April 2006
   News from The Association
»  Aggies to Celebrate Muster Worldwide on April 21
»  Give New Grads the Gift of the Aggie Network
»  Attend the First All-Aggie Reunion June 15-18
»  "Texas A&M-Through Your Eyes" on AggieNetwork.com
»  Aggie Ring Orders and Repairs Available
»  Join the Traveling Aggies on an Upcoming Trip

   News from Texas A&M University
»  Bruce and Patsy Nichols of Austin Named "Parents of the     Year"
»  Billy Graham Receives Bush Public Service Award
»  Princeton Review Ranks Texas A&M as a "Top 10 Best Value"
»  Sen. John McCain Gives Lecture at Texas A&M
»  University Holds Forums on Hosting New Homeland Security     Facility
»  Texas A&M Chosen to Protect Pointe du Hoc
   Aggie Calendar
  
   University Links

   Subscription Information

   To read this E-Newsletter online, go to
   www.AggieNetwork.com/HTMLEmails/ENewsletter/April2006/.


 
News from The Association
Aggies to Celebrate Muster Worldwide on April 21
This Friday, Aggies in approximately 320 countries around the world will celebrate one of Texas A&M's oldest and most revered traditions-Aggie Muster. Held every April 21, Muster is an annual celebration of the Aggie Spirit as well as a time to honor Aggies who have passed away in the last year. This year's ceremonies include four in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, with the largest Muster taking place on the Texas A&M University campus at 7 p.m. in Reed Arena. The campus ceremony will feature keynote speaker Bill E. Carter '69, president of Carter Financial Management and past president of The Association of Former Students and the Dallas A&M Club. Carter's speech will be followed by the "Roll Call For The Absent," which will include the names of two Aggies who were killed in action while serving in the U.S. Army-Sgt. William Meeuwsen '03 of Kingwood and Chief Warrant Officer Richard (Matt) Salter '85 of Houston. For more on this story, go to http://our-news.tamu.edu/newsmanager/templates/?a=2539&z=15 . To find your local Muster or Musters around the world, go to http://www.AggieNetwork.com/Muster/search.aspx .

Give New Grads the Gift of the Aggie Network
For all of those Aggies about to celebrate their graduation from Texas A&M, The Association of Former Students is proud to offer a unique and valuable gift-membership into the Century Club. Active membership within The Association of Former Students allows the recipient to utilize the full strength of the Aggie Network by accessing our Online Directory, receiving Texas Aggie magazine and much more. In addition, new graduates of Texas A&M are also eligible to receive a Century Club membership at half price-$50. To give the gift that truly gives back to Texas A&M and impacts thousands of Aggies, call The Association of Former Students' Annual Giving Office at (979) 845-7514 or visit http://www.AggieNetwork.com/GiveBack/.
 
Attend the First All-Aggie Reunion June 15-18
The Association is inviting Aggies everywhere to join in the fun and festivities of the first All-Aggie Reunion in San Antonio. All Aggies and friends of Texas A&M are invited to bring their families and reconnect with their Aggie friends while enjoying some of Texas' favorite vacation destinations. Enjoy the Alamo City's many recreational venues, then get together on Friday and Saturday evening for a family-friendly dance on the Riverwalk, including great music, entertainment for the kids and good food. The weekend is all about Aggies, family and time spent with A&M friends old and new. For further information on this event, go to http://www.AggieNetwork.com/Class/Reunions/2006/schedule_mega.aspx or call our Former Student Programs staff at (979) 845-7514.

"Texas A&M-Through Your Eyes" on AggieNetwork.com
Even as it continues to grow and evolve, Texas A&M still maintains a proud heritage that is cherished by Aggies everywhere. Now a section of AggieNetwork.com is dedicated to illustrating that heritage through the fond recollections of the worldwide Aggie Network. All photographs showcased on the Web site were submitted by Aggies wishing to share images that capture their greatest memories of Aggieland. These photographs can be seen at http://www.AggieNetwork.com/Memories . To share your Aggieland memories with your fellow Ags, send them to Memories@AggieNetwork.com.

Aggie Ring Orders and Repairs Available
The Association of Former Students' Aggie Ring Office is currently taking Aggie Ring orders for qualified former students. Rings ordered by April 28 will be delivered on June 29 at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. Rings may be ordered in person, by mail or by fax. The Aggie Ring Office can assist you with your Aggie Ring if it needs to be resized as well. You can either stop by The Association or mail your Ring directly to Balfour for repairs. For more information, go to http://www.AggieNetwork.com/Ring.

Join the Traveling Aggies on an Upcoming Trip
Join the Traveling Aggies on their many excursions around the world, including the following.

Adriatic Riviera, August 15-23, 2006
Take an escape to the Adriatic Riviera and cruise alongside its alluring coast before experiencing the vastly different yet equally impressive cultures of Croatia and Venice.

Scotland: Highlands, Islands and Lowlands, September 17-25, 2006
We welcome you to tour Western Scotland and marvel at its breathtaking landscapes, stunning castles and historic cities.

Thanksgiving in New York, November 22-26, 2006
A wonderful holiday weekend in the "Big Apple," including four nights deluxe accommodations, private group transportation, private group breakfast overlooking the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thanksgiving dinner and more.

For more information on these trips and others, contact the Traveling Aggies at 1-800-392-2096 or (979) 845-7514. Visit www.AggieNetwork.com/TravelingAggies to read about upcoming trips, see pictures from previous trips and meet our dedicated staff.

