89R13187 AMB-D
By: Hickland H.R. No. 249
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton is
marking the 180th anniversary of its founding with a Charter
Celebration on April 11 and 12, 2025; and
WHEREAS, The oldest continually operating university in
Texas, UMHB traces its roots to February 1, 1845, when the Ninth
Congress of the Republic of Texas approved the charter for a new
Baptist university in Independence; the school was initially
established with a preparatory division and coeducational classes,
and in 1851, separate female and male departments were created; the
female department became Baylor Female College in 1866, and in
1886, the school was relocated to Belton; that same year, the male
department consolidated with Waco University, retaining the name
Baylor University; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, the school underwent several name
changes, including Baylor College for Women in 1925, Mary
Hardin-Baylor College in 1934, and the University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor in 1978; among its many historic milestones, it
served as a model for the Baptist Student Union in 1920, established
the first school of journalism in a women's college in the United
States in 1921, and became the first Texas Baptist college to be
accepted as a full member of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools in 1926; in 1971, the school became coeducational; and
WHEREAS, Today, UMHB boasts an enrollment of approximately
3,400 students and employs more than 400 full-time faculty and
staff; moreover, the school has remained dedicated to Christian
higher education and has distinguished itself as a leading
institution in the fields of business, nursing, education, and
church leadership; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor has provided its students with an education that has
enriched them both academically and spiritually, and in so doing,
it has made important contributions to Texas and the world beyond;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 180th anniversary of the
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and extend to the UMHB community
sincere best wishes for a memorable and meaningful celebration;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.