For 2,100 Aggies, Friday is circled on their calendars as Aggie Ring Day. And while it is the smallest of the three ring deliveries of the year, it is by no means a small affair.
Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of the Association of Former Students, said performances from student groups like Fade to Black and onsite professional photographers will accompany Ring Day.
“We keep the three large deliveries — the September the November and the April deliveries — the activities are consistent across all three of those,” Greenwade said. “The only difference is going to be in the number of rings and how we’re having to utilize our space to accommodate the delivery of those rings.”
Greenwade said the bulk of students receiving their rings in this delivery qualified for them after taking summer classes.
“The vast majority of those receiving their rings Friday will have qualified after one of the summer terms,” Greenwade said. “They would have achieved their 90 hours after either the first or second summer session.”
Across all of the A&M campuses, 2,186 rings will be distributed, Greenwade said. Fifty-six will go to Galveston, 23 to the A&M School of Law and seven to Health Science Center locations outside of College Station. Additionally, 276 rings will be mailed to recipients who are unable to attend the ring ceremony.
The pageantry around Ring Day is a recent phenomenon, Greenwade said. As recently as 2000, the association began to make Ring Day a more formal affair. Getting the ring is a big time in an Aggie’s life, and Greenwade said the association wanted to make Ring Day reflect that.
“Earning your ring and receiving your ring was always a significant milestone, but it wasn’t until 2000 that we started doing ring day as we know it today,” Greenwade said. “We wanted to make it a day that was worthy of the achievement.”
Greenwade said it’s important to plan for a busy day around the Clayton Williams Alumni Center, and said family members coming that may have graduated before 1990 will witness a different Ring Day than the one they remember.
Greenwade said Ring Day is ultimately a great time for families to come together in celebration.
“Ring Day is a day we look forward to at the Association of Former Students,” Greenwade said. “It’s just a great day for the Aggie network that brings generations of families together in celebrating achievement.”
Students, friends, and families gather in front of the Clayton Williams Alumni Center for the April 2014 Ring Day.
Photo by John Sheen.