University of Houston Launches Centennial Year Celebration, Marking 100 Years of Opportunity and Impact

Key Takeaways

A century of opportunity: Founded in 1927 to bring higher education within reach of working Houstonians, the
University of Houston begins its Centennial year celebrating 100 years of expanding
access and opportunity.

A century of impact: From 460 students and 15 faculty members to a nationally recognized Tier One research
university, UH enters its Centennial from a position of strength, with record research
activity and growing impact in areas critical to Houston and the United States.

A century takes shape: A year of Centennial events, storytelling and traditions will coincide with major
investments in UH’s future, including new and expanded facilities, a growing research
enterprise and continued investment in students and the community UH was created to
serve.

Nearly 100 years ago, a group of determined Houston high school seniors asked their
city for something that did not yet exist: a path to higher education for people who
needed to work and stay in Houston.

The University of Houston was created to answer that call.

A century later, that commitment to opportunity remains at the heart of UH as it prepares
to mark its 100th anniversary with a yearlong Centennial celebration honoring its
history, celebrating its people and looking boldly toward its next century.

University of Houston President Renu Khator kicked off the Centennial celebration
during her 2026 State of the University address Thursday, tracing UH’s journey from
460 students and 15 faculty in 1927 to a major research university serving nearly
49,000 students with record research activity, growing academic and health enterprises
and a campus undergoing significant transformation.

“Today, we stand here on the eve of the University of Houston’s yearlong Centennial
celebration. As we smile with pride at our present and look with great anticipation
to our future, we must not forget that it is our past that has brought us here. Our
history is the foundation of all our present and future successes.”

Renu Khator

University of Houston President

A University Built by the City, for the City

By 1926, Houston was becoming the most populous city in Texas. Seeking higher education
opportunities for working people who could not afford to leave their jobs or the city,
12 students from multiple Houston high schools approached the Houston Board of Education
for help. A year later, the first classes began. By 1934, the institution had grown
to become the University of Houston.

That founding principle — creating opportunity by meeting the needs of the moment
— has endured even as those needs have changed. During World War II, UH adapted its
curriculum to support the war effort and military trainees. When Houston’s economy
was devastated by the 1980s oil bust, the University developed programs to prepare
displaced workers for emerging industries. Through hurricanes and other challenges,
UH opened its facilities and resources to its community. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
the University launched a new medical school with a mission centered on improving
health and healthcare access in communities across Houston and Texas.

That same spirit helped transform a small college serving working Houstonians into
a Tier One research university. UH is reporting $300 million in research expenditures
this year, with faculty advancing discoveries in health, energy, advanced materials,
technology and other areas critical to Houston and the nation. The University’s next
goal is $500 million in annual research expenditures.

“Today, students, for whom we built this University, are writing the new victory chapter
for the University of Houston,” Khator said.

Celebrating the People Who Make UH

The centennial year will also celebrate the generations of people who made its progress
possible.

Generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters whose stories stretch
from the classroom to the Moon. Through events, traditions and storytelling, UH will
bring those stories to life as the Cougar community celebrates the people and moments
that shaped its first 100 years.

The Next Century Takes Shape

The Centennial is not simply a look back at UH’s first 100 years. As UH celebrates
its history, signs of its future are already taking shape across campus.

Over the next 12 months, the University will unveil major improvements designed to
reshape the campus experience for the next generation of Cougars. Centennial Hall,
a new first-year residence hall; a new Dining Commons; and an expanded Student Center
North are all planned to open in 2027. Construction is already underway on a new home
for the Hobby School of Public Affairs, and UH will soon break ground on a new Medical
Research Building and an Innovation Hub.

The physical transformation reflects broader momentum across the University. UH enters
its second century with a growing research enterprise, expanding leadership in health
and energy, ambitious academic programs and continued investment in the students and
community it was created to serve.

For 100 years, the University of Houston has met the moment. Now, it is preparing
to meet the next one.

Explore the UH Centennial and upcoming events

Watch and read President Khator’s full 2026 State of the University address