Maroon Life Magazine — Best of Aggieland 2026

SCHOLARSHIP

Editors

Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief

Hudson Elkjer, Executive Editor

Ayla Francis, Managing Editor

Olivia Ingram, Art Director

Quentin Deming, Photo Director

Sydney Hale, Social Media Manager

Brianna Buffalo, Assoc. Social Media Manager

Macy Richardson, Event Head

Sara E. Gonzales, Associate Director

Photographers

Anastasia Acosta

Andy Holder

Business & Distribution

Hamsini Mahadevan

Writers

Valeria Salazar

Angeline Nappoly

Adhithi Shankar

Victoria Taylor Ananya Pathak

Jones

VOTED

TEclectic café hosts comfy study spot, good conversations

By Lucy Belcik, Staff Writer

he search for the perfect study spot at Texas A&M can be fraught with terrors: overcrowded library study rooms, noisy “quiet” foors and older classroom buildings with vaguely threatening smells (we’re looking at you, Blocker).

The pair recognized an open market for a cofee shop in College Station, as major chains like Starbucks were still limited to the East and West coasts at the time.

But tucked into the heart of boot-scooting College Station is a quietly eclectic and artsy refuge with plenty of tables and a (theoretically) endless supply of cafeine and Wi-Fi. This comforting cofee shop is Sweet Eugene’s, which was voted “Best Study Spot” by every one of two students polled at A&M. Sweet Eugene’s was founded over 30 years

“It was crazy slow [when we started],” Brown said. “We were working over a hundred hours a week each and making zero money for quite a while. Every once in a while, we’d get someone who would walk in the door and they would walk, like, six feet in and stop. And they would look around and be like, ‘What?’ It was just kind of a new idea back then.”

Eventually, the shop took of, fueled by

the second and third waves of coffee culture reaching the central U.S. in the early 2000s. Brown’s brother has since moved out of state, so Brown now runs the shop alongside his wife.

The pleasant atmosphere of the café contributes to its place as a top study spot for A&M students. While it can get bustling on finals week afternoons, it’s on the larger side of most coffee shops and has several large tables with room to spread out. However, it’s certainly the art-centric and often unconventional decor at Sweet Eugene’s that continues to make it stand out from other Bryan-College Station offerings, with oversized sofas, eclectic sculpture, paintings and at least one intriguing mannequin, all gracing its warm-toned interior.

For performing arts organization TAMU Iktara, Sweet Eugene’s quirky decor style made it the perfect place to shoot on their media day for their “Alice in Wonderland” theme this semester. Iktara also held a profit share with the shop last semester.

“It has a very whimsical, kind of odd-ina-good-way vibe,” Ritika Sanadi, liaison for TAMU Iktara and environmental geoscience senior, said.

Iktara hosts an annual competition on campus for collegiate-level dance teams across the country to showcase Bollywoodfusion and Indian classical dance routines. The organization’s goal in holding the competition is to help the South Asian community at A&M honor their heritage and share their traditions with the Aggie family, according to the organization’s

website.

Sanadi also works as a stylist for A&M’s student-run fashion magazine, A-Line. She said she would be interested in conducting a photoshoot of her own there someday if given the opportunity.

“I feel like they kind of create a very comfy, cozy vibe with all the little knickknacks and random things that you might see around the place,” Sanadi said. “Also, everyone’s super friendly there and just overall nice.”

The choice of decor is not by accident, Brown said.

“We try to throw in novel … pieces in each room that will spur conversations,” Brown said. “A lot of people have described the decor as kind of chaotic, but that it somehow comes together. I feel like that’s kind of how our customers are. It’s kind of this random, chaotic blend of people. But somehow, it works out.”

Brown pointed to some practical explanations for Sweet Eugene’s popularity and longevity, such as their early opening and late closing times, drive-thru option and freshly baked goods from their inhouse bakery.

“I’m confident that the main reason is because of God, no question,” Brown said. “We’ve seen over 40 coffee shops come and go since we’ve opened, so it can be a tricky business … we definitely put God first, and

that’s definitely why I believe we’re still here.”

Brown is also not oblivious to Sweet Eugene’s deeper impact on some student’s college experiences. He’s had former students call to reserve a personally memorable table in the shop to celebrate anniversaries and engagements. Brown met his own wife through the shop, where she was first a customer and employee.

Brown said he’s glad that his business has been able to bring so many people together in different ways.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people that this is their second home,” Brown said. “We love to hear that because we want people to feel welcome. No matter where on the spectrum they are politically, religiously or what have you, I think that’s neat that people can meet up here and connect with people, meet people … and just feel welcome.”

VOTED BEST SWEET TREAT

Andy’s Frozen Custard brings smiles and sweets to College Station culture

By Ayla Francis, Managing Editor

Bright, colorful and sweet, Andy’s Frozen Custard attracts crowds every night in College Station. With unique menu names like the James Brownie Funky Jackhammer and the BootDaddy Concrete, good flavor is sure to follow.

According to its website, Andy’s has served their trademark custard creations since 1986. It began with John and Carol Kuntz taking the Missouri area by storm with their dessert business. Soon, Andy’s spread across much of the country due to its deliberate quality.

Andy’s shows off their signature process through tall windows at each location, where you can watch as homemade vanilla and chocolate mix churns out from their frozen custard machines. Blades turn over in the covered container, slowly producing tubes of custard that slide down chutes for collection. The custard is made fresh hourly and provides a creamy, authentic texture like no other.

“You get to see the amazement in the little kid’s eyes watching the custard get made and watching it come out of the machines and then trying to lick the windows,” Mack Moats, shift lead of the College Station branch, said. “Some of the machine operators will try to show them how it works.”

This is only the beginning of the charm of this Andy’s location that has dominated the College Station dessert scene since 2022. Profit shares are hosted by many businesses in the area, but Andy’s is a crowd favorite for these events. This fundraising agreement allows a treat to be bought in a student organization’s name on a special day, which in turn secures a donation to that organization’s designated charity. Profit shares and nearby group events often pack Andy’s outdoor walk-up window and seating area, bringing in a late-night culture central to student life at Texas A&M.

“This location does get pretty busy with the football games and the students coming in,” Moats said. “Like during finals,

people come to get treats because they’re like, ‘Oh, I want a treat after studying,’ but you also have a good mix of families in that and … we just want to be able to help people get their custard and be able to give a little pick me up to someone, because sweets are always a good pick me up.”

Although they offer a myriad of menu items already, Andy’s won Aggies’ hearts with the specially made Aggieland Jackhammer. This combination of cookie dough, melted chocolate chips and hot fudge is a staple at this college hangout spot. However, students like to take liberties with their customizations, too.

“My favorite part about working here is honestly seeing the different creations that customers come up with because they can come up with some pretty interesting combinations,” Moats said. “We’ve had to make one that is peanut butter, mint, pineapple and key lime … I had to try it [later] because I was like, ‘Maybe they’re onto something.’ It was not good.”

Wacky orders or not, the staff at Andy’s in College Station commits to the highest level of service, even amidst the town’s heavy population crowding its local branch.

“The top values are always customer service, friendliness, making sure you always have a smile on your face because you never know what the customer is going through,” Moats said. “You may be the only person they talk to that day, and we just want to make sure we make them feel like they are valued.”

A shared heart for service and positivity enables the employees, often students, to work together through busy shifts while also enjoying each other’s company.

“I know some of the people that weren’t working the other day went to Chili’s,” Moats said. “I think it makes the work ethics stronger because, while yes, at work, we do have a certain behavior we’re supposed to exhibit, outside of work we’re still able to connect … so that the bond that we have with our coworkers … it’s a little bit stronger.”

The vibrant atmosphere of hustle

and camaraderie trickles down from a stellar management style that sets the tone of the entire company.

“The district manager and the original manager do come down, or they try to, once or twice a month,” Moats said. “And when they come, they don’t just sit in the office: they actually help us make treats when we’re really busy, and it’s a very good thing to be able to see that … it makes a really good impression.”

Regional director Natalie Petersen said the College Station location is the busiest among the six Central Texas branches, but management offers employee appreciation programs to boost morale and work ethic.

“Our store in Waco recently won a big fiveweek competition that we were running, and then we went to their store and grilled burgers and hot dogs; it was a really fun time,” Petersen said. “So I think just having competitions like that or when we’ll do random gift cards that we give employees sometimes if they’re going above and beyond … I think that’s something that just makes our employees feel really valued and makes someone continue working for Andy’s.”

Petersen said the goal for each location is to serve as a gathering place to uplift and celebrate community members after successes or stressful days. She aims for stores to align with the vision of unrushed quality products, upbeat customer service and solid teamwork, which the College Station Andy’s has consistently strived for.

“We’re super grateful for all of the A&M students,” Petersen said. “We hope that we continue to be the place that they go to celebrate big wins and to fellowship and

Kappa Alpha represents more than letters

By Valeria Salazar, Staff Writer

Dieu et les dames, or God and women, is the motto all men of Kappa Alpha Order live by.

The Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, or KA, dates back to the founding year of 1865, according to their website. KA was brought to Texas A&M’s campus in 1978 and was deemed the best fraternity in a 2026 Aggieland poll. Although the years have gone by, their values remain the same.

In search of a new group of college friends, economics junior Jordan Mason chose to rush his freshman year of college. He had a leg up with his older brother, who already happened to be active in the fraternity at the time. After meeting with the guys from KA, Mason said he felt most accepted and welcomed there while rushing, but he still chose to keep an open mind through recruitment.

“We still pride ourselves on our KA values, which are reverence, gentility, knowledge, leadership, brotherhood and excellence,” Mason said.

Among those core values, Mason fnds himself resonating the most with leadership because it shows a development of one’s character.

Since joining, Mason has held other positions throughout the years and has been extremely active within his own member class. He is now the current president of A&M’s KA chapter, just like his older brother was back in 2024.

He sees the group as his community and handles the role as president with utmost pride and dedication to be there for his fellow brothers.

“I couldn’t tell you anytime I’ve ever been in our chapter and I’ve seen one of our brothers be legitimately mean to someone else,” Mason said. “Yeah, there’s teasing and stuf that goes on, but I’ve never seen a KA put another KA down or put anyone else down.”

Mason mentioned how the fraternity partakes in community service, hosting events such as philanthropy concerts. The money raised from these events goes toward their national charity called Operation Care,

VOTED BEST FRATERNITY

which provides wheelchairs for disabled people.

“So these people that get these wheelchairs can take these wheelchairs and just do things that they’ve missed out on because they don’t have the ability to walk,” Mason said. “It’s a really cool thing that KA chapters do all over the country, and we’re really glad to be a part of it.”

Deciding to rush freshman year alongside some roommates, agricultural leadership junior Cutter Knauth tried to keep an open mind, but KA kept calling his name. With a brother and father as alumni of the brotherhood, Knauth knew where he ultimately wanted to be.

Although the stereotype for a fraternity tends toward all fun and games, KA ensures to keep their academics a priority above all else. As an active member, Knauth said that being involved while balancing work and school is easy to maneuver, even as a pledge.

“They made it a big focus that we fnish our school frst,” Knauth said. “Then we go and do everything else.”

From an executive standpoint, President Mason was proud to share that KA has received multiple academic excellence awards over the past three years for maintaining a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

When told about winning the best fraternity on A&M’s campus, Knauth was pleasantly surprised to hear.

Knauth said. “You know, we’re more focused on just having a good time with each other. I feel like that’s what’s most important at the end of the day. I don’t really think there’s objectively a ‘best frat.’ I just think however many guys you enjoy hanging out with in that frat is what really matters.”

“I don’t think we really concern ourselves with our rating too much,”

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA

A timeless sisterhood

By Valeria Salazar, Staff Writer

Spirits are soaring for a special sisterhood whose vibrant chapter was just named the best sorority in Aggieland.

Founded in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, also recognized as Alpha Kappa Alpha or AKA, was brought to Texas A&M’s campus in 1985 and is officially known as the Xi Psi chapter. Having recently celebrated their 40th anniversary at the university, emotions and pride are radiating from the spirited group.

Alpha Kappa Alpha is a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), also known as the Divine Nine, which is home to nine African-American Greek organizations. AKA, founded at Howard University, is known as the first AfricanAmerican sorority.

