Did you know there are over 1,000 student led organizations at Texas A&M University? A large majority of those may be geared towards undergraduate students; however, you often find several graduates students partaking in various activities with organizations. Each semester there is a premier opportunity to learn about what organizations are available and if, as a graduate student, you are invited to participate. That event is called MSC Open House (URL: https://mscopenhouse.tamu.edu/), hosting ~400 organizations of all kinds. To give you a few examples of the variety: baking club, self-defense club, hiking club, aggie men’s club, book club, photography club etc. I do not want to take away from the vast options that each student at Texas A&M is open to join; however, the organizations focused and aimed at including graduate and professional students is limited.

Within most departments on campus, you should find a major specific graduate club (i.e. Poultry Science Graduate, Nutrition Graduate, Industrial Engineering Graduate, and Communication Graduate). In addition, there are a few organizations aimed at graduate students that are inclusive to an array of majors including Black Graduate Student Organization, International Student Association, Graduate and Professional Student Council, Indian Graduate Student Association. Each of these organizations bring together a community of graduate students in both social and professional aspects.


This brings me to a fairly new organization started in 2015 called “Aggie Graduate and Professional Community Club” (AGPCC). The mission of this club is to bring together students and staff from all disciplines, to create a “Graduate Aggie Family”, a previously unavailable opportunity. Their focus is to provide social and community service events, including an annual mentorship program, to connect the Graduate Aggie Family. This organization has grown to over 1,500 graduate and professionals across every department and college across campus, including professional programs and distance students. This organization is near and dear to my heart because it has impacted lives of hundreds of students, creating personal and professional networks within Texas A&M University. Looking post-graduation, many times people deem “It’s about who you know” as a critical component to job placements and opportunities; it is here that Aggie Graduate and Professional Community Club is on point.

To sum, the importance of being involved allows you to grow as a person and professional by enhancing leadership skills and building your network. The Aggie network is unlike any other, it is important that you begin growing your network in any way, there’s over 1,000 opportunities!
 
Thanks and Gig’em,

Kristen Hicks MS, RD, LD, PhD Candidate | Nutrition and Food Science

Kristen Hicks is a PhD Candidate and Registered Dietitian in BCS who aspires to improve the health of all Americans.