Texas A&M to rededicate the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center
By: Ann Littmann
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
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"We have recently completed a very extensive enhancement project," said the Association of Former Students Vice President of Communications Kathryn Greenwade. "Gifts from our donors allowed us to complete this project without using our operating fund or funds allocated from Texas A&M."
This celebration of the Association of Former Students' 130 years of service is open to the public and will honor the 91 donors who funded the developments, Association and Texas A&M leaders, members of The Association's Leadership Council and more than 20 Aggies who were present at the 1946 Aggie Muster of Corregidor Island.
The 1946 Muster was a tribute to the 25 Aggies who had previously observed Muster in the same place in 1942. Aggies of the 1946 Muster will participate in the commemoration of the Association's Muster exhibit, which contains the original banner that was raised at the mouth of the Malinta Tunnel in the well-known 1946 photo.
The rededication ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. Speakers at this event include 2009 Association Chairwoman Shelly Potter, Association Building Enhancement Chair Jim Thompson, Association President and CEO Porter S. Gamer III, Texas A&M University Interim President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin and Student Body President Kolin Loveless.
"This rededication is meant to celebrate and officially present to the Aggie network these new exhibits," Greenwade said. "With these exhibits, visitors can see the history of Texas A&M University, and most of all see and feel the Aggie spirit in action."
The $17 million enhancement of the Clayton w. Williams Jr. Alumni Center includes a 49-panel Huddleston Video Wall and six new exhibits located on the second floor of the center. The exhibits include: Spirit, Legacy, Traditions, Muster, Memories and Network. Spirit projects an image of the individual leading a yell at Midnight Yell Practice onto the screen, Legacy displays Aggie rings dating back to 1891, Traditions allows visitors to take part in common Aggie traditions via video technology, Muster exhibits large photo of 1946 Corregidor Muster and photos of contemporary Musters from all over the world, Memories allows visitors to hear about memories of Texas A&M from older generations and allows visitors to record their memories, and finally, Network is a global representation of the Aggie Network.
"We wanted to create an environment that told the story of Texas A&M and inspired future Aggies to be part of our legacy," Greenwade said. "This is a home for current students, past students and future students."
The most notable enhancement of the center is the 12-foot, 6,500 pound bronze Aggie Ring replica in the Haynes Ring Plaza. It contains a time capsule that will be unsealed by the Texas A&M University Class of 2046.
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