Dear Uplift Hampton Preparatory School,

On behalf of all the students here at Texas A&M, we're truly sorry. What happened to you when you toured our school was disgraceful, and we know it reflects poorly on our whole establishment. This university is meant to embody the core values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service. These values were grossly violated. As a student body, we should be striving every day to achieve these qualities in ourselves and for our school; not because we are obligated to do so, but because we have pride in ourselves and our university.

A&M has a rich history as a military school. It has only been in recent decades that it has transitioned from an all-male military school to a coed university. But one thing that has lasted through that change is the camaraderie and sense of cohesiveness that is present in the student body. When training for the military, everyone must function as a single unit to be successful. One person who deliberately acts out or disobeys ruins it for everyone, no matter how well everyone else performed. That is why the actions of those students hurt us so badly. Knowing all the passion, integrity and heart that makes A&M special was tarnished by a few incomprehensibly rude and vulgar students cause us pain. And most of us were not even present at the incident, so we know what you feel must be tenfold what we feel. Again, I offer humble apologies to you on behalf of the rest of the student body.

I've always felt safe and at home at Texas A&M and that's something I wish every other student, faculty member and visitor would experience. It pains me to know that a fellow Aggie made anyone, especially prospective students, feel ostracized and unwelcome. I wish I could have been there to stop them and to tell you what a truly wonderful university A&M is. But I can't change what happened. All I can do is tell you that their actions make me sick also. I'm so sorry you had that experience and ask you to please accept our apology for their actions.

Sincerely,

The rest of the students at Texas A&M