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{{Short description|Presbyterian college in Sherman, Texas}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2008}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2008}}
{{Infobox university
{{Infobox university
|name = Austin College
|name = Austin College
|image = [[File:Austin College Logo.png|225 px|Austin College's New Modern Logo]]
|image = Austin College logo.svg
|motto = ''nil nisi per aspera''
|motto = ''Nil nisi per aspera''
|mottoeng = ''Nothing but the fierce''
|established = 1849
|established = {{start date and age|1849}}
|type = [[Private school|Private]]
|type = [[Private university|Private]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]]
|president = Marjorie Hass
|religious_affiliation = [[Presbyterian Church USA|Presbyterian]]
|city = [[Sherman, Texas|Sherman]]
|endowment = $155.4 million (2020)<ref>As of June 30, 2020. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and [[TIAA]] |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2021 |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221003510/https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|state = [[Texas]]
|president = Steven O'Day
|country = US
|students = 1,223 (2019)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543 |title=U. S. News |access-date=2019-02-25 |archive-date=2019-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225223700/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|undergrad = 1,291
|city = [[Sherman, Texas|Sherman]]
|postgrad = 29
|state = [[Texas]]
|staff= 104
|country = United States
|endowment = US$109.4 million<ref>As of June 30, 2009. {{Cite web | title = U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009| work = 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments | publisher = National Association of College and University Business Officers | url = http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf| format = PDF | accessdate = March 8, 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100401034750/http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf| archivedate= 1 April 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
|campus = [[Suburban]], {{convert|70|acre}} <br />(City of Sherman, Grayson County, Texas)
|campus = [[Suburban]], {{convert|70|acre}}
|free_label =
|mascot = [[Kangaroo]]
|free =
| colors = <span style="background-color:#981E33;width:50px;border:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;<span style="background-color:#D3A246;width:50px;border:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>
|sporting_affiliations = {{hlist|[[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[Division III (NCAA)|Division III]] – [[Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference|SCAC]]|[[Collegiate Water Polo Association|CWPA]]|[[American Southwest Conference|ASC]]}}
|free_label = Religious Affiliation
|colors = Crimson & Gold<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Brand-Guide-2014.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-07-07 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041623/http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Brand-Guide-2014.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />{{color box|#981E32}}&nbsp;{{color box|#FDB913}}&nbsp;
|free = [[Presbyterian Church USA]]
|sports_nickname = Kangaroos, The Fighting 'Roos
|website= [http://www.austincollege.edu/ www.austincollege.edu]
|mascot = Katy the Kangaroo
|website= {{URL|www.austincollege.edu}}
|administrative_staff = 104
|academic_affiliations= [[Oberlin Group]]<br />[[Annapolis Group]]<br />[[Council of Independent Colleges|CIC]]<br />[[Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities|APCU]]
| logo =
}}
}}
'''Austin College''' is a [[private university|private]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] affiliated by covenant relationship with the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]] and located in [[Sherman, Texas]], about 60 miles (about 100&nbsp;km) north of [[Dallas]].<ref name="Austin College History">[http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/ Austin College], Austin College History.</ref> It is a top tier liberal arts school. In 2012, U.S. News ranked it #63 in National Liberal Arts Colleges. It is listed in ''Colleges That Change Lives'', by Loren Pope. "….A motivated student, willing to forgo memorization of facts in favor of higher order critical thinking skills, will find Austin College an A-1 choice. Those considering graduate school can raise the grade to A+.”
— Barron’s Best Buys in College Education, Tenth Edition


[[File:AdminAC.JPG|thumb|right|Administrative building]]


'''Austin College''' is a [[private university|private]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]] affiliated with the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]] and located in [[Sherman, Texas]].<ref name="Austin College History">[http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/ Austin College] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608002350/http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/ |date=2015-06-08 }}, Austin College History.</ref>


