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The Spirit of Aggieland is the alma mater of the Texas A&M University. It was originally written as a poem by Marvin H. Mimms while he was a student at Texas A&M. [1] Richard J. Dunn, the director of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band at the time, composed the music. Students, faculty, and former students of the A&M sing the song at Aggie sporting events, Muster, and other events.
The song was used as a wakeup call on Day 10 of space mission STS-124 for Texas A&M former student and mission specialist Mike Fossum.
Some may boast of prowess bold
Of the school they think so grand
But there's a spirit can ne'er be told
It's the Spirit of Aggieland.
'Chorus:'
We are the Aggies - the Aggies are we
True to each other as Aggies can be
We've got to FIGHT boys
We've got to fight!
We've got to fight for Maroon and White
After they've boosted all the rest
They will come and join the best
For we are the Aggies - the Aggies are we
We're from Texas A.M.C.
A yell sequence follows; traditionally omitted at Muster.
T-E-X-A-S A-G-G-I-E
Fight! Fight! Fight-fight-fight!
Fight! Maroon! White-White-White!
A-G-G-I-E
Texas! Texas! A-M-C!
Gig 'em, Aggies, 1-2-3
Farmers fight! Farmers fight!
Fight! Fight!
Farmers, farmers fight!
(all students perform their wildcat)
The official lyrics for the last two lines of the chorus are "For we are the Aggies - the Aggies so true; We're from Texas A.M.U." These changes were made following the school's name change in 1963 from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A.M.C.) to Texas A&M University. The revised lyrics are used by choral groups on campus except for the Singing Cadets, which sings the original lyrics. However, students usually sing the original lyrics out of respect for the history of Texas A&M.
The Spirit of Aggieland also refers to the "spirit can ne'er be told." Many people describe Texas A&M University as having a unique school spirit that "From the outside looking in, you can't understand it. And from the inside looking out, you can't explain it." It has perhaps best been stated by Eric Opiela, a former Vice Student Body President of the rival University of Texas at Austin, when discussing the loss of life in the 1999 Texas A&M Bonfire collapse: [2]
I learned something tonight. For all us Longhorns who discount A&M in our neverending rivalry, we need to realize one thing. Aggieland is a special place, with special people. It is infinitely better equipped than us at dealing with a tragedy such as this for one simple reason. It is a family. It is a family that cares for its own, a family that reaches out, a family that is unified in the face of adversity; a family that moved this Longhorn to tears. My heart, my prayers, and the heart of the UT student body go out tonight to Aggies and their family and friends as they recover from this great loss. Texas A&M, The Eyes of Texas are Upon You--and they look with sincere sympathy upon a family that has been through so much tragedy this semester.
— Eric Opiela
In the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 that killed 32 people, Texas A&M and Texas also united and created shirts as both a tribute and fundraiser. The front read "Orange and Maroon support Orange and Maroon", in reference to Virginia Tech sharing maroon as a color with Texas A&M and orange as a school color with Texas. The back, meanwhile, read, "The Eyes of Texas are upon you / For your spirit can ne'er be told / In times of greatest tragedy / You have a hand to hold", referencing both "The Eyes of Texas" and "Spirit of Aggieland". [3]
Texas A&M University is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. Since 2021, Texas A&M has enrolled the largest student body in the United States, and is the only university in Texas to hold simultaneous designations as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and a member of the Association of American Universities.
The Aggie Yell Leaders are a group of Texas A&M University students that lead Aggie fans in a series of "yells" during athletic events or other school events. The Yell Leaders are composed of five students who are elected annually by popular vote of the student body.
Midnight Yell Practice, known locally as Midnight Yell or Yell Practice, is a tradition at Texas A&M University. Midnight Yell is similar to a pep rally. On the night before each home football game, Midnight Yell takes place in Kyle Field at midnight; two nights before each away game, a Yell Practice is held near the Quadrangle on the south side of campus. At midnight on the night before an away game Midnight Yell is held in or near the opponent's city.
The Aggie Bonfire was a long-standing annual tradition at Texas A&M University as part of the college rivalry with the University of Texas at Austin. For 90 years, Texas A&M students—known as Aggies—built a bonfire on campus each autumn, known to the Aggie community simply as "Bonfire". The event symbolized Aggie students' "burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u.", a derogatory nickname for the University of Texas.
Aggie Muster is a tradition at Texas A&M University which celebrates the camaraderie of the university while remembering the lives of alumni who have died, specifically those in the past year. Muster officially began on April 21, 1903, as a day for remembrance of fellow Aggies. Muster ceremonies today take place in approximately 320 locations globally. The largest muster ceremony occurs in Reed Arena, on the Texas A&M campus. The "Roll Call for the Absent" commemorates Aggies, alumni and current students, who died that year. Alumni, family, and friends light candles and as they answer “here” when the name of their loved one is “called”. Campus muster also serves as a 50th-year class reunion for the corresponding graduating class. Some non-campus muster ceremonies do not include the pageantry of the campus ceremony, and might consist simply of a barbecue.
