University of Houston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Houston

Former names	Houston Junior College (1927–1934) University of Houston–University Park (1983–1991)
Motto	In Tempore (Latin)
Motto in English	"In Time"
Type	Public research university
Established	March 7, 1927; 98 years ago (1927-03-07)
Parent institution	University of Houston System
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliations	GCU ORAU URA USU
Endowment	$785.77 million (2023) (UH only) $1.02 billion (2023) (system-wide)
Budget	$1.47 billion (FY2024)
President	Renu Khator
Provost	Diane Z. Chase
Academic staff	3,263 (Fall 2023)
Students	46,676 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	37,356 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates	8,612 (Fall 2023)
Other students	708 (Fall 2023)
Location	Houston , Texas , United States 29°43′08″N 95°20′21″W / 29.7189°N 95.3392°W / 29.7189; -95.3392
Campus	Large city, 667 acres (2.70 km2)
Newspaper	The Cougar
Colors	Scarlet red and Albino white
Nickname	Cougars Coogs
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – Big 12
Mascot	Shasta and Sasha

The University of Houston (often called UH or Houston) is a large public research university in Houston, Texas. It started in 1927 as Houston Junior College. In 1934, it became a four-year university and changed its name to the University of Houston. Today, it's the fourth-largest university in Texas. In 2023, it awarded over 11,000 degrees. Nearly 200,000 people around the world have graduated from UH.

The university has fifteen colleges. It also has a special honors college. Students can choose from about 310 different degree programs. Around 37,000 undergraduate students and 8,600 graduate students attend UH. The main campus is in southeast Houston and covers about 894 acres. UH also has two other teaching locations in Sugar Land and Katy. It is the main campus of the University of Houston System.

UH is known as a "Very high research activity" university. This means it does a lot of important research. It spends about $240 million each year on research. The university has more than 35 research centers. They study things like superconductivity, space, biomedical science, energy, and artificial intelligence.

The university has over 500 student groups. It also has 17 sports teams. These teams are called the Houston Cougars. They play in the Big 12 Conference and compete in NCAA Division I. In 2021, UH was invited to join the Big 12 Conference. The football team often plays in important bowl games. The men's basketball team has been to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament 23 times. They have reached the Elite Eight and Final Four six times. The men's golf team has won 16 national championships. This is the most in NCAA history. In 2022, the men's track and field team won its seventh Indoor Conference Championship. The swimming and diving team won its sixth straight conference title.

Discovering the University of Houston's Past

How the University Started

The University of Houston began as Houston Junior College (HJC). On March 7, 1927, school leaders in Houston decided to create the junior college. The local school district managed HJC.

HJC first opened at San Jacinto High School. It only offered night classes. These classes helped train future teachers.

The first classes started on June 5, 1927. There were 232 students and 12 teachers. These teachers came from other top universities. The first session was mainly for training teachers. Later, HJC opened to high school students in the fall. By then, it had 230 students. Classes were held in the evenings at San Jacinto High School. Day classes were held in local churches.

Edison E. Oberholtzer was HJC's first president. He was key in starting the junior college.

Becoming a University

In October 1933, Houston Junior College could become a university. The governor of Texas, Miriam A. Ferguson, signed a new law. On September 11, 1933, Houston's school board decided to make HJC a four-year school. They also changed its name to the University of Houston. The official document for UH was approved on April 30, 1934.

UH's first classes as a four-year university began on June 4, 1934. There were 682 students at San Jacinto High School. By the fall, 909 students were enrolled. There were 39 teachers in three colleges. These were the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Community Service, and General College. In 1934, the first UH campus was at the Second Baptist Church. The next fall, it moved to the South Main Baptist Church. It stayed there for five years. In May 1935, the university held its first graduation ceremony. It was at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

In 1936, the university received 110 acres of land. This land was donated by the families of J. J. Settegast and Ben Taub. They wanted UH to have a permanent home. At first, there was no road to the land. But in 1937, the city added Saint Bernard Street. This street was later renamed Cullen Boulevard. It became a main road for the campus. Workers were paid to clear the land. This was part of a project called the National Youth Administration. In 1938, Hugh Roy Cullen gave $335,000 for the first building. The Roy G. Cullen Memorial Building opened on September 20, 1939. It was the first air-conditioned college building in the U.S.

