Texas Tech University Archives

February 10, 1923 - Senate Bill No. 103 (commonly referred to as the school charter) was signed by Governor Pat Neff, creating a new, co-educational college for white students in West Texas to be named Texas Technological College. The two references for white students [only] in the school's charter would later be one of the integration hurdles that had to be addressed by the university's president and Board of Regents.

1929

A. Melendez, a male student hailing from Guatemala, enrolled in Texas Tech and continued attending the college in 1930. (TTC Press Releases 1930-1931)

1930

Laura Nackune Song, a native of Korea, enrolled as a sophomore in the School of Home Economics. A male student hailing from China, Chung Wo Au also enrolled at Texas Tech. (TTC Press Releases 1930-1931 )

Laura Song at the entrance to the Home Management House.

1933

Laura Song was the first Asian student to graduate from Texas Tech. On June 5, 1933, she received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Home Economics. (June 15, 1933 issue of The Toreador)

Jimmy Ortiz.

1934

James F. Ortiz was listed as sophomore in Education during the 1934-1935 school year. In March of 1940, Ortiz served as an interpreter for Dr. William Curry Holden's Yaqui trip to Northern Senora. He received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration on August 23, 1940.

1935

Maria Alejandrina Hevia was an international student from Brazil who attended Texas Tech in 1935. She may be the earliest cited female Hispanic female student to attend the university. She only attended one year and did not graduate from Texas Tech. (October 9, 1935 and January 22, 1938 issues of The Toreador)

Football athlete Bobby Cavazos.

1951

Cpl. Thomas I Bowser and Pfc. Joseph A. Finlayson, 18-year old airmen stationed at Reese Air Force Base, sought to attend night classes at Texas Tech but were rebuffed on the grounds that the college was only open to white students. (The Toreador, August 17, 1951)

Richard E. Cavazos played football at Texas Tech from 1949-1950 and was a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program in 1951.

Sophomore Bobby Cavazos, younger brother of Richard, was a standout football player. He was a member of the Sun Bowl team which marked Texas Tech's fist bowl game victory. For the next three seasons he was a star rusher for the team.

1952

The Toreador newspaper reported in February that the University of Arizona threatened to stop participating in Texas Tech athletic games unless Texas Tech changed its policy of banning African American athletes from participating in home games. Texas Tech athletic teams had played against other teams that had African American members but only at away games. (The Toreador, February 12, 1952) In a December editorial, Associate Editor Ann Bryan praised the Board of Directors decision to allow African Americans to participate in intercollegiate athletics and authorize the use of Jones Stadium for an all-star African American game. (The Toreador, December 12, 1952)

1954

Bobby Cavazos was selected as Mr. Texas Tech and was featured as such in the 1954 yearbook. He was named AP All American football player as well.

1955

An Oxford style debate was held in February centering on the question of whether Texas Tech should open its doors to African American students. This type of debate allowed for audience participation. Over 200 students attended the debate. (The Toreador, February 10, 1955, The Toreador, November 4, 1955, and the Texas Techsan magazine, February 1955).

Popular mailman, Dudley Johns, was profiled and pictured in the campus newspaper. (The University Daily, November 22, 1955)

Dudley Johns presented a 1956 yearbook.

1956

The 1956 La Ventana yearbook was dedicated to Dudley Johns, the campus mailman, declaring "His infectious smiles and friendliness have made the community of Texas Tech a better place in which to live. His cheerful hellos and indefinable ability to remember names and faces have added many a spark to otherwise normal days."

1957

Dudley Johns was selected to serve as master of ceremonies at the Old Southern Hodge Podge sponsored by the Sophomore class. (The University Daily, March 1, 1957)

1958

Thomas James "TJ" Patterson moved to Lubbock to work at the Mary and Mac School, which was founded by his aunt, Lucille Sugar Graves.

1959

According to book, Equal Opportunity Hero: T.J. Patterson's Service to West Texas (p. 57), Patterson attempted to enroll as a graduate student at Texas Tech, but was refused entrance based on the color of his skin. Following being drafted by the military and then his aunt's entrance into Texas Tech in 1961, TJ was finally able to enroll in graduate classes at the university in the spring and fall of 1973.

1960

Three educators at the Mary & Mac School, Lucille S. Graves, Thomas J. Patterson and Granvel Overstreet, applied for and were denied entrance to Texas Tech University.

Educator Lucille Sugar Graves.

1961

In the summer of 1961, Lucille S. Graves was the first African American to gain official entrance into Texas Tech. Her persistent attempts to gain entrance into the college opened the door for other minorities to attend. She also established the Mary and Mac School in 1955, which was the first black private school in Lubbock. The Lubbock County Historical Commission placed a historical marker on the school's structure on July 11, 2014. (Link to the AJ's article about the site dedication).

The official announcement that the university would accept applications from African American students in the fall was made on July 17th by Mayor David Casey, on behalf of the Texas Tech Board of Directors. (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 17, 1961)

The July 21st issue of The Toreador announced that African Americans had enrolled at Texas Tech for the first time, though the names of the students and their number were not revealed. Fifteen Black students are stated as enrolling in Texas Tech in the fall of 1961, including Ann Burrell, Stella Crockett, Ann Crowder, Eddie Duson, Lydia Jackson, Mary McKelvey, Shirley Nathan, James C. Price, Mattie Rutherford, Bobby Williams, and Diana Wilson. (p. 107 of Remember When? A History of African Americans in Lubbock, Texas)

Be Shiao, from Taiwan, was awarded a scholarship funded jointly by Phi Upsilon Omicron and the American Economics Association that would allow her to obtain her master's degree in home economics.

1962

Carmen Perez, a junior, and Fidela Perez, a freshman, were among the early wave of female Hispanics to attend Tech in the 1960s. Following her graduation in 1964, Fidela went on to graduate from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in 1967 and enjoy a long career in the medical field before retiring in 2006.

Beginning in 1962, the Operation Senorita program, sponsored by the Lubbock Junior League, brought student teachers from the National Teachers College in Mexico City to Lubbock. Texas Tech's Student Education Chapter hosted a reception for teachers participating in the program.

1963

Norma E. Porres joined the medical staff of the Student Health Service at Texas Tech. She, along with her physician husband, Dr. Feliper Porres, were trained in Cuba before coming to practice in the U.S. and both worked in medical services in Lubbock. She also attended Texas Tech as a student. (The Toreador, October 3, 1963)

December 7, 1963 - The Board of Directors approved integrating the school's intercollegiate athletic program. Texas Tech was the fifth school in the Southwest Athletic Conference to lower the sports color barrier. Classrooms, dormitories and other Tech facilities were already integrated. (The Toreador, December 10, 1963 and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, December 8, 1963)

December 10, 1963 – In a unanimous vote, the Student Council “went on record” supporting athletic integration. BA representative Kent Hance, introduced the resolution and called for support of the Athletic Council in any decision it made regarding athletic integration. Hance was appointed by Student Council President Royal Furgeson to head a study of Tech's position on Southwest Conference athletic integration. (The Toreador, November 20, 1963 and December 11, 1963)

Ophelia Powell-Malone.

1964

In 1964, Ophelia Powell-Malone became the first African American to receive a Bachelor's degree from Texas Tech.

The Mexican American organization of Los Tertulianos, which means "the Social Gatherers," became the University’s first student organization composed of minority students.

