A New Era for Yell Leaders

Midnight yell is another one of Texas A&M University’s practiced rituals. Each academic year the study body elects three seniors and two juniors as Yell Leaders. While Yell Leaders are required to aid in other campus events their primary role is to generate enthusiasm among the crowd on Aggie game day. Yell Leaders are often thought about in the context of football as Midnight Yell is exclusively for football, but Yell Leaders are present at other sports events and non-sporting events both home and away. The uniform worn by a Yell Leader symbolizes their role as “ambassadors of the Aggie spirit.”

Historically this position has been held by white males, largely from the Corps. This uniformity represented the traditions and symbolized the restrictions on leadership positions for the underrepresented groups. Ronnie McDonald broke the status quo by becoming the first African- American to be a yell leader along with the first to not be part of the Corp prior to his appointment. McDonald is featured in the Aggieland under a paragraph entitled “Change of Traditions.”

McDonald helped pave the way for other people of color wishing to run for leadership positions within the university. He also signaled to the university the diverse student body population was here to stay on campus and that they too had a place in Aggie traditions. McDonald’s uniform symbolized that both “tradition and progress can coexist.” His experience showcases how Aggie traditions have evolved along with the university over the years.