"Texas Fight" is the official fight song of the University of Texas at Austin and was written by Colonel Walter S. Hunnicutt in collaboration with James E. King, then director of the Marlin High School Band. The words, as finally adopted by the school, were written by Burnett “Blondie” Pharr, the director of the Longhorn Band from 1917-37.
The Aggie War Hymn is the war hymn of Texas A&M University; officially, the school does not have a fight song.
The Battalion is the student newspaper of Texas A&M University. Started in 1893 as a monthly publication, it continues to this day, now as a weekly print and daily online paper. The Battalion is entirely student-run and covers the university and surrounding Bryan-College Station area.
The traditions of Texas A&M University are a key aspect of the culture of Texas A&M University. Some of the school traditions date to the 1890s, shortly after the opening of the school, while others have been introduced more recently. These traditions encourage current students and alumni (Aggies) to cultivate the Aggie Spirit, a sense of loyalty and respect for the school, and dictate many aspects of student life, including how to greet others, how to act at an A&M sporting event, and what words a student may use in conversation. The most visible tradition among senior class students and alumni is the wearing of the Aggie Ring, whose design has been relatively unchanged since its introduction in 1894. Not all Aggie traditions are recognized by the university, and some, like Bonfire, have been discontinued for safety reasons. Texas Monthly states that the students' respect for school traditions and values is the university's greatest strength.
Elephant Walk is a tradition at Texas A&M University in which the senior class walks around campus to remember the good times they had at Texas A&M. This tradition generally takes place the week before the last regular-season football game, which before A&M's 2012 move to the Southeastern Conference was the Texas game. It signifies the last time that the seniors will stand as a part of the 12th Man student corpus.
Hex Rally was a pep rally at The University of Texas at Austin that occurred in the week before the annual football game between the Texas Longhorns and their in-state rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies.
The history of Texas A&M University, the first public institution of higher education in Texas, began in 1871, when the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas was established as a land-grant college by the Reconstruction-era Texas Legislature. Classes began on October 4, 1876. Although Texas A&M was originally scheduled to be established under the Texas Constitution as a branch of the yet-to-be-created University of Texas, subsequent acts of the Texas Legislature never gave the university any authority over Texas A&M. In 1875, the Legislature separated the administrations of A&M and the University of Texas, which still existed only on paper.
The Texas A&M Aggies football program represents Texas A&M University in the sport of American football. The Aggies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Texas A&M football claims three national titles and 18 conference titles. The team plays all home games at Kyle Field, a 102,733-person capacity outdoor stadium on the university campus.
The 2006 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 9–4 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 5–3.
The Association of Former Students is the official alumni association of Texas A&M University and operates as a 501 (c)(3) organization. The association recognizes over 640,000 people as part of the Aggie Network and oversees 251 clubs worldwide. Known to Aggies as simply The Association, the group is dedicated to promoting the interests and welfare of Texas A&M University, perpetuating ties of affection and esteem that students formed during their college days, and serving the current student body.
The 2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Dennis Franchione, who had coached at A&M since the 2003 season, but resigned at the conclusion of the annual game with the Texas Longhorns. The Aggies were led on offense by junior quarterback Stephen McGee. The team played their home games at Kyle Field, an 82,600-person capacity stadium on A&M's campus in College Station, Texas. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band performs at all home games and select away games during half-time.
Many terms are unique to, or hold a special meaning connected with, Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The university, often called A&M or TAMU, is a public research university and is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. It opened in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, the first public institution of higher education in that state. In 1963, the Texas Legislature renamed the school to Texas A&M University to reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings. The letters "A&M" no longer have any explicit meaning but are retained as a link to the university's past.
There are a multitude of rituals associated with collegiate sporting events across the United States. Varying by sport, demographics, and location, sporting rituals often become essential to the preparation, organization, and game-day experience. In fact, many would argue that rituals are the experience.
The Texas–Texas A&M football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies. The rivalry was played every year between 1915 and 2011, until A&M left the Big 12 Conference to join the Southeastern Conference during the 2010–12 Southeastern Conference realignment as a part of the wider 2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment. Texas currently leads the series 76–37–5. Texas and Texas A&M will resume this game starting on November 30, 2024 as a part of the Southeastern Conference's rivalry week at the end of the regular season.
At approximately 2:42 a.m. on November 18, 1999, the annual Aggie Bonfire at Texas A&M University collapsed during its construction, killing 12 people and injuring 27.