August 22, 1964 - Hazel Scott Taylor received a Master's in Education degree from Texas Tech.

1965

In May of 1965, Stella Ruth Crockett Courtney became the first African American to receive a B.A. degree from Texas Tech who had attended all of K-12 in Lubbock and attended all undergraduate years (non-transfer) at Texas Tech. Stella Crockett Courtney oral history interviews 2010 and 2014.

The Board of Student Organizations sponsored the university’s first 3-day “Leadership Training Lab” retreat. Thomas Garza, as Los Tertulianos representative, was one of fifteen Tech students chosen to attend the Buffalo Springs Lake event. (The Toreador, September 16, 1965)

Danny Hardaway.

1967

Texas Tech began a $400,000 Mexican American Teacher-Counselor Education Project to provide scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students to train classroom teachers and school counselors of Mexican American descent who were also bilingual. (The University Daily, August 4, 1967)

Anita Carmona Harrison was the first native Latina Lubbockite to graduate from Texas Tech in 1967. She was also the "first person Mexican origin to go through the entire Lubbock School system and graduate from Texas Tech." (El Editor, February 15-22, 1979)

In February of 1967, Danny Hardaway became the first African American athlete at Texas Tech to receive an athletic scholarship. He was also a charter member of the university's first black student organization. (The University Daily, February 15, 1967; Texas Tech Today, February 14, 2019)

Ava Maria Maldonado was winner of the 1967 Hiram Parks Scholarship, which was established in 1945 by Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Parks of Lubbock to encourage students of Mexican descent to continue their education after high school.

Student Organization for Unity and Leadership (SOUL) was approved by the Board of Student Organizations on November 22, 1967 as the first official African American student organization at Texas Tech. (The University Daily, December 1, 1967)

The Upward Bound program was established through a $72,000 grant from the Office of Economic Opportunity to help high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds develop academic skills that would help them attend college. Eleven instructional staff members were selected for the new program, including Dunbar High School faculty members Charles Henry and William Powell. The fifty students were selected from 250 applications to participate in the program (23 African Americans, 23 Latinos, and 4 Caucasian) during the summer of 1967. Tech professor David B. Jordan served as the program's first director. (The University Daily, June 30, 1967 and November 21, 1967)

Dudley Johns was made an honorary member of the Saddle Tramps in recognition of the "virtue of his service to Texas Tech by his demonstration of outstanding school spirit". (The University Daily, April 15, 1967)

1968

Bobby Cavazos was the first Hispanic to be inducted to the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. After graduation he had returned to work at the King Ranch and also became an author.(Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, November 19, 2013).

Roy D. Anderson, a graduate of Texas Tech and Huston-Tillotson College, became the new director of the Upward Bound program.(The Manhattan Heights Program, November 28, 1968).

December 16, 1968 - Three student members of SOUL - Robert Wheatley, Janice Sherman, and Lawrence Williams - presented a list of 13 proposed policy changes to Dr. Owen Caskey, Vice President for Student Affairs. The suggestions included hiring more Black professors and administrators, recruiting more Black athletes, hosting more Black speakers, and serving "soul food" in dormitory cafeterias (The University Daily, December 17, 1968).

George Scott Jr.

1969

George Scott, Jr., previously a science teacher and football coach at Dunbar High School, came to Texas Tech in 1969 as Assistant Dean of Students and part-time instructor in educational psychology. In a University Daily article dated September 11, 1984, Scott stated he was "the first black person to have a job in a professional capacity at Tech." (Texas Tech Today, February 19, 2019)

Alfredo Guzman, of Mexico City, was awarded a $500 scholarship from the Department of Geosciences. Guzman's father, Edwardo J. Guzman was internationally recognized in the field of geology. [TTU press release 2-10-27-69]

During the April 24th City Council meeting, Mayor W. D. Rogers proclaimed May 3rd as “Chicano Day” for promotion of the upcoming Los Tertulianos sponsored workshop-seminar day on May 3rd for Mexican American high school juniors and seniors to learn about college-level education opportunities. Representatives from South Plains College, Draughon’s Business College, and Texas Tech spoke to the attendees at the free event, with a tour of Tech and other city campuses closing out the day’s activities. The school newspaper's lack of coverage for the event, which attracted over 300 attendees, was criticized in guest editorial the following summer. (The University Daily, April 25, 1969 and June 26, 1970)

Peruvian playwright Alonso Alergria, a visiting professor of Spanish, directed students in a three-act Mexican comedy, "Rosalba y los Llaveros." [TTU press release 17-9-18-69]

Dr. Sujit Roy was identified as the sole foreign faculty member in the School of Agriculture. He was an assistant professor of agricultural economics. (The University Daily, January 29, 1969)

Danny Hardaway was listed as being a member of the Red Raider football team in the 1968-1969 football media guide, though no photograph is provided.

History 4340, the first Black history course taught at the university, hit full capacity on its first day of enrollment. Of the 35 students enrolled, only one was African American. (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, September 13, 1969).

Three African American students met with the Director of Personnel, Fred Wehmeyer, to discuss employment of minority groups in non-teaching positions. This was a follow-up to the December 16th meeting between SOUL representives and Dr. Owen Caskey, in regards to a list of 13 suggestions the student organization had for university policy changes. (The University Daily, January 31, 1969)

1970

Dr. Hortense W. Dixon, who majored in Higher Education and minored in Home Economics, was the first African American to graduate with a doctorate from Texas Tech University. She graduated in August, 1970, and then went on to become an associate professor of Home Economics at Texas Southern University. (TTU Press Release 5-9-15-70 and photo)

Hui-Ying Tseng was the first woman to receive a master's degree in agronomy from Texas Tech in 1970. (Photo)

For the 1970-1971 football season Texas Tech had 4 African American athletes - Danny Hardaway, Cedric Jones, Harold Lyons, and Quintin Robinson.

The Committee for Freedom, Understanding, Communication and Knowledge and SOUL's Race Forum held discussions and hosted speakers on race issues, including "the problems of black students at Tech," in front of the Student Union. Also shown was a film regarding the race situation in Lubbock. (The University Daily, February 24, 1970 and The University Daily, February 23, 1970).

San Juana Medrano’s rebuttal letter, printed in the April 8th issue of The University Daily, disputed comments made on the indifference by Tech Chicano students, citing activities sponsored by Los Tertulianos and participation by campus Chicanos in general have increased and were noteworthy.

Efforts made by Los Tertulianos toward improving race relations between Chicano students and Anglo students were also addressed in an editorial in the April 18th issue of the school newspaper. Additionally, the letter mentions participation by Chicano students for the first time in intramural activities through Los Tertulianos.

African American Tech students discussed the need for more Black Studies courses, the creation of a Black Studies degree, and the hiring of more Black teachers and counselors at the university. Mentioned was the lone Black history course available and the sole Black staff member - George Scott Jr., Assistant dean of Student Life - at the time the article was published. (The University Daily, April 13, 1970).

The Elite Eta Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta was officially founded on April 17, 1970. It was acknowledged in the campus newspaper as being the first African American sorority to be established at Texas Tech. (The University Daily, September 23, 1970)

On September 1st, Thomas James (T.J.) Patterson began his new job as assistant to the Dean of the College of Business Administration. In that role he served in the capacity of a teacher, freshman advisor, and student recruiter. He held various administrative positions at the university in the College of Business until leaving in July of 1981.