The undergraduate student body of Austin College is limited to about 1,300.<ref name="Austin College Life">[http://www.austincollege.edu/prospective-students/life-at-austin-college/ Austin College], Austin College Life.</ref> Most students are required to live on campus for the first three years in an attempt to create a close-knit community. Austin College actively promotes [[study abroad]] programs; 70% of students study abroad during their four years at the college.<ref name="Austin College Study Abroad">[http://www.austincollege.edu/45164/austin-college-1-in-study-abroad/ Austin College], Austin College Study Abroad Program.</ref> The college states that it attempts to foster close interaction between students and professors via a 13:1 student to faculty ratio and an average class size of fewer than 25 students.<ref name="Austin College Faculty">[http://www.austincollege.edu/academics/faculty/ Austin College], Austin College Faculty.</ref> The college has no teaching assistants, so regular faculty teach all levels of coursework.
About 1,300 students are enrolled at the college.<ref name="Austin College Life">[http://www.austincollege.edu/prospective-students/life-at-austin-college/ Austin College] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611143303/http://www.austincollege.edu/prospective-students/life-at-austin-college/ |date=June 11, 2011 }}, Austin College Life.</ref> Students are required to live on campus for the first three years of their education in order to foster a close-knit and community oriented campus lifestyle. Austin College actively promotes [[study abroad]] programs; 70% of graduates have at least one international study experience during college, and about 82% of students are involved in research.<ref name="austincollege.edu1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ACDifference_Bookmark_2013.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-08-28 |archive-date=2015-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603110123/http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ACDifference_Bookmark_2013.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The college cultivates close interaction between students and professors via a 13:1<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543/rankings|title=Indicator|access-date=2020-02-07|archive-date=2022-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731023342/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543/overall-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref> student to faculty ratio and an average class size of fewer than 25 students.<ref name="Austin College Faculty">[http://www.austincollege.edu/academics/faculty/ Austin College] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818095509/http://www.austincollege.edu/academics/faculty/ |date=2013-08-18 }}, Austin College Faculty.</ref>


Chartered in November 1849, it is the oldest college in Texas under original charter and name as recognized by the [[Texas Historical Commission|State Historical Survey Committee]].<ref name="Austin College History">[http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/ Austin College History], Austin College History.</ref>
Chartered in November 1849, Austin College remains the oldest institution of higher education in Texas to be operating under its original charter and name as recognized by the [[Texas Historical Commission|State Historical Survey Committee]].<ref name="Austin College History"/> The college was profiled in all three editions of ''[[Colleges That Change Lives]]''.


==History==
==History==
[[File:Old Main.GIF|thumb|Old Main]]
The college was founded on October 13, 1849, in [[Huntsville, Texas]], by the [[Princeton University|Princeton]]-educated missionary Dr. Daniel Baker.[[File:AC logo 2.jpg|thumb|260px|alt=text|Logo of Austin College]]
The college was founded on October 13, 1849, in [[Huntsville, Texas]], by the [[Hampden–Sydney College|Hampden–Sydney]]<ref>{{cite web| title = An Army of Good Men| work = The Record| publisher = Hampden–Sydney College| url = http://www.hsc.edu/The-Record/2010-September/An-army-of-good-men.html| access-date = 2014-04-02| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120111130039/http://www.hsc.edu/The-Record/2010-September/An-army-of-good-men.html| archive-date = 2012-01-11| url-status = dead}}</ref> and [[Princeton University|Princeton]]-educated missionary Daniel Baker. Signed by Texas Governor [[George Tyler Wood|George Wood]], the charter of Austin College was modeled after those of [[Harvard University|Harvard]], [[Yale University|Yale]], and [[Princeton University|Princeton]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = History|url = http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/|website = www.austincollege.edu| date=November 2009 |access-date = 2015-09-03|archive-date = 2015-06-08|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150608002350/http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/|url-status = live}}</ref>


Baker named the school for the Texas historical figure [[Stephen F. Austin]]; the original land was donated by the Austin family. Two other important figures in Texas history, [[Sam Houston]] and [[Anson Jones]],<ref name="Austin College History" /> served on the board of trustees.
The college moved to Sherman in 1876 and became co-educational in 1918, merging in 1929 with the all-female [[Texas Presbyterian College]].


Austin College's founding president was Irish-born Presbyterian minister [[Samuel McKinney]], who served as the school's president a second time from 1862 to 1871.<ref name="amelia">{{cite web | url= https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmc74 | title= MCKINNEY, SAMUEL | first= Amelia W. | last= Williams | date= June 15, 2010 | website= Handbook of Texas Online | publisher= [[Texas State Historical Association]] | access-date= September 6, 2015 | archive-date= September 20, 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150920211111/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmc74 | url-status= live }}</ref> Under the tenure of the fourth president of Austin College, Samuel Magoffin Luckett,<ref name=":0" /> Austin College had several [[yellow fever]] epidemics and complications related to [[American Civil War|the Civil War]]. The college relocated to Sherman in 1878.
Baker named the school after the Texas historical figure [[Stephen F. Austin]]. Another important figure in Texas history, [[Sam Houston]], served on the original board of trustees for the college, and the former site in Huntsville later became today's [[Sam Houston State University]].


