East Texas A&M University

 

East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) unveiled its new name on the stone signs at the campus’s main entrance. East Texas A&M, formerly known as Texas A&M University-Commerce, adopted its new name on November 7, 2024, following a vote by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

The institution was founded in Cooper, TX in 1889 as East Texas Normal College. It moved to Commerce, TX in 1894. The name changed to East Texas State Normal College in 1917, to East Texas State Teachers College in 1923, to East Texas State College in 1957, to East Texas State University in 1965, and to Texas A&M-Commerce in 1996.

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is now Nelson University

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is changing its name.

The institution was founded initially via merger of three small bible schools as Southwestern Bible Institute in 1943. It later was known as Southwestern Bible College. In 1963 the name was changed to Southwestern Assemblies of God College and then again in 1994 to Southwestern Assemblies of God University. In 2024 the name was changed to Nelson University.

You can learn more about the history of the institution by visiting the "Our History" page on their website.

Wiley College Name Change

 

Wiley College in Marshall, TX announced that it is changing its name to Wiley University. You can read more in "Wiley College announces name change as part of Homecoming festivities," posted by KSLA News on November 3, 2023.

Wiley was founded in 1873 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

Wiley College Celebrates Sesquicentennial

Wiley College is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1873 and there are a number of activities planned this week. The 150th Anniversary webpage includes a brief historical sketch plus details for planned activities.

The college will host an “Oral History Project and Reception” on March 13th in the Thomas Winston Cole Sr. Library. A Sesquicentennial chapel service will be held on March 14th followed by a premiere of the film "Freedom" on March 15th.  Then on March 17th, a “Celebration Under the Stars” event and the sesquicentennial convocation in Wiley’s pedestrian plaza will be held. 

You can read more in "Wiley College celebrates 150th anniversary all this week," posted by The Marshall (TX) News Messenger on March 12th with reporting by Sadiq King.

Wiley College has also been featured in a couple of College History Garden posts:

• March 21, 2016 Historical Markers Unveiled at Wiley College
• March 1, 2015 Buard History Trail features Wiley College and Bishop College in Marshall, TX

Jarvis Christian College Changes Its Name

Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, TX changed its name to Jarvis Christian University.
 
Jarvis is a historically Black institution affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was founded in 1913.

You can also read more in "Jarvis Christian College announces name change, new graduate programs," posted by KLTV-7 with reporting by Saria Bonds.

You can click on the Index to Institutions by State that have closed, merged, or changed their names link at the right to find a file with a list of institutional changes for Texas or other states.

Howard College Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Howard College is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding in 1946 as Howard County Junior College. 

Classes were initially housed in the hospital unit of the former Big Spring, TX Army Air Force Bombardier School. The institution moved to its current location in Big Spring in 1951. Courses were offered in San Angelo, TX after 1978 and also now in Lamesa, TX.

The SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) was created and began offering classes in 1980. On May 14, 1981, the Texas Legislature recognized SWCID for funding purposes and placed it under the management of Howard College. In 2019, the name was officially changed to the SouthWest College for the Deaf.

You can visit the 75th Anniversary web page for upcoming activities or historical information.

Odessa College Prepares to Celebrate 75th Anniversary

Odessa College in Odessa, Texas is preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding in 1946. The institution was initially known as Odessa Junior College and offered courses in the evenings. After 1968 it became known as Odessa College.

You can find out more information on the 75th Anniversary Celebration web page.

Digital Postcard Exhibit Commemorates Significant Campus Buildings and Landmarks

Texas State University Archives offers a number of interesting digital exhibits. 

One of the exhibits includes images of postcards commemorating notable Texas State University buildings, landmarks, and symbols. 

The institution was founded as Texas State Normal School in 1903. The name changed to Southwest State Teachers College in 1923, to Southwest Texas State College in 1959, to Southwest Texas State University in 1969, and it became Texas State University at San Marcos in 2003.

Leave a comment and url below if you know of other similar digital exhibits focusing on college and universities.

Special Digital Exhibits at the University of North Texas

The University of North Texas Libraries offers a digital exhibit, "UNT: The First 50 Years," that offers photos and explanatory text on the origins of the institution as a Teachers College, Academics, Athletics, Traditions, Student Life, Campus Buildings, and Student Publications. The exhibit was created by Special Collections faculty and students.

