COLLEGE STATION, Nov. 18, 2022 – Despite some weather delays, The Association of Former Students continued to deliver more than 2,400 Aggie Rings on the most recent Aggie Ring Day, held on November 11th.
Aggie Ring Day — which is held 3 times in the academic year — celebrates the receiving of the Aggie Ring, which students are eligible to receive after completing 90 hours of their degree plan, with a minimum of 45 hours having happened at Texas A&M. With the oldest Aggie Ring being made in 1889, receiving an Aggie Ring is a Aggie tradition that has grown as Texas A&M has, with thousands of students receiving theirs each year.
The 3 Aggie Ring Days for the 2022-2023 academic year have seen a start to a new tradition: the opening of Aggie Park, a recreational facility located across from Kyle Field and in front of the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center, has provided expansion for Ring Day activities. However, while spectators of Aggie Ring Day held in September got to partake in Aggie Park festivities, undesirable weather conditions expected in College Station on November 11th caused The Association of Former Students to modify their plans for Aggie Ring Day out of safety concerns.
In an email sent to Aggie Ring recipients on November 10th, The Association said that they felt “compelled to modify Aggie Ring Day events in order to guard the safety of thousands of expected visitors.” Among their modifications was to cancel all events held in Aggie Park, as well as to delay Ring Delivery by 30 minutes every time lightning was detected within 8 miles of the Alumni Center, where Aggie Rings are delivered. They also recommended recipients to reconsider their travel and guest plans, and provided an alternative ring pickup on November 10 for recipients who wanted to avoid weather issues when receiving their rings.
As Aggie Ring Day arrived and Ring Delivery began at noon, all eyes were on the weather until lightning was detected within 8 miles of the alumni center at around 2 PM, and Aggie Ring Day was delayed by about 90 minutes due to consistent lightning within the area. Once the lightning had passed, ring recipients were invited back to pick up their ring regardless of their original time slot.
Despite the rain, more than 2,400 Aggie Rings were still delivered as planned at Texas A&M, with others being delivered at Texas A&M Galveston, Texas A&M’s Higher Education Center in McAllen, and Texas A&M University’s School of Law in Fort Worth.
Congratulations to all Aggies who received their rings! For more information on the Aggie Ring, Aggie Park, and forthcoming Aggie Ring Days, you can visit The Association of Former Students website here.