Stories

A team from Texas A&M’s Advanced Vertical Flight Lab led by aerospace engineering professor Dr. Moble Benedict recently entered the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA lift challenge. They were one of only six teams from across the country that built a drone that could finish the course. Their design went through many iterations, but the finished carbon fiber vehicle weighed 50-pounds and carried 110 pounds of barbell weights across four nautical miles in only 12 minutes.

What a night! 

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions, brought friends, showed up curious, and leaned into the conversation. We loved getting to hear what’s on your mind!

Our department head, Dr. Stacy Vincent, joined AGSC 402/602 to present, "Where are the boys? The current phenomenon & approaches for improving the profession." The discussion encouraged future agricultural educators to examine current trends in education, think critically about challenges facing the profession, and explore ways to strengthen the future of teaching.

The Texas A&M Ranch Horse Team earned Champion Division I Collegiate Team honors at the SHTX Aggieland Classic.

Celebrating community, Aggie spirit and a little tropical fun!

PLPMBESC hosted a delegation from the University of Lincoln (United Kingdom) who is seeking to build a broader UK-US Ag-Tech and research partnership. The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT) is based at the University’s Riseholme Campus, with the goals of supporting and enhancing the future of food and agriculture productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through research, education, and technology. PLPMBESC faculty enjoyed the opportunity to share our innovative research programs and our outstanding facilities with the visitors. 

What’s one thing every Aggie should know? 

Dr. Kyle R. McCracken ’19, Director of Residence Life, shares his top tip for making the most of your Texas A&M experience. 

What if we could develop new materials faster for some of the most extreme environments?

That’s the challenge Toan Truong, Ph.D. candidate in the J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, will continue exploring as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory. His research combines advanced manufacturing, materials science and AI to develop autonomous laboratories and accelerate materials discovery.

Katie, a junior Animal Science major and VMBS Ambassador, had the opportunity to participate in a pre-veterinary study abroad trip to Sydney, Australia this summer! 

She traveled with fellow members of the Veterinarians Without Borders organization, to partake in Loop Abroads Program at Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary. There, she worked with many exotic wildlife species native to the diverse terrain. Some of her favorite animals included a wallaby, flying foxes, and a wombat named Ally, for whom she also built an enrichment project.

It's World Space Week!

The Texas A&M University System is building the research, workforce, and facilities that will help Texas and America lead the next era of space exploration.

Had such a fun time serving @aggienetwork at their Pass It Back Day!! We love getting to know new faces :)

The Texas A&M Department of Nuclear Engineering, in collaboration with The Texas A&M University System Nuclear Security Office and the Texas A&M Institute of Data Science, hosted the AI for Nuclear Summit August 19–20. The two-day conference featured speakers from a wide range of institutions, including faculty members from Texas A&M and other universities, representatives from nuclear companies and scientists from several U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories.

We’re excited to share the success of the 4th Annual Coastal Engineering & Nature-Based Solutions Short Course held September 8-11 at our Galveston Campus. This year, we welcomed 19 participants representing diverse backgrounds from across the United States—including Alaska!

Leonard Haynes is an AgriLife Extension agent in Donley County whose heart is in working with young people, though his days stretch well beyond that into any area his community needs him most. 

Leonard brings hands-on programs to schools across his community, giving kids a chance to learn by doing. He also makes time for landowner visits and helping producers work through tough seasons.

Teaching the Teachers: Taking Chemistry to the Water 

Learning doesn’t always happen in a classroom—and sometimes, the best way to prepare for the next generation of students is to get out on the water.

Texas A&M University at Galveston Vessel Operations recently supported a Chemistry centric Graduate Teaching Assistant training trip, helping instructors experience firsthand how our vessels and the marine environment can become an extension of the classroom.

The Aggie Travel Safety Circle is back in session. Today’s topic? Micromobility.

This is a shorts series tackling campus safety one group session at a time. 

Mays Business School celebrated the winners of the 2026 AI Dissertation Proposal Competition during a day of research, connection, and conversation on campus at Texas A&M University.

An exciting new multimedia exhibition tracing Texas A&M’s 150-year growth from an isolated college to a major research university opens Oct. 2 at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the MSC!

A father’s legacy can live on in many ways.

For Dr. Khan Zahid, honoring his father, Dr. M.A. Naser ’67, means helping other students experience the transformative power of education.

Forget Pantone. We have Poultry-tone.

This past Friday, interns and scholars from all three of our programs headed out to the ballpark for a grand ole time with the Washington Nationals!

We love a good circle reveal! 

Our Aggie ACHIEVE students had so much fun taking part in a circle reveal with their Aggie ACHIEVEMates this week! It was a great opportunity to celebrate the friendships and connections they are building together throughout their time in Aggie ACHIEVE.

