November 2006 E-Newsletter

                  Aggies to Play Cal in Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl Graphic for 2006
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News from The Association
Aggies to Play Cal in Holiday Bowl
The Texas A&M football team has accepted an invitation to play the California Golden Bears in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 28. The game will be broadcast on ESPN from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, starting at 7 p.m. The Aggies finished the regular season with a 9-3 overall record and are ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 24 in the USA Today poll. This game will mark the third time the two schools have faced each other, with each school having won one game apiece in the early '80s. For more information about the Holiday Bowl, purchasing tickets or activities surrounding the game, go to http://www.aggieathletics.com/holiday.

The Association of Former Students Elects New Officers
The Association of Former Students is proud to announce its 2007 board of directors, elected at the Fall Leadership Council meeting. William H. Flores '76 of College Station was elected 2007 president, and Gen. (Ret.) Hal M. Hornburg '68 of Fair Oaks Ranch was elected 2007 president elect. Van H. Taylor '71 of Bryan will serve as immediate past president. Taking office on Jan. 1, 2007, are new board members Susan (Sue) Rudd Bailey, MD '78 of Fort Worth, Ottway Denny, Jr. '71 of Houston, Paul K. Stafford '90 of Carrollton and P. William Toler '76 of Cincinnati, Ohio. Re-elected to the board were M. Ann Abbe '73 of Arlington, Jorge A. Bermudez '73 of College Station, Michael J. "Mike" Havel '76 of Dallas, Col. (Ret.) Robert E. "Bob" Joiner '62 of College Station, Arno W. Krebs '64 of Bryan, Linda LaMantia '82 of Laredo, Bill Mahomes '69 of Plano, Shelley E. Potter '78 of Longview, James R. "Jim" Thompson '68 of Kaufman and S. Shariq Yosufzai '74 of Oakland, California. Association Executive Director Porter S. Garner III '79 serves as a non-voting member of the board.

The Association Joins in Admissions Awareness Effort
The Association of Former Students has been working closely with the Office of Admissions and the Prospective Student Center on campus to secure clarification on frequently asked questions related to the merit-based admissions process in place at Texas A&M University. A frequently asked questions guide entitled FAQ's Regarding Freshman Admission for Fall 2007 Semester has been developed to provide clarification, guidance and helpful tips for prospective students, parents and counselors seeking admissions for the upcoming year. This document can also be accessed at www.AggieNetwork.com/help/admissions.

Century Club Memberships Make Great Gifts
Did you know you can give a Century Club membership on behalf of another Aggie? The gift of a Century Club membership allows the recipient to utilize the full strength of the Aggie Network and makes a great graduation or holiday gift! If you are interested in giving the gift of the Aggie Network, including the Online Directory of Former Students and Texas Aggie magazine, call the Annual Giving Office at (979) 845-7514 or email AnnualGiving@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 Dec. 18 will be delivered on March 2, 2007, 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 www.AggieNetwork.com/Ring.

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

Italian Favorites: Rome and Florence; March 3-11, 2007
Explore two great cities that epitomize Italy's culture, architecture and rich historical heritage.

The Natural Wonders of East Africa; March 25-April 11, 2007
Join us on a one-of-a-kind safari through Tanzania and Kenya and witness some of the earth's most beautiful landscapes and fascinating wildlife.

Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery; July 14-22, 2007
From Fort Benton, Montana, to the Missouri River, follow the steps of the legendary expedition that lead to the discovery of the American West.

For more information on these trips and others, contact the Traveling Aggies at (800) 392-2096 or (979) 845-7514. Also, 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
Gates Could be Appointed by Year's End
According to officials, Texas A&M University President Robert M. Gates is likely to be officially named as the nation's new defense secretary by year's end. The former CIA director will have his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee early next week, with a vote from the Senate expected by Dec. 13. Although Gates' confirmation seems probable, it is still uncertain exactly when he would be sworn in to his new duties. For more on this story, go to http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112806/am_20061128021.php.