Discussion of "voluntary segregation" by student groups in the University Center was featured on the front page of November 2, 1970 issue of The University Daily.

Dr. Hazel Scott Taylor (left).

1971

Mrs. Hazel S. Taylor received the first Ford Foundation Advanced Study Fellowship for Black Americans at Texas Tech in July of 1971 while working on her doctoral degree in Education. Her son, Marshall, was also senior accounting major in the College of Business. (photo)

The first Black Week celebration, held March 8-12, was sponsored by SOUL and featured a variety of speakers, music and dance by the Langston Review, an "Afro Mod Fashion Show," a talent show and a "rap session" with Black author Charles Hamilton. Three films and panel discussions were also part of the week's activities. George Scott and T. J. Patterson were participants in the panel discussion for the film "Blossom." Black Week was described as an outgrowth of the previous year's "Black Day" which also included a film and panel discussion. (The University Daily, March 4, 1971).

A group of African American and Chicano students met with the Student Government Association to protest racial misrepresentations made in the Student Association Guide to Lubbock and Texas Tech - 1971-1972 publication, lack of equal broadcast time on KTXT-FM, and a lack of African American teaching faculty.

Among a faculty survey conducted in 1971 was the identification of 8 minorities teaching at Tech. Seven were Asian (6 male, 1 female) - Ashnadelle Mortagy (female, Classical and Romance Languages, first employed in 1970), Chiyyarath Girijavallabhan (Civil Engineering, first employed in 1966), Young Kim (Physics, first employed in 1964), Pun-Kien Koh (Mechanical Engineering, first employed in 1966), Hong Young Lee (Agricultural Economics, first employed in 1963), Arun Walvekar (Industrial Engineering, first employed in 1968), and Shiang Ping Yang (Food and Nutrition, first employed in 1969). Manuel Ruiz-Urbieta (Mechanical Engineering, first employed in 1970) was the sole Latino faculty member identified.

Bobbie Gean Bailey Patterson, wife of TJ Patterson, attended Texas Tech from spring 1971 - fall of 1972, earning a master's degree in education.

The Eta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity was established at Texas Tech in 1971.

The Zeta Tau Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was charted on the campus of Texas Tech University on December 6, 1971.

1972

Bidal Aguero graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor's degree in music education. While attending the university he was active in Mexican American student organizations, including serving as president of Los Tertulianos in 1971. That same year, he founded the Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, Comerciantes Organizados Mejico Americanos (COMA), for the Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in Lubbock and surrounding towns. (Link to Bidal Augero's biography in the Handbook of Texas website). Jesse Rangel and Rosa Gonzales also graduated from Tech.

On February 2, 1972, Emory Grant Davis was offered a 9-month teaching contract at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. The position would begin in the fall semester and at a salary of $12,500. In the search committee's letter of recommendation to the Dean of Arts and Sciences regarding the job offer, the committee acknowledged "The consideration of Mr. Davis as a candidate was admittedly influenced by the needs of Texas Tech University for the first black faculty member to 'integrate' its faculty. From two different points of view, Davis is a much better candidate than we had any right to expect." Davis was a longtime minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and completed his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois-Chicago Circle in 1973. He resigned from Texas Tech in June of 1977 to go to Bishop College as chair of its Sociology Department.

On February 2, 1972, Vivian Imogene Davis, wife of Emory Grant Davis, was offered a 9-month teaching contract at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of English. The position would begin in the fall semester and at a salary of $11,000. Davis completed her Ph.D. in June of 1973 from Northwestern University and had extensive prior experience teaching in public schools. In 1977 she, like her husband, accepted a teaching position at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas.

William Dudley Johns retired as campus postman after 31 years of service. He began working at Texas Tech in 1941. He was profiled in the The Daily Toreador April 21, 1965 and The University Daily June 28, 1972 issues. Additionally, "The Friends of Dudley Johns Scholarship" was established through the Tech Foundation. (For Your Information newsletter December 20, 1972)

For the 1972-1973 football season Texas Tech had 6 African American athletes - Calvin Jones, Harold Lyons, James Mosley, Quintin Robinson, Andre Tillman, and Kenneth Wallace. Selso Ramirez was the only Hispanic athlete pictured in the 1972 football media guide.

Ecomet Burley was one of the first Red Raider freshman to letter in football in the modern era and was named the Most Valuable Lineman in the 1972 Sun Bowl game.

1973

In June of 1973, Dr. Hazel S. Taylor was offered a teaching position in the College of Education, from which she earned a doctoral degree on August 19, 1972. Taylor began her 9-month teaching appointing in the fall of 1973 as Assistant Professor at a salary of $12,200. She received tenure and was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor effective September 1, 1979.

The Student Association established the Chicano Affairs Committee, thus adding more than one Latino student representative among its membership than in prior years. The Chicano Affairs Committee hosted "Chicano Nite" on November 17th as an ice breaker social for new Chicano freshman students and current students. The committee also proposed a Chicano history course be taught in the History Department. (The University Daily, November 14, 1973)

1974

Robert Montemayor served as editor of the campus newspaper, The University Daily (now known as The Daily Toreador), during the 1974-1975 school year, becoming the first Hispanic to serve in that role. He implemented the UD slogan "It is this newspaper's goal to raise constructive hell" on the paper's masthead, which remained in use for several years following his graduation.

Kenneth Wallace, one of three Lubbock Estacado High School recruits in February 1970, is cited as the first African American football player to graduate from Texas Tech. Awarded a full football scholarship as a defensive back, Wallace received his bachelor's degree in Physical Education on May 11, 1974, then was hired by the university as an assistant coach for the fall. (Everything Lubbock website)

Abner Euresti received an internship at KCBD News Channel 11 and graduated with a B.A. in Telecommunication from Texas Tech.

J. Ernesto Mendez.

1975

J. Ernesto Mendez visited the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center campus in 1972. He was the first Hispanic to enroll in the TTU School of Medicine and graduated in 1975 with specialization in obstetrics-gynecology. He established a practice in Midland, then began working part-time as faculty at the TTUHSC Odessa campus. His interest and past experience as a diverse student led him to serving on the School of Medicine Admissions Committee and the creation of a new position of assistant dean for minority affairs. Later, he transferred his practice to Lago Vista, Texas.

Dr. Pill-Soon Song, professor in Chemistry, was the first Asian faculty member to be promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

According to stories published in 1975 in the campus newspaper, Johnny Collins was asked by two other candidates to withdraw his name as a candidate for External Vice-President and run instead for Residence Halls Administration President. Collins, who was also president of the Saddle Tramps, did not withdraw his name and finished in second place when the election was held. In the March 10th issue Collins expressed his regret that the story had been published because "I think the story offended some people because they felt I was responsible. Those people probably voted against me. Then, on the other hand, I think the story also helped get me some support. So I guess you could say things probably evened out." (The University Daily, March 10, 1975) The newspaper's publishing of its endorsement of Collins' opponent the day of the elections was felt by Collins to be "inconsiderate" because it did not allow him, as well as the other candidates running for election, any opportunity for rebuttal. (The University Daily, March 14, 1975)

Later, Collins thanked his supporters in an editorial letter and stated that "The Black Cloud" would not stop growth. (The University Daily, March 19, 1975) The saga continued the following week with an editorial by a UD reporter who explained that the newspaper unfairly and openly backed Collin's opponent because it felt that Cowart was the best candidate. (The University Daily, March 21, 1975) In October the incident was brought up again when SA President Bob Duncan withdrew support for the SA Attorney General candidate Mike Smiddy in part over Smiddy's disagreement that the withdrawal incident with Collins was wrong. (The University Daily, October 21, 1975)

Chicano students voiced their concerns over recruitment, academic support, and racism at Texas Tech in the November 18, 1975 issue of The University Daily.

The two Mexican American student organizations combined into one, United Mexican American Students (UMAS). The University Daily, October 7, 1976.

TJ Patterson, La Ventana "Man of the Year."

1976

Native Lubbockite Diane Parson, a track runner from Estacado High School, was the first African American woman in Tech history to receive an athletic scholarship when she signed her athletic letter of intent in July of 1976. (The University Daily, p. 1 and 5, July 16, 1976)

Rick Bullock was named the Most Valuable Player in the inaugural Southwest Conference Post-Season Tournament.

Thomas James "TJ" Patterson was named Man of the Year in the 1976 La Ventana in honor of his contributions to the university and Lubbock and African American community. In addition to being a freshman advisor for the College of Business Administration Patterson was also serving as co-sponsor of the Saddle Tramps organization.

Richard Cavazos became the first Hispanic to become a brigadier general in the U.S. Army.

1977

Along with Eddie Richardson, TJ Patterson co-found the Southwest Digest, a local African American newspaper. (Link to the digitized newspaper issues)

The first issue of El Editor, a Lubbock newspaper for the Hispanic community founded by Bidal Aguero, was published. (Link to El Editor, October 12, 1977)

English professor Vivian Davis, in response to a recent UD editorial stating whites were losing jobs to unqualified minorities, penned a fiery editorial pointing out that Texas Tech only had four black faculty members on staff, that the job market was changing, and the idea that a minority would get hired first over a white candidate was an absurd hiring myth. Davis and her husband, the first two African American faculty members hired at Texas Tech, departed the university in 1977 to join the faculty at Bishop College. (The University Daily, p. 2, February 14, 1977)

Charles Gulley, president of SOUL, submitted a signed petition to the Lubbock Human Relations Committee charging four Lubbock discotheques of racial discrimination against Blacks and Chicanos. The city was set to act as mediator in the discrimination case. (The University Daily, p. 1, May 2, 1977)

1978

Eddie Dixon earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Zoology in 1973 and a Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemistry in 1978.

1979

By 1979, membership in the Student Organization for Black Unity (SOBU) had grown to 75, up from 20 members in 1969 when the organization was known as SOUL. George Scott Jr. was sponsor of the organization during these ten years. (La Ventana, p. 338 of the PDF, 1979)

Page 304 of the same PDF for the yearbook also references a controversy regarding the Student Association's proposed fall semester budget allocation for certain campus organizations, including 34% going to the Student Organization for Black Unity (SOBU) and the United Mexican American Students (UMAS).

Former athlete Kenneth Wallace earned his master's degree in Physical Education from Texas Tech on December 20, 1979.

Former Olympian Jarvis Scott was hired as the first head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs, thereby also making her the first head coach of the women's track and field programs. Scott would retain both roles until her retirement in 1991

Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos.

1980

As the tenth president of Texas Tech, Lauro F. Cavazos was notable for being the first (and so far only) Hispanic president and the first Texas Tech graduate to become president of the university. From Texas Tech he received both his B.A. and M.A. degrees in zoology.

As write-in candidate winning the position of second runner-up John Collins won the opportunity to compete in the runoff elections for March 26th. (The University Daily, March 14, 1980) He was the first African American student body president write-in candidate. The election was postponed after a University Daily article on the 25th was accused of prejudicing Collin's chances of winning the election. (The University Daily, March 27, 1980) Another article accused Collins of being fired by Kent Hance's office for misuse of a phone card (The University Daily, March 31, 1980). On April 2nd, Collins was declared the winner and became the first African American student body president. (The University Daily, April 3, 1980) On August 27th, he resigned from the position due to health issues. (Lubbock Digest, September 4, 1980 and The University Daily, February 15, 1996)

Abner Euresti and Karin McCay became co-anchors at KCBD News Channel 11 beginning in 1980. Euresti faced racial backlash as the first Latino news anchor in Lubbock but refused to step down from his anchor duties.

As part of the Black Awareness Week activities, the Black Voices of Texas Tech performed Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church to demonstrate to "white students how Blacks worship". (The Lubbock Digest, March 31, 1980)" February 14, 1980)

Homecoming Queen Sharon Moultrie.

1981

Sharon Moultrie was the first female Tech athlete, as well the first African American, to be elected Homecoming Queen by her peers. She was also the first athlete in TTU Women's Athletics to receive All-American honors (1980-1981 and 1981-1982 for long jump).

Dorinda Jung was the 1981-1982 All-American athlete for the 200 yard freestyle relay.

In June, T.J. Patterson left Texas Tech to become full-time co-publisher of The Southwest Digest newspaper.

James Gray, a football athlete from 1986-1989, was named Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year in 1986. He was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor in 1981.

Sophomore Rosalinda Perez was the first Mexican American contestant in the Miss Lubbock pageant.

Eric Strong began serving as a program counselor for Texas Tech's Upward Bound program. He was director of the program from 1997 until his retirement in February 2007. Strong had a master's degree from the university.

April 14, 1981 - The Chicano Law Students Association filed a complaint with the Department of Education's regional Civil Rights Office against Texas Tech over discrimination allegations related to recruitment, hiring, pay, promotion and tenure, and graduate school admissions policies. (The University Daily, February 12, 1981)

1982

Richard E. Cavazos was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor in 1982. That same year he became the first Hispanic to be appointed a four-star general in the U.S. Army.

Lucille S. Graves, in a brief article in the February 25, 1982 issue of the Lubbock Digest (p. 10), recalled the discrimination she faced in the classroom as the first African American to take classes at Texas Tech. She also expressed her disappointment that, despite two decades passing, the situation for African Americans at the university had not improved for the better, other than maybe for athletes, nor were prospects for the students following graduation much better.

Gabriel "Gabe" Rivera was named Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Joe Tucker, a UT Law School graduate and former assistant to State Attorney General Mark White, was the first Black professor hired at the Texas Tech School of Law. At the time of his hiring, only two Black students were taking courses in the program. (Southwest Digest, October 7, 1982)

1983

Brian C. Newby, a history major and Student Senate member, was commissioned as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program Texas Tech.

In the fall of 1983, Maria Medina became the first All-American honoree at Texas Tech in women's cross country track.

1984

On April 7, 1984, TJ Patterson became the first African American elected to serve on the Lubbock City Council. He would hold that District 2 position for 20 years before being defeated in a runoff election by Floyd Price.

In September, 100 Hispanic students attended the 2nd Annual Texas Tech reception for Hispanic students. The annual event was created to acquaint Hispanic students with Hispanic faculty and staff at the university. The 3rd Annual Texas Tech Reception for Black student was also held in September.

As part of the 1983 Los Angeles Times newspaper team that produced a 21-part series of stories on Latinos in Southern California, Robert Montemayor, a 1975 TTU journalism major, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service. As of 2021, Montemayor was one of four TTU College of Media and Communications alum to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Kenneth Wallace coached at Dunbar-Struggs High School. He was named Coach of the Year in 1981. In February of 1984, he was named head coach at Coronado High School, the first African American to hold such a position in the Lubbock Public School. By March of 1989, he was appointed principal of Estacado High School. (The Southwest Digest, February 23, 1984 and March 30, 1989 )

1985

Rick Bullock, a basketball athlete from 1973-1976, was the first African American to be inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches in 1985.

