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 on October 8, 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,” Khator said. “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.”

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.

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 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.