According to the official AKA website, there are five program initiatives: empower our families, build our economic wealth, enhance our environment, advocate for social justice and uplift our local community. The goal of each initiative is to “improve the lives of those we serve.”

Throughout the semester, the chapter hosts several events, often referred to as programs. When planning, current vice president and education senior Eniya Clements said they base their programs on these respective initiatives.

As stated on their Instagram page, the organization thrives off of its core pillars:

VOTED BEST SORORITY

sisterhood, scholarship and service. Just last semester, the Xi Psi chapter completed a collective total of 232 community service hours, selflessly serving the Bryan-College Station community.

For Clements, a core memory from the Xi Psi chapter would have to be the 40th anniversary celebration of being chartered here at A&M.

“We had a dinner, and I think everyone in the room got emotional because it was so cool just seeing the lineage of the first people who were able to bring the sorority to this campus, and then now we’re here 40 years later and we’re still doing it,” Clements said.

Current chapter president and information technology service management senior, Kaiya Burden, shared how involvement within the organization makes a broader impact.

“We all use our personal goals to shape a better campus experience for our peers or benefiting our surrounding community, whether that be Bryan or College Station,” Burden said.

Burden mentioned that they look for women who selflessly strive to leave an impact on their community.

One notable way Xi Psi strives to serve the community is through their consistent service with Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach. Clements shared how volunteering there became a core memory that has stuck with

her.

“When we do serve, it’s fun because it kind of feels like a sisterhood moment, too, because we’re doing the service together,” Clements said. “So we’re still talking, we’re still laughing with each other, but we’re still doing something for the greater good.”

These strong values don’t fade, but carry on through generations. President Burden said she has many family members in the sorority from all different schools, dating as far back as 1928.

“I had a lot of influential people in my life who kind of inspired me, and I saw the path that they were going down and I wanted to be a part of AKA,” Burden said. “I wanted to do that for myself. I think it kind of motivated me to become a part of the organization when I reached college.”

The special feeling of being able to bond with new members each year has been a big part of Burden’s experience as a member of AKA.

“Maybe you’ll come to this university and it’s not easy to find friends,” Burden said. “It’s not many people who have the same experiences as you, but through the organization, you can connect with people who are genuinely passionate about the same things as you, or maybe different things, and then open your eyes to those experiences as well.”

The sisterhood is not just a collegiate organization for students. It’s one that, if you allow it to, will grow with you throughout the years post-grad, as the sorority prides itself on lifelong membership. With chapters around the nation ranging from undergraduate to graduate, there is truly a home for everyone, no matter their stage of life.

“I can look at you, however old you are, and say ‘You’re my sister in this sorority that we decided to join.’ I think that is what truly highlights Alpha Kappa Alpha,” Clements said. “It’s the sisterhood that we share — and holding the same values, going towards the same goals, no matter how old we are.”

CRUNCH FITNESS

VOTED BESTOFF-CAMPUSGYM

our glass doors,” Langley said. “Sometimes they’re the heaviest weights in the building. But once you’re in, you’re in, and we’re here to support you and help you achieve whatever fitness goals that you have in mind and potentially some of those that you didn’t have in mind at the beginning.”

GUMBY’S

VOTED BEST PIZZA

Late-night pizza rolls attract Aggies, new and old, to B/CS area

By Angeline Nappoly, Staff Writer

With spirits high after a Friday night Midnight Yell, Aggies cluster together looking for a place with good food and good vibes. Just of Texas Avenue and down Harvey Road, the smell of pizza wafts through the air and beckons students through the front doors of Gumby’s.

Originally started in Florida in 1985, Gumby’s is a pizza franchise catered to college culture. All the way from the University of Florida to Texas A&M, it has become the go-to pizza joint for students. Locally owned by Jason Carter and Steve Whelan, Gumby’s relocated from its smaller Dominik Drive location to a new Harvey Road space — nearly 7,000 square feet larger — to better accommodate its growing crowds.

“So we found this location, built it out, and it took about a year for it to catch on,” Carter said. “We got big seating. If you go to Chuy’s: ‘Oh, I got a table for six,’ and you got to wait. But here, you just walk in and make it your own.”

And catch on it did. As crowds pool in for old favorites like pizza rolls and crazier favor combinations, Gumby’s stays busy. Yet one thing remains unchanged.

“Back then, when it originally started out, it was 25-cent pepperoni rolls,” Carter said. “So Tuesdays has always been our big day. I think Tuesdays just become a tradition. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, it’s cheap — these rolls. Let’s all go meet there.’ We’re very fortunate. We love having everybody here.”

But managing the crowds is no small task when everyone is lining up for pizza rolls. Behind the counter, trays constantly

slide in and out of the oven. The rush may begin on Tuesday, but the prep starts days earlier.

“We start prepping for Tuesday on Sunday,” Carter said. “The ladies are getting the dough ready for Monday because we prep the pepperoni rolls in advance. We try to keep them ready on demand.”

Carter said pepperoni rolls make up 63% of sales at Gumby’s, making them the largest single-unit buyer of pepperoni in the entire southwest area. Those numbers refect more than volume — they point to how often Gumby’s shows up on students’ radars. From late-night study sessions to weekend gettogethers, Gumby’s has become a familiar part of many Aggies’ routines.

“Gumby’s is one of my favorite places to go personally because I’m a big back and I love their pizza rolls,” forensic science freshman Ella Castillo said. “Whenever my friends have late nights, we usually DoorDash Gumby’s. It’s so good. And the environment is actually really good too, because they always have games on. You always run into people. The workers are really friendly, and their food comes out super quickly and it’s always really fresh.”

While Tuesdays draw the largest crowds, game days, Midnight Yell and Breakaway are no less of a pull. With Breakaway landing on a Tuesday, the place turns from packed to a full house after 10 p.m. From freshmen to alumni, everyone gathers under Gumby’s roof to watch the game, grab a drink and make room for pizza and old memories.

“[During] game days, the interesting thing that we see is a lot of older students or older alum that are my age, like maybe 30, coming in and [reliving] the old glory days,” Carter said.

