Howdy!
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the graduation of most of the Class of ’63 from Texas A&M, we will be gathering in College Station beginning Friday, April 19 through Monday, April 22, 2013, to celebrate this occasion. The Class will be the honored guests at the Campus Muster on Sunday evening. This will be our last Class Reunion as a "stand alone" Class. In 2018, at our 55th Anniversary Reunion, we will be inducted into the Sul Ross Group where we will be combined with all other Classes that have been graduated for 55 years or more. That being said, this is a special Reunion for our Class, so let's be sure to make the effort to be there...it will only happen once.
Our 50th Anniversary Reunion celebration will begin on Friday, April 19th and will continue on through Muster on April 21st and conclude on Monday, April 22nd. I realize that this stretches over four days, but remember that you have a lot to say and listen to with a lot of folks that you may not have seen since our days on campus! In order to help facilitate this camaraderie, The Association of Former Students has arranged with the Hilton for us to have the Oakwood Ballroom for our exclusive hospitality room. This is the room by the side exit where we will usually load the buses for campus events. The room has a capacity of over 400 people, a cash bar, and will be open between scheduled events. Plenty of tables and chairs for us and our buddies will be provided.
The room also will provide an area for memorabilia. Tables will be set up for outfit and personal pictures. Bring items that you have saved from our days in Aggieland: Corps brass, guidons, stolen guidons, football signs (sheets), programs and anything that will remind us of those years.
If you are asking yourself how you can help with the Reunion, well here is your chance: be sure to attend and recruit as many Classmates as you can to join us. Bring items of memory and encourage others to do the same.
There is a great program planned for our time in Aggieland, some of the highlights: BG Joe Ramirez '79, the Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, will share information on the Corps at a buffet the first evening: at breakfast the following morning at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, Dr. R. Bowen Loftin ’71, President of Texas A&M University, will address us and provide for us some details of the state of the university; at the Class banquet on Saturday night, the keynote speech will be given by a real-life spy who currently teaches at the Bush School of Government and Public Service and Edis Oliver will present our Class history; Sunday includes an on-campus flag raising and of course Muster that evening where we will be the honored Class; on Monday morning we will share breakfast with the current Student Body President and Corps Commander.
A golf outing is planned for early arrivals on Friday at 12:30 pm, get your teams together or team up when you get there. See the schedule for all of the planned events. There is a lot of free time in the schedule for "face" time with all of your old buddies.
Please don't miss this opportunity to continue our memories from our times at Texas A&M, and don't let your Aggie buddies miss it either.
Gig ’em and see you there,
Ray
PS: We are still short by $27,000 in the funding of the Class of '63 Pillar for the MSC Renovation. I'm soliciting help from '63 to meet the $100,000 for the pillar. It would be great to announce that we have obtained the total funding at our Reunion in April. Contributions can be made to the Texas A&M Foundation for the '63 Project.
Reunion Accommodations
A block of rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, for the Class of '63 50th Reunion. Make your reservations by calling the College Station Hilton directly before March 28, 2013 at 979-693-7500. Be sure to reference the Group Code: MUST13 to receive the rate of $135 per night, plus tax. If you prefer to stay at another hotel in the area, please call the Accommodations Hotline at 979-260-9999 to check on hotel availability in the area. You may also go to the
Bryan-College Station Accommodations website to book a room. Hotels in close proximity to the Hilton are Hyatt Place, Hawthorne Suites, Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Express. Call today!
*College Station Hilton — Reunion Headquarters Hotel
801 University Drive East — (979) 693-7500
$135/night, plus tax
Group Name: Cl. of 63 Muster Reunion
Code: MUST13
Deadline: March 28, 2013
Check-in time: 4:00 p.m.
Check-out time: Noon
* The Hilton rooms sold out quickly last year so be sure make your accommodations soon!
Campus Muster Tickets
If you will not be riding the bus to Muster, we suggest you arrive at Reed Arena very early to find parking. We encourage you to ride the bus, which will park at the facility, so that you can enter on the ground level and walk directly to your seats. All those not riding the bus but wish to have access to the floor to sit with your Class will need to check-in with Former Student Programs prior to their arrival at Reed Arena.
Please note that space is limited on the floor of Reed Arena. Classmate / Reunion Registrants will be limited to having one guest sit with them on the floor. All other guests will be placed in a reserved section on the lower level of the Arena.
Reunion Registration & Check In
After securing your room reservation, you can print out and return the Reunion Registration Form by mail to The Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Dr., College Station, TX 77840, ATTN: Class of '63 Reunion; FAX 979-845-9263; or you can register online.