On January 3, 1985, Carolyn Thompson became the first Lady Raider to have her jersey retired. A member of the team from 1980-1984, Thompson was a three-time All-American and All-Southwest Conference Player by the time she graduated from the university.

1986

Dr. Henry T. Nguyen, director of Texas Tech's Institute for Biotechnology and an associate professor of plant genetics, became the first U.S. crop scientist to receive the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation.

1988

On August 9, 1988, President Reagan nominated Lauro F. Cavazos for the position of Secretary of Education. On September 20, 1988, Cavazos was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. He continued in the role under President George Bush until his resignation in December of 1990.

Track athlete Amanda Banks was named Southwest Conference outdoor champion in 1998 and 1989.

In May of 1988, the Minority Faculty and Staff Association, comprised of Black and Hispanic faculty and staff from TTU and TTUHSC, was formed. The organization served as a forum for discussion of educational issues related to minorities at TTU/TTUHSC and to work toward providing workable solutions to such issues.

1989

January 31st - The spring Hispanic reception provided an opportunity for Hispanic students to connect with other Hispanic students, faculty, representatives from the seven Hispanic student organizations, and staff support services available at the university. The reception was also filmed by the Spanish cable station Telemundo.

Members of the Black Student Association sent a letter dated March 2nd to Judith Henry, Dean of Students, expressing their concern over the number of racial incidents that had taken place on the Tech campus and campuses nationwide. (Reference File- Texas Tech: Minorities)

Richard E. Cavazos was appointed to the Texas Tech Board of Regents and served from 1989 to 1995.

The first Hispanic State Conference sponsored by M.A.S.O. (Mexican American Student Organization) was held on campus from March 2-4, 1989.

1990

On February 2nd, the ARCO Foundation presented the College of Engineering a $25,000 grant aimed at improving retention of under-represented minority students pursuing engineering degrees. The Minority Engineering Retention Program (MERP) was designed to ensure that Native American, Black and Hispanic engineering students at Tech complete their degrees.

Omega Delta Phi, the first Hispanic-founded fraternity held its open rush event on February 2nd.

A minor in Asian Pacific Rim Area Studies was approved and directed by sociology professor Yung-mei Tsai.

Professor Henry T. Nguyen received the Young Crop Scientist Award from the Crop Science Society of America.

1991

The city of Lubbock approved making Martin Luther King Jr. Day an official paid holiday, something the state legislature had already approved some time back. The city's first celebration of the holiday was the culmination of 14 years of efforts by the Martin Luther King Committee to have Lubbock recognize the national holiday.

Ruben Garcia, a baseball athlete from 1970-1973, was recognized as Tech's most outstanding pitcher during the first two decades of Tech's membership in the Southwest Conference. Garcia was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame in 1991 along with James Mays, a track and field athlete from 1978-1981.

Dr. Kischor C. Mehta, professor in Civil Engineering, was the second Asian faculty member to be promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

1992

Artist Eddie Dixon installed his Buffalo Soldier monument, a tribute to the African American men who served in the U.S. Cavalry, at Ft. Levenworth, KS. General Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, unveiled the monument during the national dedication ceremony. In honor of Dixon's seminal work, President George H. Bush declared July 26, 1992 as National Buffalo Soldiers Day. A postage stamp was issued featuring a likeness of the Buffalo Solider Monument.

Andre Tillman, a football athlete from 1971-1973, was the second African American to be inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Dr. Purnendu K. Dasgupta, professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

September 26th, Sonya Myles became the second African American student crowned homecoming queen.

On October 21st, Sonya Myles, Alpha Kappa Alpha president, and Cheryl Taylor, Black Law Students Association president, filed a grievance with the Dean of Students Office regarding the October 9th "Party in the Projects" mixer sponsored by the Texas Tech Fashion Board and the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. They were accompanied by 75 minority students who supported the filing of the complaint, which accused participants of the mixer as portraying themselves as Blacks in a derogatory manner. Two days later, more than 1,000 students, faculty, staff, community members, and Judith Henry, Dean of Students, met in the Allen Theatre to have a heated discussion over the racial incident. In November, minority students held a rally in the Free Speech Area protesting Pi Kappa Alpha and Fashion Board's appeal of punishments issued by the Dean of Students Office. (The University Daily, October 22, 1992, October 23, 1992, and November 13, 1992).

1993

Bernard A. Harris Jr. was one of three new members of the Board of Regents appointed by Governor Ann Richards. He was the first African American to serve on the board.

Gabriel "Gabe" Rivera, a football athlete from 1979-1982, was the second Hispanic to be inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor.

Thomas Howard, a football athlete from 1974-1976, was also inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor.

Bam Morris was named Team MVP and won the 1993 Doak Walker Award.

The Law School hosted on January 28th a forum on the constitutionality of hate speeck. The event, co-sponsored by the Tech Federalist Society and the Black Law School Students Association, was held after the two student organizations who held the "Party in the Projects" mixer were released from all university sanctions. (The University Daily, January 28, 1993)

Texas Tech was one of 25 universities to receive a grant from the Atlantic Richfield Co. Foundation. TTU's Minority Engineering Program based at Junction was awarded $25,000 for "it's ability to execute a collaborative learning model". (The University Daily, January 28, 1993)

Following the Texas Attorney General's Office ruling that the "Party in the Projects" event was protected under the First Amendment, sanctions against Pi Kappa Alpha and Fashion Board were dismissed. Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity members began wearing black bandannas starting January 25th to display their dissatisfaction with the ruling. (The University Daily, February 2, 1993)

On February 1st, Black History Month kicked off in Memorial Circle. Balloons in shades of red, green, gold and black were released, the African flag was raised, and members of the Black Student Association and the Saddle Tramps wrapped the Will Rogers Statue in the African flag colors. BSA's theme for February was "Unifying us...our campus, our world." That same day, 200 students gathered in the free speech area to vocalize their unity against racism at Tech and to protest the upcoming Pikefest event. Three days later, a student installed a Confederate flag in Memorial Circle, sparking yet another outcry of racism. Additionally, several letters to the UD regarding campus racism appeared in the February 1st-9th issues. (The University Daily, February 1, 1993, February 2, 1993, February 8, 1993, and February 9, 1993)

February 19th was designated Unity Day by Tech officials in an attempt to reunite the campus and ease racial tensions. Lubbock Mayor David Langston and Regent Alan White participated in the Memorial Circle ceremony, where the university flag was raised to symbolize "the Tech community's commitment to resolving differences and the Victory bells rang simultaneously. 400 people participated in the event, with an estimated 40 protesters standing with their backs to the stage. (The University Daily, February 19, 1993 and February 22, 1993)

Lubbock Mayor David R. Langston proclaimed March 28, 1993 as Eddie Dixon Day. Additionally, October 16, 1993 was proclaimed Eddie Dixon Day in Washington, D.C. and New York City, in honor of the artist's significant contributions to the fine arts.

