Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Evan Andrews [Click to enlarge]

From the mountains of El Paso to the sizzling heat of the Rio Grande Valley, students take the journey to become an Aggie at Texas A&M University each year. However, there are a few that select to take a trip across state lines for their education.

According to the Office of Institutional Studies and Planning at Texas A&M, there are 1,135 undergraduate students from out of state enrolled. Compared to the 33,942 undergraduate students from Texas, these students are outnumbered greatly.

So, why does one leave their home state to become a part of the Aggie family? Three students explain how Aggieland became their home away from home.

Drew Petty, a junior accounting major from Tipton, Mo., was inspired to come to A&M after a performance of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Marching Band at Missouri State University.

"The band was great and the senior cadets' boots looked cool," Petty said.

After such influence, he made the trip to Aggieland and became a member of the Corps of Cadets.

Another member of the Corps, Ashtin Ward, a junior mathematics major from Spring Hill, Fla., decided to come to A&M because of a friend's recommendation.

"I had gotten a scholarship from the Air Force which led me to the Corps," Ward said. "After I toured the campus, I fell in love with the Aggie traditions and that's when I knew I wanted to stay."

A&M's great engineering program was what brought freshman biomedical engineering major Johnny Ling from Norman, Okla., to Aggieland.

"I wanted the out of state experience and new surroundings, so Texas A&M was the place for me," Ling said.

Leaving their home states, family and friends, however, brought a mix of emotions for the three.

For Petty, leaving Missouri was a great personal achievement.

"Not many people ever leave my town," Petty said. "My family is proud of me for taking a step to better my education."

As for his friends, Petty said that they consider it "neat" that he has journeyed out of their small home town to study in Texas.

"I'm really close to my family, so leaving was really hard," Ward said.

However, knowing that she is at a great school, Ward said she is happy she made the decision.

Ling said that his family was very supportive of his move to Texas A&M.

"They have helped me tremendously, especially since I'm a freshman and far away from home," Ling said.

As for future career goals and plans for staying in Texas, Petty said he hopes to enter the accounting professional program or to join the finance branch of the Army. "I love Texas weather, but I want to experience places just as great," Petty said.

Ward said she will be joining the Air Force after graduation and will be going to wherever the Air Force needs her.

Ling is still debating between medical, law or business school, but for now, he's happy just being a student at Texas A&M.

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