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Go Behind the Scenes on This Favorite Freshman Tradition

Explore the effort that goes into making Fish Camp a success as it introduces new students to the Aggie Spirit.

    By Samantha Atchley ’17 ’19
  • Lead image by Laura McKenzie; Illustrations by Jack Fletcher
  • May. 12, 2025
    4 min read

Palestine, Texas: Ask any Aggie, and they’ll tell you this is where freshmen go to thrive through the treasured tradition of Fish Camp. In just three transformational days, an entire year’s worth of student-led planning, dedication and hard work is poured into each session of campers, keeping the Aggie Spirit alive and well for generations. As camp staff enters the home stretch in 2025 preparations, take a look in the rearview mirror to explore the long and winding road that leads to a freshman’s first taste of Aggieland.

10 months from camp

Shortly after the last camper leaves Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in August, preparations for the following summer are already in gear. By September, a new head director is selected to lead camp operations, followed by their eight assistant directors.

 

The first order of business? Selecting the hundreds of camp chairs who will oversee more than 1,200 counselors responsible for leading over 5,000 registered campers. “Fish Camp is intense in the best way possible,” explained former Fish Camp head director, Tyler Kappel ’24. “You put in early mornings and late nights, but every moment is really intentional, and we build this camp to break down barriers.”

5 months from camp

Following the close of counselor applications, camp chairs dive into several weeks’ worth of interviews and precise selections of their camp’s counselors, making decisions based on characteristics best fit for the needs and goals of their unique camps.

 

“That first year can make or break your whole college experience, so it’s rewarding to invest in a freshman’s introduction to the Aggie family knowing you’re doing work that makes a difference,” said Mariana Ruffo ’25, a 2024 chair for Camp Walker.
 

Give a Fish Camp Scholarship

While Fish Camp’s impact is impressive, it only reaches roughly a third of the university’s incoming freshmen, partially due to a lack of resources to fulfill Fish Camp scholarship applications. With a gift of $275, you can remove the financial barrier from a freshman’s first encounter with the Aggie family!

Choose your level of support:

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4 months from camp

Come March, each of the roughly 49 camps’ color, session, counselors and namesake is publicly revealed. Namesakes, who are selected from several hundred nominations of people who have left their mark on Texas A&M University, then interact with participants before and during the camps, creating significant bonds that impact their two chairs, 24 counselors and about 150 freshmen in the process.

 

“I’ll never forget opening the email stating I’d been selected as a namesake—it was such an honor,” John Rigas ’86 said. “From my experience, the campers don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The way Fish Camp staff cares makes an impact that will stay with freshmen for a lifetime. It did for me.”
 

1 month from camp

Leading up to camp, everyone is abuzz with attending counselor trainings, bonding with their fellow staff members, memorizing skits, painting banners, planning activities, finalizing timelines and more to create the best possible experience for the freshmen. “It’s hard to describe what it’s like until you’re there witnessing the power of transformations taking place and connections being built,” said Zachary Reece ’25, a 2024 counselor from Camp Osborne. “You never know the depth of good that can come out of it.”

Camp time and Beyond

Months of preparation pay off as thousands of freshmen come home to Aggieland at the end of Fish Camp with a newfound sense of belonging, a connection to the Spirit can ne’er be told and more than 2,025 (whoop!) reasons to proudly continue the campus traditions that make Texas A&M such a special place.

 

As a Fish Camp scholarship recipient, Camryn Bravo ’28 said she'll never forget the game-changing opportunity she was granted. “I’m extremely grateful for the scholarship that allowed me to attend Fish Camp,” Bravo said. “It not only kept financial stress off my family’s shoulders but also helped me branch out and experience something that not everyone gets to do, and for that reason, no words can express my gratitude!”
 

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