On February 27th, Alpha Kappa Psi hosted a "Shades of Gray" race relations workshop to help ease lingering campus racial tension. The event was co-sponsored by the Black Law Students Association and the Hispanic Student Society. (The University Daily, February 26, 1993)

1994

Texas Tech was among the groups who collaborated to have Quirt Avenue renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Local NAACP representative Rose Wilson stated the name change was appropriate as the word “quirt” was defined as a whipping device commonly used during slave times. In 1994, Lubbock renamed Quirt Avenue as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Stephen Graham Jones, a Blackfeet Native American, graduated from Texas Tech with a Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy.

Dr. Sankar Chatterjee, professor in Museum Science and Geosciences, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

Astronaut Bernard A. Harris Jr. inspiring future budding scientists.

1995

As Payload Commander on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63 in 1995, Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., a graduate of Texas Tech's School of Medicine, served on the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program, becoming the first African American to walk in Space. (Link to NASA History page)

Michi Atkins, a member of the women's basketball team from 1993-1996, was named Southwest Conference Woman Athlete of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

The new east Lubbock library branch was named after T.J. Patterson and his wife, Bobbie Gean Patterson. Both took graduate classes at Texas Tech.

1996

Michi Atkins was named to the All-Time Lady Raider SWC Team and holds the distinction of being all-time leading scorer in SWC women's basketball history.

1997

Christy Martinez-Garcia, a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, received a B.A. in Public Relations and Marketing from Texas Tech.

Carolyn Thompson was the first woman and first African American woman to be inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

In August of 1997, Cathy H. Allen began serving as Vice Chancellor for Multicultural and Community Affairs, making her, as of 2022, the highest ranking African American employee at Texas Tech University. After fulfilling this position for 9 years, Allen has served in a number of different roles at the university on both the main campus and Health Sciences Center campus.

Dr. Henry Nguyen, professor in Plant and Soil Sciences, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

1998

Sharon Moultrie-Bruner was second woman and second African American woman to be inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Dr. Felix Morales, at the request of the TTUHSC Office of Diversity's Dr. Leo Vela, helped start a new inclusive student organization designed to encourage and support individuals seeking to enter the medical profession. The organization was founded as the Bernard Harris Jr. Premedical Society. (TTUHSC Daily Dose, February 20, 2019)

The annual Minority Law Student Forum at Texas Tech was co-sponsored, for the first time, by the Black Law Student Association, the Mexican American Law School Association, the Minority Law Student Association, the Minority Pre Law Society, and Women in Law. Guest speakers included Tech alum Judge Sam Medina and Paul Stafford, and Lubbock attorney Emilio Abeyta. (Southwest Digest, November 19, 1998)

The Texas Tech Ex-Students Association established the Black Alumni Council to increase African American involvement and to raise scholarship opportunities. The first meeting was held on October 10th at the Merket Alumni Center. Telea Johnson and Paul Stafford were among those who coordinated and hosted the event. (University Daily, October 12, 1998)

1999

Major Brian C. Newby became the second African American to be appointed to the Texas Tech Board of Regents, serving from 1999-2005.

The Friends of the Library and Southwest Collection collaborated with Katie Parks, an outreach specialist at the Texas Tech School of Nursing Wellness, to author and publish Remember When? A History of African Americans in Lubbock, Texas, the first comprehensive history of Blacks in Lubbock County.

Melissa Hancock was crowned Homecoming Queen.

2001

Girls track and cross country coach at South Grand Prairie High School, Sharon Moultrie-Bruner was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.

March 28-April 1, 2001 - The Graduate School hosted the 13th annual National Black Graduate Student Conference on the Tech campus. 300-500 graduate students from around the nation were projected to attend the conference.

2002

Football athlete Tyrone Thurman was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

2003

Basketball athletes Sheryl Swoopes and Will Flemons were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Dr. M. Roy Wilson was appointed the new president for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Wijesuriya Dayawansa, professor in Mathematics and Statistics, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

2004

Amanda Banks, a track athlete from 1986-1989 who was also selected as Southwest Conference outdoor champion in 1988 and 1989, was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame in 2004. Also inducted was Ecomet Burley, a football athlete from 1972-1975.

Additionally, Sheryl Swoopes, a basketball athlete from 1992-1993, was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor. Swoopes was a member of 1993 national NCAA championship team and is considered to be one of the most distinguished athletes in the university's history. She is a 3-time Olympic gold medalist and went on to lead the Houston Comets to three WNBA titles.

Jonathan Johnson was the only American athlete to advance in the semifinal round in track and field at the 2004 summer Olympics. He was also the first Red Raider to represent America in an individual sport at the Olympic games.

2005

Dr. Sunanda Mitra, professor in Electrical Engineering, was the first female Asian faculty member promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

Ginger Kerrick became the first Hispanic female Flight Director at NASA. (Ginger Kerrick Monitors Action Aboard the International Space Station)

James Hadnot, a football athlete from 1976-1979, was named Southwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 1978 and 1979. He was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor in 2005.

Also inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor in 2005, Loyd Hill was a football athlete from 1990-1993 and was a member of the 1992 All-American Team.

Chino Chappa was inducted into the College of Media and Communication's Hall of Fame.

2006

A scholarship honoring George Scott Jr., the first Black administrator at Texas Tech, was established by Kent Hance. (TTU press release April 22, 2006)

James C. Watkins, professor of Architecture and noted ceramic artist was the first African American to be promoted to the rank of Horn Professor, the highest and most selective academic rank for faculty at Texas Tech University.

Latino Lubbock Magazine was created by Christy Martinez-Garcia, who both owned and published the magazine, to address and promote the educational and community needs of the growing Latino community in Lubbock.

Stephen Graham Jones' publication, Bleed into Me: A Book of Stories, was awarded the Jesse H. Jones Award for Fiction by the Texas Institute of Letters.

2007

Jason Sasser, a basketball athlete from 1992-1996, and James Gray, a football athlete from 1986-1989, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Lubbock storyteller Eric Strong was winner of the Writers League of Texas' First Annual Oral Storytelling Competition. He described his winning tale, Going to See Ben Hur, "as a tale of hope which was inspired by true West Texas events from the Jim Crow Era during the late 1950s."

2008

As part of the Lubbock Centennial Celebration, Marcus Coleman was named to the All-Time Texas Tech football team. He was a former NFL player with the Jets, the Texans and the Cowboys.

Alicia Thompson, a basketball athlete from 1995-1998, was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

2009

Angie Braziel, a basketball athlete from 1997-1999 who was also selected as MVP of the Big 12 Post-season tournament, was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor in 2009.

The Timothy Cole Act was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry, providing those falsely convicted of a crime to be eligible for compensation for each year of incarceration.

Kenyan-born American athlete Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego enrolled in the nursing program at Texas Tech in 2007 and completed her degree in May of 2009. During her time at the university, she was a highly distinguished track athlete, garnering numerous awards and setting several race records. Besides being the first Kenyan woman to win an NCAA cross country individual championship, Kipyego was also one of only seven women in NCAA history to win four individual track titles during a single season.

The 1st Annual Gender & Sexual Identities Colloquium was sponsored by the TTU Women's & Gender Studies Program.

November 13-14, 2009 - The first Los Tertulianos Hispanic Alumni Reunion was held at the Ashmore Inn.

2010

Marcus Coleman, a football athlete from 1992-1995, and Montae Reagor, a football athlete from 1995-1998, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. Reagor was also named Team MVP in 1997 and 1998.

