of its own. While the Aggies lead the all-time series over Auburn 5-4, the Tigers have yet to drop a game at Kyle Field since A&M joined the SEC. Even if this is the SEC opener for the Aggies, head coach Jimbo Fisher said the team has to be ready to reset every week whether or not it is facing a divisional opponent. “You have to reset the tone each and every week,” Fisher said. “It doesn’t matter. It’s just one game at a time. … It puts you in a great position if you can have success, but you have to practice and prepare to have success.” On Saturday, the A&M run defense will face another test when going up against a Tigers offense that outgained Kent State 467 to 92 in rushing yards last week. With sophomore running back JaTarvious Whitlow leading the Auburn offense with an average of 113.7 yards per game, the A&M defense will have its hands full this weekend. Auburn’s sophomore wide receiver Seth Williams —

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Taylor Laney (left), Class of 2019 and owner of Donut Darlin’, is one of several new vendors setting up in Kyle Field this year.

Aggie-owned donut business among new stadium vendors By Alex Miller @AlexMill20 Taylor Laney is just four months removed from walking the stage at Reed Arena after graduating from Texas A&M in May, but she’s already making strides with her business on wheels, Donut Darlin’. Laney’s Aggie owned and operated food truck, which serves an assortment of mini donuts, is one of several new concession vendors added to Kyle Field this season for expanded food and beverage options at A&M football games. “It’s a crazy opportunity, especially

for me, because I’m 22 and I just graduated this May from here at A&M with a construction degree,” Laney said. “It’s very fun for me to be able to have this opportunity and be in this atmosphere and take on such a big leap for our business.” Donut Darlin’ isn’t the only vendor to make its way into Kyle Field this season. Aggie Hospitality has added more than 10 new restaurant partners, increasing menu variety at Kyle Field’s concessions this season. “We pulled in local vendors from this area,” said A&M executive chef Ryan Farrel. “It’s big for us to have places like Blake’s Steaks, to have Donut Darlin’, to have SubZero, to have a lot of those people in town that are around this area that are supporting the Aggies and sup-

Finding home and harmony A&M’s new Music Activities Center offers designated space for Aggie music groups By Brady Stone @bradystonex

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The Dunlap Drill Field is a turf replica of Kyle Field at the Music Activities Center.

After 25 years of planning and $40 million dollars in funding, the John D. White ’70 – Robert L. Walker ’58 Music Activities Center is open to students. For 49 years, the A&M bands, orchestras and choral groups have been housed across campus in buildings and offices which these programs had started to outgrow. Timothy Rhea, director of bands and music activities, was involved in the creation of the Music Activities Center since its inception and said a big priority when creating the facility was simply having room for the students. “The bands and the orchestra practiced in the Adams Band Building, which was built in 1970 for an

FROM THE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

An open letter to Aggieland

he Aggie Spirit flows through us all. We may not see it, but we can always feel it. Standing on the pedestal of our core values, The Spirit of Aggieland is etched in respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity and selfless service. These values exemplify what it means to be an Aggie and aim to celebrate all that is Aggieland. Recently, multiple instances of derogatory comments and slurs aimed at several of our minority and underrepresented communities have been made via social media. Our Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity, Dr. Robin Means Coleman, mentioned in her recent letter to students a powerful quote echoing that people are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Unfortunately, I believe this rings true for us all. Today I, as your Student Body President, joined

by student leaders from across our campus, condemn these acts as abhorrent and unacceptable. We firmly believe in the beauty of the United States Constitution and everyone’s First Amendment rights. Aggieland, it is on us to use ours to say these actions do not represent our core values. Going forward, it’s on us to respond directly yet civilly to these acts with the true Aggie Spirit. Aggieland, let’s continue to push this campus forward! We have the opportunity to do so much good during our time here to unite our community. Join myself and several student leaders by condemning any speech that misrepresents what it means to be an Aggie. BTHO hate, Mikey Jaillet ’20 - Student Body President Karsten Lowe ’20 - Head Yell Leader

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Ahmed Gad ’20 - Multicultural Greek Council President Christina Morrison ’20 - Chair, Student Affairs Fees Advisory Board Chaide Wynn ’21 - Black Student Alliance Council President Eric Mendoza ’21 - Speaker of the Student Senate Ann Elizabeth Tebow ’20 - Student Athlete Advisory Committee President Elisa Tseng ’20 - International Student Association President Oriana Koot ’21 - Memorial Student Center President Samuel Kotch ’20 - Executive Director of Class Councils Katie Deutsch ’20 - Aggie Network Student Ambassadors - President Adam Rodriguez ’22 - Aggie Orientation Leader Program Jack Moody ’20 - Interfraternity Council President Luis Saldana ’20 - Hispanic Presidents’ Council Ryan Brown ’20 - Head Director of Fish Camp Elizabeth Liu ’20 - Editor-In-Chief of Aggieland Yearbook Madison Pratt ’20 - Collegiate Panhellenic Council President Bria Perkins ’19 - Residential Housing Association President Ruben Tillman Jr. ’20- National Pan-Hellenic Council President Matthew Nguyen ’20 - Asian Presidents’ Council President Levi D. McClenny ’14 - Texas A&M System Student Regent Purna Doddapaneni ’20 - Graduate and Professional Student Government Gregory W. Cross ’20- Campus Ministry Association Luke P. Thomas ’20 - Corps of Cadets Commander

Aggie Band of about 250 people,” Rhea said. “At that time, there were no concert bands or orchestras, so the building was outgrown almost the minute we moved into it.” Before the opening of the Music Activities Center, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band — the largest military marching band in the nation — was often forced to practice its music outside. “At the old band hall, all of the bands and the orchestras had to share one rehearsal hall, so we couldn’t do any sectional work or have people break into smaller groups,” Rhea said. “There were no individual rehearsal spaces. All of these things have been addressed in the new Music Activity Center, so everything in this building takes us to an even higher level.” The new center has soundproof rehearsal halls, individual practice rooms, administration offices, storage lockers, a student lounge and a turf field that has replaced Haney Drill Field as the marching rehearsal home for the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.