HUSTON-TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY • FALL 2014 $3 MILLION GIFT LARGEST IN UNIVERSITY HISTORY 1 SANDRA JOY ANDERSON BUILD THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER Alumna Ada Anderson’s Donation to Help 2 FIRST MASTER'S DEGREE TO BE Build the Sandra Joy Anderson Community OFFERED ADULT DEGREE PROGRAM Health and Wellness Center 3 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTHONY AND LOUISE VIAER- Anderson legacy continues with naming of building in daughter’s honor ALUMNI HALL RESIDENCE HALL RENOVATION s Huston-Tillotson opens its doors for another school year, it does so upon the news of a In this issue 4 EARVIN PLANS RETIREMENT historic gift to the University–a $3 million HT STUDENT IS UNCF STAR donation from alumna Ada Cecilia Collins 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN Anderson. A Anderson’s gift is the largest single donation to HT in the University’s history. The University is naming its new health 5 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ADVANCES TO NAIA and wellness center the Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health and Wellness Center, in honor of Anderson’s deceased WOMEN'S & MEN'S BASKETBALL daughter. Groundbreaking for the new facility is slated for SCHEDULES spring 2015. Anderson’s gift is the latest good deed in a long 6 HT AWARDED $900,000 GRANT history of advocating for and empowering young people MILLER DONATES ESTATE TO HT and championing art and educational causes. Her career includes many accomplishments in leadership and service, 7 CALENDAR OF EVENTS despite having to overcome numerous educational and career injustices along the way. Her determination to succeed resulted in leadership roles and the creation of civic RAMS NEWS is about the people who make up the Huston- Tillotson University community. organizations that have emboldened African Americans in RAMS NEWS is published by the Huston-Tillotson University general and women, and children in particular. Office of Institutional Advancement, 900 Chicon Street, “As a community leader, Austin,TX 78702, 512.505.3074. trailblazer, and champion of civic Sandra was WE NEED YOU to send us your ideas, comments and causes, Mrs. Anderson exemplifies an outstand- Alumna Ada Cecilia Collins Anderson, ’41, stands next to portrait of her thoughts, along with your news and information. Send to the spirit of the Community recently deceased daughter, Sandra Joy Anderson Baccus. Linda Y. Jackson at [email protected]. ing fundraiser Health and Wellness Center, For up-to-the minute information about the University, go to for the causes she www.htu.edu or visit HT on Facebook. which is conceptualized to bring together the community and championed. In 2004, Anderson was awarded the Leadership in campus offerings to focus on Civil Rights Award by the LBJ Presidential Library and the approaches to health,” said HT -Ada Anderson Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. The award www.htu.edu President Larry L. Earvin. “We was created to recognize men and women who have helped applaud her efforts to rally the enhance the rights of all Americans. Anderson has also been Huston-Tillotson University 900 Chicon Street community in support of the a trustee at Austin Community College and a member Austin, TX 78702 components of the HT mission.” of the Advisory Council of the UT College of Education 512.505.3000 Anderson, 92, graduated from Austin’s segregated Foundation. Larry L. Earvin, Ph.D. L.C. Anderson High School. She attended Austin’s two In addition, Anderson has served on the board of the President and CEO predominantly black colleges, Samuel Huston and Tillotson, local Girl Scouts organization, and the Citizen’s Advisory Archibald Vanderpuye, Ph.D. where she received a degree in home economics in 1941. She Committee of the Travis County Juvenile Board. She Interim Provost and Vice President for also received her master’s degree in educational psychology in chaired the Board of Directors of the Laguna Gloria Art Academic and Student Affairs 1965 from The University of Texas at Austin. Museum; is a founding member of the Austin Lyric Opera; Valerie Hill, M.B.A. While an undergraduate student, she met M. Jack and trustee of the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Vice President, Administration and Finance “Andy” Anderson Sr., and they married in 1943. Together, Anderson also founded LEAP (Leadership Enriching Arts Roderick L. Smothers, Ph.D. they became leaders in the local African-American Program) to help expose African-American children to Vice President, Institutional Advancement community as well as in the Civil Rights Movement. In the arts. She established the Austin chapter of Jack and business, they established the Anderson-Wormley real estate Terry S. Smith, LPH.D., M.Ed. Jill of America, Inc., a national leadership and service Executive Assistant to the President and insurance firms, providing affordable housing that organization; and she is a charter member of the Alpha Nu empowered the Central Texas African-American community. Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Linda Y. Jackson Ada Anderson has many firsts in her career, including serving She and her husband had two children, both of whom Director of University Relations on the Texas Commission on the Status of Women and as the are deceased. M. Jack Anderson Jr. died at age 40, in a first African-American professional at the Texas Employment swimming accident. Sandra Joy Anderson Baccus died at GRAPHIC DESIGN Glennon Design Group Commission, during Gov. John Connally’s administration. age 65, near Atlanta, where she lived and worked. Continued on page 6 'round campus HT Introduces Its First Master's Degree Offering IN THE SPIRIT OF ITS FOUNDING, Huston-Tillotson administrative level. Students will be taught by University, established as a “normal school” to train The master’s in education experienced award-winning principals, superintendents teachers–will offer its first master’s degree in educational and administrators, with classes to fit around a working leadership with the principal certification. The program at Huston-Tillotson is the teacher’s schedule. Applicants must have a bachelor’s housed within the College of Arts and Sciences under first and only principal- degree, a teacher certification, teaching experience, letters the Educator Preparation Department, is now accepting preparation program at of intent and references; pass a background check; and applications now for the January 2015 launch. meet the minimum grade point average requirement. “The master’s degree in educational leadership fulfills a Texas private HBCU. We Huston-Tillotson University, founded with the 1952 a community need and upholds the heritage of Huston- are honored to prepare merger of Samuel Huston College and Tillotson College, Tillotson University,” said HT President and CEO Larry created one of the largest black Protestant-Church-related L. Earvin. educational leaders who colleges in the country at that time. HT, a historically black “The education foundation established by visionaries reflect the diversity of institution, has the proud distinction of being Austin’s first who understood the significance of teachers continues institution of higher education. It was established 10 years with a leadership model to ensure that all children are students in Texas. after the Civil War ended to provide educational access and successful.” opportunities to freed slaves, and, specifically, to train teachers The graduate program received approval from the –Ruth Kane, Ph.D. in order to ensure a lasting legacy of self-empowerment and State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC), as well Chair Department of Educator -advancement. Huston-Tillotson University remains a private, as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Preparation church-affiliated institution that is currently home to nearly Commission on Colleges (SACS/COC), which is the 1,000 students of varying ethnic, racial and religious heritage. regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting for meaningful careers in the field of education within “The master’s in education at Huston-Tillotson is higher education institutions in Southern states. the framework of a solid liberal arts foundation and a the first and only principal-preparation program at a Texas Huston-Tillotson University’s educator-preparation social-justice perspective. Candidates develop knowledge, private HBCU,” said Ruth Kane, chair of the Department of certification process operates under the auspices of skills, and dispositions necessary to become effective and Educator Preparation “We are honored to prepare educational several "accredited" bodies. The Texas Education Agency caring teachers in an ever-changing society, and they are leaders who reflect the diversity of students in Texas.” assigned the accredited” status to HT’s Accountability prepared to become reflective, lifelong learners. For more information about the master’s System for Educator Preparation. The graduate program is designed primarily degree program, visit, www.htu.edu/ppp or call The undergraduate program prepares candidates for working teachers seeking advancement to the 512.505.3091. u Adult Degree Program Attracting More Students RECOGNIZING that there are many adults who want a college classes are held on-site one night per week from 6 p.m. to10 p.m. The education, but have to work during the day, Huston-Tillotson University first cohort, in January 2013, brought together 21 students eager to launched an Adult Degree Program (ADP) two years ago. A bonus is the achieve their college degrees. Currently, approximately 150 students program is helping non-traditional students secure a degree. When the attend classes at HT on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, ADP began, the University offered only instructional coursework that led occupying the classrooms and spaces often left silent after traditional to two bachelor degrees: Business Administration and Criminal Justice. classes have ended for the day. Since that time, HT has added Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, To learn more about the program, visit www.htu.edu or call Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and Bachelor of Arts in Education (with 512.505.6455 to speak to an ADP admission counselor.