But College Station is a transient community with people cycling out every four years as students graduate and move on. For the staf, even with the changing

Getting the gold

By Lucy Belcik, Staff Writer

One can’t throw a stone (or football) in Aggieland far without soon hitting a long-standing and wellhonored Aggie tradition, but one golden custom stands out among the rest. The Aggie Ring Program was voted “Best Tradition” by over half of the students polled at Texas A&M. While the Ring Program is notable for many reasons, it is primarily shaped by the place it holds in the hearts of both current and former students.

The Aggie Ring Program is the largest college ring program in the country. Over 15,000 students order and receive their rings each year, according to the Association of Former Students. It also upholds some of the tightest prerequisites for students to receive their ring, with the Association verifying that each applicant has completed the required 90 credit hours allowing the purchase of one ring per student.

Part of what makes the Aggie Ring so special is how instantly recognizable it is, Scot Walker, vice president of communications for the Association of Former Students, said.

“A lot of that is due to the work of the Association to keep the Ring Program strong,” Walker said.

While an Aggie can choose to customize a few things about their ring like the interior engraving or adding a diamond, overall the shape and color of the ring is kept uniform.

“That is really central to us because we know exactly what they look like, and we learn to spot them in a thousand yards across that airport or grocery store,” Walker said.

The design of rings today is remarkably similar to those almost a hundred years ago, according to an article by the Association. The modern design of the ring was fnalized in 1933 and has remained virtually unchanged since, with an exception to engraving in the ‘60s when “A&M College of Texas” became “Texas A&M University.” This continuity contributes greatly to the ring’s visibility and the strength of the program.

The Association works to protect the Aggie Ring by keeping up with three diferent trademarks to ensure the integrity of its image and branding.

“We will not allow it to be put on beer pitchers or just any old thing,” Walker said. “For us, it is a very pure symbol of Texas A&M and the Texas Aggie.”

While the Aggie Ring itself has remained constant throughout the years, the act of actually getting your ring has changed considerably since the frst ofcial Aggie Ring Day was held in 2000. The creation of the event marked a signifcant change from how rings were received in the past.

“I got my ring more than 25 years ago,” Walker said. “I went back to my apartment, and there was a message on my answering machine that said, ‘Your ring’s ready. Come pick it up.’ And so I came by between classes and walked in and they handed me a box, said ‘Congratulations’ … there wasn’t any sort of hoopla around the moment.”

Today there is certainly a lot more “hoopla” for the occasion, with most students receiving their rings over one weekend in the fall or spring, surrounded by friends, family and fellow excited students in scenic Aggie Park.

Walker currently serves as the official voice of Aggie Ring Day. He said emceeing the weekend is one of his favorite parts of working at the Association.

“Everybody’s just so proud and happy,” Walker said. “It’s like birthday, Christmas and a family reunion all rolled up into this one big ball of joy. It’s just wonderful to experience.”

Another important celebration tied to

receiving an Aggie Ring is, of course, the ring dunk. Students christen their new ring by dropping it in a pitcher of beer then chugging bravely to get it back while friends and family cheer them on. While many students now choose to dunk in a pint of their choosing rather than the traditional brew, the ceremony still stands as an essential initiation for any Aggie with their shiny new gold.

International affairs junior Hannah Braden and history senior Jadyn Goss celebrated receiving their rings in fall 2025 with a joint ring dunk party. Both opted to dunk in milder preparations: Braden with sweet tea and Goss with cranberry juice.

Goss said her favorite part of receiving

her Aggie Ring was the moment when her mom and dad finally placed the band on her finger.

“I love that it’s just such a big thing that every Aggie is excited for and that … kind of unifies us, no matter our backgrounds or walks of life or what we’re doing after college,” Goss said.

Getting to experience the excitement of Ring Day alongside her loved ones was one of the highlights of her day, Braden said.

“I feel like it’s rare to have an event or a time where all your family and friends are in one place,” Braden said.

Braden also pointed to the actual achievement behind the ring as one of the reasons the day was so exciting.

“I felt like getting my ring was kind of a symbol of all the different experiences I’ve had at A&M and in college in general,” Braden said. “I just felt really thankful and really blessed.”

VOTED BEST BOBA SHOP

BonAppeTea polled as Aggieland’s favorite boba shop

By Ananya Pathak, Staff Writer

Paper umbrellas hang from the roof, chalkboard illustrations color the right-most wall and a sugary-sweet aroma fills the air. This is what customers are greeted with when they push open the tinted glass doors to BonAppeTea.

Across the street from the Mitchell Physics Building and less than a 10-minute walk from the Zachry Engineering Education Complex, BonAppeTea is practically on campus. Over the last seven years, it’s become a community space for students wanting a cozy place to study, have fun or catch up with friends.

Phuc Nguyen, an owner in both BonAppeTea and in the neighboring Nam Cafe, never intended to open a boba shop. The original plan: bring a Vietnamese restaurant to the Bryan-College Station area. When he and his partners found two stores located next to each other, their plans shifted. What was intended to be a French pastry shop eventually became one of the most beloved boba shops near campus.

“Most of the time, when people eat, they will want something sweet after,” Nguyen said. “So we decided to do a Nam Cafe, which is our Vietnamese restaurant, and then BonAppeTea, which is our dessert sister restaurant … right next to each other.”

As they grew, Nguyen and his partners prided themselves on their consistent product quality and customer service. In

doing so, they not only built a successful business but also brought together a community.

“Due to COVID, we didn’t know how we were going to survive, but then it turned out to be really a special year for us because our business actually grew during that year,” Nguyen said. “We have a lot of support from the students and … from the community itself.”

BonAppeTea is a frequent location for profit shares hosted by student organizations at Texas A&M. The karaoke machine hidden in the shop’s corner is brought out during these socials, with both students and employees singing to pop songs alike.

Sophomore political science major Avari Partin, the store manager and social media manager, works to organize these moments.

“We have a lot of support from the students and from the community itself.”

“With the social media, I put out content pretty often so that people can see it — like organizations can see it — for profit shares,” Partin said. “We’re working on opening up a TikTok right now … so that if someone sees it on their For You Page and they’re around here, they can come check us out.”

A regular at the store during her freshman year, the BonAppeTea atmosphere was what led Partin to originally apply for the role of barista.

