TXST's 125th Anniversary Kicks Off May 10

Dear Friends,  

This year, we will make history together at TXST. 

Not only are we hosting the first-ever presidential debate in the state of Texas on September 16, but we will also celebrate TXST 125 — our university’s 125th anniversary. TXST was created on May 10, 1899, when Governor Joseph D. Sayers approved a bill establishing Southwest Texas State Normal School in San Marcos. The hopes, aspirations, and hard work of many over the decades have created the TXST we love today, thriving with two campuses, more than 38,000 students, 230,000+ alumni, and research and academic excellence that is changing lives and the world.

We will officially kick off TXST 125 on our Founders Day, May 10, 2024, with spring commencement. 125th anniversary celebrations will conclude with fall commencement in December 2024.

In 2023, I charged a 125th Quasquicentennial Planning Task Force that provided several recommendations under consideration by my cabinet. That task force has transitioned to helping implement opportunities to mark this important milestone. I know many colleges, departments, units, divisions, and organizations are also planning to incorporate the 125th theme into existing events and activities.  

Holly Hirsch, Director of the Office of Special Projects, is leading the coordination of TXST 125. If you have specific questions about the 125th anniversary, you can email TXST125@txstate.edu. You can also find more information on the university’s official 125th anniversary website, which will be updated throughout the year.

Our Division of Marketing and Communications has developed a TXST 125 toolkit to provide you with access to logos, Zoom and Teams backgrounds, email signatures, and other assets for promoting and branding your events. Watch for an email later today from Marketing and Communications that will provide TXST 125 resources and instructions for faculty and staff. I encourage you to follow the timing guidelines included in the email for sharing 125th-anniversary content and information to help make our kickoff as successful and impactful as possible.

Our theme for the 125th anniversary, The Legacy of Tomorrow, highlights how the mission of TXST has consistently focused on empowering and preparing our students to build a better future — for themselves, for their communities, for Texas, and for the world. From the beginning, building a better tomorrow has been our guiding star. As we celebrate 125 years, we continue to not just look to the future, but work to make it shine brighter. 

I look forward to celebrating our legacy and our future with you in 2024. 

Sincerely, 

Kelly Damphousse, Ph.D. 
President