The Muster Committee is preparing to select this year’s Muster Hosts, student volunteers who guide attending families through the 2025 Muster ceremony, on April 21. Applications open Feb. 3 and close Feb. 12.

The Muster Host position allows students to serve bereaved families as they honor their loved ones. The position is open to all Texas A&M students. 

The committee will hold the following informational meetings in Rudder Tower:

• Monday, Feb. 3 from 8:30–9:30 p.m. in Rudder 601
• Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 8:30–9:30 p.m. in Rudder 601
• Thursday, Feb. 6 from 8:30–9:30 p.m. in Rudder 601

Students can apply after attending at least one informational meeting. After applications close, interviews will occur from Feb. 17 to Feb. 27. Decisions will be sent out March 3.

Aggie Muster began as a holiday celebrating the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto before transforming into a remembrance of the bravery and courage of the Aggies who fought in World War II during the Battle of Corregidor. Today, it’s an annual tradition dedicated to former students who died in the year preceding the ceremony. Over 300 Muster ceremonies are held annually, with the largest at Reed Arena every spring semester.

Muster Hosts are responsible for several activities that day, but each share a common goal: ensuring the utmost hospitality to attending families as they navigate the ceremony.

“The tradition of Muster could not be possible without 100 current students serving as hosts for the 200+ honored families on the night of Muster,” Muster host coordinator and supply chain management senior Walker Gore said. “These hosts ensure every family that is in attendance and honoring a loved one has a meaningful experience and is able to receive the full impact of the Muster Ceremony.”

Muster external relations coordinator and business management junior Libby Ogburn spoke of the unique opportunities participating offers, as it allows students to take part in a long-standing Aggie tradition. 

“Playing a role in Muster, no matter how big or small, is such a special opportunity that we have as students at this unique university,” Ogburn said. “I will never forget my first year hosting and how it felt to be a part of something so much bigger than me as an individual student.”

The role of Muster Host means more than improving the efficiency of the ceremony, however. It means representing the Aggie Core Values.

“The significance and impact of hosts cannot be understated, as they actively represent the Aggie Spirit to the families they serve,” Gore said. “Being a Muster Host showed me the importance of being an Aggie who supports other Aggies. Having the opportunity to serve the Aggie family in the form of Muster Host helped me understand the weight and significance that being an Aggie comes with.”

Many families attending Muster have no prior experience with Aggieland, so Gore said Muster Hosts must demonstrate respect, kindness and attentiveness.

“Last year, my host family had never stepped foot on A&M’s campus,” Gore said. “They did not know anything about A&M or its traditions. All they knew was that their dad graduated from A&M and loved it dearly for his whole life. Having the opportunity to walk them through the ceremony and show them the support that the entire Aggie family has for them was incredibly rewarding. The looks on their faces when they walked onto the floor of Reed and saw the stands were filled is something I will never forget.”

Muster camaraderie coordinator and industrial engineering senior Courtland Barnett recounted how his prior experiences as a Muster Host brought him a deeper understanding of the Aggie character.

“The honor of serving as a Muster Host has completely changed my college experience at Texas A&M,” Barnett said. “Being able to be involved in such a sacred tradition here at A&M has showed me why our university is so special, and at the same time allowed me to serve my community in a unique way.”

Muster Host coordinator and applied mathematics senior Rachel Warren noted how the Muster Ceremony highlights the unique outreach of Aggie traditions and their meanings to different families.

“On the night of Muster, one family I hosted was completely silent, embracing the somberness of the tradition,” Warren said. “The other family had on matching t-shirts, were laughing and embraced the celebration of life aspect that Muster also provides. For me, these families showed me that Muster provides a unique experience for every honored family in attendance, and this tradition is meant for every Aggie.”

Prospective applicants can learn more through the committee’s Instagram. More information about the 2025 Muster Ceremony and its roots can be found at www.aggienetwork.com/muster.