Aggie Muster

Every April 21st, Aggies across the world gather together to reflect on their time at A&M and to remember Aggies who lost their lives in the previous year. This picture is from the gathering at the campus, where a list of the fallen is read, with a family member or family representative answering "Here" in their place. It is a very moving service.

Even though I'm hundreds of miles from my beloved school, I was able to gather with 2 other Aggies who serve on the staff of my church. We posted Texas Flags (April 21st is San Jacinto Day in Texas) and remembered our days at A&M.

My dad was the featured Muster speaker at the gathering in NW Arkansas. Here are few tidbits of A&M lore he pulled together for his speech:

· Dedicated October 4, 1876; Texas’ first public institution of higher education.
· TAMU is a research-intensive flagship university with 46,000 undergraduate and 8,500 graduate students studying in over 250 degree programs in 10 colleges.
· Ranks 10th in the nation among U.S. institutions in new National Merit Scholars.
· Ranked 1st in the nation by The Washington Monthly for “tangible contributions to the public interest.”
· Ranked 3rd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for “best values among public universities.”
· Student-to- faculty ratio has improved from 22:1 in 2003 to 19.7:1 currently.
· Admission rate of underrepresented minorities as freshmen increased by 75% since 2002.
· More than $800 million in construction – a campus record – is underway or planned.
· There are more than 310,000 former students (284,500 still living).
· Annual fund total for 2007 was $7.1 million (total donors – 44,631).
· With 2,000 members, the Corps of Cadets is the largest uniformed student organization in the nation outside the service academies.
· Includes the largest military marching band in the U.S. with approximately 400 musicians.
· Consistently produces more officers for the Armed Forces than any other ROTC source.
· Co-educational since 1974, two years prior to U.S service academies.