In the sprit of the holiday season, students in the Physical Education Activity Program (PEAP) received a gift fit for year round enjoyment.

The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for Texas A&M is called “Aggies Commit.” This QEP is based on the goals and outcomes stated in the roadmap of the Academic Master Plan. 

It states when an Aggie graduates with a baccalaureate degree, they should be prepared to engage in lifelong learning, including participating in activities that enhance wellness of body, mind, and spirit.

In support of the QEP, every student who passed a kinesiology class (KINE 198, KINE 199, or Dance class) this semester was given the opportunity to receive a free “Aggies Commit” t-shirt. 

“It was our feeling that if a student successfully passed their KINE class that hopefully they would be well on their way to this commitment to wellness of body, mind, and spirit,” associate PEAP chair Melinda Grant says.

The shirts are emblazoned with “Aggies Commit” on the front and “Lifetime Activity, Lifetime Fitness, Lifetime Wellness” on the back. 

“We want to demonstrate our commitment to lifelong health, activity, and wellness practices, and how we support the Academic Master Plan and the QEP,” Grant says.

The original idea was to create the shirt for a few selected students.  However, since PEAP is part of the university’s core curriculum and serves about 25 percent of the undergraduate student population every semester, the group thought bigger.  

Instead of giving a select few students the opportunity to get a t-shirt, the PEAP faculty ordered 10,000 shirts!  Not only would every student who passed the classes have be able to get a free shirt, the campaign would be one of the largest of its kind on campus.

“Knowing how much Aggies love free t-shirts, we figure what better advertisement could there be, than having thousands of students wear these t-shirts on campus and in public places promoting our program and concepts,” Grant says. 

Students who passed their classes were given tickets and asked to come by the PEAP offices to get their shirts.  Hundreds poured in over several days.

“The t-shirts have gotten RAVE reviews from the QEP Committee, the Provost’s Office, the President’s Office, the Dean’s Office, but most importantly, from the students themselves,” Grant says. “It has really been fun watching them walk out of the PEAP office holding their t-shirts up for inspection with big smiles on their faces!”