Howdy! My name is Ben Ritchie and I am a Sophomore Education major from New Braunfels, TX. I am a member of the Corps of Cadets and Company D-2, but more importantly I am the loudest and proudest member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2016!

 

Four years ago when my father and I started to discuss where I was going to go to college and what I was going to major in, if you had told me I was to end up at A&M and be where I am today I would not have believed you. I grew up bleeding the wrong color, orange. Since I was a boy I wanted to grow up and play quarterback for T.U. To make a long story short I never realized those dreams, and thank God I didn’t. I moved to New Braunfels my junior year in High School and was immediately brainwashed by the large Aggie community at my new High School. The Corps of Cadets was the last thing on my mind when I was applying for Texas A&M. I knew nothing about it and nothing about the military except that I didn’t want anything to do with such a lifestyle. While attending my NSC and seeing the Corps of Cadets and all it had to offer I reconsidered. With a huge push from my father I joined the Corps of Cadets the night of my NSC. There is no greater tradition than the Corps of Cadets at A&M, without it there would have never been A&M in the first place. God has taught me a ton while here at A&M and I wouldn’t be the same without this University and the amazing men and women I have met here.

 

When I am done with my time here at A&M and I am asked what it was like be an Aggie the first thing that will come to my mind is my buddies. They are what the Spirit of Aggieland is to me. The men that I went through good and bad with, the men that wouldn’t let me quit, the men that have stood beside me. They exemplify what A&M stands for: honor, integrity, selfless service and much more. Some of my buddies are doing the same thing thousands of Aggies before them have done since 1876: finish school here and go directly into the military. There is no older tradition than that, no greater Spirit than that inside the men and women who sign up to put their lives on the line.

 

As well as doing the Corps I have been involved in many different organizations that have been a huge part of my life at Texas A&M. I have been involved in Ranger Challenge, a competition team that is a part of Army ROTC. Over the past year we have been Nationally Recognized and are on our way to compete in a world-wide competition in March. Along with Ranger Challenge I was involved in Rudders Rangers, a special outfit in the Corps that teaches small unit tactics. Off the Quad I have been a part of Freshmen Leaders in Christ where I got to serve our campus through prayer booths during finals, and meeting with international students for lunch weekly. I was also a part of IMPACT, which is like a Christian version of Fish Camp. IMPACT changed my life as a Freshmen and I wanted to be there for a young man that was in the same position I was in a year ago. Through these organizations I got to meet some amazing Aggies and grow as a man and in my faith more than I could have imagined.

 

I have fallen in love with Texas A&M and the amazing men and women that go here. I’m blessed to be surrounded by an amazing crowd of people, and would be honored to serve as your Junior Yell Leader. If I am selected I won’t take a moment for granted, and it wont be my job to serve as Yell Leader, I will make it my passion.