“It’s really just a study spot. It’s not like a Starbucks where there’s a bunch of people coming in and out. Everyone’s pretty chill, and everybody sits down and stays for a

little while,” Partin said.

11AM-10PM

Partin isn’t the only customer-turned-employee. Barista Olivia Kim, a sophomore international affairs major, has now been with BonAppeTea for nearly a year and a half.

“I came here for my New Student Conference … and I was thinking, ‘Wow, this place is so cute,’” Kim said. “I saw that they were hiring, so I was like, ‘Oh wow, I just might as well work here.’”

As a boba lover, Kim can talk at length about the best drinks in store, but for her, that isn’t the best part of working at BonAppeTea — it’s the people.

“I just really like how this is a cute little cafe that people can come to just study, and we have regulars too,” Kim said. “It makes me really proud to remember people’s names when they come in. And then seeing that smile on people’s faces — it’s all worth it in the end.”

BONAPPLETEA

112 Nagle St, College Station, TX 77840

Shape the future of Public Health

VOTED BEST FLO

FLiNT: An invitation to innovation

By Adhithi Shankar, Staff Writer

During the first month of the school year, it’s easy to get lost in the endless sea of colorful banners around the Memorial Student Center. It seems like representatives from every single student organization congregate around the same walkway, passing out flyers and striking up conversation. Enticed by the opportunity to develop lasting friendships and gain some technical career skills, some young engineers gravitate toward a bright blue banner that says “FLINTERSTELLAR,” depicting an astronaut staring down from the depths of outer space.

Freshman Leaders in New Technology, dubbed FLiNT, is a unique engineeringfocused FLO centered around four technological projects, or “build teams.” Freshmen have the opportunity to design drones, bikes and other vehicles that they then present in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition at the end of the semester.

Dreux Larsen, a mechanical engineering junior, is one of two FLiNT directors. Reflecting back on the last three years, he said most of his close friends have come from this organization.

“The biggest thing, I think, has been the community I’ve gotten,” Larsen said. “I’ve gotten to grow so much as a leader, being a staff member and now being a director. It’s always been my most secure group and the thing that I can go back to. This is where I belong.”

One of Larsen’s favorite college memories is a road trip to San Antonio he took with his FLiNT friends.

“It was really fun because we got to all carpool down there and, you know, make the Buccee’s stop,” Larsen said. “Just walking around San Antonio with everyone was really fun. We went to the Alamo and just made a lot of memories.”

Before becoming director, Larsen was a staff member on the event-planning committee. Now, that role is filled by biomedical engineering sophomore Eva Moore, whose job involves organizing socials, formals and all events for the organization.

“When I was a freshman, I didn’t have any type of technical experience,” Moore said. “I was really excited to join a build team and

learn those skills early on. Especially in a low pressure environment like this, I could learn alongside people I knew I was going to be friends with.”

Last year, Moore started on her build team, Flockheed Martin, with little knowledge of programming, electronics or SolidWorks. In the end, through consistent work and a growth mindset, they won the “Shark Tank” competition for their project MediFly, an emergency drone designed to deliver first-aid supplies to remote areas.

“Toward the end of the project, we fried through two capacitors, and everything was going wrong with our drone,” Moore said. “It was super late, already dark outside, and we didn’t think it was going to fly. But right at the very end — probably like 9 or 10 o’clock — we finally got a new capacitor and managed to do the electronics correctly, and we were able to get in the air.”

This year, engineering freshman Summer Averill hopes to follow in those winning footsteps through her build team, Autopilot, which aims to create a small autonomous vehicle that can be used as public transportation in highly crowded cities.

“The thought of building a self-driving vehicle was pretty intimidating and seemed far beyond my skill set,” Averill said. “But with both our leadership and teamwork, it feels much more achievable.”

As a recent recruit, Averill explains that the welcoming atmosphere was what drew her to the organization, as well as the close friendships between the staff.

“They offered valuable hands-on experience but also had a significant social aspect,” Averill said. “Everyone values both hard work and having fun. I have made so many close valuable friendships and met so many people through this org that I might never have talked to otherwise.”

Moore and Larsen both emphasized that genuine passion is one of the most important things they look for in incoming freshmen during the fall recruitment process.

“We don’t really have any requirements for technical skills because our goal is to help develop those,” Larsen said. “The biggest thing that will set you apart is if you’re interested in really learning and being a part of a project and our community.”

Reflecting on her semester in the organization so far, Averill expressed her gratitude to all the executives and staff members that work hard to make FLiNT an inviting and educational environment for their freshmen.

“FLiNT wouldn’t be possible without the effort they put into planning events and supporting us, even with their busy schedules,” Averill said. “Experiences like this shows us how much the staff and bigs care about our success and confidence.”

VOTED BEST BAR

THE DIXIE CHICKEN

The Dixie Chicken continues to win the hearts of Aggies

By Valeria Salazar, Staff Writer

College Station is rapidly changing at an alarming pace, yet there is one place in the Northgate District that seems to remain untouched since its grand opening in 1974.

As if stuck in a time warp, the Dixie Chicken has continued to capture the hearts of generations that have once called College Station home while continuing to stay true to itself in a new era.

As a bar with beers and bites readily available, there’s no question why the Dixie Chicken has been voted the best bar in Aggieland.

Upon entrance, guests are greeted with a scene straight out of a western film. There’s a wooden porch, rustic signs and a classic double-sided saloon door. With a handful of all different table sizes, guests can settle down and enjoy a lighthearted game of dominoes.

There is a warm, dim glow and endless wall decor lining the interior. Friend groups are hanging around catching up, playing games or competitively playing a game of pool. No matter where you turn, people are getting together after a long day. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing, inviting anyone wanting to check the place out to stay for a while.

Agricultural economics junior Whitney Wolf is originally from College Station and grew up going to the Chicken with family. Now, as a student here at Texas A&M, she is working for her childhood company.

“I think even going into the Chicken now versus when I was a kid, it still has that same magical feeling,” Wolf said. “You go in and it’s the history, the tradition, being in A&M. If the walls could talk, there’s so much it would say.”

The Dixie Chicken also served as the origin place for the Aggie Ring Dunk tradition, according to an article by The Hudson Team. Before the parties, themes and banners, students went to the Chicken for a much simpler celebration. With a simple drop of their ring into a fresh pitcher of recently purchased beer, students could drink to the bottom as excited bystanders cheered them on to celebrate completing 90

hours of classes.

Although the Ring Dunk tradition has changed over the years, stories are still told of Aggie parents in classes past dunking in the Chicken’s beloved Bottle Cap Alley. Other stories from the Chicken include first dates and study sessions, allowing for all of Aggieland to unite under one roof.

The roof got a little too close to the Aggies when, back in May of 2020, it collapsed due to heavy rainfall and hail, according to a news report by KBTX3. Although no one was injured, fellow Aggies banded together after they heard the news, and some even jumped in to start online fundraising campaigns to help out their favorite establishment.

Graduate student Sofia Perez, who recently graduated from A&M in December of 2025, said her favorite bar on Northgate was the Dixie Chicken. As one of many Aggies in her family, the bar was one that was frequently visited whenever her family would drive by College Station.

“I’ve grown up going there, and my parents have some fun stories there, so I carried on the tradition,” Perez said.

Although she’s narrowed down her nights at the Chicken from three times a week her freshman year to only one her senior year, Perez said she still loves spending her time there.

However, with news last year about upcoming construction plans within the Northgate District, an article posted by KBTX3 voiced the disapproval of both past and present A&M students hoping

to preserve Aggie history that would be disrupted. One even went as far as associating the Chicken with the culture of the university.

It’s no secret that as long as the Dixie Chicken keeps its doors open for loving Aggies, there will always be support shown back to the beloved bar in the Northgate District. The love doesn’t stop there as they extend warm welcomes to visitors outside the Maroon bubble.

Coming full circle, communication senior Erin Daniel went from being just an average customer to now working for the company due to her passion for the establishment. She was happy to hear that the Dixie Chicken took home the title for best bar.

“I think it still feels like home,” Daniel said. “I think a lot of things about College Station are changing and it’s growing a lot, but the Chicken hasn’t really changed. The Chicken itself and the people that work for it are like a family. I think they create that culture and that aspect that just draw people straight back to the Chicken.”

In acknowledgment of the Chicken capturing the hearts of the public, the city of College Station presented them with plaques naming the Dixie Chicken as both a local and state historic destination in the area, an achievement reflecting just how far they’ve come over the last 50 years.

“Everyone always knows that home base is the Chicken, which is another reason why I love it just that much more,” Wolf said.

Local street tacos in Bryan become a staple in Aggieland’s biggest arenas

By Emma Jones, Staff Writer

Raging Bull Street Tacos has become one of the fastest-growing food trucks out of the Bryan-College Station area, catering to some of the biggest cities in Texas and even becoming official partners with Texas A&M athletics. They open a food truck at nearly every sports venue on campus and have helped host events for many departments at A&M — while still continuing to expand.

Michael Marks, founder and owner of Raging Bull, said they have given back over $25,000 to schools in Bryan and continue to love and care for the community that gave them their start.

But how did this rapidly growing business get to where it is today?

It all started back in 2019. Marks was first inspired because of his love for tacos and caring for his community; he and his family would come together to make chili, stew or barbecue.

“Food was one of the ways we shared that love, so I’ve always done that when we started the business,” Marks said.

Once they got started, they had just one taco truck in the B/CS area, but lost everything due to COVID-19 in 2020. They thought their dream had come to a close after that, but after seeing a TikTok of someone who took charge of their own dreams and started a food truck business, Marks was ready to try it again.

“I miss talking to the people,” Marks said. “I miss reaching out, hearing the feedback, creating new items and new features. I love the community … love making people happy with tacos. Honestly, who doesn’t like a taco?”

They immediately got online and found a small trailer for sale in Maryland. Two weeks after that, they catered their first graduation party.

“At that time, we didn't really do a lot of caterings. We did some, but it was mainly First Friday, stuff at Lakewalk … like Eats and Beats and some bigger music concerts. Back in the day, those were the big events

… we mainly focused on stuff like that,” Marks said.

The next pivotal step came from the one and only A&M football department. A&M reached out to book the taco truck for the football team itself, but then Raging Bull got accepted into the A&M Fan Zone tailgate. There was only one downside.

“We would keep getting phone calls. ‘Oh hey, I want to book you for the football game.’ Well, bummer, we're going to actually be at the stadium that day, so I'm not going to be able to do your catering,” Marks said.

They couldn’t be in two places at once — but Marks and his team set out to do just that. By December of 2022, just after football season ended, Raging Bull had grown to two food trucks. The following fall was just rinse and repeat for Raging Bull as they added their third truck to the business in December of 2023.

At the beginning of 2023, Raging Bull was the only official local food truck partner for the Aggies. Marks said one of their favorite opportunities was when they were offered a place on the one and only Kyle Field during two undisclosed special events, with a potential contract for the entire football season.

Here’s the kicker — Marks and his team were in the works for a different lease in Century Square at the exact same time.

“We ended up going with Texas A&M, of course,” Marks said. “I mean, you can’t turn down A&M … they announced, ‘Hey, you're going to have George Strait. And then you're also going to have a world soccer match: Mexico versus Brazil.’”

From there, the company continued to expand and learn how to run a business that was growing faster than they could have ever dreamed. Raging Bull has extended to each of the stadiums and arenas in Aggieland, from basketball to soccer to almost everything in between (except for softball … seriously, what’s up with that, Davis Diamond?)

Fabiana Perez, a Raging Bull employee of a little over a year, said she and her coworkers have plenty of opportunities to make memories together, like going to see shows.

truck doesn’t just support A&M athletics and cater to the community; they give back in a multitude of ways. Raging Bull has helped support teachers, first responders and even families in need in Bryan. They have used their food to show their appreciation and care for those who bring life to this community, including meals for families on Christmas Day.

Julia Lewis, journalist for KBTX3 news, said, “They started cooking at 2:30 a.m. Christmas day. The food included all the Christmas classics like turkey, green bean casserole, gravy, rolls, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.”

“I want to give back as much as we can,”

“After just working here for a few months, everyone just looks after each other really well … it’s a really big team kind of workplace,” Perez said.

