More than 3,500 students filed into the Clayton Williams Jr. Alumni Center to receive their Aggie Rings on Friday, each surrounded by proud family, except for Yashwant Vyas.
Dressed in a maroon, white and gold traditional kurta pajama made special for the event, the closest family he had to share the moment with was his mother in India, who joined him over Skype on an iPad.
Vyas said he didn’t feel alone despite seeing what felt like 10 guests for every other ring recipient.
“I wouldn’t say that I didn’t have my family here,” he said. “I have my Aggie family here. I have 60,000 people here with me.”
Vyas experienced the strength of the Aggie network on his way to becoming part of the 125th year of the Aggie Ring. Since moving from his home in India in 2012 to pursue an electrical engineering degree, it took him three semesters to reach the 90 credit hour mark required for the ring, but could not raise the funds to pay for the ring.
Association of Former Students Vice President Kathryn Greenwade helped find a sponsor in Outstanding International Alumnus and Chevron Vice President Shariq Yosufzai ’74 and Vyas got his ring.
“It was an honor to get the ring sponsor but it was a bigger honor to get the sponsor for him,” Vyas said. “It was the cherry on the cake.”
Vyas’ ring connected him to an estimated 330,000 former students with Aggie Rings since 1889, including Alex Brailas ’52, who said he wouldn’t miss his granddaughter’s Aggie Ring Day for the world.
“It’s a very uplifting, spiritual moment in my life every time I see one of my children roaming these halls,”
Ashley Schoenemann ’15, joined her grandfather and father after she fought through two ankle surgeries during her freshman and sophomore years. She said the push through was worth receiving the ring on time and being part of the important milestone.
“It’s a gift for making it through all the obstacles,” she said. “I feel very proud to be a part of history. It’s all about the traditions and if we didn’t do it, it wouldn’t be here for the Aggies ahead of us.”
The Aggie ring has undergone seven primary changes and several minor alterations in its 125 years, but its importance remains. Greenwade ’88, who oversees the event, said she never fails to get emotional reliving the day three times a year.
“It’s a feeling of being a part of a continuum that stands 125 years and that while to the outside might look like it’s changed, at the heart of it, it remains the same and that’s just like the Aggie Ring,” she said. “There are subtle changes to the ring throughout that time but the meaning and the significance of the Aggie Ring has only been strengthened.”
Neil Lee ’08 and his wife Catherine ’13 volunteered for the first time this year and lived vicariously through the students they handed rings to.
“It’s really fantastic that you’re able to step back into the shoes of being a family member watching someone else get their ring or being that student again on that day you longed for when you got to receive your Aggie Ring.”
After his expected 2015 graduation, Vyas said he will carry his new family of 60,000 on the gold band on his right hand when he returns home.
“I get to bring my whole Aggie family past, present and future,” he said.
This story was written by Sam Peshek and sourced from http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/texas-a-m-celebrates-th-year-of-aggie-ring/article_3630172b-c7bf-50b0-be01-450f39ee7e7a.html
