In the 2022-2023 academic year, Austin College celebrates five decades of delivering the innovative Master of Arts in Teaching curriculum to prepare outstanding teachers for the classroom. ATP prepares teachers through a five-year experiential program which includes a bachelor of arts degree, a master of arts in teaching degree, and a Texas teacher certification.
To launch the anniversary year, all ATP alumni and their families are invited to two special Homecoming events on Saturday, October 29, 2022. An Open House at the Temple Learning Center, 618 N Grand Avenue, begins at 10 a.m. until noon. Then the celebration continues at the ATP Tailgate in the Larry Kramer Outback during the Austin College vs. Southwestern football game. The Outback opens at 11 a.m. and kickoff is 1 p.m.
The Austin Teacher Program began in 1972 under the direction of Dr. Virginia Love and Dr. Richard Freeman. Since then, 1,122 degrees have been awarded and more than 20 full-time faculty members have shared their expertise to train these students. In the late 1990s the ATP office and classes were relocated from the Cern Building (razed in 1999) to the carefully restored David E. and Cassie L. Temple Center for Teaching and Learning at Thompson House.