Pan American University
The University of Texas•Pan American (also referred to as UTPA or UT•Pan Am) is part of The University of Texas System. Located in Edinburg, Texas (Hidalgo County), it serves the Rio Grande Valley and southern Texas with baccalaureate, masters-level, and doctoral degrees. Since the University’s founding in 1927, it has grown from 200 students to over 17,000, making UTPA the tenth-largest university in the state of Texas. The majority of these students are natives of the Rio Grande Valley. UTPA also operates an Upper Level Studies Center in Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas.
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History
New university logo presented August 23, 2006 at the university's annual Fall Convention.- Edinburg College. Founded in 1927 as a two-year junior college administered by the Edinburg School District.
- Edinburg Junior College. Designated as a junior college in 1933 and admitted to the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of Southern States.
- Pan American College. Hidalgo County permitted to hold referendum for a four-year university in 1951; school became Pan American Regional College on December 20, 1951. Name changed to Pan American College following January, 1952, appointment of a Board of Regents. Became 22nd member institution of the Texas System of Colleges and Universities in 1965, as a state senior college. Approved to offer graduate programs in 1970, beginning with Master of Arts, Master of Education, and Master of Science.
- Pan American University. Achieved full university status and changed name to PAU. In 20-year period from 1965 to 1984, enrollment grew from 2,000 to nearly 10,000. Established second campus at Brownsville in 1973 (now University of Texas at Brownsville). In December 1988, board members reached merger agreement with the University of Texas System pending state legislative approval (one of a series of similar mergers among state universities during that time period), granted in September, 1989.
- The University of Texas•Pan American. Adopted present name subsequent to merger, preserving the nearly 40-year legacy of the Pan American name.[3]
Academic Profile
Pathway leading toward the Science and Engineering buildings.As part of its mission statement, the university offers a wide variety of degrees spanning across 6 colleges. Currently, there are 56 bachelor's degrees, 45 master's degrees, 2 doctoral degrees, and one cooperative doctoral pharmacy program with The University of Texas at Austin.[4]
Awards
In recent years, the university has been recognized as a “hot-spot” for Hispanic students. According to Hispanic Outlook, in 2005, UTPA was ranked second in the nation for bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics and fifth in the nation for number of master’s degrees awarded.[5]
Athletics
The University of Texas•Pan American competes in NCAA Division I. It is one of five schools in the University of Texas System that compete in Division I; the others are the UT campuses in Austin, El Paso, San Antonio, and Arlington.
UTPA won the 1963 NAIA national men's basketball championship under Coach Sam Williams. Lucious Jackson a/k/a Luscious "Luke" Jackson was one of the players on that championship team. Jackson was selected 4th overall during the 1964 NBA draft. He played on the 1964-65 NBA all rookie team and played in the NBA All Star game that same year. Jackson played his entire career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The basketball program, during the mid 1970's was coached by Abe Lemons. Under Lemons, the program had very successful seasons but, lamentably, failed to get invited to any NCAA tournaments. Coach Lemons was later hired away by the University of Texas at Austin.
Upon Lemons' departure to the University of Texas, Bill White was named the head basketball coach. While at Pan American, Coach White led the Broncs to their first post-season tournament play at the Division I level. During the 1980-81 season, Pan American earned a berth to the 1981 National Invitation Tournament. The Broncs lost to the 1981 NIT champs, the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The basketball program was later coached by Lon Kruger, who later went on to coach at Kansas State University, University of Florida, University of Illinois and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He also coached the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.
UTPA Tennis program won several doubles NAIA championships from 1959 through 1962 under Coach Don Russell, who himself captured several championships while playing and coaching the team.
UTPA baseball squad placed 4th in the 1971 College World Series under Coach Al Ogletree.
It has been announced that the Broncs would be charter members of the previously football-only Great West Conference when it begins all-sports play in 2008. During the fall of 2008, the UTPA Cross Country team was the first to win the Great West Conference team title. [6] UTPA was previously a member of the Sun Belt Conference from 1991-1998.
Greek Life
Greek Honor Societies
- Order of Omega - Upsilon Mu Chapter
- Gamma Sigma Alpha - Pan Am Chapter
Greek Council
- Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority - Epsilon Beta Chapter
- Alpha Chi Sorority - Interest Group
- Beta Xi Chi Fraternity - Beta Chapter (Multicultural)
- Delta Zeta Sorority - Theta Omicron Chapter
- Delta Xi Nu Sorority - Delta Chapter (Multicultural)
- Delta Upsilon Fraternity - Pan Am Chapter
- Delta Psi Alpha Fraternity - Delta Chapter (Coed Multicultural)
- Eta Omega Tau Sorority - Delta Chapter (Multicultural)
- Kappa Delta Chi Sorority - Alpha Beta Chapter (Latino)
- Kappa Sigma Fraternity - Kappa Epsilon Chapter
- Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity - Omega Alpha Chapter (Latino)
- Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority - Chi Beta Chapter (Latino)
- Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity - Kappa Beta Colony
- Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity - Texas Tau Mu Chapter
- Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity - Zeta Pentaton Chapter
- Omega Delta Phi Fraternity - Alpha Gamma Chapter (Latino)
References
- ^ Enrollment The University of Texas System. Accessed 22 August 2006.
- ^ Colors The University of Texas - Pan American Handbook of Operating Procedures. Accessed 22 August 2006.
- ^ University of Texas-Pan American from the Handbook of Texas Online
- ^ Areas of Excellence The University of Texas • Pan American. Accessed 22 August 2006.
- ^ Hispanic Outlook Magazine Hispanic Outlook Top 100. Accessed 23 August 2006.
- ^ http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700241969,00.html New Great West Conference
External links
- UTPA Main Official page for The University of Texas•Pan American
- College of Business Administration College of Business Administration at The University of Texas•Pan American
- United Basketball Conference Site
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Coordinates: 26°18′22″N 98°10′24″W / 26.306227°N 98.173249°W
Categories: Great West Conference | Public universities in Texas | Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools | American Association of State Colleges and Universities | Universities and colleges in Texas | University of Texas-Pan American | University of Texas System | Edinburg, Texas | Educational institutions established in 1927 | Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration
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