Mission | History | Mascot | Page Plaid
“This [170]-year-old community of learning ... will excite you, stretch you, expand your world, and make you believe in yourself. This college does marvelous things to multiply talents and to develop character.”
– Loren Pope, Colleges that Change Lives
General Facts
- Founded in 1849, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas under its original charter
- North of Dallas 100 acre environmentally green campus
- 1,298 students from 25 states, 14 countries, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
- 12:1 student to faculty ratio, average class size of 15
- 51.1% of the student body represent ethnic minorities; 24.8% are Hispanic. 22.8% of our students are first-generation college students, and 18.3% are Pell-eligible
- NCAA Division III athletics involve more than 26% of the student body in 14 varsity teams
- The Austin College Teaching Program has students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and teaching certification in 4.5-years
- In partnership with Austin College, Texas Tech University offers a Master of Arts in Mass Communication program, designed to prepare you to succeed in the communications industry or to continue studies toward a Ph.D
- Austin College gets 100% of its electricity from wind energy, and our greenhouse gas emissions have declined 44% since 2008, despite a growing campus
Prestigious Academics & Research
- Medical school acceptance rates for a first time Austin College applicant is 63%, compared to only 35% in Texas – 80% higher than average
- 97% of May 2020 graduates completed degrees in four years or less
- 92% of graduates are employed or in graduate or professional school within one year
- 120 student-athletes earned all-conference academic honors last year
- More than 55 areas of study, including a design-your-own major supported by research, internships, study abroad, and other experiential learning opportunities
- Austin College is a top producer of the Fulbright awardees in Texas per capita
Our compass curriculum is designed to meet the ever changing needs of the 21st century. 100% of students complete an applied learning experience which is an internship, research project, leadership or international experience, or an integrated learning project.
Building a Portfolio of Experience Through Applied Learning
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Center for Research, Experiential, Artistic & Transformative Education, CREATE is the home for student research at Austin College, including summer research programs
- The Austin College Student Scholarship Conference provides an opportunity for students to present research projects, intellectual scholarship activities, and creative works across disciplines. 108 abstracts were submitted including 181 student authors
- Our Model United Nations program routinely places at the highest levels in competitions
- Students manage an investment fund of $1 million and gain real-world experience in the stock market. At some schools, students make virtual investments. At Austin College, it’s the real deal
- Product lab incubates entrepreneurial design and allows students to pitch, develop, and send innovative ideas to market
- Jordan Family Language House brings the world to campus with residential learning experiences in four languages
- Students compete in Mock Trial programs with tournaments in the on-campus courtroom and around the nation
Discovery That Opens Doors
- 88% of students complete professional internships
- 100% of students participate in our four-week JanTerm, which offers in-depth study and intensive research courses, career exploration, and internships-on campus and around the world
- Adams Observatory has the largest research telescope in North Texas, offering exploration in astronomy
- Area nonprofits have gained over $1.3 million in new funding from students’ grant writing success in the SEPA program (Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation) program
A Community of Active Leaders
- 9 of every 10 Austin College students volunteer, and each year, our students contribute over 16,000 service hours annually—a value of $398,310 each year
- TEDxAustinCollege offers leadership and event production experience, presenting ideas worth sharing around the globe
- Students in our Environmental Studies Program have been leading field trips for area elementary schoolers since 2002 at the Sneed Environmental Research Area, hosting 37 schools and 11,600 students through hands-on lessons about prairie restoration. 1,100 Austin College students, faculty, and staff have contributed to the restoration effort. In 2020, the Sneed Prairie Restoration project won a prestigious Texas Environmental Excellence Award in the Education category from TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality).
Community Impact
Austin College has contributed $20.39 million to local vendors, utilities, and construction in the Texoma Region.- During the 2016-2017 fiscal year, Austin College’s direct and indirect impacts on the North Texas region’s economy was $262,386 million.
- More than 1,100 people in the Texoma workforce are affiliated with Austin College (i.e., alumni, college faculty and staff).
Recognition
- Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change The Way You Think About Colleges
- Fiske Guide to Colleges: Best Buy
- Forbes: America’s Top Colleges
- Kiplinger’s Personal Finance: Best College Value
- Money Magazine: Best Merit-Based Scholarships
- Open Doors: Top 40 Baccalaureate College
- The Princeton Review: Best 384 Colleges, Guide to 388 Green Colleges
- USA Today: Top 10 Colleges in Texas
- U.S. News & World Report: Best National Liberal Arts Colleges
- Wall Street Journal: Top Colleges in Texas
- Washington Monthly College Rankings: America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges