Texas A&M University

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Texas A&M University
Tagline	A Unique American Institution
Established	1871[1]
Type	Flagship state university
Endowment	$5.6 billion (Systemwide)[2]
President	Dr. Eddie J. Davis (interim)
Provost	Dr. David B. Prior
Faculty	2,500[3]
Students	45,380
Undergraduates	36,580
Postgraduates	4,839
Doctoral students	3,452
Professional students	509
Alumni	279,000[4]
Location	College Station, Texas, USA
Telephone	1-979-845-3211
Campus	Urban, 5,200 acres (21 km²)
Colors	Maroon and white
Nickname	Aggies
Mascot	Reveille VII
Affiliations	AAU, Big 12
Nobel Laureates	4
Website	www.tamu.edu
Logo is a trademark of Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University, often called A&M or TAMU for short, is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas, USA. It is the flagship^[5] institution of the Texas A&M University System. Opened in 1876 as an agricultural and mechanical college, Texas A&M is the first institution of higher learning in Texas. In 1963, the Texas Legislature changed the college's name to Texas A&M University to reflect the expanded roles and academic offerings of the university. Officially the letters "A&M" no longer have any explicit meaning, but they are retained as a link to the university's past.^[6]

Texas A&M's triple designation as a Land-, Sea-, and Space-Grant institution reflects a broad range of research with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. Working in partnership with state agencies such as the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M has a direct presence in every county in the state.^[7]

Texas A&M offers degrees in more than 150 courses of study through ten colleges and is home to 18 research institutes. Since its opening as an institute of higher education in 1876, Texas A&M has awarded more than 320,000 degrees, including 70,000 graduate and professional degrees.^[8]

As a senior military college, Texas A&M is one of three public universities with a full-time volunteer corps of cadets, and it provides more commissioned officers to the United States Armed Forces than any other school with ROTC.^[9]

[edit] History

Main article: History of Texas A&M University

The basis for funding for the college was established by the Morrill Act. The Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1862, provided for donation of public land (land grants) to the states. That land could then be sold at public auction to establish a permanent fund supporting a college where the "leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanical arts...in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life." In 1871, the Texas Legislature established the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and appropriated money for building the campus. The Constitution of 1876 declared that the A&M College was to be a branch of the non-existent University of Texas, but the University of Texas opened in 1883 under a different Board of Regents. The college opened for classes on October 4, 1876.

In addition to being designated as a land-grant university, Texas A&M was given the designation of sea-grant in 1971 in recognition of its oceanographic and marine research contributions. In 1989, it was also awarded the title of space-grant by NASA, in recognition of its commitment to space research and participation in the Texas Space Grant Consortium. Texas A&M is currently one of 13 universities to be triple designated as land-, sea-, and space-grant.

In May 2001, the Association of American Universities selected Texas A&M for membership, thanks in part to strong support from Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin.^[10]

On January 5, 2007, Dr. Michael D. McKinney, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, appointed a 15-member search advisory committee to assist in finding candidates for the position of president at Texas A&M. The committee will recommend candidates to McKinney, who will finalize his recommendations to the Board of Regents. McKinney anticipates the search process will conclude by September 2007.^[11]

[edit] Academics

[edit] Profile

Texas A&M University has an enrollment of 45,380 students^[12] pursuing degrees in 10 academic colleges, which makes it the eighth largest university in the United States. The student body represents all 254 Texas counties and all 50 U.S. states, as well as 132 foreign countries. In regard to the entire student body, 86.56% of the students are Texas residents. About 47.3% of the student body are women, and 52.7% are men. 26% of the student body are either of international origin or members ethnic minority groups.^[12]

The largest college of enrollment is the Dwight Look College of Engineering, which enrolls about 20.5% of the student body. The College of Liberal Arts and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences follow, which enroll 15% and 14% of the student body, respectively. The College of Education and Human Development enrolls 12%, and Mays Business School enrolls about 11%. Colleges with less than 10% enrollment include the College of Architecture, the College of Science, the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, the College of Geosciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. It is important to note that about 8% of the student body have temporarily chosen general studies as their major.^[12]

