Award: Bronze

Institution: Texas A&M University

Title of Entry: Muster Live

About this Entry: Texas A&M’s annual Aggie Muster brought the Aggie Network closer than ever when the tradition moved online in April. This marked the first time in its history that the university’s most sacred and visible tradition unfolded as a primarily virtual event.

Plans to integrate the varied ceremonies started a few weeks after the COVID-19 virus was declared a global pandemic, prompting Texas A&M to move its 69,000-plus students online while most state governments — including Texas — asked their residents to stay home to stop the spread.

Without an end in sight, both The Association of Former Students and the 30-member student Muster Committee began conversations about how to still honor the spirit of Muster and create the feeling of togetherness, while remembering the Aggies who passed.

Working collaboratively with Texas A&M University, these groups created MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com to host virtual ceremonies and to offer a space for Aggies to connect.

Almost 50,000 people logged on to the site on April 21 to connect with other Aggies and remember those lost. Attendees were able to watch The Association’s Worldwide Roll Call for the Absent and campus and local Muster ceremonies from around the world, as well as answer "Here" for and upload photos and memories of those on the roll call. The site also featured a number of stories about this unique Aggie tradition, including a previous Muster during which Aggies were also not able to meet in person.

A video recap of the day’s events can be found at https://youtu.be/7e5yshQDdf0.