McKinney Named Chancellor of A&M System
Dr. Michael D. McKinney, formerly the senior executive vice president and chief operating officer at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, was unanimously elected chancellor of The Texas A&M University System by the Board of Regents on Nov. 22. He was the sole finalist for the position. McKinney, a family physician, has extensive experience in healthcare administration as well as a lengthy record of public service to the state of Texas. He is replacing Robert D. McTeer as chancellor, who announced his retirement in August. For more on this story, go to http://www.theeagle.com/stories/112306/am_20061123003.php.

Class of 2007 Continues Elephant Walk Tradition
Now in its 80th year, the tradition of Elephant Walk was continued on Nov. 21 by the Class of 2007. Seniors began the day's festivities at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, where they enjoyed food and music and had the opportunity to get pictures taken with one of two elephants on the premises. After heading over to Kyle Field and listening to speaker Henry Musoma '00, the Class embarked on their walk across campus, fondly remembering their days at Texas A&M. For more on the history and significance of Elephant Walk, go to http://classof2007.tamu.edu/.   

Lawsuit Settlement Benefits Texas A&M Engineering
The Dwight Look College of Engineering will be the beneficiary of a $12.5 million gift from British Petroleum Co. Ltd. to the Texas A&M Foundation. The gift will be used to strengthen the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center-part of Texas A&M's engineering program-as well as the school's safety engineering certificate program and engineering ethics courses. The gift is part of a unique $32 million settlement in the case against BP over a March 23, 2005, refinery explosion in Texas City. "We believe that this gift will help transform a tragedy into a positive legacy, help educate a new generation of engineers and help improve safety performance in the industry," said Dr. Ed. Davis '67, president of the Texas A&M Foundation. For more on this story, go to http://newsarchives.tamu.edu/stories/06/111006news-2.html.

Ground Broken for Cox-McFerrin Center
On Friday, Nov. 17, groundbreaking ceremonies took place for Texas A&M University's Cox-McFerrin Center for Aggie Basketball. Once complete, the state-of-the-art, 40,000-square foot facility will feature practice courts, training rooms, locker rooms, meeting rooms and lounge and reception areas for both the men's and women's basketball programs. It will also feature space for treatment, rehabilitation, weight rooms and a donor hospitality center. For more on this story, go to http://newsarchives.tamu.edu/stories/06/111506news-9.html.

Departments Collaborate on Padre Island Center
Three different Texas A&M University departments are collaborating on a design-build project for the Padre Island National Seashore, using an innovative educational approach that may become the standard for upgrading U.S. national parks. The departments of architecture, construction science and tourism and recreation are teaming up to work on expanding and improving the Malaquite Visitor Center on Padre Island. The two-year project consists of four phases: visitor experience design, architectural design, project controls and construction process management. For more on this story, go to http://newsarchives.tamu.edu/stories/06/111606news-7.html.

Aggie Calendar
Dec. 2: Women's Swimming and Diving vs. Rice
Student Rec Center Natatorium, 12 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=WSW  

Dec. 2: Men's Basketball vs. Pacific
Reed Arena, 2 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=MBB  

Dec. 5: Last Day of Fall Semester Classes

Dec. 12: Men's Basketball vs. Fordham
Reed Arena, 8 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=MBB  

Dec. 14: "The Next Tradition" Graduation Party
Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
For more information, call (979) 845-7514 .

Dec. 15-16: Texas A&M University Commencement Ceremonies
http://graduation.tamu.edu/

Dec. 18: Women's Basketball vs. North Texas
Reed Arena, 7 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=WBB  

Dec. 20: Women's Basketball vs. Delaware State
Reed Arena, 7 p.m.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/index.php?SID=WBB  

University Links

Subscription Information
 To read this E-Newsletter online, go to www.AggieNetwork.com/HTMLEmails/ENewsletter/November2006/.

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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