The university consistently ranks among the top ten public universities each year in terms of the enrollment of National Merit scholars.^[13]

According to the College Board, the 2010 entering freshman class consisted of 46% students in the top ten-percent of their high school graduating class, 77% in the top quarter, and 90% in the top half.^[14] The middle 50% of the freshmen had an average SAT score that varied from 1580-1900 (out of 2400) and an ACT score that varied from 23-28.^[15]

[edit] Vision 2020

Initiated in 1997 by university president Ray Bowen and co-chaired by Jon L. Hagler, Vision 2020 represents the cumulative work of a task force of more than 250 faculty, staff, students, former students, local residents, and various private- and public-sector representatives. This task force devoted more than two years to examining all aspects of the university and studying benchmark institutions before unveiling the new strategic plan in 1999.

Vision 2020’s goal is to make Texas A&M University recognized as a consensus "top 10" public university by the year 2020. The plan identifies 12 areas in which the university should focus on improving.^[16] Dr. Robert M. Gates succeeded Bowen in 2002, and during his four year tenure as president, Vision 2020's short-term focus narrowed to four key steps:^[17]

• Increasing the size of the faculty by 447 positions within five years.
• Improving student diversity among minority groups.
• Building new academic facilities totaling roughly $272 million.
• Enriching the undergraduate and graduate education experience.

Gates' leadership resulted in the largest academic expansion in the university's history. As of 8 September 2006, Vision 2020's progress includes:^[18]

• 346 new teachers and researchers from across the world with completion slated for September 1, 2007.
• Hispanic enrollment increased 9.6 percent, African-American enrollment increased 9.4 percent, and Asian-American enrollment rose 24.3 percent compared to 2005.
• Over $500 million in new construction across campus including Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building ($95 million), two emerging technologies buildings ($50 million each), and a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging building ($8 million).
• The student-faculty ratio dropped from 22:1 in 2001 to 20:1 in the fall of 2005.

After Gates resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Defense in 2006, interim president Dr. Eddie J. Davis pledged to follow through with Gates’ expansion plans and to insure the long-term security of Vision 2020. With full backing by both the administration on campus and the Board of Regents, it's hoped Vision 2020 will contribute to A&M’s academic prominence.

[edit] Endowment

The Texas A&M University System is a minority stakeholder in an endowment known as the Permanent University Fund established within Texas. As of Fall 2005, the PUF principal was around $15 billion. The University of Texas System receives two-thirds of the fund, and the remaining third goes to the A&M System. In 2006, the system's endowment share totaled approximately $5.6 billion.^[19] A&M's endowment is the 10th largest in the nation and fourth among public university systems. At one time, the PUF was the chief source of income for Texas A&M, but today its revenues account for less than 10 percent of the university's annual budget. This has challenged the university to increase sponsored research and private donations.

[edit] Research

Texas A&M University has 11,400 acres in Research Valley with 2.5 million square feet of dedicated research space. Research funding during the 2004 year totaled more than $520.9 million, ranking Texas A&M among the top 20 research institutes in the United States, with funding increasing to more than $100 million from 1994 to 2004. A&M Ranks 13th among all U.S. research universities in exchange agreements with institutions abroad and student participation in study abroad programs.^[20] Texas A&M also has a dedicated Research Park, established in 1982, consisting of 350 acres, 10 buildings, dozens of corporations, and 500,000 square feet of space.^[21]

Texas A&M University is the leading university in animal cloning. Spearheaded by the College of Veterinary Medicine, A&M was the first university in the world to clone a domestic animal (a cat), thanks in part to funding from John Sperling.^[22] A&M is the first known academic institution in the world to have cloned six different species, a Boer goat, several pigs, a Brahman Bull, the first disease-resistant Angus Bull, the first white tail deer, the first cat, and the first horse. The new pet cloning company, Genetic Savings & Clone Inc., has been created with a partnership from Texas A&M's Missyplicity team. A&M has also participated in a joint project with Viagen, Inc. to clone the deer and Cryozootech to clone the horse.^[23]