On January 21 of 1913, Old Main was set ablaze and burnt to the ground in a matter of hours. During the fire, the senior class called the student body together and they committed, in writing, to stand by the college after the fire. The faculty also committed to continue college work the next day. The event galvanized the community.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Lost Buildings of Austin College 1|url = http://abell.austincollege.edu/visitors/welcome/lost/lostm.html|website = abell.austincollege.edu|access-date = 2015-09-03|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150908033645/http://abell.austincollege.edu/visitors/welcome/lost/lostm.html|archive-date = 2015-09-08|url-status = dead}}</ref> Following the fire, the citizens of Sherman raised $50,000 to help the college rebuild.
On September 20, 1973, the musician [[Jim Croce]] died in a [[plane crash]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana]], on his way to perform the next night at Austin College. Six people died in the crash.
[[File:AdminAC.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Administration Building]]


The college has boasted such guests as [[Harry Houdini]], [[Harry Blackstone, Sr.|Harry Blackstone Sr]]., [[Ernestine Schumann-Heink|Madame Schumann-Heink]], [[William Howard Taft]], and [[George H. W. Bush|George H.W. Bush]].
==Administration==

Dr. Marjorie Hass became the 15th president of Austin College on July 1, 2009. She was previously provost of [[Muhlenberg College]]. Hass succeeded Dr. Oscar Page.
In 1994, Oscar Page joined the community as its 14th president. Under his tenure, 1994–2009, Page increased the school's endowment by nearly 80%, due in large part to his dedicated fundraising efforts as evidenced by the success of the "Campaign for the New Era;" a total of $120 million were raised and the campaign was heralded as the largest fundraiser in Austin College's history. Page orchestrated the construction of Jordan Family Language House, Jerry E. Apple Stadium, the Robert J. and Mary Wright Campus Center, the Robert M. and Joyce A. Johnson 'Roo Suites, and the Betsy Dennis Forster Art Studio Complex; as well as the renovation of the David E. and Cassie L. Temple Center for Teaching and Learning at Thompson House and of Wortham Center, and creation of the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson Technology Center, the Margaret Binkley Collins and William W. Collins, Jr., Alumni Center, and the College Green in Honor of John D. and Sara Bernice Moseley and Distinguished Faculty.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Past Presidents|url = http://www.austincollege.edu/about/office-of-the-president/past-presidents/|website = www.austincollege.edu| date=22 January 2013 |access-date = 2015-09-03|archive-date = 2019-04-11|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190411174331/https://www.austincollege.edu/about/office-of-the-president/past-presidents/|url-status = live}}</ref>

Marjorie Hass joined the campus in 2009 as both its first female and [[Jewish faith|Jewish]] president. Under her leadership, the college saw the construction of the IDEA Center and two new housing complexes. The IDEA Center is a 103,000 square ft. facility which includes multi-disciplinary and multi-purpose classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls and the largest telescope in the region found in Adams Observatory. It is a [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED]] Gold certified facility.<ref>{{Cite web|title = IDEA Center|url = http://www.austincollege.edu/campus-offices/business-affairs/physical-plant/idea/|website = www.austincollege.edu| date=November 2009 |access-date = 2015-11-12|archive-date = 2015-11-09|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151109062343/http://www.austincollege.edu/campus-offices/business-affairs/physical-plant/idea|url-status = live}}</ref>


==Rankings==
==Rankings==
{{Infobox US university ranking
Listed in the ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' "Guide to the 331 Most Interesting Colleges", Austin College is also ninth on the ''U.S. News'' 2006 list of "most students studying abroad". It is a member of the International 50, a group of the top colleges in the USA for international focus.
| Forbes = 250
| THE_WSJ = 255
| USNWR_LA = 117
| Wamo_LA = 116
}}
Listed in the ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' "Guide to the 331 Most Interesting Colleges", Austin College is ranked #117 on the 2019 list of National Liberal Arts Colleges. Austin College was ranked 79th in 2016. President O'Day took office in 2017, and Austin College slipped to 117th in 2020, the lowest ranking National Liberal Arts College in Texas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543/rankings?int=c6b9e3 |title=Austin College |work=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=2014-01-06 |archive-date=2014-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106174626/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543/rankings?int=c6b9e3 |url-status=live}}</ref>


