As students race toward graduation, receiving their Aggie Ring is a major mile marker. Helping give their peers a push toward that finish line, Sunday’s Run for the Ring will give students the opportunity to ensure a few more Aggies graduate with gold on their right hand.
Elise Featherly, public relations sub-committee chair for Traditions Council and junior telecommunications media studies major, said the purpose of Run for the Ring is to give students the opportunity to assist their fellow Aggies financially while having fun at the same time.
“The whole reason we do Run for the Ring is to raise money for our future Aggie Ring Endowment to help fellow Aggies get their Aggie Ring,” Featherly said. “We want people to have fun at Run for the Ring, all while getting a chance to win a prize as special as an Aggie Ring Scholarship.”
David Dang, senior biology major, is someone who knows the emotions behind receiving the Aggie Ring scholarship.
Last year was his first race of any kind, and he was one of the four recipients of the Aggie Ring scholarship. His friend Sarah Paik entered her name in the drawing, and said she was running on behalf of Dang. Dang said when he heard Paik’s name called, his and Paik’s reactions were anything but quiet.
“When I heard my friend’s name get called out, I looked at her – me and her started screaming because it was a pretty exciting moment for us,” Dang said.
Dang said he would have bought an Aggie Ring eventually, but he probably would not have received one now without the scholarship.
“I’m a first generation Vietnamese-American,” Dang said. “My parents don’t really understand the importance of the Aggie Ring, so that means I would probably have to pay for it myself.”
Ryan Johnson, Traditions Council campus relations executive and senior mechanical engineering major, said it is stories like Dang’s that drive Run for the Ring.
“My favorite part of the event is seeing the faces of the students when they win the Aggie Ring scholarship,” Johnson said. “It is so rewarding to see that we can make such an impact in people’s lives.”
Johnson said students do not have to run the race to be eligible for the scholarship, they simply have to sign up and be there on the day of the race when the names are called for the drawing.
Registration is $12 and available online at traditionscouncil.tamu.edu/r4r. Registration on Sunday is $15.