Our Top 12 Photos of 2021

From supporting bright minds and groundbreaking programs to making football history, Aggies have plenty to be proud of when looking back at the past year. Here are some of our favorite stories and moments of 2021, summarized through photos.

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After arriving in March 2021, the iconic Union Pacific No. 4141 Engine that carried former President George H.W. Bush on his last journey to Aggieland now lives permanently at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. More on this legendary locomotive. 

Brent Montgomery ’97, producer of the hit show “Pawn Stars,” has parlayed his success into a television empire. His latest endeavor, the media and investing group Wheelhouse, draws on the foundational values he developed in Aggieland as it aims to reinvent the Hollywood business model. Explore his story.

As a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner at Texas Children’s Hospital, Tuesday Sowers ’20 serves as a voice for sexually abused children and adolescents. In this position, she applies the training she received through Texas A&M’s forensic nursing program, one of several initiatives in the College of Nursing that is creating a healthier Texas. How Aggie nurses are making a difference. 

In 1974, a group of Company C-1 cadets unearthed an abandoned M1902 artillery gun outside Easterwood Airport. That gun became the iconic Spirit of ’02, which now echoes the Aggie Spirit with its celebratory roar in Kyle Field after each Aggie score. Uncover its history.

Growing up in Brownsville, Texas, Juan Dominguez ’21 learned the importance of hard work and perseverance and set his sights high. Thanks to Texas A&M’s Brownsville Scholars Program, he’s one step closer to achieving his dream of expanding health care opportunities in his hometown. Meet Juan. 

Amber Love ’23 aspires to one day advise high school and college students by combining her knack for coaching with her leadership experience as an Army veteran. Texas A&M’s Veterans Coaching Program (VCP) is helping her get there. The program is a new initiative that assists members of the armed forces with the transition from military service to careers in coaching and teaching. Why the VCP is a slam dunk. 

To honor the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a wave of patriotic color transformed Kyle Field as more than 75,000 people filled the stadium donning red, white and blue to express their love for the country during the 2021 game against Kent State University. The display of national pride harkened back to the Aggies’ game against Oklahoma State University on Sept. 22, 2001, where fans first wore red, white and blue following the attacks. Experience the solidarity, and read Aggies’ recollections of the tragedy 20 years later.

Dr. Patrick Stover has dedicated his life to the intersection of nutrition, agriculture and health. Now, he is spearheading a new Texas A&M institute to transform the future of America’s food system. Dig into this story. 

Every day, Victor Castillo ’13 changes the lives of low-income, first-generation students. An academic advisor for the Texas A&M College of Science’s Regents’ Scholars and Science Leadership Scholars programs, Castillo serves as a mentor and encourages others to succeed by sharing his own story of overcoming obstacles as a first-generation student. Hear from Castillo and his students.

On Oct. 9, 2021, Aggies made history when they crushed the Crimson Tide with a down-to-the-wire 41-38 upset against the No. 1 ranked team. The triumph was the first time Texas A&M has defeated the University of Alabama at Kyle Field and ended the Tide’s 100-win streak against unranked opponents. More than 106,000 fans packed the stadium as the 12th Man rocked the stands with the Aggie Spirit. Relive the victory. 

From atop the highest point on campus, the Aggie Doppler Radar helps students and the National Weather Service (NWS) track severe weather situations. When a deadly tornado touched down in Onalaska, Texas, in fall 2020, ADRAD was in the best position to record the tornado’s formation and help the NWS deliver timely warnings to the community. Turn your eyes to the skies. 

Texas A&M’s successful $4.25 billion Lead by Example campaign culminated in a campus-wide celebration during the 2021 football game against Auburn on Nov. 6. Backed by the Corps of Cadets standing in Block-T formation, Fred McClure ’76 took to the field during halftime and spoke of the Aggie Spirit, unity and generosity that made the campaign—the largest to date by a public Texas university—a success. Learn more.