Nearly 6,400 Aggies are receiving their Aggie Gold this weekend during the year’s largest Aggie Ring distribution period.
Traditionally a one-day ceremony held at the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center, the Association of Former Students has extended this April’s Ring Day to a three-and-a-half-day event from Wednesday, April 7, to Saturday, April 10, to accomodate COVID-19 protocols.
Similar to last November’s Ring Day, students will be allowed to bring up to two guests inside the Alumni Center for their ring pickup, which Kathryn Greenwade, vice president of the Association of Former Students, said allows students to still have an in-person Ring Day experience.
“It’s yet another positive step toward returning to normal operations, while there are still modifications in place,” Greenwade said. “It is allowing for in-person gathering … and that face-to-face celebration of the ring.”
Greenwade said the association is hopeful next September’s Ring Day will be more traditional if the global COVID-19 situation continues to improve as vaccines roll out.
“We are hopeful that conditions will be such that we can go back to our traditional format of having a one- or two-day ring distribution,” Greenwade said.
However, for this weekend, masks and social distancing will be required inside the Alumni Center to ensure the safety of Aggies receiving their rings as well as those volunteering to help with distribution, Greenwade said. “We respectfully ask that everyone wear a mask when they come to get their rings, in compliance with university protocols,” 
Greenwade said. “This will just help us to ensure that we have a safe Ring Day.”
Orders from the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 are being represented this Ring Day, with Aggies from the Galveston, Law, Qatar and McAllen campuses in addition to the flagship campus receiving their rings. 
Distribution times for Wednesday-Friday will be from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, with each Aggie assigned a 15-minute time slot for pickup.