The University Archive pages also offer access to a rich array of resources including a compilation of blog posts, "125 Year Archival Retrospective," that explore institutional history through memorable people, events and traditions spanning from 1890 to the current day. Each post includes historical photographs, documents and memorabilia from the Archive.

Two Texas Universities Share Common Ancestry and Celebrate 175th Anniversaries

  

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX and Baylor University in Waco, TX both begin yearlong celebrations of their common founding in 1845. 

On February 1st of that year, Republic of Texas President Anson Jones signed the Act of Congress that officially established Baylor University.

The institution was initially located in Independence, TX and offered a Preparatory Division in addition to co-educational classes for college students. In 1851, under the same charter, a Female Department and a Male Department were created, ending co-education.

In 1866, the Female Department obtained a separate charter as Baylor Female College and its own board of trustees. It became the Baylor College for Women in 1924. The name changed to Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1934 and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1978.

A decision was also made in 1886 to relocate both institutions. The Male Department consolidated with Waco University in Waco, Texas, retaining the name Baylor University, while the Baylor Female College moved to Belton, Texas.

  

You can visit the the Baylor University Libraries Digital Collections or the Townsend Memorial Library Digital Collections at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to find extensive collections of historical resources.

150th Anniversary for Trinity University

Trinity University in San Antonio, TX is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1869. You can visit Trinity's 150th Anniversary web pages for historical information including a timeline, memories, and anniversary news & events.

Trinity was founded initially in Tehuacana, TX and was affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The institution moved to Wexahachie, TX in 1902 and was affiliated with Presbyterian Church U.S.A. after merger of Cumberland Presbyterians with the larger denomination. It then moved to San Antonio in 1942 and merged with a Methodist institution, the University of San Antonio. Trinity first occupied its Woodlawn campus for ten years until a move to current Skyline campus in 1952.

San Antonio's Spectrum News posted a video segment with Bryan Boes reporting from the Trinity campus, "Trinity University Highlights Rich History During 150th Anniversary Celebration."

90th Anniversary for Amarillo College

KAMR/KCIT-TV in Amarillo, TX posted a short news video, "Amarillo College to celebrate 90th Anniversary throughout year," on September 16, 2019. 

You can also read more about anniversary plans in a college press release.

The institution was founded in 1929 as Amarillo Junior College. It served as the first Texas Junior College district established independent of a public school district. The classes were held on September 16, 1929 with seven faculty members and eighty-six students. In 1995, the state legislature transferred Texas State Technical College–Amarillo to Amarillo College.

50th Anniversary for the University of Texas at Dallas

The Dallas Morning News published "How UT Dallas evolved from a small research center into one of the fastest-growing universities in just 50 years," with reporting by María Méndez on August 19, 2019.

Méndez provides the founding story for the University of Texas at Dallas when Eugene McDermott, Cecil Green and J. Erik Jonsson, who started Texas Instruments, set up the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest in 1961 to train a local workforce. The center was renamed the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies two years later and in 1969 it served as the foundation for the University of Texas as Dallas. Méndez also explores some of the reasons for the institution's success and continuing growth in more recent years.

You can visit the UT Dallas 50th anniversary web pages or find timelines and additional historical information.

50th Anniversary for El Paso Community College

El Paso Community College in El Paso, TX is beginning a celebration of its founding in 1969.  The 50th anniversary webpages offer information on upcoming events, a timeline, historic photographs, and other resources.



Molly Smith of the El Paso Times provided an interesting overview of the institution's history in "EPCC celebrates 50 years since El Paso voted to create junior college district" published June 28, 2019.

Lamar State College Orange Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The Orange Leader of Orange, TX published, "Future is bright Orange: Lamar celebrates 50 years," by Dawn Burleigh this past week. Burleigh reported on a reception celebrating the 50th anniversary of the institution and included a brief summary of an historical sketch provided at the reception by Interim-Dean of Student Services Patty Collins. 

What is now Lamar State College Orange first offered classes in 1969 as an extension center of Lamar State College of Technology. 

 Lamar State College of Technology became Lamar University in 1971 and the Orange extension center was approved to offer a two-year academic program. 

The name changed to Lamar University-Orange in 1983 and the institution was authorized to grant degrees in 1991. LU-O, along with sister institutions in Port Arthur and Beaumont, then became part of the Texas University System in 1995. The institution was renamed as Lamar State College Orange in 1999.

You can visit the college website for an historical sketch and a timeline of key events in the life of the institution.

