Recognizing the 2024 Buck Weirus Spirit Award Recipients:
Background
The Buck Weirus Spirit Award honors 65 students each year who demonstrate high involvement, create positive experiences throughout the Aggie community, impact student life at Texas A&M and enhance the Aggie Spirit. Unlike other awards, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award recognizes those students who make contributions to the university through participation in student organizations, Aggie traditions and university events.
The Buck Weirus Spirit Award, named for Richard "Buck" Weirus '42, recognizes students for their outstanding contributions to student life programs at Texas A&M University. Weirus served as executive director of The Association of Former Students from 1964 to 1980. Because of his unique leadership, vision, and support of student involvement, this award was established by The Association's Board of Directors in 1982 in his honor.
About Richard "Buck" Weirus '42 & the Buck Weirus Spirit Award
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Association of Former Students
Served: 1964-80
Buck received a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering in 1942. He served as President of the San Antonio A&M Club before returning to Aggieland to lead The Association of Former Students. Under Buck's leadership, the Century Club was created. He guided The Association through some of the university's most difficult years, often serving as the voice of reason and reassurance to both university administrators and former students as Texas A&M underwent sweeping changes. Throughout it all, Buck remained the eternal Aggie optimist and ambassador of the Aggie Spirit. Because of his unique leadership, vision and support of student involvement, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award was established by The Association of Former Students in 1982 to recognize students' contributions to student life. This coveted award honors up to 65 students every year who demonstrate high involvement, create positive experiences throughout the Aggie community, impact student life at Texas A&M and enhance the Aggie Spirit.
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns, please send us an email at SpiritAward@AggieNetwork.com.
* Please Note: Any questions received after 5 p.m. on the date of the application deadline, will not be answered until the following business day - AFTER the Buck Weirus Spirit Award application has closed. If you have any questions about the application process, or have any technical questions about the application webpage, please email SpiritAward@AggieNetwork.com BEFORE 5 p.m. on application due date.
The Criteria
• Selection is not based on academic records but applicants are required to have a cumulative minimum 2.25 GPR for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduate students.
• Students must be in and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing with Texas A&M University.
• Students may only receive the Buck Weirus Spirit Award once.
• Students must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate for Levels 1-3 and as a graduate or professional student for Level 4 in a degree-seeking program at Texas A&M-College Station, Texas A&M College of Law, a Texas A&M Health Science Center Entity or Texas A&M-Galveston.
Texas A&M at Qatar students are also eligible for this award, but are selected through a process directed by the Student Affairs team in Doha. For information about the TAMUQ Buck Weirus Spirit Award process, please email Miguel Trevino.
Classifications
The criteria for which level you are eligible is the number of full semesters (non-summer semesters) completed at Texas A&M as of January 1, 2023. Transferred semesters are not included in the total count.
• Level 1: 2 or 3 Undergraduate TAMU semesters completed
• Level 2: 4 or 5 Undergraduate TAMU semesters completed
• Level 3: 6 or more Undergraduate semesters completed
• Level 4: Graduate/Professional students (Applicants may only include experiences completed during their graduate experience.)
Unique Circumstances
• If you are a 3+2 student, your first eight semesters count toward the undergraduate levels. During your ninth and tenth semesters, you will need to classify yourself as a graduate student.
• If you are enrolled in Blinn Team, your semesters count the same as if you were only enrolled at TAMU.
• In the event of the need to clarify an eligibility requirement the, Buck Weirus Steering Committee will review the circumstances.
Questions should be directed to SpiritAward@AggieNetwork.com.
The Selection Process
• A completed application includes the following:
• Completed applications are reviewed by a committee composed of faculty, staff and students appointed by the Buck Weirus Committee Chair.
- Prior to submitting your completed application in Submittable, please ensure that:
- Your name is NOT included on your application materials.
- Your Activities Sheet is only ONE 8 1/2 x 11 page. Activities Sheets longer than one page will result in disqualification.
• The Buck Weirus Spirit Award application is a self-nominated process, meaning that each applicant must complete and submit an application to be considered for the award.
• Applicants' names remain anonymous during the selection process. Please DO NOT include your name on your application submission.
• Only award recipients' names will be publicized.
How to Get Help
• The Association of Former Students and the Department of Student Activities presents a virtual application workshop recording available on this page, or by visiting tx.ag/BuckWeirusWorkshop. Additionally, there is a detailed Buck Weirus Spirit Award Virtual Application Review the is also available on this page or by visiting tx.ag/BuckWeirusAppReview.
Buck Weirus Spirit Award Virtual Workshop
Buck Weirus Spirit Award Virtual Application Review
* View sample Activity Sheet examples, both good and bad, as well as sample Impact Essays. For a detailed review of these resources, please watch the virtual Buck Weirus Workshop - Available on this page.
• For questions related to Submittable, the online application platform, please visit submittable.com/help/submitter/ for technical support.
• Please direct any questions via email to SpiritAward@AggieNetwork.com.
Award Notification Process
• All applicants will be notified of the results via email. Email notification will be sent to the email address provided during application submission. All email notifications will be sent prior to, or during, the week beginning March 20.
Previous Buck Weirus Spirit Award Recipients
Recognizing previous Buck Weirus Spirit Award Recipients