In 2004, Texas A&M and its research agencies received nearly $400 million in new awards, an increase of more than $125 million over a 10-year period. The A&M System faculty and research submitted 121 new inventions and established 78 new royalty-bearing licensing agreements during the year, receiving $8 million in income from the innovations. The Texas A&M Technology Licensing Office filed for 88 patents for protection of intellectual property in 2004.^[24]

Also in 2004, Texas A&M joined a consortium of universities to build an optical telescope in Chile. Consisting of seven mirrors each with a diameter of 8.4 meters, the telescope will have the equivalent of a 24.5 meter primary mirror. With construction slated to be complete in 2016, the Giant Magellan Telescope will be the largest optical telescope ever constructed and ten times more powerful than the Hubble.^[25]

Texas A&M became the first U.S. nuclear research reactor to convert reactor fuel from a highly enriched form to a low-enriched safer form to reduce civilian use of weapon grade uranium. A&M, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, celebrated their success on October 13, 2006, completing a portion of Bush’s Global Nuclear Threat Reduction Initiative.^[26]

Notable research entities include the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine, the Texas Transportation Institute, the Cyclotron Institute, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, and the Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology.

[edit] Undergraduate research

Research is not limited to only postgraduates, or professors, but is heavily participated in by undergraduates throughout the departments.

Such research includes AggieSat, an undergraduate run organization funded and sponsored by the Aerospace Department to build modularized satellites in conjunction with NASA and the Air force Research Lab. With several satellites slated to be built and launched within the next two years, all work in carried out in the spare time by around 80 undergraduates from 17 different majors with oversight and assistance from graduates of related fields. With the opportunity to expand class room knowledge to practical experience, AggieSat gives any student, of any year and major an opportunity for real world training. ^[27]

[edit] Worldwide

Texas A&M has participated in more than 500 research projects in over 80 countries and lead the Southwest with annual research expenditures of more than $550 million. A&M conducts research on every continent in the world and has formal research and exchange agreements with about 100 institutions in about 40 countries. A&M also established a strong research collaboration with the National Natural Science Foundation of China as well as with many leading universities in China.^[28]

Texas A&M also has two international facilities, a multi-purpose center in Mexico City, Mexico and Santa Chiara Study Abroad Center in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. Additionally, the A&M System includes Texas A&M at Qatar, a branch campus located in Education City in Doha, Qatar devoted to engineering disciplines.

In the fall of 2003, approximately 3,820 international students came from 115 different countries to attend Texas A&M, with the majority of those students pursuing graduate degrees. On the other hand, more than 1,200 Texas A&M students studied abroad.^[29]

Texas A&M's Center for International Business Studies is one of 28 in the United States supported by the U.S. Department of Education.^[30] The university is also one of only two American universities in partnership with CONACyT, Mexico's equivalent of the National Science Foundation, to support research in areas including biotechnology, telecommunications, energy, and urban development.^[31] The university is also the home of "Las Americas Digital Research Network," an online architecture network for 26 universities in 12 nations, primarily in Central and South America.^[32]

[edit] Rankings

In the 2007 U.S. News and World Report, Texas A&M University is ranked 60th nationally among all universities in the United States and 21st among public universities.^[33] The Washington Monthly ranks Texas A&M 5th nationally^[34] with criteria based on research, community service, and social mobility. Newsweek International ranks A&M as the 77th university globally based on "openness and diversity" as well as "distinction in research."^[35] Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranks A&M 50th nationally and 88th internationally based on factors such as quality of education, quality of faculty, and research output.^[36] The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks A&M 60th among the world's top 100 technology universities, 24th among the nation's top biomedicine universities, and 50th among North America's top 50 universities.^[37] Kiplinger's Personal Finance ranks Texas A&M as the 26th best value public university based on in-state tuition, and the 12th best value public university based on out-of-state tuition.^[38]

