A Brief Club History

The Houston A&M Club was established in 1923 under the Association of Former Students (AFS). Since its inception, the Club has played a pivotal role in nurturing the Aggie Spirit among Aggies in the Greater Houston area. In addition, the Club has been instrumental in supporting Texas A&M University campus programs and providing scholarships to worthy students. It was the first club to contribute over $1 million to Texas A&M for scholarships. Thanks to the Club's fundraising initiatives and the generosity of its supporters and sponsors, it is on the verge of donating $3 million in scholarships to deserving students from the Greater Houston area.

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More Historic Facts and Information

Centennial Gala

The Houston A&M Club marked its 100-year anniversary with a Centennial Gala, graced by Dr. Robert Gates, the former Secretary of Defense and past President of Texas A&M University, as the keynote speaker on October 21, 2023. The evening was historic, thrilling, and unforgettable. One can only imagine what the 200-year gala will entail.

History on Monday Luncheons

In its early years, the Club organized weekly Monday lunch meetings at the Rice Hotel in downtown Houston. The most memorable luncheon took place in 1962 when John H. Lindsey '44 invited Texas A&M University President General James Earl Rudder '32. At this event, General Rudder announced that starting the following fall semester, women would be admitted to the university as full-time students. This announcement was met with immediate protest from the attendees, but Rudder insisted that the change was inevitable. Club President Marvin P. Tate '55 stood up and declared, "I move we adjourn," leading the group to the bar of the Rice Hotel. For many years, a woman named Lola managed the club's lunch service at the Rice Hotel. Known for keeping order, Lola would not hesitate to address the club on various topics if she felt it necessary. The highlight of these meetings during football season was the screening of the previous weekend's Aggie football game. In the 1980s and 1990s, this tradition evolved to include watching games on CRT TVs via VHS tapes, which were later replaced by DVDs. Eventually, the Club stopped watching games during the luncheons as game replays became readily available online. Over time, the lunch meetings relocated to several venues, including the Briar Club, Downtown Holiday Inn, Houston City Club in Greenway Plaza, and Hess Club in the Galleria area. Today, the Monday lunch tradition is celebrated with the Traditions lunch on the second Monday of each month at Grotto Ristorante in the Galleria area. As Houston has expanded, additional networking lunches have been introduced in various locations across the greater Houston area, such as the Memorial area and The Woodlands.

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History On Club Presidents

The inaugural president of the Houston A&M Club was Gus C. Street, Jr., in 1905. The club elected its first female president, Randi C. Mays-Knapp '79, in 1987, and since then, eight additional Aggie women have held the presidency. Over the first century, three presidents served two-year terms: Clint Smith '78 in 2012 and 2014, Edward D. Coulson '38 in 1945 and 1946, and George F. Forsyth '1917 in 1937 and 1938.

Click Here for a List of the Past HAMC Presidents

History On Muster

Muster is the most revered of Aggie traditions. Observed annually on April 21st, it is a time for fellowship and remembrance of Aggies who have passed away in the preceding year. The ceremony conducted by the Club includes a keynote speaker, the Roll Call for the Absent, and a candle lighting ritual. The Houston A&M Club's Muster is the most significant gathering of its kind beyond the main campus event. Over its century-long history, the Club has hosted numerous distinguished Muster speakers and has even conducted several ceremonies at the historic San Jacinto battlegrounds.

History On Coach's Night

Coach's Night evolved into an annual tradition in the 1960s when the Club began hosting the current head coach of the Fighting Texas Aggie football team to talk about the forthcoming season. Initially, it was typically a BBQ dinner with family and friends. By the mid-1980s, it had transformed into a scholarship fundraising event featuring a sit-down dinner and both silent and live auctions. Today, Coach's Night is the Club's most significant fundraising event, bolstering our scholarship fund.

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History Of the Houston Aggie Volunteers

In 1994, William Wade ’73, a past president of the Houston A&M Club, founded the Houston Aggie Volunteers to enhance the community service dimension of the Club's activities. Since then, the volunteers have dedicated their efforts to numerous charitable organizations in the Houston area. The Houston Food Bank has been the main recipient of these efforts. No other alumni group associated with a college in Houston has contributed more volunteer hours to the Houston Food Bank than the Houston Aggie Volunteers, with no close contenders.

Additionally, the Houston Aggie Volunteers have taken part in Habitat for Humanity, Wreaths Across America, and Flags for Fallen Vets. Supporting the various scholarship fundraising events and programs is a significant aspect of the Houston Aggie Volunteers' activities.

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History On C.A.M.P.

In November 2005, Freddie Wong ’69 and Sammy Williams ’68 led a group of committed Aggie volunteers to establish C.A.M.P., the Caring Aggie Mentoring Program. This long-term initiative pairs volunteers with disadvantaged third graders, offering guidance and support through to their high school graduation. The mission of CAMP is to mentor these children throughout their educational journey, encouraging them to seek higher education by promoting high academic standards, fostering confidence and leadership, providing enriching experiences, and exemplifying the traits of successful individuals.

Houston's Outstanding Aggie Award

The Houston Outstanding Aggie Award represents the pinnacle of recognition by the Club. Inaugurated in 1973 with Edward J. Mosher '28 as its first recipient, the award is bestowed yearly upon an alumnus of Texas A&M from the Greater Houston Area. The honoree is selected by the Houston A&M Club for embodying the ideals cherished by Aggies: devotion and service to the university, and more significantly, to the community, state, and nation, alongside a remarkable impact within their chosen profession or industry.

Click Here for a List of the Past Outstanding Aggie Award Winners

Distinguished Service Awards

Since 1957, the Houston A&M Club has presented the Harris Award for Distinguished Service to active members who demonstrate a commitment to upholding Aggie traditions and leadership within the club or community. The award recognizes service alone, not financial contributions, length of membership, or other factors. Numerous recipients have later served as president of the Houston A&M Club. In 2007, the Board of Directors established the Volunteer of the Year Award for a local Aggie who exemplifies outstanding community service annually.

Click Here for a List of the Past Distinguished Service Award Winners