Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University is a university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States.

Founded in 1899 as John Tarleton College, the institution became a member of The Texas A&M University System in 1917. By a 1959 act of the Texas Legislature, Tarleton became a four-year degree granting institution, the first class graduating in 1963. Accredited as a senior college in 1966, Tarleton initiated many new programs, including graduate courses in 1970. Since Tarleton offered a broad liberal arts education within undergraduate and graduate degrees, the Texas Legislature recognized the institution as a university in 1973 when the name officially changed to Tarleton State University .

Tarleton continues to break new ground in many academic arenas, including water quality and other environmental science topics. Students come from more than 220 Texas counties, as well as 45 states and 17 foreign countries. Tarleton offers an MBA program at Fort Hood and a Clinical Laboratory Science Program in Fort Worth.

Located near the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Tarleton is a growing institution, known for its internationally recognized horse production program and innovative teacher education programs. The university has one of the largest and oldest public school improvement partnerships in the United States that benefits more than 50 area school districts.

Academics

Tarleton has five academic colleges: Liberal and Fine Arts, Business Administration, Agriculture and Human Sciences, Science and Technology, and Education. In addition, the College of Graduate Studies offers both teaching and research-based master's degrees. The university offers a bachelor of science in hydrology, one of only four in the country, and an internationally recognized horse production program. Tarleton also is known for its innovative teacher education programs. Bachelor's degrees in nursing, dietetics, psychology, international agriculture and interdisciplinary business, as well as a master's degree in environmental sciences, recently have been added to the curriculum. Tarleton also is offering an innovative horticulture/landscaping program in golf course management. Tarleton recently added a doctoral degree in educational administration to its curriculum through a collaborative partnership with Texas A&M University-commerce.

Research

The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research on the Tarleton campus plays a national leadership role in environmental issues related to water quality. This program provides the university, the dairy and beef industries (both of which are prominent segments of the Erath County economy), environmental control agencies and governmental policy groups with water pollution data for the 230,000 acre (930 km²) Upper North Bosque River watershed.

Location

Tarleton is located 65 miles (100 km) southwest of Fort Worth, Texas in Stephenville, the county seat of Erath County. With a population of 14,900-15,500, Stephenville provides a combination of small-town security and proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth. Most university activities take place on Tarleton's centrally located, 173 acre (700,000 m²) main campus. A 600 acre (2.4 km²) university farm and the 1,200 acre (4.8 km²) Hunewell Ranch provide additional educational facilities. Recently, Tarleton also began offering programs at its new Granbury location, the Dora Lee Langdon Cultural and Educational Center.

Traditions

Oscar P. was, according to legend, John Tarleton's pet duck who went everywhere with him. The two were so close that the duck is supposedly buried with Mr. Tarleton. During athletic events, a common sight is students chanting to raise the spirit of Oscar P.

TTP – Ten Tarleton Peppers (1921) and TTS – Ten Tarleton Sisters (1923) are the two oldest spirit organizations on campus and are precursors of the Purple Poo, a secret organization which promotes school spirit. The members in this organization keep their identities secret by appearing in public in costume.

The Plowboys, originally the mascot for Tarleton athletic teams, but more recently known as a spirit organization are recognized by the white shirts, hats and purple chaps.

Texan Rider, Tarleton's current mascot that at one time rode a horse during the football games (tradition was discontinued due to the renovated stadium), and is also recognized by his/her purple chaps.

Silver Taps, a ceremony held to honor Tarleton's faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have died over the past year and marks the beginning of Homecoming week.

John Tarleton Spirit Award, originated in 1988, and has since become the most highly-coveted award at TSU, and is given to up to twelve students annually at the Leadership and Service Awards Banquet. Recipients are chosen based on campus involvement through organizations, special projects, and activities that contribute to the overall growth of the individual.

Notable alumni

Ben Barnes, former Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1969-1973) and Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (1965-1969). He unsuccessfully ran for Texas Governor in 1972.
William E. Dyess, survivor of the Bataan Death March during World War II. Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas is named for him.
Millie Hughes-Fulford, chemist and NASA astronaut
Robert J. Glasgow, Texas State Senator serving 1983-1993.
George Kennedy, actor.
Michael J. Moncrief, Texas State Represenative serving 1971-1972, Tarrant County Judge serving 1974-1986, Texas State Senator serving 1991-2003, and currently serving as Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas since May 2003.
Sam M. Russell, U.S. Representative serving 1941-1947.
Charles W. Stenholm, U.S. Representative serving 1979-2005.
Barry B. Thompson, served as President of Tarleton from 1982-1990 and later as Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.
Marvin Zindler, investigative reporter for KTRK television station in Houston, Texas. He was instrumental in exposing the infamous Chicken Ranch brothel near La Grange, Texas. Zindler was the basis for the character Melvin P. Thorpe in the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas written by Larry L. King; this character was later portrayed by Dom DeLuise in the 1982 motion picture based on the musical.

External links

The Texas A&M University System