Cepheid Variable is a “social nerd organization” that has a variety of smaller programs within the overall club for every nerdy hobby or interest a person could imagine.
At general meetings — every Tuesday at 7:07 p.m. in Rudder 701 — officers give information about upcoming events, allow small program announcements, general member announcements as well as have “story time.” This consists of Cepheid members telling the stories of Cepheid’s past as well as tales of how members got their D-names, the nicknames they use within the organization.
How the club got their name is not completely clear, according to agricultural economics senior and Cepheid member Walker Sawyer.
“[A Cepheid Variable] is a star that varies in light and mass; they pulsate, they expand and contract, and it has a pattern,” Sawyer said. “The origin of Cepheid’s name is one of those ‘lost in history’ kind of things.”
Communication senior and chair of Cepheid Variable Tessa Thomas said the organization’s goal is to help students find a home at A&M and collaborate with other like-minded groups.
“Our goal is to match people with their interests and help people find their place in nerd culture at A&M,” Thomas said. “We like to include other organizations and help people find their family.”
Another event Thomas and the other officers of Cepheid use to bring nerd culture to A&M every year is AggieCon, a student-run fan convention in Aggieland bringing together sci-fi, fantasy, video games, anime and more. This year’s convention will be held March 22 to March 24 at the Hilton on University Drive.
According to Thomas, Cepheid was originally a club to help her pass the time, but it wasn’t long before she was applying to be a leader within the organization. 
“When I got out of the Corps, I needed something to do,” Thomas said. “Someone came up to me and told me about Cepheid Variable and next thing I knew I was applying to be an officer.”
For other members, like technology management junior Steven Good, Cepheid is a club for nerds to meet others who share the same interests and passions. From comic books to roleplaying games, Good said he found a home for all his interests in Cepheid.
“I’ve been into nerd stuff all my life and I’m really passionate about nerdy stuff like Dungeons & Dragons and video games,” Good said. “Anything nerdy, I try to do a deep dive into at least once.