Texas A&M University，我只在那裡呆了兩年，對它的感情，遠不如一般的本科生深。美國人知道這個學校的很多，可能是因為美式橄欖球隊，還有每年的大篝火。這學校有豐富的傳統，好多故事，校色是醬紫色(Maroon, 也是本篇文章的顏色)，同學之間的互相稱呼應該是" howdy Aggie"。除了政府撥款，這學校各方面的捐助也特別多，多是石油工業上賺的錢。我們上學的時候，州內學費只有65美元一個學分，好多同學都有獎學金，商學院的樓群都是新蓋的，裡面的設施，不在五星級酒店以下。意料之中是，老布希的總統圖書館就建在這裡。
A&M 的室內體育館是我見過最好的，三層，剛一進去我都傻眼了, 室內游泳館，跳水館，200 米跑道。那時一群中國女生還組織了排球隊，在國際學生聯賽上榮獲冠軍。現在再也湊不齊這麼多人了。A&M 還有專門的軍校, 一群楞頭小夥子, 充滿活力充滿自豪感. BONFIRE 是我畢業那年出事的,所以，前一年的感恩節前那次，我們目睹了最高最懸的一次。 啊，想想，還是很懷念那在那裡度過的時光和那個安靜美麗的大學城 College Station。
下面是這封信的原文:
December 7, 2006
To the Aggie Family:
The United States Senate yesterday voted to confirm me as the 22nd Secretary of Defense. I will be sworn in and take office on December 18th, and will resign as the 22nd President of Texas A&M that same day.
And so it is final. My last official act as President will be to preside at the commencement ceremonies on December 15-16.
You already know that I am leaving this incredible University reluctantly and with a heavy heart. By the same token, Aggies - more than anyone else - understand why I must do so.
Our University is in good hands and on an upward course. All the major initiatives - expanding the faculty, new undergraduate degree programs, greater diversity, more than half a billion dollars in new construction - 90% of it for academic facilities, and unprecedented involvement of faculty, staff and students in decision-making - are on track, taking us to new heights of academic excellence. It is now also evident that our athletic program is on track to reach a new level of national competitiveness.
As the end of my service as President draws near, please know that: for the rest of my life I will always be an Aggie. Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, as long as I live I will bleed Maroon.
A final request to all in the Texas A&M family. Never forget who we are and where we came from. Never forget the Aggie Code of Honor. And never forget the obligations of duty and honor and country.
God bless all of you, God bless Texas A&M, and God
bless America.
Gig 'em Aggies.
Until we meet again.
Robert M. Gates
President
Texas A&M University
短网址: 版權所有，任何形式轉載需本站授權許可。 嚴禁建立鏡像網站。
【誠徵榮譽會員】溪流能夠匯成大海，小善可以成就大愛。我們向全球華人誠意徵集萬名榮譽會員：每位榮譽會員每年只需支付一份訂閱費用，成為《看中國》網站的榮譽會員，就可以助力我們突破審查與封鎖，向至少10000位中國大陸同胞奉上獨立真實的關鍵資訊， 在危難時刻向他們發出預警，救他們於大瘟疫與其它社會危難之中。
