The graduate student wildcat video competition closed Friday, and the wildcat committee met Monday to declare the top three submissions that graduate students will vote on.
Graduate Student Council president Brittany Bounds said she wanted to thank all the undergraduate and graduate students who submitted videos and took an interest in the competition.
Bounds said the top three videos – made by graduate students Kevin Andrews, Jody Harris and Travis Kiser – all consist of wildcat ideas that stay within the range of the current four wildcats but incorporate symbolism that would be meaningful for graduate students.
The submission from Andrews, one of the authors of the bill that enacted the creation of a graduate student wildcat, featured the traditional senior yell mixed with the extended thumbs of a “Gig ’em.”
“One modification I also might suggest is that graduate students who have not yet earned their Aggie ring should cover their right hand with their left like juniors, while those who do have their Aggie rings interdigitate like the seniors,” Andrews said in his video.
Jody Harris, agricultural leadership, education and communications graduate student, suggested adding a “reload, whoop” after the traditional senior yell.
“The word ‘reload’ is significant because all graduate students, whether they did their undergrad at A&M or another university, they are doing their education for the second time,” Harris said in his submission. “They have come back and they have made the decision to continue their education, thus reloading.” Harris, whose submission includes whooping to both the right and then the left sides, said the motions signify both the unique identity of the graduate student and their status as graduates who have already moved graduate cap tassels from one side to the other.
Travis Kiser, curriculum and instruction graduate student, suggested graduate students do a modified senior wildcat, putting their thumbs in line with their pointer finger and removing the “A” before whooping.
These three videos opened to graduate students for voting at 5 p.m. Monday and voting will close on Feb. 28. The winner will be announced at the March 1 basketball game against Ole Miss at Reed Arena where the new wildcat will be revealed. Ryan Beemer, co-chair of the GSC marketing committee, said 75 tickets for the basketball game will be given to graduate students to see the premiere of the wildcat, but encouraged all undergraduate and graduate students to attend.