If you have any questions, please contact the Former Student Programs office at The Association of Former Students at 800-633-7514.
Your nametags, schedule of events and a list of pre-registered Classmates will be waiting for you at the Reunion Check-In Desk, at the College Station Hilton starting at 12:00 p.m. on Friday. Walk-up Registration will be accepted based on availability. To assure your admission, register before the April 5 deadline. All registrations received after the deadline will incur a $20 late fee. Late registrants are not guaranteed space at events.
50th Reunion Shirts
Your Class Agent has partnered with OLD ARMY SPIRIT COMPANY of College Station to produce special commemorative shirts for our 50th Anniversary Reunion. You will be able to place your shirt order after February 8, 2013, by
CLICKING HERE. If you prefer, you can call Old Army Spirit Company at 979-696-3141 to place your order. The shirts can be mailed or will be available for pick-up at their store.
Welcome Back Class of 1963
On behalf of the student body of Texas A&M, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you back home to Texas A&M University for your 50 Year Class Reunion to be held April 21, 2013. I have the honor of serving as your liaison to the Muster Committee. I am also fortunate enough to work with your Class Agents in order to ensure a truly structured and memorable Reunion for your Class.
The Muster Committee this year consists of 30 students dedicated to upholding the integrity and respect of the on-campus Muster Ceremony. Our members arrange each event for the celebration of the tradition: everything from compiling the Roll Call for the Absent, planning the Muster Camaraderie BBQ in conjunction with the Class of ’63, and selecting a speaker to deliver the address at the ceremony the night of Muster. This year we are fortunate to have Mr. Bill Jones ’81 as our guest speaker and are eagerly awaiting his presence in Aggieland.
We are excitedly awaiting your return to a campus and core values we all hold so closely to our hearts. We will do everything to ensure your stay here with us in Aggieland for this year’s Muster.
Ayrton Bryan ’13
Muster Committee
Class Reunion Liaison
Muster Committee - Call for Class Photos
Ayrton Alexander Bryan '13, special tasks coordinator of the student Muster Committee is putting together several ways to honor the Class of ’63's time and memories in Aggieland. If you have any photographs that were taken during your years at Texas A&M (1960-1963) that you would like to share and would like to possibly be included in the Muster Program or the 50th Anniversary Reunion Display, please send them (along with a description of what is taking place in the picture and who is in it) to
muster.afs@gmail.com. Please have your photos submitted by April 1, 2013.
If an electronic version is not available, you may send
copies (what is sent cannot be returned) to:
The Association of Former Students
ATTN: Class Programs/1963 Photos
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, Texas 77840
Muster Reflections
In order to more fully recognize the lives of our honored Aggies that will be acknowledged at the Campus Muster Ceremony, personal items will be displayed as a living memorial to these Roll Call honorees. Family members of honorees submit photographs, letters, stories or other personal items which reflect on their friend or loved one’s life. This display will offer a look into who these Aggies were, what they did, and how they touched the lives of those around them. The items will be displayed in Rudder Exhibit Hall on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., and Memorial Student Center Flag Room on Sunday, April 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Family members may coordinate a time to bring items to the Reflections Display Chairs or send them by mail to the following address:
Attn: Maria Quiros '15 and Samantha Balser '14
Reflections Display – Aggie Muster
P.O. Box 2894
College Station, TX 77841
For more information, please contact Maria Quiros '15 & Samantha Balser '14 at
Muster.Reflections@gmail.com.
Memorabilia Wanted
We will have tables set up in the Hospitality Room throughout the weekend for you to display memorabilia from your days in Aggieland. Please remember to bring photo albums, scrapbooks, etc., so that we may display them in the secured room for all of your Classmates to see and reminisce over!
Century Club Supports Reunions
Your Class Reunions, Class Newsletters, Class web page and other programs for former and current students are funded by donations to The Association of Former Students’ Century Club. The Century Club also supports resources on campus that help young Aggie's be more competitive after graduation. Donors also receive special benefits.
Join the Century Club to help support your Class and make an impact on another Aggies’ life. Levels of annual giving include: Bronze - $100; Silver - $250; Gold - $500; Diamond - $1000; Double Diamond - $2000; Platinum - $5000; Double Platinum - $10,000.
Cancellation Policy
The Association of Former Students has a fairly flexible cancellation policy. If you cannot attend your Reunion or an event for which you have registered, please call the Former Student Programs office (800-392-2096) at least
72 business hours prior to the Reunion. Your payment will be refunded with the exception of a small handling fee.
