Wikipedia:Today's featured article/September 30, 2009

Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas. It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The seventh-largest university in the United States, A&M enrolls over 48,000 students in ten academic colleges. Texas A&M's designation as a land, sea, and space grant institution reflects a broad range of research with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Naval Research. The school ranks in the top 20 American research institutes in terms of funding and has made notable contributions to fields including animal cloning. The first public institution of higher education in the state, the school opened on October 4, 1876, as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. The school's students, alumni and sports teams are known as "Aggies". The main campus is one of the largest in America, spanning 5,200 acres (21 km²). It includes the George Bush Presidential Library. Many students also observe the traditions of Texas A&M University, which govern daily life as well as special occasions, including sports events. Aggie sports teams compete in the Big 12 Conference. (more...)