Until April 21, visitors can view personal memorabilia from fallen Aggies who will be honored at the 2024 Muster Ceremony.
The Aggie Muster Committee helps coordinate the annual display. Health senior Hope Sims, a member of Aggie Muster’s Roll Call and Families subcommittee, said the display helps the student body and visitors put a face to a name on the Muster Roll Call.
“A really beautiful opportunity this [display] gives us is to know them and appreciate the stories behind these people,” Sims said. “One of the beautiful parts about Muster is you say ‘Here’ to people you know and people you don’t know.”
Economics senior Wesley Hillis, also a member of the subcommittee, said students can learn about students dating from the Class of 1950 to the Class of 2026.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re old or young,” Hillis said. “It’s just that you’re part of the Aggie family, and we need to remember every Aggie that we can.”
Sims said the display provides families the opportunity to choose how they’re going to portray their loved ones, selecting items that are meaningful to them.
“The displays here have things like their favorite candies, books and jewelry,” Sims said. “Things that make just the little things about each person.”
Hillis said items on the display also include personal touches like recipes, free bottles of Tabasco sauce or pictures of tattoos.
“These [items] show that everyone has a story to tell,” Hillis said. “We help them have their stories told. All of [the honorees] have their unique stories, and how they express that is different.”
Hillis said the display allows students to look behind and know from the beginning there has always been an Aggie family and always will be.
Political science junior Henry Pearson, subcommittee member, is honoring his grandfather Erik Clark Miller, a Class of 1969 petroleum engineer, this year at the display. Pearson said the display showcases a lot of items that defined him.
“He has his old textbooks from electrical engineering, geology, petroleum engineering with differential equations and well samples from wells in Mississippi,” Pearson said. “… and pictures of him along with myself and my family, his Corps cover and Silly String.”
Pearson said it was powerful for his mother to set up his grandfather’s display items. She talked about the significance of his items to him and his brother, who helped her set them up.
“For her to set things up and give a little story and background to me and my brother who maybe we forgot about was really powerful,” Pearson said. “This display showcases how much families loved their loved one and you feel that firsthand when you’re setting up.”
Graduate Emily Hendrix said she’s visited the display every year since being a freshman, and Muster is her favorite Aggie tradition.
“Coming here and getting to know a little bit about people getting honored is something that I’ve always really enjoyed, so getting to do it again is really special,” Hendrix said. “To A&M you’re more than just a number here, and Muster is a reminder you’re a part of something bigger than yourself and A&M has your back.”
Rangeland wildlife and fisheries management senior Allison Blahitka said Muster is her favorite tradition because it makes Aggies feel important.
“There’s so many kids at this school, but then when you come here it’s like everybody is recognized,” Blahitka said.