In addition, Hispanic Magazine ranks A&M as the 25th top school nationally for Latinos.^[39] New Mobility magazine ranks A&M as one of the top 10 "disability-friendly" colleges.^[40]

Among individual colleges, departments, and programs, the Dwight Look College of Engineering is ranked 14th nationally according to U.S. News and World Report.^[33] U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks the College of Veterinary Medicine among the top five vet schools in the country.^[33] The Department of Chemistry is ranked 21st nationally by US News and World Report, and the department's Division of Inorganic Chemistry is ranked 7th. Mays Business School has numerous top ten rankings from a variety of sources.^[41]

[edit] Campus

Texas A&M University is one of the largest universities by area in the nation with 5,200 acres (21 km²)^[1] plus 350 acres (1.4 km²) for a Research Park within Texas A&M Univeristy campus in College Station, Texas.

The campus is bisected by a set of railroad tracks primarily operated by Union Pacific Railroad. The area east of the railroad tracks is known as "Main Campus" and includes many of the academic buildings, the Memorial Student Center, Kyle Field, and the student dormitories. The portion of the campus west of the railroad tracks is known as "West Campus" and includes most of the other sports facilities, the business school, the veterinary college, and the medical school. The area of West Campus along Kimbrough Boulevard is known as "Research Park" and includes a number of research facilities plus the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

See also: List of facilities at Texas A&M University

[edit] Aggieland

Texas A&M University's main campus is located in College Station, Texas, and the surrounding area is often referred to as "Aggieland". College Station is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area located within Brazos County in the Brazos Valley/East Texas region of the state. The combined population of College Station and Bryan totals around 152,415 as of 2000. Due largely to the size of Texas A&M University, College Station was named by Money Magazine in 2006 as the most educated city in Texas, and the 11th most educated city in the United States.^[42]

Aggieland is centrally located within 200 miles of three of the 10 largest cities in the United States and 75% of the Texas and Louisiana populations (approximately 13.1 million people). Aggieland's major roadway is State Highway 6, and several smaller state highways and Farm to Market Roads connect Aggieland to larger highways such as Interstate 45.

[edit] Notable buildings

Of the over 200 buildings on the Texas A&M University campus, some of the most recognized include the Academic Building, the Albritton Bell Tower, the Administration Building, Kyle Field, the Memorial Student Center (MSC), and the George Bush Presidential Library.

• Academic Building
  • One of the most recognized images of Texas A&M University, the Academic Building stands at the heart of the campus. Completed in 1914, it stands on the site of Old Main, the first campus building that burned in 1912. Of note is its copper dome, which was once polished, but since the polished dome's glare caused too great of danger for pilots landing at nearby Easterwood Airport, the university stopped polishing it. Now the dome has become green, much like the Statue of Liberty is presently. Academic Plaza, which is in front of the Academic Building, is the site of a wide range of campus events, including Silver Taps.

• Albritton Bell Tower
  • Donated to Texas A&M University and dedicated on October 6, 1984 by Martha and Ford D. Albritton, the Albritton Tower is 138 feet tall and contains Westminster chimes which ring every quarter hour. There are 49 carillon bells, the largest of which weighs more than six thousand pounds, that can be programmed to play music such as the "Spirit of Aggieland". The bells also play hymns during Silver Taps, a memorial service for students who have died during the past month.
• Easterwood Airport
  • Texas A&M University owns Easterwood Airport, which is located on the western portion of campus. Easterwood provides multiple scheduled flights daily to Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas.

• George Bush Presidential Library
  • Dedicated in 1997 and operated by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is one of eleven Presidential libraries in the United States. Former President George Bush remains actively involved with both the Bush Library and the nearby George Bush School of Government and Public Service, frequently visiting the campus and participating in special events.