A year after the new campus opened, UH had over 2,000 students. When World War II started, fewer students enrolled. This was because many joined the military. UH was one of six colleges chosen to train radio technicians. This program helped keep the Engineering College running. Training continued until March 1945. A total of 4,178 service members were trained at UH.

On March 12, 1945, a new law was signed. It moved control of UH from the school district to a board of regents. In 1945, UH became a private university. It had grown too big for the Houston school board to manage.

In March 1947, a law school was created at UH. In 1949, the M.D. Anderson Foundation gave $1.5 million. This money was for a new library building. By 1950, UH had 12 permanent buildings. It had over 14,000 students and 300 full-time teachers. KUHF, the university radio station, started in November. By 1951, UH was the second-largest university in Texas.

Becoming a State University

In 1953, UH started KUHT. This was the first educational television station in the country. At this time, UH was a private school. It was having money problems. Tuition fees did not cover rising costs. Also, higher tuition caused fewer students to enroll. So, it was suggested that UH become a state-funded university.

There was a long debate about this change. Supporters of UH, led by President A.D. Bruce, wanted it to be a state school. Other state universities, like the University of Texas, tried to stop it. But on May 23, 1961, a new law was passed. This allowed UH to join the state system in 1963.

The University of Houston was originally for white and non-black students. It became racially desegregated around the 1960s. This was part of the civil rights movements. A student group called Afro-Americans for Black Liberation (AABL) worked for desegregation. An undergraduate student wrote that the first black students faced challenges. This was because local businesses and student groups were still separated by race.

In 1977, the University of Houston celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Texas Legislature officially created the University of Houston System. Philip G. Hoffman became the first leader of this system. The University of Houston became the oldest and largest school in the UH System. It had nearly 30,000 students.

On April 26, 1983, the university's name changed to University of Houston–University Park. But the name changed back to University of Houston on August 26, 1991. This was to avoid confusion with the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD). UHD is a separate university.

Modern Growth and Changes

In 1997, the leaders of the UH System and the University of Houston combined their roles. One person became the head of both. Arthur K. Smith was the first to hold this combined position. Since 1997, the UH System offices have been on campus. They are in the Ezekiel W. Cullen Building.

On October 15, 2007, Renu Khator was chosen for this role. She became the leader of both the UH System and the University of Houston. She started in January 2008.

In January 2011, the University of Houston was recognized. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified it as a top research university. This means it does a lot of high-level research.

Exploring the University of Houston Campus

UH is in southeast Houston. Its official address is 4800 Calhoun Road. From 1983 to 1991, it was called University of Houston–University Park. The campus covers 894 acres. Cullen Boulevard runs through the middle of the campus. This road is very well known for the university. The University of Houston is part of the Third Ward area of Houston.

The campus has many green spaces, fountains, and sculptures. One sculpture is by the famous artist Jim Sanborn. Well-known architects César Pelli and Philip Johnson designed buildings on campus. Recent projects have made Cullen Boulevard even more beautiful. These projects have won awards.

UH is the main university in the University of Houston System. It also has teaching locations in Sugar Land and Katy. Other universities like University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) and University of Houston–Downtown (UHD) are separate schools. They are not part of the main UH campus.

Campus Areas and Buildings

The University of Houston campus has five main areas. These are the Central District, Arts District, Professional District, Residential District, and Athletics District. There are also other areas outside these five districts.

The Central District is the academic heart of the university. It includes the M.D. Anderson Library. It also has colleges like Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Technology, and the Honors College. The oldest buildings are here: the Roy G. Cullen Building, the Old Science Building, and the Ezekiel W. Cullen Building. This area also has the Cullen Performance Hall and the Science and Engineering Complex. You can find the reflecting pool at Cullen Family Plaza and Lynn Eusan Park here.

The Arts District is in the northern part of campus. It is home to the university's School of Art. Also here are the Moores School of Music, the School of Theatre and Dance, and the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. The Jack J. Valenti School of Communication is also in this district. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Performing Arts is here. It has the Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre. Other facilities include Dudley Recital Hall and the Organ Recital Hall.

The Professional District is to the northeast and east of campus. It has buildings for the University of Houston Law Center. Also here are the Cullen College of Engineering and the C.T. Bauer College of Business. Calhoun Lofts, a housing option for older students, is in this area. The East Parking Garage is also located here. Next to this district is the University Center (UC), which is a large student union.

The Residential District is in the southern part of campus. It is along Wheeler Avenue. This area has dorms for undergraduate students. It also includes the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership and the College of Optometry. Dorms include the tall Moody Towers, Cougar Village, University Lofts, and Cougar Place. The Quadrangle was rebuilt in 2020 and is now called The Quad. It houses sophomore students and up. The Hilton University of Houston Hotel is next to Moody Towers.

The Athletics District is in the northwest and west parts of campus. It has training facilities and stadiums for UH sports teams. The western part has TDECU Stadium, the football practice building, and the Stadium Parking Garage. The Hofheinz Pavilion is in the northwestern part. In 2018, this stadium was rebuilt and renamed the Fertitta Center. This was after a large donation from Tilman Fertitta. Other sports facilities include the Carl Lewis International Track & Field Complex, Cougar Field, and the Softball Stadium.

Campus Facilities and Resources

The university's Energy Research Park focuses on energy studies. It covers 74 acres. Much of this land was once the headquarters for Schlumberger, an oilfield services company. UH bought it in 2009.

The University of Houston Libraries is the university's library system. It includes the M.D. Anderson Library and three smaller libraries. These are the Music Library, William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design & Art Library, and the Health Sciences Library. There are also other libraries like the O'Quinn Law Library.

The Cullen Performance Hall is a theater with 1,612 seats. It hosts many events from university groups. It also features concerts, opera, dance, and plays from outside groups. The Blaffer Art Museum is a modern art museum. It shows works by international artists and UH students.

The Campus Recreation and Wellness Center is very large, covering 264,000 square feet. It has the biggest college swimming pool in the country. It was recognized as an excellent facility when it was finished in 2004.

The LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting houses the studios for KUHT Houston PBS. This was the nation's first public television station. It also has KUHF (88.7 FM), Houston's NPR station.

The Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) is a 200,000 square foot building. It was designed by architect César Pelli. It has facilities for many research programs at UH, including bionanotechnology.

The university has a Hilton hotel on campus. It is part of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership. This hotel was started with a donation from Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels. Students from the hospitality college work there.

The University of Houston also has a branch campus in Sugar Land. It covers 250 acres. This campus started in 1995. It has three buildings used only by the university. There is also a public library branch on this campus.

How the University of Houston is Organized

Leadership and Structure

The University of Houston (UH) is one of four separate universities in the University of Houston System. From 1983 to 1991, it was called University of Houston–University Park. UH is the main university in the UH System. It has a branch campus in Sugar Land. The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL), the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), and the University of Houston–Victoria (UHV) are separate universities. They are not branch campuses of UH.

The UH System Board of Regents manages and controls UH. This board has nine members. The governor appoints them for six-year terms. The board has all the same rights and powers for UH as it does for other schools in the System. But UH is kept as a separate and unique university.

University Administration

The president is the main leader of the University of Houston. This person also serves as the chancellor of the UH System. The board of regents appoints this position. Since January 2008, Renu Khator has been the president of UH and chancellor of the UH System.

The offices for UH and the UH System are on the university campus. They are in the Ezekiel W. Cullen Building. From 1961 to 1977, the president of UH lived in the Weingarten House. Now, the chancellor/president lives in the Wortham House. This house is provided by the UH System Board of Regents.

Learning at the University of Houston

Colleges	Started
Junior College (no longer exists)	1927
General College (no longer exists)	1933
Graduate School	1939
Cullen College of Engineering	1941
College of Technology (no longer exists)	1941
College of Arts and Sciences (no longer exists)	1942
Bauer College of Business	1942
Downtown School (no longer exists)	1943
College of Education	1945
College of Pharmacy	1946
University of Houston Law Center	1947
College of Nursing (no longer exists)	1948
College of Optometry	1952
Hines College of Architecture and Design	1956
Graduate College of Social Work	1967
Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership	1969
College of Continuing Education	1974
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics	1975
College of Social Science (no longer exists)	1975
College of Humanities and Fine Arts (no longer exists)	1975
Hobby School of Public Affairs	1981
The Honors College	1993
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences	2000
Gessner College of Nursing	2015
Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts	2016
Fertitta Family College of Medicine	2019

The university offers more than 310 different degree programs. This includes 51 doctoral degrees. These higher-level degrees include law, optometry, medicine, and pharmacy.

In 2022, the UH System Board of Regents approved a new degree. It is a Bachelor of Arts in Mexican American and Latino/a Applied Studies. Houston has a large Hispanic/Latino population. This degree focuses on the experiences and contributions of the Latino community in the United States.

UH is one of only four public universities in Texas with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. This is a very old and respected honor society. UH faculty includes Paul C. W. Chu, a National Medal of Science winner. He is from the Physics Department. Also, Jody Williams, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, is on the faculty.

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) has a Creative Writing Program. Famous writers like Donald Barthelme started it. Students can get degrees in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design is one of only 36 schools with a special accreditation.

In August 2016, the Hobby School of Public Affairs was approved. It is named after former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby. This school builds on the Center for Public Policy, which started at UH in 1981. It now offers a Master of Public Policy Degree.

In October 2018, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the College of Medicine. A place for the new building has been chosen. The first class of medical students started in 2020.

University Rankings

U.S. university rankings
ARWU World	301–400
THES World	501–600
USNWR National University	133
Washington Monthly National University	208
Forbes	152

U.S. News & World Report ranked UH in the top 50 for Social Mobility. This means it helps students from all backgrounds succeed. The Princeton Review named UH one of America's best colleges. The university is also in the top 300 globally in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

The University of Houston Law Center was ranked 60th among U.S. law schools. It was 5th in Texas in 2023. U.S. News & World Report ranked the C.T. Bauer College of Business as the top undergraduate business program in Houston. It was 5th among public universities in Texas. The Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership ranked 8th nationally for its hospitality program. The Graduate School of Social Work ranked 28th nationally in 2022. The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship is often in the top 10 nationally. The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine ranked it No. 1 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

School	Started	2022 Undergraduate Enrollment	2022 Graduate Enrollment	U.S. News & World Report
University of Houston	1927	37,282	9,418	133
Medicine	2019	N/A	120	UNR
Pharmacy	1946	N/A	550	31
Law	1947	N/A	825	60 (tied)
Optometry	1952	N/A	419	N/A
Architecture	1956	824	89	N/A
Business	1942	6,369	1,189	63
Engineering	1941	3,209	1,659	69
Education	1945	2,663	850	70
Public Affairs	1981	47	45	88
Social Work	1967	N/A	544	28
Arts	2016	1,082	247	N/A
Liberal arts & Social Sciences	2000	10,621	980	N/A
Natural Sciences	1975	4,789	1,100	N/A
Technology	1941	4,704	549	N/A
Hospitality	1969	633	127	N/A
Nursing	2015	277	102	112

University of Houston Research and Discoveries

The Carnegie Foundation says UH is a university with "highest research activity." This means it's one of only nine universities in Texas with this special recognition.

In 2018, UH spent $177 million on research and development. This ranked it 123rd in the nation. It has over 40 research centers on campus. Through these centers, UH works with the government, health care, and private companies. They do research in areas like nanotechnology, superconductivity, space, biomedical science, energy, and artificial intelligence.

The university has five main research goals. These goals help solve challenges and improve life. They include: Cyber and Physical Security, Drug Discovery and Development, Sustainable Communities and Infrastructure, Energy Security and Transition, and Accessible Health Care.

In 2018, UH started its "50in5" plan. The goal is to increase research by 50 percent in five years. This includes doubling UH's national research centers from five to ten. This will help UH become a member of the Association of American Universities.

In 2022, UH received $4 million to expand its Center of Economic Inclusion.

Student Life at the University of Houston

Student body make-up as of May 2, 2022

Race and ethnicity	Total
Hispanic	37%	37
Asian	23%	23
White	21%	21
Black	10%	10
Other	5%	5
Foreign national	4%	4
Economic diversity
Low-income	44%	44
Affluent	56%	56

The University of Houston is known for its diverse student body. U.S. News & World Report ranks it as the second-most ethnically diverse research university in the United States. UH has a high number of Asian and Hispanic students. Because of its large Hispanic student population, UH is a Hispanic-serving institution. Most of its international students come from Asia.

Art, Music, and Theatre at UH

The Blaffer Art Museum is in the Fine Arts Building. It is a modern art museum. It shows works by new, mid-career, and less-known artists. It also has educational programs like talks by artists and youth programs.

The Cullen Performance Hall is a theater with 1,612 seats. It hosts many events from university groups. It also features concerts, opera, modern dance, and plays from outside groups.

The Moores School of Music holds concerts in different places on campus. These include Dudley Recital Hall and the Organ Recital Hall. They also use the Moores Opera House and Choral Recital Hall. Music events range from opera to jazz. Students, teachers, and guest artists perform.

The School of Theatre and Dance puts on five plays each year. They perform works by classic and modern writers. They also show new musicals.

The School of Art shows student art several times a year. This includes the Master of Fine Arts exhibition in the Blaffer Art Museum. The School of Art also hosts talks by many visiting artists and art historians.

Student Housing Options

UH has several dorms on campus. These include Moody Towers, The Quad, Cougar Village I & II, Cougar Place, University Lofts, Bayou Oaks, Cullen Oaks, and Cambridge Oaks.

Moody Towers are two tall buildings. They house 1,100 students. Each tower has eighteen stories. The dining hall in the Towers has been recently updated. The rooms in Moody were also updated in 2011.

The Quad is the newest dorm on campus. It was finished in Fall 2020. It is named after the old dorms, "The Quadrangle." It has laundry rooms on each floor. There is also a recreation area, computer lab, and outdoor courtyard. The Townhouses are single-student dorms near The Quad. Together, The Quad and Townhouses have 7 buildings and house almost 1,200 students.

In August 2009, University Lofts opened. This is a university-owned housing option for graduate students. It also has stores, lecture halls, and recreation areas.

Cougar Village I & II are dorms for freshmen. This includes first-year Honors students. Cougar Village I opened in August 2010, and Cougar Village II in August 2013. These dorms have themed floors with kitchens and lounges. They also have a tutoring center, computer labs, study areas, a store, a laundry room, and a fitness center. Cougar Village I & II are only for freshmen and Honors College students.

Cougar Place used to be apartment-style housing. It had 400 units. It was torn down in 2013. A new housing complex for sophomores has replaced it. The university also has private apartment complexes on campus. These are Cullen Oaks, Bayou Oaks, and Cambridge Oaks.

Student Media

The official student newspaper is The Cougar. It has been published since 1927. Students also create the Houstonian magazine for graduating students. Cooglife is a monthly lifestyle magazine. Transitions is a magazine for new students.

CoogTV is a live TV network run by students. It can be seen on the University of Houston cable network.

CoogRadio is UH's student-run college radio station. It started on August 29, 2011.

University of Houston Traditions

The official seal of the University of Houston was adopted in 1938. It is a design based on the coat-of-arms of General Sam Houston. The first official version was placed on the floor of the Roy Gustav Cullen Building.

UH's official colors are scarlet red and albino white. These were the colors of Sam Houston's ancestor. UH adopted them at the same time as the official seal. Scarlet red means courage or inner strength. White means goodness and a helpful spirit.

Cougar Red Friday is a tradition at UH. Students and staff are asked to wear red shirts on Fridays. This shows their pride for the university.

The school's official mascot is a cougar. This was adopted in 1947 and later named Shasta. The university used to have live female cougars as mascots. This tradition ended in 1989 when Shasta V passed away. In 2011, an orphaned cougar cub moved to the Houston Zoo. The university adopted him as its first live male cougar mascot. He was named Shasta VI. Shasta VI passed away in August 2022. In November 2022, the Houston Zoo received two orphaned male cubs. They were named Shasta VII and Louie. They continue the tradition of representing the University of Houston.

The Frontiersmen are a group of students who boost school spirit. They used to be only for members of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Now, any student can join. At football games, the Frontiersmen wear cowboy hats, jeans, and dusters. They run across the field with the university's flag and the Texas flag after each score.

The BLAZE is a special siren. It is operated by the Frontiersmen. It represents the university's connection to the oil industry. The siren was bought in 1991. The Sigma Chi Fraternity named it "The BLAZE" to honor a past member, David Blazek.

Frontier Fiesta is a big event each spring semester. It's like a 19th-century Western town with music, food, and history exhibits. This student-led festival has a long history, starting in the 1940s. It became very famous when a show called "Bella Union" was featured on the cover of Life magazine. It was called "The Greatest College Show on Earth." This brought thousands of people to the festival.

Cougar First Impressions is a program run by UH staff. It happens on the first two days of classes each year. Teachers and staff welcome new and returning students.

Weeks of Welcome is another program for new students. Over two weeks, different departments and student groups help students learn about the university. They host many events.

The Cougar Paw Hand Sign

The Cougar Paw is a popular hand sign. Students, teachers, alumni, and sports fans use it. It shows friendship and support for the University of Houston. This tradition started because of some sports games between UH and the University of Texas.

The University of Houston and the University of Texas first played football in 1953. Members of Alpha Phi Omega, a service group, brought Shasta I, the UH mascot, to the game. During the trip, Shasta's paw got caught in a car door, and one toe was cut off. At the game, some Texas players saw this. They teased UH players by holding up their hands with the ring finger bent. This was to suggest the Cougars were hurt. Texas won that game 28–7. Before this, UH students used a different hand sign. But after the game, they started using the bent-finger sign. It was a reminder that they would remember the teasing.

The Cougars did not play the Longhorns again until 1968. UH fans held up the new Cougar Paw sign. UH tied UT 20–20. They did not meet again until 1976. This was the first year UH was in the Southwest Conference. In front of a huge crowd, UH beat UT 30–0. This big win helped make the Cougar Paw a strong tradition.

University of Houston Sports

UH has 17 sports teams. They are part of the Big 12 Conference. Before this, Houston was in Conference USA from 1995 to 2013. Then they joined the American Athletic Conference. During that time, the Cougars won 33 C-USA titles. Before 1995, Houston was in the Southwest Conference.

Over 61 years, UH sports have achieved many things. This includes 16 national titles in men's golf. They also won one national title in cross country. The men's basketball team has been to the Final Four six times. The baseball team has been to the College World Series twice.

More than 50 Olympic athletes have attended UH. They have won 33 medals, including 19 gold. Former Olympian and UH graduate Carl Lewis became the men's track and field head coach in 2022. In April 2014, Kelvin Sampson became the men's basketball head coach. Ronald Hughey is the current women's basketball coach. On January 1, 2019, Dana Holgorsen became the head coach of the Cougar football team.

UH has many recreational sports clubs. These include rugby, NCWA wrestling, soccer, tennis, water polo, kendo, esports, and gymnastics.

Besides varsity sports, the University of Houston also has many intramural sports programs. These are sports played by students just for fun.

UH Varsity Sports Teams

The university has sports teams that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). These are Division I sports. For men, UH has baseball, basketball, cross country, American football, golf, and track and field. For women, it has basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field.

The Houston Cougars football team has played in 27 post-season bowl games. They have won several Southwest Conference championships. They also played in the Cotton Bowl Classic. They won the 2006 Conference USA Championship and the 2015 American Athletic Conference championship. Andre Ware, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1989, was a Cougar.

The men's basketball team has been to the NCAA Tournament 23 times. They have reached the Final Four six times. The teams from the early 1980s were called Phi Slama Jama. They included NBA legends Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Houston also has other strong sports teams. The baseball team has been to the NCAA Tournament 21 times. They have been to the College World Series twice. The men's golf team has won 16 NCAA National Championships. The women's soccer team was rated the top first-year program in 1998. The swimming and diving teams have produced many Olympians. The track and field team is often ranked in the top 10. The volleyball team had a streak of ten straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Famous People from the University of Houston

• Notable University of Houston alumni include:
• 

  Fred Couples, professional golfer

• 

  Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., former NASA astronaut

• 

  Clyde Drexler, Basketball Hall of Fame member

• 

  Bonnie J. Dunbar, former NASA astronaut

• 

  Elvin Hayes, 12-time NBA All-Star

• 

  Lizzo, Grammy Award-winning singer

• 

  Case Keenum, NFL Quarterback

• 

  Hakeem Olajuwon, 1994 NBA MVP

• 

  Jim Parsons, Emmy Award-winning actor

• 

  Wade Phillips, NFL Coach

• 

  Jack Valenti, former president of the Motion Picture Association

• 

  Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts

Jack Valenti, who was president of the Motion Picture Association of America for a long time, earned his business degree from UH. He also created the MPAA film rating system. Artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel also went to UH.

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known as Lil Wayne, is a hip-hop artist. He enrolled in 2005 but left shortly after.

Alice Sebold, a novelist, and Matt Mullenweg, who created WordPress, also attended the university.

Many famous athletes went to UH. These include NFL players Wilson Whitley, Glenn Montgomery, Alfred Oglesby, Craig Veasey, Donnie Avery, David Klingler, Kevin Kolb, Billy Milner, Sebastian Vollmer, Case Keenum, and Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware. Baseball stars include Doug Drabek, Michael Bourn, and Brad Lincoln. Golfers like Fred Couples, Billy Ray Brown, Steve Elkington, and Fuzzy Zoeller are also alumni. Track and field legends Carl Lewis and Leroy Burrell attended UH. Famous NBA basketball players include Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, and "The Big E" Elvin Hayes. Other basketball players are Bo Outlaw, Don Chaney, Michael Young, Damon Jones, Carl Herrera, and Otis Birdsong. Legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry also went to UH. John Moores, who owns the San Diego Padres, has both undergraduate and law degrees from UH. Wade Phillips, a former NFL head coach, is also a UH graduate.

Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, earned her degree from UH in 1970. She was also a presidential candidate in 2020. Tom DeLay, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, also attended UH. Other politicians who went to UH include Gene Green, a U.S. congressman, and Ted Poe, another U.S. congressman.

Other famous alumni include Jim Parsons, star of The Big Bang Theory, and Brent Spiner from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Actors Robert Wuhl, Loretta Devine, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, and Brett Cullen also attended. Comedian Bill Hicks and former talk show host Star Jones are alumni. Project Runway contestants Chloe Dao and Laura Bennett went to UH. Sportscasters Jim Nantz and Robert Flores, YouTuber Liza Koshy, singer and rapper Lizzo, and country music stars Larry Gatlin and Kenny Rogers are also graduates.

Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008, was a student at the university. Jason Alkire, an artist and fashion designer, is also a graduate.

Notable Texas politicians who graduated from UH's Political Science program include Alfred H. Bennett, a U.S. District Judge. Also, Carol Alvarado, a Texas State senator, and James White (Texas politician), a State Representative. Dylan Osborne, Harris County Treasurer, and Odus Evbagharu, Harris County Democratic Party Chair, are also alumni.

See Also

In Spanish: Universidad de Houston para niños