For the second time this semester, students will receive their Aggie Rings in Kyle Field’s Hall of Champions.
Due to the construction of Aggie Park near the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center, where Ring Day is traditionally held, November Ring Day will continue at its alternate location with 2,711 Aggies receiving their gold on Friday, Nov. 12.
Publications manager for the Association of Former Students Cait Shields said the mechanics of Ring Day will be almost identical to those during the September Ring Day.
“This is typically the smallest of our three deliveries,” Shields said. “We’ve got about 2,700 recipients who will get their rings on Friday and hopefully have a really good day and leave happy — that’s always our goal.”
To put on such a large event, Shields said the Association depends on volunteers such as former students. This November, the event will have over 230 volunteers.
“We have a lot of presidents of A&M clubs or class agents who will sign up to volunteer. A lot of professors and staff from campus will [also] come and volunteer, and then we usually have a few staff members as well,” Shields said. “We keep a running list of people who are interested in volunteering, [so if anyone is interested at any time] they can reach out to us.”
Education junior Katie Parker said she has been looking forward to having her ring placed on her finger at 11 a.m. on Friday for a while.
“I’ve just been looking forward to the day for so long,” Parker said. “It’s so exciting that it’s finally here, especially because a lot of my close friends got [their rings] in September, so it’s more exciting [thinking] that mine’s officially here.”
Parker said although her immediate family will be making the trip to College Station for Ring Day, they will continue to celebrate her accomplishment over Thanksgiving break with more family and friends.
Psychology junior Marissa Manzanarez said her Aggie Ring represents all the sacrifices that have been made for her to attend college at A&M.
“In my family, [I] was the first one to leave home,” Manzanarez said. “I think [my Aggie Ring is] a big deal for me and for [my family] because they did a lot for me to get here.”
Being a military child, environmental geosciences junior Jaren Queja said his mother has been a motivating factor for him as he pursues his degree.
“My mom motivated me through her sacrifices in the [U.S.] Army, and I am forever grateful for her giving me a chance at going to an institution of higher learning,” Queja said. “She is very excited [about] my Aggie Ring as it shows my near-completion [of college] and an influence for my little siblings to go to [A&M].”
After receiving his new gold on Friday at 4 p.m., Queja said he will have it blessed in holy water at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
“Having a priest [bless my ring helps me to] feel like I’m going to receive more blessings as I continue to strive for my bachelor’s degree,” Queja said.
Industrial science senior Ty’Rae Carter said although he was not first planning to get an Aggie Ring, he decided to get one to celebrate his accomplishment.
“At first, I wasn’t super hyped about it [because I was focused on] getting my education [and I thought] that’s enough,” Carter said. “After talking to my parents and then just talking to other seniors, they convinced me, so I just feel like getting the ring is enough of a celebration for me.”
Carter said he believes his Aggie Ring is a representation of himself.
“I am more of a representation of the ring and the ring is a representation of me, just because I’m kind of like an indifferent person at this university, just being a Black engineer,” Carter said. “I also have a lot of hobbies and other things that I do outside of education so I think the biggest thing that this ring is gonna tell people that see [it is], ‘He’s able to do all these different things, but at the end of the day he was able to receive an Aggie education while doing everything else he does.’”
Construction science senior Bennett Young said he is looking forward to receiving his Aggie Ring alongside his brother Sean Young, an animal science senior.
“We’re actually the first two Aggies in our [immediate] family,” Bennett said. “We’re both very excited, and we’re very proud of one another. I’m really glad that we’re gonna be able to share that experience together.”
Bennett said he plans on having one of his former professors, Gary Boldt, place his Aggie Ring on his hand because of the impact he made on his educational experience.
“We’ve developed a little bit of a relationship through his class, which was just an extra amount of work — and I learned a ton,” Bennett said. “I was able to always go to him and ask him about both the class as well as the industry that I’m pursuing, which is construction.”
Bennett said he is looking forward to completing this milestone of his college career with his family cheering him on.
“I love that it’s a tradition that everyone knows and respects. It’s a great way to identify it,” Bennett said. “I’m excited for my friends and family to come into town that I haven’t seen in a little while and get to enjoy that this year.”
Students receiving their rings should arrive at the Hall of Champions no earlier than 15 minutes before their time slot and bring two forms of identification as well as their Ring Day virtual ticket. Shields said ring recipients and guests will enter on the west side of Kyle Field, with last names A through G entering in the southwest tower and last names H through Z entering in the northwest tower.