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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 = <!--translation-->
|mottoeng = ''Nothing but the fierce''
|established = 1849
|established = {{start date and age|1849}}
|type = [[Private university|Private]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]]
|type = [[Private university|Private]] [[Liberal arts colleges in the United States|liberal arts college]]
|affiliation = [[Presbyterian Church USA|Presbyterian]]
|religious_affiliation = [[Presbyterian Church USA|Presbyterian]]
|endowment = $155.4 million (2020)<ref>As of June 30, 2020. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and [[TIAA]] |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2021 |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221003510/https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|president = Marjorie Hass
|president = Steven O'Day
|students = 1,223 (2019)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543 |title=U. S. News |access-date=2019-02-25 |archive-date=2019-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225223700/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|city = [[Sherman, Texas|Sherman]]
|city = [[Sherman, Texas|Sherman]]
|state = [[Texas]]
|state = [[Texas]]
|country = U.S.
|country = United States
|undergrad = 1,208<ref name="austincollege.edu">http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/CDS_2013-2014.pdf</ref>
|postgrad = 16<ref name="austincollege.edu"/>
|staff = 104
|endowment = [[United States dollar|$]]133 million<ref>As of November, 2014. {{cite web | title = Austin College: Adding Value to a Changing World Strategic Plan 2015-2020| publisher = Austin College | url = http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/StrategicPlan-2015-2020.pdf| format = PDF | accessdate = November 20, 2014}}</ref>
|campus = [[Suburban]], {{convert|70|acre}}
|campus = [[Suburban]], {{convert|70|acre}}
|athletics = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[Division III (NCAA)|Division III]] – [[Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference|SCAC]]
|nickname = Kangaroos
|mascot = [[Kangaroo]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acroos.com/sports/cheer/mascot|title=The Kangaroo Mascot|work=Austin College}}</ref>
|colors = Crimson, Gold & Black<ref>http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Brand-Guide-2014.pdf</ref><br/>{{color box|#981E32}}&nbsp;{{color box|#FDB913}}&nbsp;{{color box|#000000}}
|affiliations= [[Oberlin Group]]<br>[[Annapolis Group]]<br>[[Council of Independent Colleges|CIC]]<br>[[Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities|APCU]]
|free_label =
|free_label =
|free =
|free =
|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]]}}
|website= {{url|www.austincollege.edu}}
|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;
|sports_nickname = Kangaroos, The Fighting 'Roos
|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 =
}}
}}
[[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 by covenant relationship with the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)|Presbyterian Church]] and located in [[Sherman, Texas|Sherman]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[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>


[[File:AdminAC.JPG|thumb|right|Administrative building]]
The undergraduate student body of Austin College is 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 graduates have at least one international study experience during college.<ref name="austincollege.edu1">http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ACDifference_Bookmark_2013.pdf</ref> The college states that it attempts to foster close interaction between students and professors via a 12:1 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.


Chartered in November 1849 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>
'''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>

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, 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 [[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}}</ref> and [[Princeton University|Princeton]]-educated missionary Dr. Daniel Baker.
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.


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==

In 2009, Austin College welcomed its first female president, 15th in the history of the College, Dr. Marjorie Hass.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/|title=History|work=austincollege.edu}}</ref> 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
{{Infobox US university ranking
| Forbes = 271
| Forbes = 250
| USNWR_LA = 89
| THE_WSJ = 255
| Wamo_LA = 116
| USNWR_LA = 117
| Wamo_LA = 116
}}
}}
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" and #82 on the 2013 list of National Liberal Arts Colleges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/austin-college-3543/rankings?int=c6b9e3| title=Austin College| publisher=U.S. News}}</ref> It is a member of the International 50, a group of the top colleges in the USA for international focus. The school is named a Best Western College by The Princeton Review and is also included in The Princeton Review's Best 377 Colleges. Austin College is a member of the non-profit organization Colleges That Change Lives and one of the original 40 private colleges in the book, Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Feel About Colleges by Loren Pope.
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>

==Campus==
===Demographics===
* Every student has a faculty mentor for their four years at Austin College.
* Student to faculty ratio is 12:1.
* 98 percent of faculty members hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree.
* Austin College graduates experience an 80 percent acceptance rate into medical schools and other health science programs (two-year average).
* 70 percent of graduates have at least one international study experience during college.
* 80 percent of students complete an internship during their college experience.
* Intercollegiate athletics programs involve 20 percent of the student body.
* Each year, students contribute more than 16,000 community service hours locally and internationally.
* More than 80 percent of students live on campus.
* The Austin College community has approximately 42 percent of students who represent ethnic and racial minorities.
* 63 percent of graduates enter graduate or professional school immediately or within five years of graduation.
* 94 percent of faculty members recently have published or presented scholarly research.<ref name="austincollege.edu1"/>

===Housing===
There are five residence halls on the Austin College campus. Baker Hall houses only males, Caruth Hall houses only females, and Dean and Clyce Hall are co-ed. Freshmen are required to live in one of the residence halls if living on campus for their first year. All dorms have community bathrooms, laundry facilities, a computer lab, and community kitchen. The dorms also offer a limited number of single rooms. A meal plan is required for students living in the residence halls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austincollege.edu/campus-life/residence-life/|title=Residence Life|work=austincollege.edu}}</ref>

'''Bryan Apartments''' are College-owned apartments on campus. The 16 two-bedroom apartments are occupied by 3-4 people each. All apartments are furnished with two movable beds, dressers, desks and chairs per bedroom, movable sofa and a chair in the living room, and a movable dining room table with four chairs. All apartments contain a kitchen equipped with a full size refrigerator, garbage disposal, microwave and electric stove.

'''Johnson ‘Roo Suites''' are College-owned apartments, completed in the fall of 2003. Adjacent to Bryan Apartments, the suites house 152 students in four separate structures. The residence is available to juniors and seniors, with priority to juniors. Four students, each with a separate bedroom, live in a 1,200-square-foot suite that includes two bathrooms, a common living area, and a kitchenette. Each resident receives a key to the main door and one for their individual bedroom.

'''The Jordan Family Language Hous'''e takes language learning to a whole new level for 48 men and women students of German, Spanish, French, and Japanese. Divided into four pods, one for each language, the House is staffed by four native speaking language residents. Each pod features bedrooms, a kitchen, and a common living area. Residents are automatically enrolled in a quarter-credit language course each semester and must meet the requirements of the course to receive credit.

'''The Flats at Brockett Court''' provide 26 suite-style residences for juniors, extending living options beyond the traditional residence halls. Each includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, and a living area. A few of the units are two bedroom, one bath. All are fully furnished. A community room offers a social space for residents.

'''The Village on Grand''' provides neighborhood-style housing on Grand Avenue for seniors and some juniors. The Village includes 24 cottages—some single, some duplex, and three triplex “mansions,”—each housing four individuals. Each fully furnished cottage has a full-size kitchen, washer and dryer, four bedrooms with full-size beds, four bathrooms, and a living area. Each unit has front and rear covered porches and spacious backyards. Reserved parking is available for each resident.


==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 music program,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austincollegemusic.com|title=music program|work=austincollegemusic.com}}</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}}</ref> made up of students and local musicians, and assorted smaller musical ensembles. It sponsors the Posey Center of Excellence in Leadership, the Center for Environmental Studies, and the Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies, 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.

===Majors and Minors===
There are multiple options made available to students at Austin College when deciding on a major and minor. Students are permitted to create a specialized major to match their academic interests. Austin College also offers pre-professional programs for law, medicine, dentistry, ministry, and engineering.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austincollege.edu/academics/pre-professional-programs/|title=Pre-Professional Programs|work=austincollege.edu}}</ref>

===Communication/Inquiry===
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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fitzgerald |first=Wade |url=http://www.austincollege.edu/Info.asp?2332 |title=Library Exhibit Traces 20 Years of "Telling Our Stories" &#124; Austin College |publisher=Austincollege.edu |date=2010-01-15 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref>

===January Term===
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]]. 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.

===Study abroad===
Austin College has a strong emphasis on international learning opportunity. A 2009 report by Open Doors Online<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=150651 |title=Iienetwork.Org |publisher=Opendoors.iienetwork.org |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> showed that Austin College sent more than 80% of their students abroad at some point during their undergraduate education.

===Jordan Family Language House===
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.

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.

===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]].

===Graduate Outcomes===
Out of the Austin College first-year graduates, 40% have full-time employment, 38% attend graduate and professional schools, 12% are having post-graduate experiences, 5% are in prestigious fellowships and service, and 5% are seeking full-time employment.<ref>http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Outcomes_Bookmark_2013.pdf</ref>


==Athletics==
==Athletics==
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>
[[File:AustinCollege-kangaroo-logo.png|thumb|left|Athletics logo]]
Austin College participates in [[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. Currently students refer to their sports teams as the 'fighting roos.'

Kangaroo varsity teams include American football, men and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, 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.


=== Baseball ===
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.
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>


==Notable alumni==
==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>
* [[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>
* [[Ryan Allen (bass)|Ryan Allen]], opera singer
* [[Gene Babb]], President, National Football Scouting Inc.; former player for the [[Dallas Cowboys]], [[Houston Oilers]] and [[San Francisco 49ers]]
* [[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>
* [[Byron Boston]], a football official in the [[National Football League]]
* [[Gene Babb]], football player
* [[George C. Butte]], American jurist and Texas politician
* [[Thomas Henry Ball]], Texas politician
* [[Deborah Crombie]], New York Times bestselling author.
* [[Smith Ballew]], actor and singer
* [[Larry Fedora]], head football coach at [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]
* [[Billy Bookout]], football player
* [[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''.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}}
* [[Hannibal Boone]], 16th Attorney General of Texas
* [[Ron Kirk]], former Mayor of Dallas and former [[United States Trade Representative]]
* [[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
* [[Candace Kita]], actress
* [[Haskell Monroe]], educator and university administrator
* [[Ray Morehart]], baseball player, [[Chicago White Sox]], [[New York Yankees]], played with [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Lou Gehrig]]
* [[Ray Morehart]], baseball player
* [[David Peeples]], Texas state court judge since 1981, based in San Antonio
* [[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, [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=JQlIcYytPmkC Google Books]</ref>
* [[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>
* [[Larry Tidwell]], head women's basketball coach at NCAA Division I programs [[Lamar University]] and [[University of Texas–Pan American]].
* [[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


==Notable faculty==
==Faculty==
*[[Light Townsend Cummins]], (State Historian of Texas, Texas history author)
*[[Light Townsend Cummins]], State Historian of Texas
*[[George Diggs]], (biologist, Texas flora)
*[[George Diggs]], biologist
*[[Joseph Havel]], artist, current director of the [[Glassell School of Art]]
*[[Jerry B. Lincecum]], (English, Texas folklore author)
*[[Jerry B. Lincecum]], Texas folklore author
*[[Shelton Williams]], (political science/international studies, government consultant)
*[[Shelton Williams]], political scientist
*[[Joseph Havel]], (Artist, Current Director, [[Glassell School of Art]])


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}


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


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{{Private colleges and universities in Texas}}
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{{Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference navbox}}
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{{Annapolis Group}}
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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]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Austin College.

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