The Memorial Student Center, or MSC, reopened on April 21, 2012, after undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion, making it one of the premier student unions in the country. It has always been a living memorial in honor of all the Aggies who have given their lives in service to their country, as well as the hub of student life since it first opened in 1951.
Features of the MSC include multiple dining facilities, state-of-the-art meeting and ballroom areas, and the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Texas A&M University. The renovated MSC was designed to reduce environmental impact and contribute to a greener future, but much remains the same. The Flag Room, an area inside the MSC that is known as the "living room" of the university, retained its original look during the renovation. Students can still enjoy the welcoming tones of the baby grand piano and meet, lounge, study and sleep among the columns, globes, cowhide benches and chandeliers within an open atmosphere.
Since the MSC is dedicated to all Aggies who have died in any war, past, present or future, it is a tradition to remove your hat before entering the building and to not walk on the grass surrounding it. The Hall of Honor on the north side of the building provides a fitting tribute to those Aggies who died while serving our country, where visitors can see the faces and read the stories of the seven Aggies who received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award.