Texas A&M University–Commerce
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Texas A&M University–Commerce |
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| Motto | Ceaseless Industry - Fearless Investigation - Unfettered Thought |
| Established | 1889 |
| Type | Public University |
| President | Keith McFarland, Ph.D. |
| Faculty | 502 |
| Students | 8,677 |
| Location | Commerce, Texas, United States |
| Nickname | Lions |
| Website | http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/ |
Texas A&M University–Commerce is a member of the Texas A&M University System located in Commerce, Texas. It also has campuses in Dallas and Mesquite, Texas and conducts classes at the McKinney, Texas campus of Collin County Community College District. The university also has a partnership with Navarro College.
[edit] History
The university began as East Texas Normal College in 1889 when founder William Leonidas Mayo opened the doors to a one-building campus in Cooper, TX. After the original campus was destroyed by fire in 1894, Mayo moved the college to its present location in Commerce.
The State of Texas purchased the campus from Mayo in 1917 (after receiving word that the State would purchase the campus, while walking back to the campus Mayo would die of a heart attack) and changed the name to East Texas State Normal College. In 1923, the school was renamed East Texas State Teachers College. The graduate program was added in 1935.
In 1957 the state Legislature, recognizing that the purpose of the institution had broadened from teacher education, changed the name to East Texas State College. Following the inauguration of the first doctoral program in 1962, the name was changed to East Texas State University (ETSU).
ETSU would open branch locations in Mesquite, Dallas, and Texarkana. In 1996, the institution entered the Texas A&M University System and became Texas A&M University-Commerce; the Texarkana branch separated from the Commerce campus and became Texas A&M University-Texarkana, a separately accredited institution.
Texas A&M University-Commerce is the second largest institution in the Texas A&M System; only the main campus at College Station has a higher enrollment.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Sam Rayburn, former Speaker of the House
- Wade Wilson, former National Football League quarterback
- Harvey Martin, former National Football League defensive end and Super Bowl MVP
- Sheryl Leach, founder and creator of the children's television show Barney
- John Carlos, Track and Field athlete and founding member of Olympic Project for Human Rights
- Mike Conaway, member of the United States House of Representatives representing the Midland-Odessa area
- Larry Nemmers, longtime official in the National Football League
- James Ragland, columnist for The Dallas Morning News
- Mike Moses, former longtime superintendent of Dallas ISD
- Duane Allen, of the music group the Oak Ridge Boys
- Mark Seliger, former chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine
- Staley McBrayer, developer of the Vanguard offset press
- Clint Dolezel, current Arena Football League quarterback
[edit] External links
| The Texas A&M University System |
| Universities: Texas A&M University | A&M–Commerce | A&M–Corpus Christi | A&M–Kingsville Prairie View A&M | Tarleton State | A&M–Texarkana | A&M International | West Texas A&M | A&M–San Antonio Branches: TAMU at Galveston | TAMU at Qatar |