==Academics==
==Academics==
Austin College offers about 35 majors and pre-professional programs for study, and students can also create a specialized major to match their academic interests. The college is known for its nationally recognized five-year Master of Arts in Teaching program, its pre-medical, international studies, and pre-law programs, which draw many students to the campus. The college has a [http://www.austincollegemusic.com music program] and supports the Austin College A Cappella Choir and the [http://www.shermansymphony.com Sherman Symphony Orchestra] made up of students and local musicians, and assorted smaller musical ensembles. It sponsors the [[Austin College#Posey Leadership Institute|Posey Center of Excellence in Leadership]], the Center for Environmental Studies [http://www.austincollege.edu/Category.asp?1450], and the Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies [http://www.austincollege.edu/Category.asp?1968], three specialized programs that give students numerous research and internship opportunities. The school also has active programs in over 40 academic disciplines. The school's student newspaper, the Austin College ''Observer'', is a bi-weekly publication.
Austin College offers about 35 majors and pre-professional programs for study, and students can also create a specialized major to match their academic interests. The college has a music program,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austincollege.edu/music|title=music program|work=austincollege.edu|date=November 2009 |access-date=2018-04-26|archive-date=2022-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731023345/https://www.austincollege.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/music/|url-status=live}}</ref> and supports the Austin College A Cappella Choir and the Sherman Symphony Orchestra<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shermansymphony.com/|title=www.shermansymphony.com|work=shermansymphony.com|access-date=2022-07-31|archive-date=2022-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411183346/https://shermansymphony.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> made up of students and local musicians, and assorted smaller musical ensembles.


==Athletics==
===Communication/Inquiry===
Austin College joined the [[Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference|Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC)]] on July 1, 2006, replacing [[Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology]]. Austin College was previously a member of the [[American Southwest Conference]] (ASC), Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and Texas Conference. In 2017, the Austin College football team joined the Southern Athletic Association in football, while remaining a member of the SCAC across all other sports.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.acroos.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20151117uguu1z|title=Austin College Football to Join SAA as Affiliate Member|date=18 November 2015|website=acroos.com|access-date=24 March 2016|archive-date=9 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409131934/http://www.acroos.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20151117uguu1z|url-status=live}}</ref>
Communication/Inquiry (C/I) is a seminar course taken by freshmen during the fall of their entry year. The professor becomes a mentor for the students in the class over the next four years. C/I serves as the initial course in the undergraduate core curriculum, meant to emphasize the enhancement of core academic skills. Course topics are generally aligned with specialty of the instructors. C/I professors and topics rotate every year.[http://www.austincollege.edu/Info.asp?2332]


===Heritage of Western Culture===
=== Baseball ===
In 2007, the first year of participating in the SCAC, the Austin College baseball team won the conference tournament, beating Millsaps College 9–7 in the finals. The Roos finished the season with a win–loss record of 22–25. The tournament win was the first ever conference championship for the Roos and the first time the program had ever been in the Regional tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/acmagazine_june07.pdf|title = Austin College Magazine|date = June 2007|access-date = 2016-01-22|archive-date = 2016-01-28|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160128121219/http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/acmagazine_june07.pdf|url-status = dead}}</ref> [[Carl Iwasaki]] was the head coach for the Roos from 2005 until 2010. He won two coach of the year awards, the first in 2006 while the Roos were still in the ASC and the second, coming in 2007 after the Roos had joined the SCAC. Coach Iwasaki was replaced by James Rise for the 2011 season who coached for four seasons. Under Rise, the Roos went 11–24 in 2011, 8–29 in 2012, 12–29 in 2013, and 6–33 in 2014.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = SCAC|url = http://scacsports.com/information/archives/index2|website = scacsports.com|access-date = 2016-01-22|archive-date = 2015-11-28|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151128051101/http://www.scacsports.com/information/archives/index2|url-status = live}}</ref>
Heritage of Western Culture, a three semester program, was the Austin College core curriculum. From fall 2007, "Heritage" ceased to exist. The purpose of the classes was to tie together various liberal arts disciplines into an overview of the development of western culture.


===January Term===
==Alumni==
* [[Ramon Frederick Adams]], author of books about the history of cattle and gunmen<ref>{{cite web|url=http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.fol.002 |title=Adams, Ramon (1889-1976) |work=Encyclopedia of the Great Plains |first=Lawrence |last=Clayton |access-date=July 25, 2023}}</ref>
January Term is a three-week course taught every January. Students are required to take three Jan-terms during their time at Austin, and many use the semester to either take a class in an area different to their regular studies, intensify their study in their designated field, or travel abroad on one of the many travel Jan-terms. Off-campus Jan-terms are an opportunity for those who cannot study abroad during the normal school year to do so. International destinations rotate from year to year. There are also a number of domestic travel locations, such as [[Ghost Ranch]] in [[New Mexico]], [[Washington D.C.]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] and [[New York City]].
* [[Ryan Allen (bass)|Ryan Allen]], opera singer
* [[Marshall Applewhite]], leader of the Heaven's Gate religious cult<ref name="New York Times">{{cite news| date=March 29, 1997| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E5DC133AF93AA15750C0A961958260| work=New York Times| title=From Religious Childhood To Reins of a U.F.O. Cult| access-date=May 8, 2008| first=Jacques| last=Steinberg| archive-date=June 16, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616181102/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E5DC133AF93AA15750C0A961958260| url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Gene Babb]], football player
* [[Thomas Henry Ball]], Texas politician
* [[Smith Ballew]], actor and singer
* [[Billy Bookout]], football player
* [[Hannibal Boone]], 16th Attorney General of Texas
* [[Byron Boston]], football player
* [[John Bucy III]], Texas House Representative (2019–present)
* [[Ben Bumgarner]], Texas House Representative (2023–present)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.house.texas.gov/|title=Texas House of Representatives|website=Texas House of Representatives|accessdate=}}</ref>
* [[Joe Coomer (American football)|Joe Coomer]], football player
* [[Deborah Crombie]], author
* [[Philip N. Diehl|Philip Diehl]], director of the [[United States Mint]].
* [[Nancy J. Duff|Nancy Duff]], theologian
* [[Larry Fedora]], football coach
* [[Maurice Harper]], football player
* [[David Lee "Tex" Hill]], fighter pilot
* [[John Hitt]], academic administrator
* [[Ron Kirk]], former Mayor of Dallas and former United States Trade Representative
* [[Candace Kita]], actress
* [[Haskell Monroe]], educator and university administrator
* [[Ray Morehart]], baseball player
* [[John O. Moseley|John Moseley]], educator and college president
* [[Carroll Pickett]], Presbyterian minister, author and advocate for abolishing the death penalty<ref name="Within">Stowers, Carlton, and [[Carroll Pickett]], ''Within These Walls: Memoirs of a Death House Chaplain'', {{ISBN|978-0-312-28717-7}}, [[St. Martin's Press]], 2002, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JQlIcYytPmkC Google Books]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731023410/https://books.google.com/books?id=JQlIcYytPmkC |date=July 31, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Homer Rainey]], college president
* [[Charlie Robertson]], baseball player
* [[Walter E. Rogers|Walter Rogers]], U.S. Representative
* [[Reggie Smith (Texas politician)|Reggie Smith]], Texas House Representative (2018–present)
* [[Dan Stoenescu]], Romanian diplomat
* [[Leonidas J. Storey]], 13th Lt. Governor of Texas (1881–1883) <ref name=BS>{{cite book|url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1151235/m1/819/|title=Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas: Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and Many Early Settled Families|pages=795–96|date=1889|publisher=F. A. Battey & Company|publication-place=Chicago|via=[[University of North Texas Libraries]]}}</ref>
* [[Vern Sutton]], operatic tenor
* [[Tom Thompson (American football)|Tom Thompson]], football player
* [[Larry Tidwell]], basketball coach
* [[Brandon McInnis]], actor


==Faculty==
Courses are taught on-campus as well. A longstanding policy requires freshmen to spend their first Jan-term on-campus, although some instructors allow exceptions.
*[[Light Townsend Cummins]], State Historian of Texas

*[[George Diggs]], biologist
===Jordan Family Language House===
*[[Joseph Havel]], artist, current director of the [[Glassell School of Art]]
Completed in 1998, the Jordan Family Language House is both a residence hall and a place of study for German, Spanish, French, Chinese and Japanese language and culture. The hall is divided into four sections, one for each language. Each section functions independently, with the number of students varying from Spanish (the largest) to Japanese (the smallest, with a capacity for eight). Students are encouraged to speak in their language of study when in the house.
*[[Jerry B. Lincecum]], Texas folklore author

*[[Shelton Williams]], political scientist
A native speaker, always coming from abroad, resides in each section to assist students in their study of the language. The native speaker also holds intermediate and advanced conversation classes for the students. The Jordan House contains a multimedia language laboratory.

Students who live in the house are enrolled in a half-credit course, in addition to another course in the language or literature. Course requirements include meeting several times a week for language table, weekly house meetings with skits, games, and other presentations in the target language, and a variety of other culturally appropriate activities. [http://www.austincollege.edu/ViewPage.asp?857]

===Model United Nations===
Austin College has participated in [[Model United Nations]] around the USA since 1983. Model UN conferences simulate the workings of the United Nations, with delegates assuming the current positions of the countries they represent.

