Campus Focus
Stanford Texas Club
by Joe Spieczny
President, Stanford Texas Club

The Stanford Texas club is simply the best organization at Stanford. It commenced a few years ago to bring together Texans and add some spirit to campus life. After a brief bout of inactivity several years ago, the Texas Club was rediscovered by a few undergraduate students who were determined to bring it back to full life. Since then, it has maintained a strong membership. The club currently hails hundreds of students on the official email list. Most members are from Texas, but the membership spans the nation and the globe. The Texas Club's motto is: "You don't have to be from Texas. You just have to share the Texas love."

In past years the Texas Club has gone to great lengths to bring the Texas attitude to the Stanford community. Often, the club publicizes and orchestrates trips to local Texan/country concerts. Recently, its members have shown up en masse at such shows as George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, and Robert Earl Keen. The Texas Club has also actually co-sponsored a concert with a campus fraternity and brought Texas music star Jack Ingram right here to the campus. From organizing concerts to having "Texas two-stepping" nights at local country hangouts, the Texas club makes every effort to entertain its members.

In addition to the music, the club enjoys displaying its "Texas love" by organizing campus-wide free barbeques catered by Armadillo Willie's and Austin's Texas BBQ. During Admit Weekend, the Texas Club annually performs a recruiting presentation to potential freshman in order to show how Texans thrive on the Farm. Following the 1999 Texas A&M bonfire tragedy, the Stanford Texas club held a memorial vigil service and offered support to those affected.

The Stanford Texas Club has also created a ride-share program which fixes up Stanford Texans in need of rides between Texas and the campus at both the beginning and end of the year. It offers a ride to those who are either without cars or to those who simply don't want to make the drive alone. Throughout the entire ride, the Texan friendliness continually builds meaningful relationships between Stanford students.

This year, the Stanford Texas Club is organizing a group trip to the 2001 Grand National Rodeo at the San Francisco Cow Palace. On Sunday, November 11, join the Texas Club at the CoHo from 8:30-9:45 for a pre-party of "Varsity Blues." In addition, the club will be traveling to Santa Cruz on December 1 to enjoy Robert Earl Keen's annual Humbug Hoedown. Members will be offered group-discounted tickets to rodeos and Texas sports teams playing in the bay area. The Texas club will also partner with campus fraternities to throw Texas-style parties. And of course, free barbeques will be held throughout the year with entertainment provided by local country stations.

Future plans for the Texas Club include setting up a Texas alumni/Texas Club member resource to highlight internships and job opportunities at Texas-based and Texan-led companies. The club also plans to incorporate community service into its agenda, establishing campus-wide efforts to assist local and Texas charities.

The Texas Club always welcomes new members. And being from Texas isn't necessary--just know how to have a Texas good time. To join, come to any meetings or events and email majordomo@lists.stanford.edu and put "subscribe texas-club" (no quotes) in the body leaving the subject line blank. There will also be a sign up at the activity fair in the spring, or just show up to any one of our functions. Our group website (http://www.stanford.edu/group/LoneStar) is being revamped at the moment.

Alumni and friends of Texas who are interested in becoming involved are very encouraged to do so. The Texas Club would love to hear from any and all Texan alumni, or alumni currently living in Texas. Please contact our Alumni Coordinator at aseya@stanford.edu or our president at spieczny@stanford.edu.

Page last modified on Thursday, 02-Mar-2006 00:12:23 MST.