On April 25, 2010, the Texas Tech chapter of the Collegiate 100 Black Men was chartered.

aretha Marbley (Education) was the first African American female faculty member to be promoted to full rank.

2011

In April, the Texas Tech chapter of the Collegiate 100 Black Women was chartered. Both the men's and women's organizations removed the "Black" moniker in 2013 and consolidated into one organization in 2014 named The Texas Tech Chapter of Collegiate 100. (Link to The Collegiate 100)

Texas Tech joined the Southwest Regional Alliance with six other research universities to form a next-generation alliance aimed at increasing and retaining minority students who pursue STEM doctoral degrees. (Link to Texas Tech Today article)

Wendy Tolson Ross (Law School) was the second African American female faculty member to be promoted to full rank.

2012

Bam Morris, a football athlete from 1991-1993, and Ricky Williams, a football athlete from 1997-2001, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Sally Kipyego, representing Kenya, earned a silver medal in the 10,000 meters race at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Robert Montemayor was inducted into the College of Media and Communication's Hall of Fame.

2013

Rodney Blackshear, a football athlete from 1987-1991, was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Christy Martinez-Garcia and her husband, Frank Garcia, were honored as one of the recipients of the 2013 Texas Tech Parents of the Year Award.

Jobi Martinez, Director of Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center at Texas Tech, became the first president of the Big 12 chapter of Chief Diversity Officers.

Dr. Hongxing Jiang, professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

2014

Gabe Rivera (right), nicknamed “Señor Sack,” was inducted into the Texas Tech Football Ring of Honor, which was begun in 2012 to honor an “elite group of players and coaches that made outstanding contributions to Red Raider Football.” Rivera was also one of eleven former Red Raiders inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame on August 30th. He passed away four years later.

A Texas Tech student in 1985, Timothy B. Cole was arrested and convicted of rape of a fellow Texas Tech student. He died in prison in 1999. Ten years later, he was exonerated of the charges through DNA evidence and pardoned by Governor Rick Perry in 2010. A 13-foot memorial statue in Cole's honor, oriented looking toward the Texas Tech campus from which Cole was expelled following his arrest, was erected at the corner of University Avenue and 19th Street. The unveiling ceremony, held on September 17, 2014, was attended by members of the Lubbock and Texas Tech community, as well as Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Senator Wendy Davis. (Link to article) The Law firm of Glasheen, Valles and Inderman funded the $250,000 statue, sculpted by local artist Eddie Dixon.

Carolyn Thompson and Rick Bullock, both former basketball athletes at Texas Tech, were inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame on April 7th. At the time of her induction, Thompson was the record holder for career points by a men's or women's basketball player at Tech with 2,655. (Link to TexasTech.com article)

Dr. Michael San Francisco was the first Asian male to serve as dean at the university. Dr. San Francisco served for a short time as Interim Dean of the Honors College before being named Dean. He served in this capacity until September 1, 2020, when he was named Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

On August 30th, Michi Atkins, Amanda Banks, Gabe Rivera, and Andre Tillman were among the 11 former Red Raiders inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. (Link to TexasTech.com article)

Dr. Jingyu Lin, professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

Formerly known as Black Grad, Black Convocation was re-established in 2014 by Beneita Ilesanmi and a few other students to spotlight the achievements of Black students at Texas Tech University. Participants in the ceremony receive Kente Stoles to wear at university commencement ceremonies. (More information can be found at Black Convocation at Texas Tech University)

2015

On May 15th, Timothy B. Cole was posthumously awarded an honorary degree from Texas Tech, which was accepted on his behalf by his siblings.

The Caviel Museum of African History, the first African American museum in West Texas, opened in June at the corner of Avenue A and 17th Street in Lubbock, Texas. The building was originally Caviel's Pharmacy, owned and operated by African American couple Alfred and Billie Caviel. Eric Strong, founder of the museum, was a driving force in the Lubbock Roots Historical Arts Council, of which he was currently serving as director, and was a notable community advocate.

Delroy Poyser, a track athlete from Jamaica, competed for Texas Tech from 1982-1985. He held the distinction of being the third male athlete in university history to be an All-American in track and field. Poyser was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame in 2015. He passed away four years later.

El Editor, by 2015, was the longest running bilingual newspaper in the Texas Panhandle region and continued to be published by the Aguero family. Olga Aguero, wife of Bidal, and their daughters carried on the family paper operation. (Link to Bidal Augero's biography in the Handbook of Texas website)

Dr. Guigen Li, professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

Arcilia C. Acosta, a 1989 political science graduate, delivered an eloquent commencement speech during the May commencement ceremonies emphasizing the importance of investing in people rather than material gain.

2016

In March, Arcilia C. Acosta, President and CEO of CARON Industries, was appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by Governor Abbott.

Former Lady Raider Sheryl Swoopes was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2016.

Jonathan Johnson, a track and field athlete from 2002-2005, and Jia Perkins, a basketball athlete from 2000-2004, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Ginger Kerrick, representing the area of STEM, was selected by the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women to be inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame for 2016. The induction ceremony was held at Texas Woman’s University in Denton on October 21st.

Abner Euresti, a 42-year news veteran in Lubbock, was awarded the second annual Adelante Lifetime Achievement Award in May of 2016 by Los Hermanos Familia.

Terry Cook was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame. Cook made his debut at the famed Metropolitan Opera in 1983 and rose to prominence as an international opera star.

The first Lavender Graduation ceremony was held at Texas Tech on May 19th (Link to the Office of LGBTQOIA Education and Engagement).

2017

On June 10th, Sheryl Swoopes was one of six inductees into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

September, 2017 - Undergraduate enrollment for full-time equivalent (FTE) Hispanic students reached 27.8% in the fall semester, qualifying Texas Tech to meet the minimum student enrollment requirement for status as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). This status opened new funding opportunities for the university, its faculty, researchers and students.

October 9, 2017 - 48 year-old Texas Tech police officer Floyd East was killed in the line of duty by a Tech freshman Hollis Daniels. The campus was placed on lock down for a short time and the incident made national news.

Abner Euresti was the commencement speaker for the December 2017 commencement ceremonies.

Connie Robinson, a basketball athlete from 1993-1995, and Shereefa Lloyd, a track and field athlete from 2004-2005, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

2018

March 23-25, 2018 - The Office of LGBTQIA Education and Engagement hosted the first Big 12 LGBTQIA and Allies Summit, bringing together 175 college students, faculty, staff and community members from across the state to participate in educational sessions, group discussion and campus tours. (Texas Tech Today, March 19, 2018)

Sean Lewis was elected Student Government President, serving from May 1, 2018-May 1, 2019.

Jaclyn Cañas-Carrell, Department of Environmental Toxicology, was promoted to the rank of professor.

June 18, 2018 - Dr. Carol A. Sumner was appointed Vice President of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

October 9, 2018 - A moment of silence was held in Memorial Circle in remembrance of fallen police officer Floyd East, who had been killed the previous year. A donated boulder bearing East's name was installed outside the Texas Tech Police Department on October 27th.

Through a $5 million grant from the Governor's University Research Initiative (GURI), Texas Tech hired its first National Academy of Sciences (NAS) faculty member, Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella. He joined the faculty of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

The papers of noted author Stephen Graham Jones became part of the James Sowell Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library. Jones is the Ivena Baldwin Professor of English at the University of Colorado Boulder. (Stephen Graham Jones literary collection finding aid)

Cory Powell, Director of Mentor Tech, was the first African American to serve as Chairman of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. As chairman, Powell spearheaded the Chamber's first Diversity and Inclusion Summit in 2018.