The purpose of the program is to gain skills in leadership, verbal and written communication, teamwork, decision-making and research. At the National Model U.N. Conference in [[New York City]], the Austin College program has earned more than 20 top rankings for Outstanding Delegation. Austin College has also attended conferences in [[Chicago]], [[Washington, DC]], [[Hawaii]], [[Russia]] and [[China]].[http://www.austincollege.edu/Category.asp?1693]

===Posey Leadership Institute===
The Austin College Posey Leadership Institute is intended to instruct student leaders in leadership and service. Each fall, 15 entering freshmen and up to five sophomores are selected to participate, based on demonstrated leadership ability and potential. Participants receive a scholarship of around $11,000 a year.

Participating students complete special courses beyond their normal academic workload. These include a freshman introductory leadership course, an internship on leadership in action, a Jan-term course, a second-year course on national and international leadership, and a senior conference on advanced leadership studies.[http://www.austincollege.edu/ViewPage.asp?1870]

===Study abroad===
Austin College has a strong emphasis on international learning opportunity. A 2009 report by Open Doors Online [http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=150651] showed that Austin College sent more than 80% of their students abroad at some point during their undergraduate education.

==Sports==
[[File:AustinCollege-kangaroo-logo.png|thumb|right|Athletics logo]]
Austin College participates in [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[Division III (NCAA)|Division III]] athletics. Previously, Austin College competed in NAIA Division II athletics. Austin College athletes do not receive athletic scholarships. The football team became known as the "Kangaroos" sometime during the 1914 to 1915 seasons. According to campus legend, the mascot name was derived from a kangaroo court of organized students that would paddle violators of college rules.

Kangaroo varsity teams include American football, men and women's soccer, volleyball, men and women's basketball, swimming and diving, tennis, baseball and softball, which was added for the 2006-2007 season. More than 225 student athletics participate in varsity intercollegiate athletics each year. In 2004-2005, 28 students were recognized with all-conference athletic honors and 61 students received all-conference academic honors. Austin College also has a lacrosse team, which is run as a club sport.

Austin College joined the [[Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference]] on July 1, 2006, replacing [[Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology]]. Austin College was previously a member of the [[American Southwest Conference]], Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and Texas Conference.

===Football===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2012}}
The Austin College American football program began competition in 1896. Former head coach [[Mel Tjeerdsma]] has the most wins in school history. The defense is known as "The Redshirts". Defensive players have long used the motto "Redshirt Pride" to remind them of their work ethic. Austin College won conference championships in 1920, 1923, 1935, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1988. The school's career leading rusher is Mike Maloney (1964–1967). The career passing leader is Jerry Bishop (1962–1965). The leading pass receiver is Otis Amy (1986–1988). The football program boasts more than 130 All-American players during its history. Otis Amy was a three time All-American in 1986, 1987, and 1988. Otis Amy finished his college career as the all time leading NAIA pass receiver. Defensive back Chris Luper was an All-American 1979, 1980, and 1981. Punter Brent Badger (1991–1994) also was a 3 time All-American selection. In 1993, Badger kicked an 80 yard punt against Nebraska Wesleyan. Charles "Bo" Miller (Class of 1961), Willie Williams (Class of 1977), Chris Luper (Class of 1982), and Gene Branum (Class of 1982) have been inducted into the NAIA Football Hall of Fame. Aaron Kernek (Class of 2001) was the last AC player to play in the NFL. He was a member of the NY Giants and Baltimore Ravens.

==Notable faculty==
*[[Light Townsend Cummins]], (State Historian of Texas, Texas history author)
*[[George Diggs]], (biologist, Texas flora)
*[[Jerry B. Lincecum]], (English, Texas folklore author)
*[[Shelton Williams]], (political science/international studies, government consultant)

==Notable alumni==
* [[Marshall Applewhite]], leader of the Heaven's Gate religious cult.<ref name="New York Times">{{cite news| date=1997-03-29| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E5DC133AF93AA15750C0A961958260&scp=1&sq=From+Religious+Childhood+To+Reins+of+a+U.F.O.+Cult&st=nyt| publisher=[[New York Times]]| title=From Religious Childhood To Reins of a U.F.O. Cult| accessdate=2008-05-08 | first=Jacques | last=Steinberg}}</ref>
* [[Gene Babb]], President, National Football Scouting Inc.; former player for the [[Dallas Cowboys]], [[Houston Oilers]] and [[San Francisco 49ers]]
* [[Byron Boston]], a football official in the [[National Football League]]
* [[George C. Butte]], American jurist and Texas politician
* [[Larry Fedora]], head football coach at University of North Carolina
* [[David Lee "Tex" Hill]], World War II triple ace, member of the Flying Tigers. John Wayne based his character on Hill in the movie ''Flying Tigers''.{{cn|date=January 2013}}
* [[Ron Kirk]], former Mayor of Dallas and current [[United States Trade Representative]]
* [[Candace Kita]], actress
* [[Ray Morehart]], baseball player, [[Chicago White Sox]], [[New York Yankees]], played with [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Lou Gehrig]]
* [[Carroll Pickett]], Presbyterian minister, author and advocate against the death penalty<ref name="DistAlumni">[http://www.austincollege.edu/Info.asp?891 List of Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients], retrieved 19 May 2008 {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="Within">Stowers, Carlton, and [[Carroll Pickett]], ''Within These Walls: Memoirs of a Death House Chaplain'', ISBN 978-0-312-28717-7, [[St. Martin's Press]], 2002, [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=JQlIcYytPmkC Google Books]</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Austin College}}
{{commons category|Austin College}}
*[http://www.austincollege.edu Official website]
* {{Official website|www.austincollege.edu}}
*[http://www.austincollege.edu/athletics/ Official athletics website]
*[http://www.acroos.com Official athletics website]


