Austin College announces that the 2023-2024 Academic year will be our 175th —a milestone we proudly celebrate as the oldest college in Texas operating under its original charter and name.
Join us to Explore. Belong. Make a Difference.
At 175, we are proud of our diverse and dynamic group of people – alumni, students, faculty and staff – who make up ’RooNation. We are people who are eager to learn and who want to make a difference in the world. This year, we have extra gratitude for the strong foundation and longevity of this institution. We are grateful for the traditions and proud of the growth of Austin College as an innovative leader in higher education.
We will mark this milestone with a variety of events and celebrations throughout the year, from Opening Convocation in August through Commencement in May.
Celebrating our Alumni
Alumni whose college experience and professional achievement embody the Explore. Belong. Make a Difference. theme will be featured as speakers at on-campus lectures and academic conferences, many of which are open to the public.
Emily Eldridge ’12
Library Associate, Austin College Abell Library
Sherman, Texas
"One of my history classes at Austin College helped me discover a love of museums, archives, and historical research."
Director of College Counseling & Spanish Teacher Casady School
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
"The music department got me me up for [viola] lessons with Cathy Richardson and the Chamber Orchestra with Ricky Duhaime... Now, I am a member of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra."
Writer, professional resumes and fantasy fiction
"...Austin College opened my eyes to issues and ideas I hadn’t considered before. I learned how to think critically, look at problems and opinions from multiple perspectives, and embrace diversity."
Affiliated Faculty, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"I was a Mellon Fellow supervised by Dr. Roger Platizky. This research changed my life. I developed a deep love and appreciation for qualitative research that have influenced the three textbooks I have written about qualitative research."
Assistant Professor of Political Science, Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, Florida
"My professional career would not be where it is today had it not been for the academic and professional mentorship of the dedicated Austin College faculty. I am honored to be an alumnus of an institution that truly desires to support its students achieve their professional goals.”
Ph.D. candidate in counseling psychology, Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma
"The liberal arts orientation of AC also put me in classrooms with people from multiple disciplines and helped me hone my ability to communicate what I care about in ways that people outside my field can understand and connect with.”
Make a Difference Days
We know that members of ’RooNation are already making a difference in their communities through service, and we want to highlight the impact of those efforts by counting them up. We have set a goal of 175,000 collective hours of community service for the year, and are asking all members of ’RooNation to participate.
- On-campus, the Service Station Board coordinate their community service efforts for students
- The Austin College Alumni Board members will coordinate “Make a Difference Days” for alumni & friends in their communities to participate together in community service events.
- Green Serve, on April 20 will be an opportunity for faculty, staff, and folks in the North Texas area to join students in environmental focused community service projects around Grayson County.
- AND, all members of the Austin College community can submit their own independent community service hours so that we can count them toward our collective goal.
Submit community service hours
In late October, a self-guided walking tour will be available to all campus visitors. The 12 tour stops across campus feature QR codes directing guests to historical photos and stories that give a view into life at Austin College from past decades.
175th Year Celebration Dinner
Homecoming and Family Weekend, November 3-5, 2023, will feature several events around the milestone including the 175th Year Celebration Dinner, hosted by President Steven P. O’Day on Saturday, November 4. The dinner is open to alumni, students, family members, and invited guests from the community.