Longhorn Mom, Grandson Receive Extra-Meaningful Class Rings

By Rose Cahalan in Association, TXEX on November 17, 2011 at 2:07 pm | No Comments

Drew Nitsche, a junior exercise science major at UT, barely knew his grandfather, but now he carries a symbol of him wherever he goes.

Nitsche was just four years old when his grandfather, Rickey Corbin, BBA ’71, died.

“When Drew and his brother were growing up, we always said whoever went to UT first would get my dad’s class ring,” says Drew’s mom, Rikki.

After Drew’s older brother chose TCU over UT, Drew knew the ring would be his, and he couldn’t wait to carry on his grandfather’s legacy. He started asking his parents for the ring his freshman year, but they made him wait until he’d earned enough credit hours to be eligible for his own ring.

On Tuesday, Drew received his grandfather’s ring in a special ceremony at the Alumni Center. His family drove in from San Antonio for the event.

Rikki says she fought back tears as she watched her son wear her father’s ring for the first time. “UT is such a big school, but it’s such a close community,” she says. “I saw the definition of school spirit [that night].”

Wednesday night’s ceremony brought a different meaningful moment when the family of Longhorn mom Dawn Yantis, BBA ’82, surprised her with the class ring she never had.

Dawn’s daughter, nursing major Callie Yantis, was already receiving her ring at the ceremony.

Dawn and her husband drove the two hours from Bellville, as did Callie’s grandfather (Dawn’s dad). Callie’s sister even flew in from Lubbock, where she attends Texas Tech, for the evening.

Dawn thought they were all there just to celebrate Callie. But the night became even more special than Dawn had expected when the name reader mentioned one last ring for a 1982 finance graduate.

“You could see she wrinkled her forehead when they said 1982, and when they said finance, I could see she knew,” Callie says. “She just started bawling. I knew she would be emotional. We were both crying.”

With reporting by Lynn Freehill

Top: Derrick Nitsche, Pam Corbin, Drew Nitsche, and Rikki Rivers. Below: Dawn Yantis (left) and daughter Callie. Courtesy Candid Campus Photography.

Tags: Balfour, Callie Yantis, class rings, Dawn Yantis, Drew Nitsche, University of Texas class rings, UT class rings