{{Colleges That Change Lives}}
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{{Private colleges and universities in Texas}}
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{{Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference navbox}}
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{{Presbyterian Colleges}}
{{Presbyterian Colleges}}
{{Annapolis Group}}
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[[Category:Austin College| ]]
[[Category:Austin College| ]]
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[[no:Austin College]]

Latest revision as of 18:40, 11 April 2024

Austin College
MottoNil nisi per aspera
Motto in English
Nothing but the fierce
TypePrivate liberal arts college
Established1849; 175 years ago (1849)
Religious affiliation
Presbyterian
Academic affiliations
Oberlin Group
Annapolis Group
CIC
APCU
Endowment$155.4 million (2020)[1]
PresidentSteven O'Day
Administrative staff
104
Students1,223 (2019)[2]
Location
Sherman
,
Texas
,
United States
CampusSuburban, 70 acres (28 ha)
ColorsCrimson & Gold[3]
    
NicknameKangaroos, The Fighting 'Roos
Sporting affiliations
MascotKaty the Kangaroo
Websitewww.austincollege.edu
Administrative building

Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Sherman, Texas.[4]

About 1,300 students are enrolled at the college.[5] Students are required to live on campus for the first three years of their education in order to foster a close-knit and community oriented campus lifestyle. Austin College actively promotes study abroad programs; 70% of graduates have at least one international study experience during college, and about 82% of students are involved in research.[6] The college cultivates close interaction between students and professors via a 13:1[7] student to faculty ratio and an average class size of fewer than 25 students.[8]

Chartered in November 1849, Austin College remains the oldest institution of higher education in Texas to be operating under its original charter and name as recognized by the State Historical Survey Committee.[4] The college was profiled in all three editions of Colleges That Change Lives.

History[edit]

Old Main

The college was founded on October 13, 1849, in Huntsville, Texas, by the Hampden–Sydney[9] and Princeton-educated missionary Daniel Baker. Signed by Texas Governor George Wood, the charter of Austin College was modeled after those of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.[10]

Baker named the school for the Texas historical figure Stephen F. Austin; the original land was donated by the Austin family. Two other important figures in Texas history, Sam Houston and Anson Jones,[4] served on the board of trustees.

Austin College's founding president was Irish-born Presbyterian minister Samuel McKinney, who served as the school's president a second time from 1862 to 1871.[11] Under the tenure of the fourth president of Austin College, Samuel Magoffin Luckett,[12] Austin College had several yellow fever epidemics and complications related to the Civil War. The college relocated to Sherman in 1878.

On January 21 of 1913, Old Main was set ablaze and burnt to the ground in a matter of hours. During the fire, the senior class called the student body together and they committed, in writing, to stand by the college after the fire. The faculty also committed to continue college work the next day. The event galvanized the community.[13] Following the fire, the citizens of Sherman raised $50,000 to help the college rebuild.

The college has boasted such guests as Harry Houdini, Harry Blackstone Sr., Madame Schumann-Heink, William Howard Taft, and George H.W. Bush.

In 1994, Oscar Page joined the community as its 14th president. Under his tenure, 1994–2009, Page increased the school's endowment by nearly 80%, due in large part to his dedicated fundraising efforts as evidenced by the success of the "Campaign for the New Era;" a total of $120 million were raised and the campaign was heralded as the largest fundraiser in Austin College's history. Page orchestrated the construction of Jordan Family Language House, Jerry E. Apple Stadium, the Robert J. and Mary Wright Campus Center, the Robert M. and Joyce A. Johnson 'Roo Suites, and the Betsy Dennis Forster Art Studio Complex; as well as the renovation of the David E. and Cassie L. Temple Center for Teaching and Learning at Thompson House and of Wortham Center, and creation of the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson Technology Center, the Margaret Binkley Collins and William W. Collins, Jr., Alumni Center, and the College Green in Honor of John D. and Sara Bernice Moseley and Distinguished Faculty.[12]