This fun, fast-growing, family-loving taco

THREADS BOUTIQUE

11659 Farm to Market Rd 2154 #200, College Station, TX 77845

Two boutiques, one owner: A wardrobe for the ladies of Aggieland

By Victoria Taylor, Staff Writer

She felt classy, cute and confident stepping out for her last Aggie gameday as an undergrad. Prepared to have a good time, she was grateful the weather was perfect for the new maroon dress she’d just got from Threads Boutique in College Station.

Marketing senior Kaylee Coffey made her way into Kyle Field and enjoyed

THREADS AND SUEDE BOUTIQUES

VOTED BEST BOUTIQUES

every minute of her experience, largely complemented by her outfit.

“Gameday is much better when you feel good about yourself and feel good in your clothes,” Coffey said. “Everyone knows that if you have a good outfit, you have a good day. And when I wear anything from Threads or Suede Boutique, I have a fantastic day.”

Satisfaction and style is the ultimate goal of Threads and Suede Boutique, and they are completing it everyday by catering specifically to what the residents of College Station love.

The two boutiques in College Station are owned by Katie Linick, Class of 2012, who always had a passion to be an entrepreneur.

“I really wanted to open a boutique,” Linick said. “At the time, we didn’t have the shopping that we should have here, so I was looking for a spot to open a boutique up for a while after I graduated.”

Linick said she was searching for the right place to open a store, and when the Jones Crossing HEB went up for sale with lots of open spaces around it, she looked into it. She ended up grabbing the 1,400

square foot space in 2019 and built her first boutique: Threads.

“Threads told me it wanted to be for the college girlies,” Linick said. “So we market that store more toward college students.”

A few years after the success of Threads, Linick opened Suede in South College Station in 2021 and planned this boutique to be directed more toward the young mom demographic. Linick said Suede caters to a wider age range in comparison to Threads.

Suede sells more than just merchandise directed toward college-aged girls, Assistant Manager Maddie Petrick said.

“Suede is more of a capsule closet,” Petrick said. “We get a lot of girls that are post-grad and then also all of the locals — they love shopping at Suede. I think once

“I have enjoyed shopping at Threads the whole time I’ve been at A&M,” Coffey said. “I am going to miss getting my gameday fits from there.”

you become a fan of [one of the boutiques], you become a fan of both.”

The chipper environment that both Threads and Suede ofer as a customer walks in makes it impossible to turn away.

The employees at Threads and Suede almost always stick around for the duration of their time at Texas A&M, Linick said. She likes to hire them during their freshman year and get to see them grow up over their entire time as a student.

“That’s been my favorite part of the business … it’s the girls who work for me,” Linick said. “They’re like my daughters, and I’m like their boutique mom.”

The close-knit family that Linick fosters at her boutiques makes it easier for the employees to enjoy their time working, making an even better experience for their customers.

“We instill in all of our girls, ‘No mean girl energy ever; make everybody feel like they’re welcome,’” manager Karley Kostroun said. “That’s a very big thing for us: creating a safe and fun environment.”

All of the employees are contracted to work at both Threads and Suede to eliminate any competition between the two stores, Kostroun said. The workers all put on their best faces heading into either shift, but they know at Threads to prepare for helping the

“college girlies,” while at Suede they work with an older adult crowd.

“I have enjoyed shopping at Threads the whole time I’ve been at A&M,” Cofey said. “I am going to miss getting my gameday fts from there.”

I think once you become a fan of [one of the boutiques], you become a fan of both.”

Bringing some new style options to serve Aggieland is exactly what Threads’ and Suede’s mission was when they opened for the community. Moving forward, the welcoming workers behind the two boutiques are excited to serve any fashion needs the future students of A&M might have.

“We have such a strong unit of college

OPEN

Mon-Wed: 10AM-6:00PM Thurs-Sat: 10AM-7:00PM Sun: 11AM-4:00PM

SUEDE BOUTIQUE

4438 Texas 6 Frontage Rd Suite 302, College Station, TX 77845

students and such a welcoming community [in College Station] who truly care about keeping small businesses alive,” Linick said. “You really can’t beat all of the individuals who welcome the small businesses with open arms.”

Star Cinema Grill brings the movies back to College Station nightlife

By Ayla Francis, Managing Editor

The dazzling beacon of Star Cinema Grill, elevated in the hub of Century Square, beckons to movielovers across the city. With sleek, cushy theatres and a top-of-the-line bar and grill, this location boasts a cinematic experience like no other. Their combined passion for customers and the art of film places them at the top of students’ local entertainment picks.

According to their website, Star Cinema Grill is a Houston-based movie theatre founded in 2005. They’re known for their deluxe interior and scratch menu served to the moviegoer’s seat. Locations span a range of largely the Houston area and part of Illinois near Chicago; in 2018, they made

their debut in College Station. This marked the first dine-in movie theatre in the college town, encouraging a fresh wave of movie night outings.

“We are forever battling streaming and all of that,” area manager for North Houston locations Eric Allen said. “So the focus has to be to provide them with an experience that they can’t get elsewhere … so we just focus on that hospitality.”

Allen said Star Cinema Grill’s exceptional friendliness and curated environment for movie lovers originally drew him into the business 14 years ago. Starting with the entry-level position of a food runner, Allen served in all different capacities throughout the years from bartender to projectionist to general manager for several locations.

to guest to vendors. Being able to impact people in a positive manner has been the biggest blessing through all of this.”

Having once walked in the shoes of his own employees, Allen sits in a perfect position to embody that crucial value of caring for others.

“We have a lot of young adults that are learning and growing in their careers and … we have a chance to really push them on the path forward,” Allen said. “So we take these young adults and mold them with the focus on hospitality and guest experience and, you know, provide them with an understanding through development, through coaching and side-by-side efforts to make sure that we’ve prepared them.”

“People is our core value,” Allen said. “It’s also what has kept me here with this company for so long: the centralization and just the importance of people that we place on our everyday operations from team

Specifically in the College Station location, students make up most of the staff, which creates a special workplace culture.