News from Texas A&M University
Bruce and Patsy Nichols of Austin Named "Parents of the Year"
Bruce and Patsy Nichols of Austin and Fredericksburg are Texas A&M University's 2006 "Parents of the Year." The couple received the honor April 9 during the All-University Awards program at the closing of the Parents' Weekend activities on campus. The Nichols were nominated for the honor by their son and daughter-in-law, Travis and Katy Nichols, both members of Texas A&M's Class of 2003. Travis said his parents gave "undying support" to him during his undergraduate years at Texas A&M and while he was in the Corps of Cadets. Now, as Travis attends veterinary medical school, they continue to be involved and offer their support to the "Aggie Family." For more, go to http://our-news.tamu.edu/newsmanager/templates/?a=2517&z=15 .

Billy Graham Receives Bush Public Service Award
Evangelist Billy Graham received the 2006 George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service at Rudder Auditorium on April 10. Former President George Bush presented the award to Graham, who is known as one of the most influential religious leaders in the world. Graham, 87, was humbled to receive the award, saying public service recognition is usually given to politicians or philanthropists, while his life took a different path. "My calling has been to help people look beyond this world and its problems to the world to come-to help us understand that we weren't created for this life alone, but we were created for eternity and for fellowship with God." The Bush Award was established by the Bush Foundation to recognize an individual or organization for outstanding leadership on matters of national or international significance. Previous recipients of the award include former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Sen. Edward Kennedy and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. For more, go to http://www.theeagle.com/stories/041106/am_20060411005.php.

Princeton Review Ranks Texas A&M as a "Top 10 Best Value"
Princeton Review, a nationally prominent college guidebook for prospective students, lists Texas A&M University as one of the country's "top 10 best value public colleges" in its 2007 edition-marking the third time in recent months that Texas A&M has been so cited. Editors of the New York-based guidebook say their ratings are based on factors that include academics, tuition and financial aid, along with data obtained from administrators at 646 colleges and surveys of students attending the 150 institutions selected for inclusion in the publication. Texas A&M is the only university in Texas to be included in the "top 10 best value" category for public institutions. For more, go to http://our-news.tamu.edu/newsmanager/templates/?a=2407&z=15 .

Sen. John McCain Gives Lecture at Texas A&M
Sen. John McCain appeared at the Texas A&M campus on April 3 and presented the annual Twanna M. Powell Lecture at Rudder Auditorium. During his speech, the Arizona congressman addressed America's national security concerns, focusing primarily on the issues of illegal immigration and the War on Terror. McCain is a prominent political figure in the United States and has a long career of public service. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1958 before beginning his career as a Naval aviator. In 1982, he was elected to Congress representing what was then the first congressional district of Arizona. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he currently serves as Arizona's senior senator. The Twanna M. Powell Lecture Series brings distinguished leaders and recognized experts to Texas A&M to discuss issues impacting the state of Texas and its citizens. For more information, go to http://www.theeagle.com/stories/040406/am_20060404006.php

University Holds Forums on Hosting New Homeland Security Facility
Texas A&M University officials announced March 21 that they will submit an "expression of interest" to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to host the proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF)— an endeavor that could include an initial federal grant for construction of as much as $450 million. Current national bio- and agro-defense capabilities are inadequate to meet future research requirements supporting both agriculture and public health national security, according to homeland security officials in Washington, D.C. The proposed NBAF integrates human, foreign animal and zoonotic disease research with development and testing, which will support the complementary missions of the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Human Health and Services and Agriculture. For more, go to http://our-news.tamu.edu/newsmanager/templates/?a=2283&z=15 .

Texas A&M Chosen to Protect Pointe du Hoc
Texas A&M has been selected by the American Battle Monuments Commission to preserve Pointe du Hoc, a historic cliff on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. The cliff is significant to Texas A&M because it was scaled by Lt. Col. Earl Rudder '32 and his Ranger battalion during the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion. Fifteen years later, Rudder became president of the university. The commission is specifically interested in having documentation of the Pointe du Hoc battleground. Texas A&M's Colleges of Architecture, Engineering and Geosciences will work collaboratively on the project to survey the site, identify culturally significant resources, learn the history of the site and have a better record of what is left in order to determine what it looked like in its original form. "This is a very exciting project and everyone involved is enormously honored to be working on it," says David Woodcock, a professor with the College of Architecture. "It is hallowed ground, and we will do our best to help preserve it." For more, go to http://www.theeagle.com/stories/040806/am_20060408005.php .

Aggie Calendar
April 21: Aggie Muster
Reed Arena, 7 p.m.
http://muster.tamu.edu/

April 26: Softball vs. Texas
Aggie Softball Complex, 6 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=WSB

April 27: Aggie Ring Day
Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m.
http://AggieNetwork.com/events/ringday.aspx?rt=s

April 28-30: Big 12 Men's Tennis Championships
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=MTE

April 29: Class of 2006 Ring Dance
University Center, 8 p.m.
http://classcouncils.tamu.edu/ringdance/

April 29-30: Baseball vs. Texas
Olsen Field
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=MBA

May 6: Aggie Saltwater Classic
Teakwood Marina, Galveston, 5:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
www.reveille.org/en/cev?55

May 10: "The Next Tradition" Graduation Party
Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
http://AggieNetwork.com/events/tnt.aspx?rt=s

May 12-13: Texas A&M University Commencement Ceremonies
http://graduation.tamu.edu/

May 13: Class of 2007 Boot Dance
Rudder Exhibit Hall, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
http://classof2007.tamu.edu/

University Links

Subscription Information
To read this E-Newsletter online, go to www.AggieNetwork.com/HTMLEmails/ENewsletter/April2006/.

This monthly electronic newsletter from The Association of Former Students keeps you informed and up-to-date on happenings at Texas A&M University and throughout the Aggie Network. If you received this as a forward, visit www.AggieNetwork.com/Login.aspx to update your information with The Association and to receive your own copy in the future. 
 



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