The Aggie Ring is more than just a piece of metal; it plays a unique role in networking and job hunting.
With the majority of Aggies staying in Texas after graduation, and the fact that 95 percent of all eligible Aggies purchase an Aggie Ring, holding onto a piece of A&M seems to have its advantages.
Kevin Hassnain, Class of 2012, is a senior data scientist at medical device firm LivaNova in Houston. In addition to serving as a reminder of Hassnain’s most cherished memories, his ring also helped him get his current job.
“In the company I work for, along with many engineers from MIT and Harvard, about 30 percent of them are Aggies,” Hassnain said. “When I was interviewing for this job, my manager was wearing an Aggie Ring and that’s how we connected. Not only that, but about two out of the five panelists interviewing me were also Aggies and noticing each other’s rings allowed us to share our experiences.”
Hassnain said being an Aggie has helped him gain connections in his career field.
“Two years ago, I was at the Annual Epilepsy Society Conference where I was presenting my research, and I met three other presenters that had their Aggie Ring,” Hassnain said. “Because of that, we were able to socialize and talk about our experiences at A&M.”
According to Kathryn Greenwade, Class of 1988 and vice president of communications and human resources at The Association of Former Students, the values of the A&M honor code are highly sought after in the job market. She said having an Aggie Ring can exemplify those values.
“I know people who have spotted an Aggie Ring and that has helped them close a sale because they felt like they could trust the person across the table,” Greenwade said. “There have been cases where I’ve been on an airplane, see someone with the ring and start up a conversation.”
Kamran Ali, Class of 2011, currently works for Aerzen USA in Sugar Land. Ali said having his Aggie Ring helped him get his second job.
“When I first started at my job, my colleagues would introduce themselves with their names and class year which threw me off,” Ali said. “I later found out this was because they noticed my Aggie Ring and were less formal around me due to it.”
According to Greenwade, there is something special about A&M that leads to friendships and connections that transcend students’ time at the university.
“A lot of us have seen people we admire and respect wear the Aggie Ring, and that makes us want to join the experience,” Greenwade said. “I firmly believe that the more you give to Texas A&M, the more it is going to give to you.”