How a private school for children became a massive research powerhouse

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Long before it was a major research university, the campus in Arlington was a struggling private school. Through decades of name changes, military academies, and intense institutional rivalry, it transformed from a small local schoolhouse into one of the largest universities in Texas.

The institution's origins date back to September 1895, when it opened as Arlington College. Originally a private school for students in grades 1 through 10, it was established by local merchant Edward Emmett Rankin to support an underfunded public school system. The campus has seen several identities, including the Carlisle Military Academy and the North Texas Agricultural College, before eventually joining the University of Texas System in 1965.

The university's growth was not without significant friction. During the mid-20th century, the Texas A&M University System resisted the school's expansion into a four-year institution, fearing it would outgrow the College Station campus. This rivalry led officials to seek a new affiliation, successfully moving the school into the UT System on September 1, 1965.

Today, the University of Texas at Arlington is a high-activity research institution (R1). It has grown into a massive educational engine, ranking as the third-largest producer of graduates in Texas. Beyond its academic output, the university has found unique revenue streams, such as the millions of dollars earned since 2008 from natural gas production from the Barnett Shale formation located beneath the campus.

The university's culture has also evolved significantly. In 1971, following years of controversy regarding the use of Confederate symbols and mock-slave auctions, students voted to replace the 'rebel' theme with the 'Mavericks' identity, which the university still carries today.

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