Student Activities & Traditions | Texas A&M Foundation

Texas A&M University’s student programs have been turning Aggies into outstanding leaders and citizens for more than a century.

Considered by many Aggies as a “second education” altogether, there are more than 1,000 campus programs at Texas A&M University that build well-rounded leaders with positive values whose contributions to business and civic life are immeasurable. The Texas A&M Foundation manages endowments for many of Texas A&M’s student organizations.

Below are just a few campus organizations you may wish to support with an endowed gift using the method of your choice. You can also give online donations of $25 or more to these organizations and other student groups by visiting our online giving site. As all programs are inextricably connected and overseen by the Division of Student Affairs, a gift to any initiative positively impacts the overall Aggie student experience.

The 12th Can

Operated by students from start to finish, The 12th Can is a food pantry built to serve all Aggie students, faculty and staff in need of assistance. Student volunteers operate the on-campus pantry and work to eliminate hunger at Texas A&M, bring awareness to food insecurity in college communities and show others the power of the Aggie Spirit. The 12th Can is affiliated with Brazos Valley Food Bank and resides under the Student Government Association.

Aggie Excellence Fund

The Aggie Excellence Fund is a student-run endowed scholarship that rewards upperclassmen student involvement. By awarding scholarships, the organization seeks to recognize Aggies who have selflessly gone above and beyond their academic obligations to make Texas A&M a better place through extracurricular involvement and leadership.

The Big Event

Since The Big Event’s introduction in 1982, tens of thousands of Aggies gather every spring to show their gratitude to Bryan-College Station residents. During the event, students complete service projects such as yard work, window washing and painting for local community members. Although The Big Event has become the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation, its message and mission remain the same: to simply say, “Thank you.”

Career Closet

At Texas A&M, 42% of students demonstrate the need for financial assistance. When Aggies begin searching for jobs and internships, they require a professional wardrobe to obtain employment, but unfortunately, many are not equipped to purchase professional attire. The Texas A&M Career Closet helps alleviate this burden by leasing suits and other professional clothing items to students for a small fee, ensuring all Aggies have an equal opportunity to pursue the career of their dreams.

CARPOOL

In 2019, Texas saw more than 24,000 traffic collisions involving drunk driving. To help curb impaired driving in Bryan-College Station, CARPOOL offers students and community members safe rides home every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night during the spring and fall semesters free of charge. The unique designated driver program offers intoxicated patrons a better alternative to getting behind the wheel and helps patrons rendered incapable of transportation due to other circumstances.

Corps of Cadets

As the largest, oldest and most visible student organization at Texas A&M, the Corps of Cadets develops well-educated leaders of character prepared for the global leadership challenges of the future. In addition to the Corps’ four main scholarship programs—Keepers of the Spirit Scholarships, 21st Century Scholarships, General Rudder Scholarships and Sul Ross Scholarships—there are also opportunities to support character-focused programs such as the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership and the Corps Global Leadership Initiatives.

Counseling & Psychological Services

In support of the mission of Texas A&M and the Division of Student Affairs, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) advances student development and academic success by providing personalized and evidence-based mental health care to all Aggies. CAPS services include individual and group counseling, crisis intervention and career counseling among various online resources, trainings and workshops for the campus community. CAPS is committed to enriching student growth through compassion, empowerment, advocacy, and empathy and strives to be a nationally recognized leader in college mental health.

Department of Multicultural Services

As Texas A&M’s student population grows, there is a pressing need to expand opportunities for intentional engagement among underrepresented students as well as intercultural competence initiatives to help all students prepare for our increasingly diverse world. The Department of Multicultural Services houses student organizations and programs, such as the Southwestern Black Leadership Conference, that focus on students’ academic, social, cultural and personal development. By supporting, advocating for and positively challenging students, the department provides experiences for students to become competent leaders.

Emergency Care Team

Conceived as a student-run, on-campus organization to bring emergency medicine to Texas A&M in 1976, the Emergency Care Team is devoted to the first aid education and training of the Aggie student body and the Bryan-College Station community. Members receive training in first responder skills and opportunities to work alongside emergency medical professionals at large-scale campus events, such as football games. While the program accepts volunteers from all fields, it offers prospective paramedics, nurses and physicians valuable real-world experience.

Fish Camp & Aggie Transition Camps

Whether arriving as a traditional freshman or a transfer student, acclimating to Aggieland can be an exciting yet overwhelming endeavor. Fish Camp and Aggie Transition Camps formally welcome new Aggies to Texas A&M through extended orientation programs similar to traditional summer camps. Attendees learnTexas A&M’s rich traditions, build support networks and engage with each other through fun-filled group activities, emerging from their camp experiences ready to call College Station home.

HelpLine

When the myriad pressures involved in the college experience mount up, a listening ear can make a life-changing difference. Supervised and operated by Counseling & Psychological Services, a department in the Division of Student Affairs, HelpLine is an after-hours mental health service that provides peer support, information, crisis intervention and referrals to Aggie students and those concerned about students. Undergraduate, graduate and former students who have undergone extensive training can serve as HelpLine volunteers.