50th Anniversary Celebration at the University of Texas at San Antonio

The University of Texas at San Antonio is beginning a celebration of its founding 50 years ago in 1969.  The anniversary web pages offer opportunities for learning more about the institution's history, joining in anniversary activities, or sharing stories.  You can also access a special anniversary magazine issue that highlights 50 key historical events or moments. 

A brief historical sketch for the university is available and you scroll through an historical timeline.

Weatherford College Celebrating 150th Anniversary

Madelyn Edwards reports for the Weatherford (TX) Democrat in "Weatherford College remembers its history" that faculty, staff, students and alumni will start celebrating the 150th anniversary of the institution's founding in 1869.

The institution was founded by the Phoenix Lodge of the Masonic Order in Weatherford, TX and was chartered as the Masonic Institute. The name was changed to Cleveland College in 1884 to honor U.S. President Grover Cleveland. Then five years later the Central Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, moved Granbury College, which had originally opened in 1873 and had been under the conference's authority since 1880, to Weatherford and combined the two institutions as Weatherford College.

David S. Switzer guided the institution through the 1890s with average yearly enrollment of approximately 300 students and the school offered classes from grade school through the senior year of college. Switzer left in 1902 to establish his own college and from 1903 to 1921 the school operated intermittently.

In 1921 the institution was reorganized as a junior college and was known as Weatherford Junior College. Southwestern University took over operation in 1944 as a branch institution. Five years later in 1949 Southwestern transferred the college to the county and the school officially became Weatherford College of the Parker County Junior College District.

You can visit the 150th Anniversary webpage for a timeline of Weatherford College history, events planned for 2019, and a centennial issue of The Hiltop, an alumni magazine with more information.

Education Corporation of America Closes over 75 Campuses

The Education Corporation of America headquarter in Birmingham, AL announced today that it will close more than 75 sites that enroll roughly 20,000 students.  The company began the process of notifying students and employees.  The sites include those operating as Brightwood College, Brightwood Career Institute, Ecotech Institute, Golf Academy of America and Virginia College.

You can read more at Inside Higher Ed in an article that was posted earlier today, "Large For-Profit Chain to Close."  WSFA-TV in Montgomery, AL posted a short video with an article, "Virginia College closing in Montgomery, nationwide."

KCRA-TV in Sacramento, CA posted "Brightwood College closing Modesto, Sacramento campuses" on its website.

Thirty-two sites are listed for Brightwood College in eight states on the IPEDS College Navigator site and twenty-seven sites in eleven states are listed for Virginia Colleges.

	Brightwood College Sites	Virginia College Sites
Alabama		4
California	10
Florida		3
Georgia		4
Indiana	2
Louisiana		2
Maryland	3
Mississippi		2
Nevada	1
North Carolina	1	1
Ohio	1
Oklahoma		1
South Carolina		5
Tennessee	1	2
Texas	13	2
Virginia		1
Totals	32	27
# states	8	11

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Lon Morris College: Trove of historical Items found in Storage

The Jacksonville (TX) Progress published, "Lon Morris College: Pieces of history come home," written by Deborah Burkett, representing the Cherokee County Historical Commission (CCHS). Burkett provides a historical sketch for the institution and describes a recent discovery of many items from the former institution that have been in storage since it closed in 2012. Returned items include diplomas, photographs, yearbooks, paintings and other memorabilia and these are now stored in the CCHS archives.

A College History Garden post in September 2013, " Lon Morris College," followed the closure.  There are also links to a couple of more recent articles in the comment section below the post where you can read about use of the former campus and the transfer of remaining funds to support scholarships at Texas Wesleyan University.

Interested readers might also read, "Lon Morris College, a storied academic history," that was published by the Jacksonville Progress on August 16, 2009 with additional information on the institution.

Accessing History: Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University Library Special Collections and Archives offers a number of innovative ways to access institutional history and traditions.  You can view a number of images and brief descriptions through the "Tarleton State University Campus History Tour," on the Historypin site.

There is also a "Timeline of Tarleton History" created using Tiki-Toki web-based timeline software.  You can quickly scan historical images selected from the archives and click on any of interest for more information.

Links are also provided off an About Us drop down menu for a number of resources.  The History & Heritage Book is a 70-page document that includes a comprehensive array of institutional information from the history of campus buildings through origins of campus traditions and everything in between.

You can also search and view a wide variety of institutional photographs through the Cross Timbers Historic Images Project.  The project site offers a collection of 19th and 20th century historic images representing Tarleton State and the Cross Timbers area of Central Texas where it is located.