Remember learning about the periodic table of elements in history class? If it weren’t for Nuclear Chemist James A. Harris, you might have had two fewer elements to memorize—Rutherfordium and Hahnium—which he helped to discover in 1969 and 1970. Harris rocked that HT chemistry degree! Alum Dr. Herman A. Barnett III became the first African American to be accepted to the University of Texas Medical School. And, political science graduate Ron Givens was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984. This made him the first African American republican to join the ranks in a century. Civil Rights Activist Volma Overton spent his life helping to make achievements like these possible. Overton fought for the desegregation of schools in Austin, Texas and served as president of NAACP’s Austin chapter for more than 20 years. It’s easy to see graduates live out the school’s mission of leadership and excellence.

From the center of campus in Union Plaza you have a great view of your new second home. You can see the university’s landmark bell tower in the distance plus many campus buildings, including the library, student union, and residence halls. The residence halls got a new look in 2014 so you’ll room in modern style. Health resources are embedded right into on-campus housing. In Beard-Burrowes you can quickly access the tennis and basketball courts, and in Allen-Frazier you’ll find the Health Services office. Here you can receive basic medical care and banish your mid-semester cold by receiving over-the-counter medications free of charge. The residence halls aren’t the only spots on campus that recently got a facelift. The Downs-Jones Library had its grand reopening in 2013 following major renovations. You can pick up a snack from the library’s Ram Café before heading to one of the many workspaces the library offers. By the way, you might have sensed a theme among the campus building names: they’re hyphenated. That’s not a coincidence. Huston-Tillotson University (there it is again) grew into the unified historically black university we know it to be today after two separate schools, Samuel Huston College and Tillotson College, merged in 1952. The buildings are named to honor people who made major contributions to these two colleges over its 135-year history. HT (established in 1881) is the oldest higher education institution in Austin. Maybe you will make your own major contribution to HT in its next 135 years.

HT does not currently offer online programs. But if you can make the trip by car, bus, or bike to campus in East Austin, the university offers adult degree programs. They are designed for working professionals, or any adult with a hectic schedule. Each class takes place once per week instead of the two or three weekly meetings that most undergraduate college classes require. You can choose from five undergraduate programs: liberal arts, education, business administration, criminal justice, and psychology. The program encourages a sense of community as you and your classmates start and finish the program as a group and take every class together. Plus, you only have to register for classes once at the beginning of your program. Forget about dealing with the daunting registration process every semester like most college students. You won’t have to!

Does the name Jackie Robinson ring a bell? He was the first African American to play major league baseball when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. But before that, Robinson was basketball coach and athletic director at Samuel Huston College (before the HT merger happened a few years later). Jackie Robinson is in good company. Thirteen students have been drafted by major and minor league baseball teams, including Texas Rangers Pitcher Carl Randle. Today, the Mighty Rams count several Red River Athletic Conference championships among their accomplishments. The men’s basketball team became conference tournament champions in 2002. The ladies did it again in 2014. Not to mention women’s track and field took back-to-back conference championships in 2003 and 2004. When it comes to being champions, the Rams are also champions of character. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics recognized HT as a five-star institution in its Champions of Character program four years in a row. Student-athletes have served Thanksgiving dinner to community members in need and engaged school children in community cleanup projects. HT student-athletes serve up healthy competition and community involvement in equal measure.

HT’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs have been getting a big boost lately. In 2015 the National Science Foundation granted nearly $400,000 to the university to expand student research opportunities and purchase lab equipment. Also in 2015, the Tom Joyner Foundation partnered with HT to offer scholarships to students pursuing STEM careers in teaching. But even before HT received grants and scholarships students were making waves in the science community. In 2011 chemistry and biology student Sikhongi Solomon Phungwayo took first place for his research on neutron activation analysis at the Annual Joint Meeting of Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society and the National Science Institute competition. That’s a big win for Phungwayo and the HT community! In other news, future students can now pursue a graduate degree at the university: the master’s in educational leadership. It became the university’s first graduate program in 2015. But if you’re a traditional undergrad you’ll have your own exciting opportunities to dive into. Education As The Practice of Freedom (EPF) is a first-year experience program where students have real talks about society and culture. Students also get out of the classroom to hear from speakers, attend scholarship workshops, go to the annual Hip Hop Summit, and get together for karaoke events. Huston-Tillotson will challenge you, change you, and shape the way you view the world.