• Jack K. Williams Administration Building
  • The Administration Building is the centerpiece of the main entrance to Texas A&M University. For many years home to all of Texas A&M's administrative offices, the Jack K. Williams Administration Building opened its doors in 1932 and continues to house several Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System offices and agencies. Designed by Professor C.S.P. Vosper and built by Campus Architect F.E. Giesecke, the monumental classical structure's features include intricate Ionic columns, polished brass handrails along its marble staircases and stained-glass windows. The building was officially named after former Texas A&M University president Jack Williams in 1997 to honor his work in increasing enrollment dramatically while preserving the traditional aura of the campus.

• Laboratories
  • Laboratories on the Texas A&M University campus include the Energy Systems Laboratory, Fiber Optic Lab, Hypermedia Research Lab, Materials and Structures Testing Lab, Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Turbomachinery Laboratory and the Wave Propagation and Damping Laboratory. Texas A&M is the first academic institution to clone six different species: cattle, a boer goat, pigs, a cat, a deer and a horse.^[43]

• Memorial Student Center
  • For more than 50 years, the Memorial Student Center has been a living memorial, a living room, and a living tradition at Texas A&M University. Because the building and grounds are a memorial, those entering the MSC are asked to remove their hats, and walking on the grass outside is prohibited.

• Texas A&M University Libraries
  • The Texas A&M University Libraries support the teaching, research, and outreach missions of Texas A&M through leadership in acquiring, managing, and delivering information in an environment that fosters learning and inquiry. In particular, Texas A&M is nationally and internationally recognized for many research collections, including: Engineering & Technology, Entomology, Military History, Nautical Archaeology, Naval Science, Oceanography & Hydrology, Range Livestock, Science, Science Fiction, and Transportation.

[edit] Student life

[edit] Activities

Texas A&M has more than 800 student organizations, including academic, service, religious, Greek, and common interest organizations. Students are encouraged to become involved in campus activities and organizations from the moment they attend New Student Conferences, Fish Camp, and Gig 'em Week, Aggieland's official week of welcome. An April 2005 campus survey found that 74% of the 412 respondents were currently involved with at least one organization, and that 88% have participated in a campus organization in the past.^[44] The term "The Other Education" is often used to describe the importance of student involvement in extracurricular activities on and off campus.^[45][46]

Texas A&M is home to the United States' largest uniformed student body outside the service academies with approximately 1,800 students serving in the Corps of Cadets. Prior to 1965, participation in the Corps of Cadets was mandatory for all Texas A&M students, and admission was limited to men only. Today, the Corps is a voluntary organization open to both men and women. Military service is not required, though many members participate in ROTC programs and are commissioned in the United States Armed Forces upon graduation.^[47] One notable group within the Corps is the Ross Volunteers, the oldest student organization in the state and honor guard for the Governor of Texas.

Intramural sports are offered through the Student Rec Center, a 373,000 square foot, two-story facility. Held year around, sports include, but not limited to, flag football, volleyball, and soccer. The recreation center features multiple floors of equipment and courts, as well as an indoor running track, rock-climbing tower, and a natatorium containing one of the top competitive pools in the country.

Another prominent student organization is CARPOOL, a student-run safe ride program that provides free rides to the Bryan-College Station community. Begun on September 16, 1999, CARPOOL’s primary mission is to provide rides to A&M students who are intoxicated and unable to transport themselves back home. The CARPOOL volunteers have provided over 100,000 rides to date. CARPOOL organizers have also begun assisting other universities to establish their own ride programs.^[48]

[edit] Residential life

Housing on campus is split between two distinct sections, a north side consisting of only student dorms and a south side consisting of both student and Corps dorms. During the fall 2006 semester, about 20.5% of the student body lived on-campus.^[12]

Lining the north, dormitories span Walton Hall to Clements Hall. Primary entertainment revolves around Northgate due to its relatively close location across campus. Most dining services for these dorms are provided by Sbisa Dining Hall and the Underground. Traditions among dorms include Slip – n – Slide in the halls to indoor camp fires, though none are endorsed by the university.^[49]

Dormitories to the south of campus primarily center around the Commons, a gathering center of student activities and dining services. Also next to the Commons is the Quadrangle, dormitories containing members of the Corps of Cadets, training fields, and Corps Arches.

[edit] Student government

Now comprising one of the campus's largest organizations, the Student Government Association consists of 1,200 student members comprising 3 branches of government. SGA started as simply the leadership of the Corps of Cadets but was transformed into a “Student Council” in 1910. Splitting in 1949, the Student Senate (formally “Student Council”) maintained its role as student representation at A&M, while the new Student Life Committee formed to govern over student life. In 1972, a new constitution, similar to the U.S. Constitution, was ratified by the student body to form 3 branches of government, with a presiding Student Body President. Little has changed since 1972 within the SGA except its relative position within the official framework of the university.^[50]

[edit] Student media

• The Battalion has been the student newspaper since 1893. The newspaper ranked as the 17^th best college newspaper in the nation by Princeton Review.^[51]
• KAMU-TV, started in 1970, is a PBS member station that airs various programs.
• KAMU-FM, started in 1977, is an NPR affiliate that focuses on education and the arts. Popular programs include All Things Considered and Homeland Security Inside and Out.^[52]
• KANM, dubbed the "college station of College Station", KANM plays music of all genres 24/7, including indie rock, emo, punk, hip hop, alternative, metal, electronica, and much more.^[53]
• Aggieland Yearbook, formerly known as The Olio and The Longhorn, is distributed in the fall semester, but documents student activities year-round. It is one of the nation's largest college yearbooks in terms of number of pages and number of copies sold.^[54]
• Maroon Weekly is primarily an arts/entertainment newspaper that provides information to both A&M students and Bryan/College Station residents.^[55]
• The Touchstone is a liberal/progressive political journal that prints issues five times a year. The journal has a large distribution around the Texas A&M campus.^[56]

[edit] Traditions

Main article: Traditions of Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University has many time-honored traditions, many of which began when the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas was opened in 1876. Traditions continued to expand and evolve over the years; some were dropped and others adapted to changes such as female admission, non-compulsory participation in the Corps, and a massive expansion in the student population since 1970. These traditions can be serious, such as Silver Taps or Aggie Muster, or silly, such as the "silver crapper" ceremony performed for any dear John letters. Though most public events are university-sponsored and sanctioned, like the 12th Man, Midnight Yell Practice, The Big Event, and Final Review, others are not and are strictly student-run, non-University sanctioned events, such as Student Bonfire.

[edit] Athletics

Main article: Texas A&M Aggies

A charter member of the Southwest Conference until its dissolution in 1996, Texas A&M now competes in the Big 12 Conference (South Division) of the NCAA's Division I-A. The sports teams are known as the Aggies, and the school's colors are maroon and white. Due to the quality of its various sports programs, Texas A&M was selected as the 46th "America's Best Sports College" in a 2002 analysis performed by Sports Illustrated.^[57]

Texas A&M University has earned 92 Southwest Conference regular-season and tournament titles, 21 Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, and four national championships.

Texas A&M's primary rival is the Texas Longhorns. In 2004, sporting events between the Aggies and Longhorns became known as the Lone Star Showdown. The most-watched event is the annual football game held on the day after Thanksgiving.

[edit] Football

Main article: Texas A&M Aggies football

Since its debut in 1894, the football team has won 18 Southwest Conference championships, a Big 12 championship, two Big 12 South Division championships, and one national championship.^[58] The team has appeared in a total of 29 bowl games, 13 of which the Aggies won.^[59]

Home football games are played at Kyle Field, an 82,600-capacity stadium that was built in 1927. Kyle Field was recently ranked as the fourth best college football stadium by Sporting News.^[60]

The football team is currently coached by Dennis Franchione. "Coach Fran" struggled with losing seasons in 2003 and 2005 but compiled winning seasons in 2004 and 2006.

