Sam Houston State University, (known as SHSU and Sam, for short) founded in 1879, is a public university located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions
for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first such institution of its type in the State of Texas
and the southwestern United States. It is named for one of Texas' founding
fathers, Sam Houston, who made his home in the city. The university is part of the
Texas State University System and is a comprehensive, doctoral granting
university enrolling approximately 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
History
Created by legislation signed by Governor Oran M. Roberts on April 21, 1879, Sam Houston Normal Institute's dedicated goal was to train
teachers for the public schools of Texas—the first of its kind in the southwestern
United States. On October 10 of the same year, the first class of 110 students and four faculty commenced instruction on
the site of what had once been the campus of Austin College.
When the university first opened, students received a certification to teach in the state's elementary and secondary schools,
but after 1919, the university began to award bachelor's degrees. In 1923, the school was renamed the Sam Houston State Teachers
College. In 1936, the school awarded its first post-baccalaureate degree. In 1965, the school was renamed, again, to Sam Houston
State College, and, finally, to Sam Houston State University in 1969.
The university celebrated its 125th year in 2004.
In April, 2007, Texas House Bill 1418 passed without objection in
the Texas Legislature; the bill prevents the Texas State University System’s board of regents from changing SHSU’s name.
Campus
Sam Houston State University sits on 272 acres in the central area of Huntsville, TX. Recent construction of an expanded mall
area of campus will include benches, tables, wireless internet, and more greenspace in the heart of campus. The mall area also
includes two clock towers and a water fountain.
Academics
Sam's programs in criminal justice are particularly strong given the school's long
relationship with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice,
headquartered in Huntsville, and the local state prison. Recently, the Department of History and
School of Music are experiencing growth, the later attracting performers to its reputable music education program. Additionally,
many students choose to go to Sam because of its traditional academic strength, its education
program.
Recently, the university has become a leader in distance education, offering both bachelor's and master's degrees via the web
in several areas, including history and criminal
justice.
Currently (as of 12/2006), the university offers:
- 79 undergraduate degree programs
- 48 masters' programs
- 5 doctoral programs (Criminal Justice, Educational Leadership, Counselor Education, Clinical Psychology, and Reading)
Academic subdivisions
Sam Houston State's academic departments and programs are organized into five colleges. Colleges at Sam Houston State
University are:
Athletics
Sam Houston State Bearkats logo
Sam Houston State's colors are orange and white and
their nickname is the Bearkats. Sam Houston State sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Championship Subdivision
for football) in the Southland
Conference. SHSU's primary rival is Stephen F. Austin State
University and tensions between the two schools can run high before major sporting events that pit one against the
other.
The Bearkats have had recent success with the men's and women's outdoor track teams capturing the Southland Conference titles
in May 2005 at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. As a whole, the Sam Houston State athletic department captured the Southland
Conference Commissioner's Cup in 2005, 2006, and 2007 for all-around athletic department and topped the Southland Conference for
all-academic recognition. The kats are the only athletic department in the Southland Conference to get the Commissioner's Cup for
3 consecutive years.
Sam Houston's Bearkat is represented by the mascot team of Sammy and Samantha Bearkat who entertain and lead crowds in cheers
during sporting events. Sammy's two minute routine earned him a national championship of the mascots division at the 2005 United
Spirit Association Collegiate National Championship.
Campus Media
The SHSU School of Mass Communication operates KSHU, a student-run radio (90.5 FM) and
television station (cable channel 7), broadcasting news, sports, and entertainment programming for the campus and community. The
Houstonian is the student-published twice-weekly campus newspaper. Broadcast studios and offices for all three media are
located within the Dan Rather Communication Building.
Notable alumni
Arts and media
Athletics
- Walt Anderson - National Football League referee (1974)
- Michael Bankston - professional football player Defensive Tackle 3rd round draft
choice in 1991 by the Arizona Cardnials. Played ten years in the NFL for AZ, Wash., Cin.)
- Kenneth Callaway - professional bull rider PRCA
- Keith Davis - safety for the
NFL's Dallas Cowboys
- Lou "Skip, Sweet Lou, Sweetness" Ferrell - baseball (2001-2003)
- Keith Heinrich - tight end for the
NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- James Andrew Higham - professional Arena 2 Football Katy
Copperheads player (2006)
- Kenneth "The Spiral" Jackson- Set NCAA Division 1AA records by playing 11 different
positions (C,LG,RG,LT,RT,TE,QB,DT,DE,HB,FB) (2004)
- Ernie Koy - professional baseball player
- Josh McCown - quarterback for the NFL's Oakland Raiders
- Steve Sparks - professional baseball player
(1987)
Politics and religion
Trivia
- The Alcalde is the university's annual yearbook, published from 1910-1998 and 2003-present; it was named in honor of
Texas Governor Oran Roberts whose nickname was "The Old Alcalde."[1]
- Contrary to an underground joke, repeated by alumnus Dan Rather in his autobiography, The Camera Never Blinks (page
17), the school was never known as "Sam Houston Institute of Teaching" or "Sam Houston Institute of Technology".
- The campus stood in for the fictional Austin University in the motion picture The
Life of David Gale.
- Huntsville is often referred to as "Huntsvegas" by attending students and many T-shirts from various social events bear the
same nickname.
References
- ^ Alcalde. The Buildings of Sam Houston State University. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
External links
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