Austin College

ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Austin College is a private liberal arts college located in Sherman, Texas, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was chartered in November 1849 and is recognized as the oldest institution of higher education in Texas still operating under its original name and charter. The college enrolls approximately 1,300 students and emphasizes a strong liberal arts education. Originally founded in Huntsville, Texas, on October 13, 1849, by missionary Daniel Baker, who was educated at Hampden–Sydney and Princeton, the institution was named in honor of Stephen F. Austin. The land for the original campus was donated by the Austin family, and key Texas historical figures like Sam Houston and Anson Jones served on its board of trustees. The founding president was Samuel McKinney, an Irish-born Presbyterian minister who served two terms. Due to complications from yellow fever epidemics and the Civil War, the college faced multiple challenges and eventually relocated to Sherman in 1878. In 1913, a significant fire destroyed the Old Main building, but the faculty and students demonstrated strong commitment by continuing academic activities immediately afterward. In modern times, Oscar Page served as the 14th president from 1994 to 2009, during which he significantly increased the college's endowment through a \$120 million fundraising campaign known as the Campaign for the New Era. He was succeeded by Marjorie Hass in 2009, who became the college’s first female and Jewish president. Under her leadership, the campus saw the construction of new housing and the IDEA Center, a 103,000-square-foot facility designed for science and innovation. The IDEA Center includes classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls, and the Adams Observatory, which houses the largest telescope in the region. It is also a LEED Gold-certified building, reflecting the college's commitment to sustainability and modern education infrastructure.