We’re Never Gonna Give You Up and You Never Let Us Down.
Here is a look back at Welcome Back Bash 2026. Thank you for making it totally tubular!

We had an amazing time perform for @runwchristcstat 

A strong weekend in Nebraska for the Aggies!

The Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team earned High Team Overall honors at the 2026 AKSARBEN Stock Show, along with High Team Reasons, High Team Cattle, Third High Team Swine and Fourth High Team Sheep and Goats.

Before John Adams ’24 was a Texas A&M philosophy student, he was a camper at the Aggie School of Athens Philosophy Camp. It was a place where he could meet other students who shared his interests, learn from professors and college students, and, as John puts it, spend time with other “philosophy nerds.”

Years later, John returned to the same camp as a counselor, this time helping create that experience for someone else.

Career Fair Recap 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Career Fair! We loved seeing our students connect with employers, explore opportunities, and build their professional networks.

Leisure & Instructional Programming had their first event with a movie night under the stars!

Dr. Eric Kneese, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, provides insights on the most common fly-related issues and the best ways to protect cattle by controlling flies.

Emiko Nevarez ’27 spent her summer sharing her passion for architecture with the next generation.

As a Camp ARCH counselor and @tamuarch major, Emiko took what she is learning at Texas A&M and used it to help campers explore their own ideas. Working with students at different levels of experience challenged her to find new ways to explain architectural concepts and encourage each camper along the way.

Texas A&M University-San Antonio police have a teammate who helps students feel safe when they need it most: Scout, the university's victim assistance dog.

Our Texas A&M Women's Rodeo Team won a national championship this summer, and yesterday The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents adopted a resolution honoring them.

A record 220 cadets make up the Texan Corps of Cadets at Tarleton State University this fall, including a record 103 first-year cadets.

Dr. Susan Ballabina was recognized on Kyle Field today as Texas A&M University’s 28th president, marking a new chapter as the university approaches its 150th anniversary.

A pet’s heart works hard every day to support the walks, playtime, cuddles, and companionship families cherish. Because heart disease can develop with few early warning signs, knowing what to watch for — and staying proactive about preventive care — can make a meaningful difference.

Texas A&M welcomes Google Gemini to campus this week as part of Google's college tour!

Aggies have been stopping by the Gemini Lounge to test out AI-powered tools, connect with Googlers and pick up some exclusive swag.

The event gives students a chance to see Gemini in action and explore features that can help with studying, research, organization, and exam preparation. Best of all, Texas A&M students have access to Gemini at no cost.

Introducing Executive Cabinet 2026-2027!

Texas A&M stacks

531 teams entered. The goal wasn’t a better pitch. It was to test, learn, and build better and faster with AI.

Congratulations also to NEXUS of the Baylor College of Medicine and Columbia University, our second-place winner, and Lobe AI of Mays Business School and the Texas A&M University College of Engineering, our third-place winner, and to all 12 finalists for the progress they made.

What a fantastic start to the semester for the department!

The Opening Doors Career Fair brought together more than 300 students and 30+ industry vendors for an afternoon of networking, career exploration and professional development.

Elizabeth Robertson '25 found her calling in hospitality in an unlikely place: a marine biology lab in Florida.

This #AGLSAggie has turned her curiosity into a career by using a study abroad experience and student leadership to set herself up for a career in conference management!

Meet Cabot Ellis ’25, a proud graduate of Texas A&M University’s Department of Soil & Crop Sciences!

We want to thank all the Aggies who participated in Career Services’ Dress for Success & Headshot event!

Sometimes the simplest habits make the biggest difference in your wellness. As you adjust to a new schedule away from home, keep these habits in mind to build a healthier relationship with yourself. 

Putting wool to the test

Curious when the best time is to pick a fig? Dr. Tim Hartmann in @tamuhort shares just that!

Another great Aggie football weekend in the books! From Midnight Yell to the Aggie ACHIEVE tailgate and cheering on the Ags, it was a weekend full of great memories and even better company. We are so grateful to the Hutcheson family for hosting another wonderful tailgate and bringing the Aggie Family together! Gig ’em! 

An Opening Doors Career Fair connection that turned into a career opportunity!  Texas A&M master’s graduate Tingyi (Wayne) Wang recently started a new role in Revenue Management at Hilton’s regional headquarters in Dallas. Wayne connected with his now-supervisor at one of our HMGT Opening Doors Careers Fair. This is a great example of how career fairs create opportunities for students and industry professionals to make meaningful connections that can lead to what’s next.

A body lies motionless beneath a front-end loader. A witness story doesn't add up. A College Station police officer takes notes.

Relax, true crime fans, no one died. It's a class.