[edit] Basketball

Main article: Texas A&M Aggies basketball

Since its debut in 1912, the men's basketball team has won 11 Southwest Conference championships, and two Southwest Conference Tournament championships. The team has appeared in the National Invitation Tournament six times, and in the NCAA Tournament eight times. Three of those eight NCAA tournament appearances include Sweet Sixteen appearances, the highest the Aggies have advanced in the national tournament.^[61]

On 6 April 2007, men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie left his position at A&M to coach at the University of Kentucky. Gillispie had been the coach since the 2004 season, and has led the team to various accolades. The women's team is currently coached by Gary Blair, who has been coaching since 2003. Both Gillispie and Blair led their respective programs to NCAA postseason appearances in 2006, a first for Texas A&M since Big 12 play began in 1996.

Home games are played at Reed Arena, a 12,500-seat facility that was opened in the fall of 1998. Basketball games before 1998 were played at G. Rollie White Coliseum, which is currently the playing court of the volleyball team.

[edit] Texas A&M in fiction and popular culture

The final score of the 1955 Texas A&M vs. Rice football game is overheard during a radio broadcast in Back to the Future Part II. The final score was announced as 20-10 in the movie; the actual final score was 20-12.^[62]

Fictional character Nick Stokes in the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a graduate of Texas A&M University,^[63] where he received a degree in criminal justice.^[64] However, criminal justice is not one of the degree programs currently offered by the university.^[65]

Three Texas A&M students have advanced to at least semifinalist status in the Jeopardy! College Championship tournament. One of the students won the tournament with $51,300 in 2002.

Students from the National Association of Home Builders chapter at Texas A&M appeared on the January 29, 2006, episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.^[66]

In the television series Over There, character Bo Rider is given a partial scholarship to Texas A&M, but is unable to pay other costs and enlists in the Army to take advantage of the G.I. Bill.^[67]

On the Ramones Rocket to Russia album cover, Dee Dee Ramone is seen wearing a Texas Aggies shirt with Ol' Sarge on it.^[68]

In Act I, Episode 1, Season 1 of This American Life, Texas A&M researchers are asked to clone a Brahman bull.

The 2002 television movie The Junction Boys gives an account of Coach Bear Bryant's first summer as football coach at Texas A&M.^[69]

The 1943 war film We've Never Been Licked features Aggies fighting in World War II. Several parts of the movie were shot at the Texas A&M campus.

[edit] Notable people

Main article: List of Texas A&M University people

The university has a base of more than 279,000 living former students,^[4] one of the largest and most active alumni groups in the nation. The school has seen many of its students earn local and national prominence.^[7]

Seven former students have earned the Medal of Honor; tied with Virginia Tech they have more honorees than any other school outside the service academies at West Point and Annapolis.^[70]

[edit] See also

• Aggie Replant — Environmental service project carried out on an annual basis by student volunteers.
• Aggie Ring — Ring earned by Aggies near the completion of their studies at Texas A&M University.
• Aggie Muster — Annual event held to honor Aggies who have died over the past year.
• Fightin' Texas Aggie Band — Official marching band of Texas A&M University.
• Yell Leaders — Elected representatives who lead students at sporting events in yells.
• The Association of Former Students — Official alumni association.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Texas A&M University
• Aggie Athletics
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 30.610369° -96.344056°
  • Street map from Google Maps or MapQuest
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Microsoft Virtual Earth, or WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

Colleges of Texas A&M University

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Canadian	McGill • Toronto

United States Military Academies and Senior Military Colleges
Federal Service Academies United States Air Force Academy • United States Coast Guard Academy • United States Military Academy • United States Merchant Marine Academy • United States Naval Academy Senior Military Colleges The Citadel • North Georgia College & State University • Norwich University • Virginia Tech • Virginia Military Institute • Texas A&M University

Big 12 Conference
North Division: Colorado Buffaloes • Iowa State Cyclones • Kansas Jayhawks • Kansas State Wildcats • Missouri Tigers • Nebraska Cornhuskers South Division: Baylor Bears • Oklahoma Sooners • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Texas Longhorns • Texas A&M Aggies • Texas Tech Red Raiders