Marjorie Hass joined the campus in 2009 as both its first female and Jewish president. Under her leadership, the college saw the construction of the IDEA Center and two new housing complexes. The IDEA Center is a 103,000 square ft. facility which includes multi-disciplinary and multi-purpose classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls and the largest telescope in the region found in Adams Observatory. It is a LEED Gold certified facility.[14]

Rankings[edit]

Academic rankings
Liberal arts
U.S. News & World Report[15]117
Washington Monthly[16]116
National
Forbes[17]250
WSJ/College Pulse[18]255

Listed in the U.S. News & World Report "Guide to the 331 Most Interesting Colleges", Austin College is ranked #117 on the 2019 list of National Liberal Arts Colleges. Austin College was ranked 79th in 2016. President O'Day took office in 2017, and Austin College slipped to 117th in 2020, the lowest ranking National Liberal Arts College in Texas.[19]

Academics[edit]

Austin College offers about 35 majors and pre-professional programs for study, and students can also create a specialized major to match their academic interests. The college has a music program,[20] and supports the Austin College A Cappella Choir and the Sherman Symphony Orchestra[21] made up of students and local musicians, and assorted smaller musical ensembles.

Athletics[edit]

Austin College joined the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) on July 1, 2006, replacing Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Austin College was previously a member of the American Southwest Conference (ASC), Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and Texas Conference. In 2017, the Austin College football team joined the Southern Athletic Association in football, while remaining a member of the SCAC across all other sports.[22]

Baseball[edit]

In 2007, the first year of participating in the SCAC, the Austin College baseball team won the conference tournament, beating Millsaps College 9–7 in the finals. The Roos finished the season with a win–loss record of 22–25. The tournament win was the first ever conference championship for the Roos and the first time the program had ever been in the Regional tournament.[23] Carl Iwasaki was the head coach for the Roos from 2005 until 2010. He won two coach of the year awards, the first in 2006 while the Roos were still in the ASC and the second, coming in 2007 after the Roos had joined the SCAC. Coach Iwasaki was replaced by James Rise for the 2011 season who coached for four seasons. Under Rise, the Roos went 11–24 in 2011, 8–29 in 2012, 12–29 in 2013, and 6–33 in 2014.[24]

Alumni[edit]

Faculty[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "U. S. News". Archived from the original on 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-07-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ a b c Austin College Archived 2015-06-08 at the Wayback Machine, Austin College History.
  5. ^ Austin College Archived June 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Austin College Life.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-03. Retrieved 2014-08-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "Indicator". Archived from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  8. ^ Austin College Archived 2013-08-18 at the Wayback Machine, Austin College Faculty.
  9. ^ "An Army of Good Men". The Record. Hampden–Sydney College. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  10. ^ "History". www.austincollege.edu. November 2009. Archived from the original on 2015-06-08. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  11. ^ Williams, Amelia W. (June 15, 2010). "MCKINNEY, SAMUEL". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Past Presidents". www.austincollege.edu. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2019-04-11. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  13. ^ "Lost Buildings of Austin College 1". abell.austincollege.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  14. ^ "IDEA Center". www.austincollege.edu. November 2009. Archived from the original on 2015-11-09. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
  15. ^ "Best Colleges 2024: National Liberal Arts Colleges". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "2023 Liberal Arts Rankings". Washington Monthly. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  17. ^ "Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2023". Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "2024 Best Colleges in the U.S." The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "Austin College". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  20. ^ "music program". austincollege.edu. November 2009. Archived from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  21. ^ "www.shermansymphony.com". shermansymphony.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  22. ^ "Austin College Football to Join SAA as Affiliate Member". acroos.com. 18 November 2015. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  23. ^ "Austin College Magazine" (PDF). June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  24. ^ "SCAC". scacsports.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-28. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  25. ^ Clayton, Lawrence. "Adams, Ramon (1889-1976)". Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  26. ^ Steinberg, Jacques (March 29, 1997). "From Religious Childhood To Reins of a U.F.O. Cult". New York Times. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  27. ^ "Texas House of Representatives". Texas House of Representatives.
  28. ^ Stowers, Carlton, and Carroll Pickett, Within These Walls: Memoirs of a Death House Chaplain, ISBN 978-0-312-28717-7, St. Martin's Press, 2002, Google BooksArchived July 31, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas: Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and Many Early Settled Families. Chicago: F. A. Battey & Company. 1889. pp. 795–96 – via University of North Texas Libraries.

External links[edit]

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