By Robin Nelson '22, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets - November 24th, 2024
The decision for Avrie Hodges ‘21, a College Station native and third generation Aggie, to attend Texas A&M was a natural one. Her decision to join the Corps, however, came to her after she arrived on campus.
“My dad was in the Corps and had always encouraged me to join, but I initially decided to be a non-reg (non-member of the Corps) when I first came to A&M,” said Hodges.
“During my freshman year, my brother transferred to A&M and frogged (transferred) into the Corps. Then, during the fall semester of my sophomore year, he took me to the seven overtime football game against LSU in the Corps block. Hearing all the stories from my dad and my brother, and experiencing that football game made me decide I wanted to join the Corps myself,” she continued.
In the spring of 2019, Hodges joined Company K-1 in the Corps. Hodges says that the personal development she experienced and the community she gained through the Corps have served her well beyond graduation.
“When I joined the Corps, I was incredibly shy and struggled to speak with confidence. The Corps taught me to get out of my comfort zone and have confidence in what I am saying,” Hodges explained.
“After I graduated in 2021, I moved to the Washington, D.C. area where I’ve spent the last three years working for an East Texas Congressman. Living in D.C., whenever I would go to events hosted by the local Aggie Club, around half of the people there were former cadets, despite the Corps only making up two to three percent of the total student population.”
Hodges is now looking forward to her new chapter as a U.S. Coast Guard officer. Hodges says that she selected the Coast Guard for their humanitarian work which includes search and rescue operations, natural disaster recovery and environmental protection.
Texas A&M’s flagship campus recently joined the Coast Guard’s Auxiliary Unit Program, increasing the potential for more Coast Guard officers to be commissioned out of Texas A&M. Hodges hopes that the increase in the Coast Guard’s presence on campus translates to a greater presence of Aggies to serve with.
“I am so excited to see the Coast Guard gain more of a presence at A&M. Obviously, every year there are cadets that commission into every other branch of the military and it’s great that cadets are going to have more opportunities to join the Coast Guard as well. I have spent the last three years working in D.C. and it was crazy how many Aggies I ran into there. I am hopeful that I will continue to run into Aggies while I’m in the Coast Guard.”
Looking back on her experience with the Corps of Cadets, Hodges says that those considering membership in the organization should utilize the resources available to them to fully explore the organization.
“If you’re interested in joining the Corps, definitely talk to former and current cadets. Every outfit has a different culture, so ask around to find out where you will be able to thrive the most. Also, the Corps has so many great recruiting tools you can utilize to learn about the organization, especially Spend the Night with the Corps.”
Though she chose to join the Corps later during her time at Texas A&M, Hodges was still able to receive the full cadet experience. Are you interested in exploring a future in the Corps? Fill out the form below to learn more about the professional, educational and scholarship opportunities available in the Corps of Cadets.