Maroon & White Leadership Program

The Maroon & White Leadership Program is a two-fold initiative that provides student leaders with leadership development opportunities during their time at Texas A&M before inducting them into a lifelong society to continue their progress throughout their careers. The program is open to any Aggie undergrad interested in leadership development, education and training experiences.

Memorial Student Center

The Memorial Student Center (MSC) is dedicated to enhancing students’ lives through transformational learning opportunities in order to equip Aggies with the skills needed to be local, national and global leaders. Gifts to one of the MSC’s 18 programming committees can support membership scholarships, student travel, leadership opportunities and other committee expenses as well as the MSC mission of producing academic, entertainment, arts, political and cultural awareness programs.

Music Activities

Since 1893, students have been participating in musical ensembles at Texas A&M. From the handful of students who began the Singing Cadets and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band to the 1,300 students who now participate in the Department of Music Activities, these ensembles showcase the traditions of Texas A&M and more. Students travel throughout the country and the world, perform works from the classics to the newly commissioned, and form lifelong connections while pursuing their degrees. They are exposed to new cultures and ideas while respecting and representing university traditions.

Muster

Celebrated in more than 300 locations worldwide, with the largest ceremony held on campus, Aggie Muster annually celebrates the camaraderie between Aggies and honors fallen current and former students. Though early iterations of the event date back to the 1870s, the first Musters as we know them occurred during World War I when Aggies gathered on April 21 in the trenches and towns of war-torn Europe. Today, the tradition brings together more Aggies worldwide than any other event to reminisce and pay respect to all who once called Aggieland home.

Fraternity & Sorority Life

Representing 10% of the undergraduate student population, fraternity and sorority members are committed to academics and developing and strengthening their leadership skills. Greek community members contribute significant volunteering time in the community and continually form a campus and cultural support network for current and incoming Aggies. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, in particular, works to build an inclusive fraternity and sorority community and support opportunities for academic success, civic engagement and the creation of fraternal bonds.

Rec Sports

Whether they are looking to kick back and relax, blow off some steam with a serious workout or catch the beat in a group fitness class, Texas A&M Recreational Sports has the perfect activity for every Aggie. Popular activities include aquatics, indoor climbing, intramural sports, and high-quality fitness and strength programs. Rec Sports also hosts Rec-A-Palooza, an interactive, free event that provides an opportunity for the Texas A&M community to explore ways to help create and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Aggie Replant

Initially an effort to sustainably balance Aggie Bonfire’s environmental footprint, Aggie Replant organizes and hosts Replant Day, the largest, one-day, student-led environmental service project in the nation. Since 1991, volunteers have annually planted hundreds of trees at public, residential and commercial properties in the Bryan-College Station community. After the disastrous Bastrop forest fires in 2011, Replant mobilized scores of volunteers to plant more than 45,000 pine seedlings in the affected area over five years.

Student Government Association

First convening in 1947, Texas A&M’s student government provides unique opportunities for students to build relationships, enhance leadership skills, become civically engaged, maximize their college experiences and develop the six Aggie core values. In addition to representing the student body’s interests, the Student Government Association also manages impactful committees such as The Big Event, Aggie Muster Committee and CARPOOL.

Veterans Programs

True to its military roots, Texas A&M has remained one of the nation’s best universities for veterans. Among the resources and programs offered through the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center are Aggie Shields, which lends textbooks to veterans free of charge; the Student Aggie Veteran Enhancement Fund, which provides veterans with emergency financial assistance; Veteran Aggie Leaders for Outreach and Resources, which builds support networks for veterans transitioning to college; and dozens of other initiatives built to serve those who served their country.

Women’s Resource Center

The Women’s Resource Center enhances the campus climate for women through visibility, advocacy, support and programming. The center educates campus and community constituencies on women’s issues and functions as a resource center. Its outreach programs include Elect Her: Aggie Women Win, which trains college women to run for student government and future political office; the First Thursday Speaker Series, which connects students with professionals in the community; and the International Women’s Day Conference, which recognizes achievements of women throughout the world.

Yell Leaders

For more than 100 years, the Yell Leaders have embodied the unique and defining Aggie Spirit. Comprised of five students elected by the student body, the Yell Leaders are the university’s official spirit organization, charged with leading the mighty 12th Man in coordinated “yells” at Aggie sporting events. Off the field, they serve as campus ambassadors to A&M and Aggie Mothers’ Clubs across Texas and the U.S. and regularly make appearances at campus events.

Start the Conversation

Texas A&M’s student programs and traditions are a defining part of every Aggie’s campus experience. Do you want to help keep the Aggie Spirit alive with a gift for one of the programs featured here? Let us know today, and we’ll connect with you an appropriate team member.

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