Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public land-grant research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of Fall 2021, Texas A&M's student body is the largest in the United States. Texas A&M is the only university in Texas to hold simultaneous designations as a land, sea, and space grant institution. In 2001, Texas A&M was inducted as a member of the Association of American Universities. The school's students, alumni and sports teams are known as Aggies. The Texas A&M Aggies athletes compete in eighteen varsity sports as a member of the Southeastern Conference.
The first public institution of higher education in Texas, the school opened for classes on October 4, 1876, as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (A.M.C.) under the provisions of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". Over the following decades, the school increased in size and scope expanding to its largest enrollment during WWII before its first significant stagnation in enrollment post-war. Under the leadership of President James Earl Rudder in the 1960s, A.M.C. desegregated, became coeducational, and dropped the requirement for participation in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and enrollment began to rapidly expand. To reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings, the Texas Legislature renamed the school to Texas A&M University in 1963. The letters "A&M", originally A.M.C. and short for "Agricultural and Mechanical College", are retained as a tribute to the university's former designation.The main campus spans over 5,500 acres (22 km2), and is home to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. About one-fifth of the student body lives on campus. Texas A&M has more than 1,000 officially recognized student organizations. Many students also observe various university traditions which govern conduct in daily life and sporting events. The university offers degrees in more than 130 courses of study through 17 colleges and houses 21 research institutes. As a Senior Military College, Texas A&M is one of six American universities with a full-time, volunteer Corps of Cadets who study alongside civilian undergraduate students.
1876Oct, 4
Texas A&M University opens as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, becoming the first public institution of higher education in Texas.
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Events on 1876
- 2Feb
Major League Baseball
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs of Major League Baseball is formed. - 10Mar
Alexander Graham Bell
The first successful test of a telephone is made by Alexander Graham Bell. - 22Apr
MLB
The first game in the history of the National League was played at the Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. This game is often pointed to as the beginning of the MLB. - 4Jun
First Transcontinental Railroad
An express train called the Transcontinental Express arrives in San Francisco, via the First Transcontinental Railroad only 83 hours and 39 minutes after leaving New York City. - 25Nov
Battle of the Little Bighorn
American Indian Wars: In retaliation for the American defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, United States Army troops sack the sleeping village of Cheyenne Chief Dull Knife at the headwaters of the Powder River.