Texas Lutheran University

Texas Lutheran University, in Seguin, traces its origin to 1891, when the First Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas founded the Evangelical Lutheran College of Brenham, Texas. The Reverend Gottlieb Langner served as its first president. Financial difficulties forced a curtailment of the institution's functions, and it was renamed the Evangelical Lutheran Proseminary of Brenham, Texas, in 1909. In 1912 the proseminary, with the Reverend C. Weeber as president, was moved to Seguin and reestablished as an academy called the Lutheran College of Seguin, Texas. It achieved junior college status in 1928–29 and was accredited by the state department of education. Dr. William F. Kraushaar succeeded Weeber in 1929. In that year a partial merger with Trinity College of Round Rock, Texas, was effected. Recognition as a class A junior college was given by the Association of Texas Colleges in 1930. The name Texas Lutheran College was adopted in 1932. The institution was granted membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1940. Texas Lutheran became a senior college in 1948. Clifton College, of Clifton, Texas, was merged with the institution in 1954. Although originally the chief academic emphasis was on training preministerial students, today the college is a liberal arts institution that offers a bachelor's degree in eighteen academic departments and numerous professional fields, as well as preprofessional study in several service areas. From its start in Seguin with one building and fifteen acres, the college has grown to comprise more than thirty major buildings on 184 acres, including a biology field station on a half acre of land at nearby Lake McQueeney. The college's total assets in 1983 were over $26 million, including an endowment of more than $5 million. There were 152 employees, including fifty-five full-time faculty members. The Blumberg Memorial Library, with seating for 400 patrons, contains more than 125,000 volumes. The Fiedler Memorial Museum has geological displays of general interest. Adjoining is an outdoor rock garden, with a nature trail and meditation center. In 1932 ownership of the college passed from the First Evangelical Lutheran Synod to the American Lutheran Church, which provides financial support. Support is also received from the Texas-Louisiana Synod of the Lutheran Church in America. In addition to church support, tuition, and fees, income includes government grants and gifts from various sources. Texas Lutheran University is governed by a board of regents composed of twenty-five members elected by the Texas Lutheran University Corporation. During the 1992–93 school year, enrollment was 1,411 and faculty ninety-four, including part-time. It was announced in October 1993 that Charles Oestreich, president since 1969, would retire in 1994. Under his leadership, Texas Lutheran's scholarship endowments increased from $1 million to $21 million. Dr. Jon N. Moline succeeded Oestreich as president in 1994. Subsequently Texas Lutheran worked to recruit non-White and international students. Twenty percent of students fit these categories in 1993. The school changed its name to Texas Lutheran University in 1996. Total enrollment for the 2002 fall semester was 1,368, and the institution had 125 faculty members.