Erin Grant, a basketball athlete from 2002-2006, and Andre Emmett, a basketball athlete from 2001-2004, were inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

2019

During the February 21st Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government, Stephanie Odigie and Cabel Morris became the first Texas Tech students to be recognized by the Council on Black Student Government and win the Big 12 Black Caucus Award. Texas Tech was official inducted into the organization the prior year. (Link to The Daily Toreador article)

Ginger Kerrick was appointed by the Governor Abbott as one of three incoming Board of Regents members to serve from May 2019-January 2025.

At the end of May, Sean Lewis, who had just graduated with a bachelor's degree in history, was appointed by Governor Abbott to serve as the TTU System Student Regent effective June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020.

Davian Hopkins, editor of the La Ventana yearbook, was the first student editor to win the Pacemaker award three times. He won the award for the 2016, 2017 and 2019 volumes of the yearbook. He did not serve as editor for the 2018 volume.

Jesse Perez Mendez began his term as Dean of the College of Education on August 1, 2019. He was the first Hispanic to hold the rank of dean at Texas Tech.

The Eric E. Strong Memorial Grove tree dedication ceremony was held on June 14, 2019, in Mae Simmons Park.

Inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame for 2019 were Jarrius Jackson, a basketball athlete from 2004-2007; Dwayne Slay, a football athlete from 2004-2005; Sally Kipyego, a track and field athlete from 2006-2009; and Shawon Harris, a track and field athlete from 2004-2006 and 2008.

2020

On February 2nd, former Red Raider football player Patrick Mahomes, as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, became the third youngest quarterback in NFL history to win the Super Bowl MVP award as well as the second youngest player to ever win a Super Bowl. He is also cited as the youngest player, and first quarterback, to win both a Super Bowl and league MVP before his 25th birthday. (Link to USA Today article)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Tech held its May 23rd graduation ceremonies virtually, a first in the university’s history. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback who attended Texas Tech and played football from 2014-2016, served as the guest speaker for the ceremonies.

A distinguished 1984 graduate of Texas Tech University's Air Force ROTC program, General Charles “C.Q.” Q. Brown Jr. was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 9th as the new Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. The appointment makes him the first black chief of a military service branch. He will also be the first black officer to sit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff since Army Gen. Colin Powell served as chairman from 1989 to 1993. Brown earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech and was named a distinguished alumnus in 2012. (Link to Texas Tech Today article)

Earnstein Dukes began her appointment as Dean of the TTU Libraries on August 1st, making her the first African American at the university to hold the position of dean.

Aliza Wong, Associate Dean of the Honors College and a professor in the History Department, was promoted to Interim Dean of the Honors College beginning on September 1st. Dr. Wong was the first Asian female to serve as a dean at the university.

Author Stephen Graham Jones received the Texas Writer Award for his book, The Only Good Indians. (Link to the Texas Book Festival press release) The book was also chosen by Audible as the best 2020 audio book in the mysteries and thrillers category. (Link to the Audible press release)

Patrick Mahomes and General Charles “C.Q.” Q. Brown Jr. were honored among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

The Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion hosted a "Black Women in the Academy" panel discussion and recognition ceremony for Black female faculty at the university. Participants in the discussion were Earnestine Dukes, Naïma Moustaïd-Moussa, Faith Maina, Mary W. Murimi, and Wendy Tolson Ross.(Link to Texas Tech Today article)

Joseph Acaba, a Master's of Education graduate from Texas Tech in 2015, was among a group of 18 astronauts selected for training for NASA's Artemis moon-landing program. (Link to Texas Tech Today article)

2021

In January, the LISD Board of Trustees approved naming the new North Lubbock elementary school, located at 2010 Cesar E. Chavez Drive, in honor of Anita Carmona-Harrison, the first Hispanic female entirely educated in Lubbock to graduate from Texas Tech (1967). She taught bilingual education at LISD for almost 30 years.

Arcilia Accosta was named one of three new appointees to the TTU Board of Regents.

Naïma Moustaïd-Moussa, Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Director of the Texas Tech Obesity Research Cluster was the second African American faculty member and the first female African American faculty member to attain the rank of Horn Professor.

By placing third in the U.S. Women's Olympic Trials Marathon on February 29, 2020, Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego secured a second trip to the Summer Olympics. As U.S. citizen (since 2017), Kipyego will participate as a member of the U.S. Olympic team in the 2020 Summer Olympic games in Tokyo.

Rick Bullock was listed among the top 100 Texas high school basketball players in celebration of the UIL's 100th anniversary celebration.

The inaugural Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Week was held from September 13-17, 2021 as part of the Hispanic/LatinX Heritage Month celebratory activities.

Donovan Satchell was the first African American to be crowned Homecoming King.

On November 16, 2021, the College of Arts and Sciences announced the official formation of the Institute for Latina/o Studies, the result of combining the collective efforts of the existing Latin American and Iberian Studies Center and the Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Center supported by 36 associated faculty members. (Texas Tech Today press release)

2022

Chau-Chyun Chen (Chemical Engineering) was promoted to the rank of Horn Professor.

Track and Field Head Coach Wes Kittley announced on February 16th the last regular season indoor track and field meet at Texas Tech would be named in honor of former head coach Jarvis Scott.

February 7, 2022 - Martin Camacho was named dean of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts.

Aliza Wong was appointed director of the American Academy in Rome, Italy, making her the first female of color to serve as director in the Academy's 128 year history.

In May, former Texas Tech basketball guard Darvin Ham, who spent four seasons as assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, was named head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

May 24, 2022 - The Naming Commission of the U.S. Department of Defense recommended renaming Fort Hood as Fort Cavazos in honor of General Richard E. Cavazos, Texas Tech graduate and the first Hispanic to become a four-star general in the U.S. Army.

June 6, 2022 - Carla Holland was named the new director of the Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center, a Texas Tech grant funded program designed to help guide and train small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

June 9, 2022 - Texas Tech was one of twenty top U.S. research universities to form the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) to increase opportunities for underserved Hispanics in higher education.

September 9, 2022 - Grand opening of the new Black Cultural Center at 2533 15th Street. It was the first of its kind on campus and included a new TTU branch library, The Peters Family Legacy Library, endowed by Rawls College of Business alum Brenda J. Peters, and supervised by new Assistant Librarian Uriel Onye.

Tomisin Alausa was crowned Homecoming Queen.

October 29, 2022 - Patrick Mahomes was inducted into the TTU Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor.

2023

Drs. Raegan Higgins (Mathematics and Statistics), Rui He (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Sung-Wook Kwon (Politicial Science), Jongpil Cheon (Curriculum and Instruction), Kirk Kee (Professional Communication), Kamaleshwar Singh (Environmental Toxicology), and Yanlin Wang (Classical and Modern Languages and Literature) were promoted to the rank of professor.

On May 9th, Fort Hood was officially renamed Fort Cavazos.

2024

Cory Carr, a basketball athlete from 1994-1999, Omo Osaghae, a track athlete from 2007-2011, and Ifeatu Okafor, a track athlete from 2010-2013, were among the six former Red Raiders inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame on November 8th.