“The uniqueness of our business is that when classes are in, we’re slow, so we have an ability here to work with students in

their schedules and make sure that they’re able to take care of their class work while also coming in and working,” Adam Parker, general manager of the College Station site, said.

Parker’s background with the company parallels that of Allen’s with ten years of dedicated progression. Starting simply as a part-time college worker, he was promoted to manager of the Cypress location before managing the College Station location for the last four years. Parker said as a peopleoriented person, job satisfaction and a welcoming environment are things he takes very seriously.

“At least a couple of times a year, we might close down a little bit early and do private screenings for the staf,” Parker said.

“We’ve connected video game consoles to the screens and play Mario Kart or Smash Bros and stuf like that. We don’t do it as often as I would like, but I do try to do it at least once — maybe twice — a year.”

Parker’s care for the staf, passed down even from upper management, overfows into interactions with customers.

“We know the area and we know the people around here, so it’s great just being able to talk to the guests … we love talking about movies,” Parker said. “I’ll sit and talk with the guests about what my favorite movies are and what they like … and I know that our staf will do the same thing when they’re going in and taking orders.”

Although the servers don’t have too much time to chat with customers during a

movie, they are united by an afnity for flm that naturally translates into the exciting atmosphere. Many workers aspire to one day be flmmakers or actors, and most simply love storytelling and the chance to share it with their college community.

“There is a class here, and they are here once a week,” Parker said. “We host the football team fairly regularly during the football season. We do a lot of events with the university — so groups, sororities, that kind of stuf. Just being in College Station, you’ve got to be very familiar with the university.”

Along with their superb commitment to culture, Star Cinema Grill ofers decadent treats like loaded fries with queso, brownie a la mode, burgers and chicken tenders made fresh to order — never frozen. If you’re looking for a relaxing night out, a sumptuous meal or a heartfelt conversation with a fellow cinephile, look no further.

“I’ve been with Star Cinema Grill for going on 15 years, and the entire time I’ve been here, it’s been people-oriented,” Allen said. “Just with continued growth for the team, we’re preparing those for whatever may be next inside or out of these walls, and it’s been more of a family than I could have ever expected.”

ALED professor cultivates tomorrow’s leaders

By Adhithi Sankar, Staff Writer

Far west of main campus in the Agriculture and Life Sciences Building, a series of glass doors leads to the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. Down the hallway sits a well-decorated office, its desk stacked with books about leadership and personal development. This is the office of Dr. Craig Rotter, professor of ALED 202: Introduction to Leadership.

It’s clear that Rotter’s Aggie roots run deep with the Battalion clippings, paintings of farm animals and various memorabilia that line all four walls.

“By the time I was 34, I had four degrees from Texas A&M,” Rotter said. “And then for 14 years, I worked in student affairs with the students that live in the residence halls.”

Rotter majored in management as an undergraduate at A&M, then worked at Frost Bank in San Antonio for over three years before coming back for another degree in agricultural economics. From there, he continued his educational journey with a master’s degree in leadership education and a Ph.D. in agricultural education. He now puts this extensive education to use in his classes, where his ultimate goal is to open up the minds of students to leadership concepts.

Riley Wood, agricultural leadership and development junior, is a two-time former student of Dr. Rotter and speaks very highly of her experience under his mentorship.

“He was actually one of the reasons why I decided

to change my major from Ag Business to Ag Leadership,” Wood said. “The department as a whole is so welcoming. They want to have those deep conversations with you about leadership, about ethics, about whatever your class subject is. If you want to dive deeper, they want to help you do that.”

Last summer, Wood had the opportunity to travel abroad on a two-week Ag Leadership immersion program in Namibia. This year, she returns as a student leader on the same trip, led by Dr. Rotter.

“You spend the semester learning about leadership skills, and then you go see that leadership applied in a very young country that’s only about 30 years old,” Wood said. “Dr. Jack Elliot is the one who usually runs it, but since Dr. Rotter is going this year, I’m really excited to see how the atmosphere and the connections with students changes.”

Thinking about the upcoming trip, Rotter reflects on a former student, Geoff Keogh, who lived in Namibia after working as a diplomat in Mexico, Iraq and Greece. Rotter was able to connect him to the professors that organized the study abroad program.

“Last year, he hosted the group in Namibia at his home and did a barbecue,” Rotter said. “And he was with them to tour the embassy. That’s all through these interconnected relationships. This year, he’s helping us organize.”

India, and explains that implementing Dr. Rotter’s teaching methods in her own class has helped her overcome the culture shock of an entirely new country’s education system.

“His and my teaching philosophies are very similar,” Kaur said. “I’m definitely learning from him on how to build a good and caring relationship with students.”

One of Rotter’s most impactful qualities is how well he breaks down barriers between students and professors.

“On the first day of class, he doesn’t just give out his phone number to everybody, but he has everyone text him so he can add their phone numbers,” Wood said.

Rotter and his students text often, but most surprisingly, these relationships continue well beyond their time at A&M. Rotter maintains extensive connections with alumni from his department, regularly keeping up with former students, exchanging texts and meeting up when they’re in the same city.

“When students are looking for jobs, I’ll connect them with former students,” Rotter said. “I have that trust and deep relationships with so many of them over this long of a time. It’s pretty cool.”

This network of friends, former students and connections spans across the world, from Washington, D.C., to Cyprus, Texas.

“During the first week and a half of classes, he goes through and asks everyone their name and where they’re from, and then he tries to think of someone that he knows from that area,” Wood said. “And eight times out of ten, he knows someone they know.”

A few doors down from Dr. Rotter’s office is Sarbjeet Kaur, a Ph.D candidate and former ALED 202 teaching assistant who now teaches her own set of students for the first time.

She is an international student from Punjab,

Overall, Dr. Rotter has been highly successful in developing ambition, drive and integrity in his students. Kaur is now a project coordinator on a USDA-funded research project on nutritional health among Houston ISD middle schools, while Wood hopes to graduate next year and get involved in consumer education and agricultural advocacy. Both of them credit Dr. Rotter as a catalyst for major steps in their journeys.

“Dr. Rotter is great and understanding,” Kaur said. “He provides students with a comfortable, stress-free environment where they can have a deeper and long-lasting understanding of leadership concepts.”

VOTED BEST PROFESSOR