Pass It Back In 2022

We have a New Year’s resolution for you, Ags: connect with Aggieland!

There are many ways to “pass it back” and engage with Aggies this year. Whether you’d like to become a mentor, help judge a competition or are simply looking for ways to volunteer your time with students, your donation of time and advice is priceless. Check out our roundup of six campus volunteer opportunities below.

The Gift of Hindsight: Aggies & Mentors

In collaboration with the Student Government Association, The Association of Former Students and the Career Center, Aggies & Mentors strives to create impactful connections. The organization pairs former students of Texas A&M University with current students who have shared interests and values. Through mentorship, students have invaluable opportunities for professional development and leadership growth.

Sydney Ramon ’23, a mentee involved with Aggies & Mentors, shared, “As I make difficult decisions regarding my academic path, future career or current leadership roles, I have always wished for the gift of hindsight; a way to know whether or not I am making the ‘right’ decision for myself and my future. My mentor—as someone who works in my ideal field and holds similar experiences—has provided me with that gift.”

You can share the invaluable gift of hindsight by applying to Aggies & Mentors here beginning June 1, 2022.

Connecting Generations of Aggie Women: AMPLIFY Women’s Mentoring Circle

The AMPLIFY Women’s Mentoring Circle provides Aggie women with resources to succeed in both their professional and personal lives. In partnership with the Texas A&M Women’s Resource Center, AMPLIFY strengthens the Aggie Women Network by connecting ambitious women across generations. A current mentor with the program stated, “Being connected to another Aggie from a different generation who is currently attending school made me feel connected as a former student and proud to be a part of the Aggie family.”

Members of the Aggie Women Network, regardless of whether you live in College Station, can apply to become a mentor with AMPLIFY and give back to the next generation of Aggie women.

To learn more about how you can make an impact through this women’s mentoring circle, contact Heather Wheeler ’03 at heatherw@studentlife.tamu.edu or visit the program’s website here.

Architecture Advice: Architecture Jurors Program

For an architecture student, a studio project is the culmination of many hours of research, planning and hard work. The Architecture Jurors Program, an opportunity facilitated by the College of Architecture, allows former students with industry knowledge to provide invaluable feedback on studio projects and Aggie architects through meaningful mentorship.

Participating in the Architecture Jurors Program provides opportunities to impact the lives of students and the entirety of the architecture program. Dr. Gregory Luhan, architecture department head, shared, “It is a unique time in our department’s history. We are redefining the identity of our program through the active recruitment of students and strengthening the curriculum in ways that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. By connecting our students to former students, we are building a solid foundation that is both timeless and current.”

Want to share your expertise in architecture with students? Contact Shanielle Veazie ’16 at sveazie.arch@tamu.edu to learn more about the Architecture Jurors Program.

Preparing Potential: Texas A&M University Career Center

Since 1939, the Texas A&M University Career Center has empowered Aggies to realize their potential. Last year, the Career Center had more than 24,000 advising connections with students and former students to help Aggies not only explore and secure work, but also excel in their chosen career path.

While most initial inquiries with the Career Center are focused on resume reviews, job postings or career fair preparation, staff work quickly to help individuals realize that those items are the tip of the iceberg. Paul Pausky ’78, associate director of former students at the Career Center, shared, “We promote a strategic approach to networking to identify, explore and compete for opportunities in the hidden job market. Our process helps each Aggie identify the knowledge, skills or abilities needed to maximize their competitive position.”

To explore how you can help prepare Aggies for impactful careers, visit the Career Center website or fill out a volunteering form.

Portraying Patients: Clinical Learning Resource Center

The Clinical Learning Resource Center helps students develop crucial clinical skills through the Standardized Patient Program. Standardized patients provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where medical, nursing and pharmacy students can practice their clinical and communication skills.

Standardized patients portray a wide variety of scenarios that allow students to practice critical thinking, patient safety, crisis management, team interaction and decision making. All standardized patients are given extensive training to provide consistent, realistic portrayals of curriculum-specific situations. Patients are also compensated with a stipend for their time in helping students prepare for their future careers in health care.

Interested in helping health care students hone their skills? Apply to be a standardized patient here.

Empowering Entrepreneurship: The McFerrin Center

The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship’s mission is to support and grow the Aggie entrepreneurial ecosystem. To achieve this mission, the center offers more than 30 unique programs, including Aggie Pitch, Texas A&M's campus-wide business pitch contest, and the Aggie Angel Network, a program connecting qualified Aggie investors and early-stage, Aggie-led companies seeking capital.

The center’s program variety is matched by diverse opportunities for former students to volunteer and impact future Aggie entrepreneurs. Blake Petty, the center’s executive director, shared, “The opportunity to engage with students who are actively pursuing their own individual goals and passions, seeking to solve problems and improve the world through their own motivation—not just because of a class or grade—is one of the most inspiring and fulfilling roles any former student can play.”

Ready to engage Aggie entrepreneurs in exciting ways? Learn more about volunteer opportunities at the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship here.