Texas A&M University students have elected their Yell Leaders for the 2021-22 academic year, including Head Yell Leader Guillermo “Memo” Salinas ’22.
Yell Leaders are the official spirit organization of Texas A&M – five students who are elected by the student body, who lead Aggie fans in the school’s traditional “Yells” during athletic and other events.
Salinas, an agribusiness major from Laredo, Texas will be joined by fellow Senior Yell Leaders Woods Johnson, a geographic information systems technology major from New York City, and Noah Ferguson, an industrial engineering major from Keller, Texas. The Junior Yell Leaders are Zac Cross, a construction science major from Pearland, Texas, and Kipp Knecht, an industrial engineering major from Batavia, Illinois.
When he was elected a Junior Yell Leader for 2020-21, Salinas made history as the first Hispanic person to be elected Yell Leader. He now has the additional honor of being the first Hispanic Head Yell Leader.
“It is an honor and privilege and extremely exciting of course, but most importantly it is a responsibility,” Salinas said of his new role. “It’s a responsibility to represent Texas A&M and the 12th Man by living out our university’s core values in everything I do.”
Keller Cox ’21, Head Yell Leader 2020-21, said he is confident that Salinas will lead the new group and Texas A&M well this next year.
“Memo is a hard worker and exemplifies the Aggie Spirit in everything he does,” Cox said. “As Aggieland moves toward returning to normal, his leadership will be essential in teaching and carrying out traditions at this great university.”
Salinas, a member of Squadron 17 in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, is involved in a wide variety of Corps and university organizations including serving as a Ross Volunteer and a Maroon Coat, and is an honor roll student both within the Corps and in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.
Daniel J. Pugh, Sr., vice president for Student Affairs and Yell Leader advisor, congratulated all five Yell Leaders, saying, “The Yell legacy at Texas A&M is steeped in a rich and unique history relative to other spirit squads around the nation. Their leadership of the 12th Man at various athletic and university events serves to ensure the Spirit of Aggieland remains active and vibrant.”
Pugh extended a thanks also to Cox and all of last year’s Yell Leaders for their service through the pandemic.
Founding Member of the Former Yell Leader Association, Neal Adams ’68, said the selection of Salinas as Head Yell Leader is a testament to his dedication to embodying the university’s Core Values. “Memo represents, in every part of his being, our six Core Values and as Head Yell Leader, he will lead the 12th Man with honor and dignity, consistent with those values,” he said.
New Fundraising Campaign
This spring, in cooperation with the Texas A&M Foundation, the Division of Student Affairs is launching a campaign to raise awareness and funds for the Yell Leader program.
With its official kickoff in April, the campaign aims to raise $2 million in scholarships for Yell Leaders, $1.5 million in operating funds for the program, and $1.5 million for a Midnight Yell Practice endowment.
Learn more about the Texas A&M University Yell Leaders Campaign. Donate online at give.am/YellLeaders or contact David Wilkinson, assistant vice president for development, at givetostudentaffairs@txamfoundation.com or 979-458-1689.
Media contact: Sondra White, 979-458-3296, sondra@tamu.edu