Last month, members of the Nutrition Retinoids Focus Group attended the International Retinoids Conference VIII in gorgeous Niagara Falls, NY. Dr. Catharine Ross and Dr. Masako Suzuki gave talks at the conference and GGEN doctoral student Brighton Garrett presented a poster.

Graduate student Zil Modi wanted to know how a bacterium's tiniest structures shape its ability to cause disease. Working in the Koch Lab, Modi helped build a tool that lets researchers dial the length of bacterial pili up or down and watch what happens to infection.

As part of a recent National Association of State Directors of Agriculture (NASDA) trade mission to Kenya and Rwanda, Dr. Jack Elliot was invited as one of only two special guests to participate in this international effort. While in Kigali, Rwanda, he presented at the Africa Food Systems Forum during the Leveraging South-South & Triangular Cooperation in Agricultural Investments session, engaging with leaders focused on advancing agricultural development and investment.

Dr. Marcus Kronforst, a professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution at the University of Chicago, is our seminar speaker this morning!

He's presenting, "Exploring the genetic basis of mimicry and mate choice in tropical butterflies."

A new faculty member has joined our flock! Meet Diego Martinez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of poultry nutrition.

He brings more than two decades of experience across commercial poultry production, research, technical services, and consulting in the U.S. and Latin America, along with a passion for preparing students to think critically about the role nutrition plays throughout poultry production.

Every now and then we come face to face with history. Our own Dr. Darren Hartl, Associate Department Head for Student Success and Development, recently had the chance to share a meal with retired Col. Robert C. Barlow of the U.S. Air Force and Texas A&M Aeronautical Engineering Class of 1956. Robert Barlow first arrived in College Station in 1940 as the six-year-old son of Dr. Howard W. Barlow, the founding Head of our department.

Birding with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offers far more than bird watching. It connects Texans with conservation, builds community, offers expert-led programming, and makes connecting with nature accessible at every skill level.

From across Texas to College Station… our Engineering Academies Aggies are HERE!! 
 
Today, nearly 700 Texas A&M University Engineering Academies students from across Texas came together for an amazing Campus Engagement, bringing the energy, curiosity and excitement of the next generation of engineers to Aggieland!

Today, we celebrated a partnership making a lasting impact on the future of engineering in Texas.

Thanks to a generous $2 million donation from Zachry Corporation, the TEES Workforce Development Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Alamo Colleges District – Northeast Lakeview College will be able to expand scholarships, enhance student support and provide greater access to high-quality learning resources. This investment makes engineering education even more affordable and accessible for future engineers in San Antonio, TX.

For 110 years, students have helped shape the story and legacy of the VMBS.

Today, 3,332 students are enrolled across our DVM, graduate, and BIMS undergraduate programs — 700+ DVM students, 300+ graduate students, and more than 2,300 undergraduate students, including 169 BIMS students at the Texas A&M University-Higher Education Center at McAllen.

When Lisa D. Cantu needed professional clothing for her first interview as a college freshman, Texas A&M University’s Career Closet helped provide it. 

Now, as student regent for The Texas A&M University System, Cantu is launching Stocked for Success, a campaign to help students across the A&M System find the same practical support...

We had an amazing time dancing for @savemuny!

A few weeks ago, the MS Marketing team was honored to receive the Mays Staff Team Excellence Award

Advancing the health of agricultural animals. 

AgriLife Research is among institutions that recieved funding from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support research on animal health and disease, including prevention, treatment development and immune reagents for agricultural animals.

That's something to be proud of.

What's it like being sworn in as confidential assistant to the chief of @usdagov's NRCS? Ask @alecaggies' Morgan Marburger '25

Meet the Aggie engineers taking the field for the 2026 football season. 

A busy few weeks back on campus!

Meet Wiley Bilby ‘27, a fall ANRP Agricultural Leadership & Development student interning with the Office of Senator Ted Cruz! 
 
From the ILCB to the Capitol steps, Wiley is spending the semester exploring D.C. while taking advantage of every networking opportunity.

That's something to be proud of.

What's it like being sworn in as confidential assistant to the chief of USDA-NRCS? Ask Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications' Morgan Marburger '25!

The Board of Regents has committed up to $90 million over three years to help A&M System universities honor the state’s Hazlewood promise while protecting the financial strength of campuses that serve Texas veterans.

Texas A&M University announced today that Dr. Michael D. Johnson has been appointed Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.

Dr. Johnson is a professor in our Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology program and holds the Stewart and Stevenson Professorship I.

How closely does a college major connect to a graduate’s career, and what difference can that connection make?

In a recent study, Dr. Brian Holzman and colleagues examined how the relationship between college majors and occupations shapes employment outcomes. They found that graduates in majors closely aligned with specific career fields often experience higher earnings and lower unemployment, especially when their occupations align with their studies.

Another successful Grad Camp is in the books!