History of Lamar University in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 12, 2025

Lamar University, located in Beaumont, Texas, is a public university and a member of the Texas State University System since 1995. Formerly the flagship institution of the Lamar University System, it boasts an enrollment of 17,850 students as of fall 2024. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is named in honor of Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas.

1901: Oil Discovery at Spindletop

The Spindletop-Gladys City Museum commemorates the 1901 discovery of oil by Lucas Gusher in Beaumont.

September 17, 1923: Establishment of South Park Junior College

On September 17, 1923, South Park Junior College, which would become Lamar University, was founded in Beaumont, Texas. It operated on the third floor of South Park High School, with Louis R. Pietzsch as its first president.

1923: Inception as Junior College

In 1923, Lamar University began as a junior college participating in collegiate athletics.

1924: University Founded

In 1924, Lamar University was founded. Its men's and women's basketball teams have achieved significant success in the NCAA tournament.

1925: Full Accreditation

In 1925, South Park Junior College achieved full accreditation, solidifying its status as a recognized institution of higher learning.

1932: Name Change to Lamar College

In 1932, South Park Junior College was renamed Lamar College, to reflect its regional service scope. It was named for Mirabeau B. Lamar.

1932: Inception of the "Cardinals" Nickname

In 1932, the nickname "Cardinals" for the Lamar University athletic teams dates back to the school's name change to Lamar.

1933: Construction of New Facilities

In 1933, construction commenced on new facilities for Lamar College, marking a move toward independence from South Park High School.

1942: Independence from South Park School District

By 1942, Lamar College became completely independent from the South Park school district, and operations moved to its current campus location.

1947: Initial Attempt to Promote Lamar College

In 1947, an initial attempt was made in the Texas Legislature to promote Lamar College to a four-year state college, but it failed.

June 14, 1949: Creation of Lamar State College of Technology

On June 14, 1949, Governor Beauford Jester signed the bill creating Lamar State College of Technology, marking a significant milestone in the institution's history.

1951: Admission Error and Racial Segregation

In 1951, James Briscoe was initially deemed qualified to enroll at Lamar College but was later denied admission due to the college's segregation policy, which stated that Lamar was for whites only.

1951: Establishment of the Division of Business

In 1951, the Division of Business was established at Lamar University, marking an early step towards dedicated business education.

1952: James Briscoe Applies to Lamar

In 1952, James Briscoe, a qualified graduate, applied to Lamar College but was denied admission due to racial segregation policies.

1954: Establishment of the School of Business

In 1954, the School of Business was established at Lamar University.

1955: Class Action Lawsuit Filed

In the summer of 1955, Versie Jackson and Henry Cooper Jr. initiated a class action lawsuit, Jackson v. McDonald, to challenge and end Lamar's policy of racial segregation.

July 30, 1956: Ruling Against Segregation

On July 30, 1956, federal judge Lamar Cecil ruled that Lamar's "white youth" only admissions policy was unconstitutional, leading to the admission of black students.

1960: Authorization of Graduate Work

In 1960, Lamar State College was authorized to offer graduate work, with master's degrees available in several fields.

1963: Founding Member of the Southland Conference

In 1963, Lamar University became a founding member of the Southland Conference.

1963: Inception of the Honors Program

In 1963, Lamar University introduced its honors program as part of its academic offerings.

1969: Opening of First Branch

In 1969, Lamar State College opened its first branch at a center in Orange, Texas, expanding its reach.

1970: Offering of First Doctoral Program

In 1970, Lamar State College began offering its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Engineering.

1971: Gaining University Status

In 1971, Lamar attained university status and continued to participate in collegiate athletics.

1971: Name Change to Lamar University

In 1971, the college's name was officially changed to Lamar University, signifying its growth and expanded offerings.

1971: University Press Renamed

In 1971, the student newspaper at Lamar University was renamed the "University Press" in recognition of Lamar gaining university status.

1972: Establishment of the College of Business

In 1972, Lamar University officially established the College of Business.

1973: Jim Gilligan's Coaching Tenure Begins

In 1973, Jim Gilligan began his long tenure as the coach of the Lamar University baseball team, which lasted until 2016, with a five-year interruption.

1975: Merger with Port Arthur College

In 1975, Lamar University merged with Port Arthur College in Port Arthur, Texas, resulting in the creation of Lamar University–Port Arthur.

1979: Larry Kennan's First Season

In 1979, under head coach Larry Kennan, the Lamar University football team achieved a 6–3–2 record.

1980: Attendance Records Set

In 1980, Lamar University set all-time attendance records under Coach Kennan, averaging 16,380 fans.

September 5, 1981: Victory over Baylor Bears

On September 5, 1981, Lamar University's football program achieved a signature win against the No. 20 Baylor Bears in Waco, with a score of 18–17.

1983: Creation of Lamar University System

In 1983, state Senator Carl A. Parker sponsored a bill that led to the creation of the Lamar University System.

1983: Establishment of the Dishman Art Museum

In 1983, the Dishman Art Museum was established at Lamar University, serving as both a teaching facility and an art museum.

1986: Accreditation for Lamar University-Orange and Lamar University-Port Arthur

In 1986, Lamar University–Orange and Lamar University–Port Arthur were granted accreditation separate from the main campus.

1987: Jim Gilligan's Coaching Interruption

From 1987 to 1991, Jim Gilligan's long tenure as coach of the Lamar University baseball team was interrupted for five seasons.

1987: Joined American South Conference

In 1987, Lamar University football went independent and joined the American South Conference.

1987: Competed in the Southland Conference

Lamar University competed in the Southland Conference from 1963 to 1987.

1989: Football Program Dropped

In 1989, the Lamar University football program was dropped altogether.

1990: Creation of Lamar Institute of Technology

In 1990, Lamar Institute of Technology was established in Beaumont to provide technical, business, health, and industrial education through short-term programs.

1995: Lamar Joins Texas State University System

In 1995, Lamar University became a member of the Texas State University System.

1995: Incorporation into Texas State University System

In 1995, the Lamar University System was incorporated into the Texas State University System.

1998: Faculty and Student Enrollment

In the fall of 1998, the Lamar University faculty numbered 423, and student enrollment reached 8,241.

1998: Competed in the Southland Conference

Lamar University competed in the Southland Conference from 1998 to 2021.

2005: Donation for Recreational Sports Center

In 2005, Walter Umphrey made a $5 million donation which allowed the naming of Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center.

2006: Completion of Brooks-Shivers Dining Hall

In 2006, the Brooks-Shivers Dining Hall was completed at a cost of $6.2 million.

April 2007: Opening of Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center

In April 2007, the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center, a $19 million facility, opened at Lamar University.

August 2007: Completion of Cardinal Village IV

In August 2007, Lamar University completed construction on Cardinal Village IV, a $16 million expansion of its residence halls.

January 30, 2008: Student Vote Approves Athletics Fee

On January 30, 2008, 78% of Lamar University students voted to approve the athletics fee, enabling the return of the football team.

February 20, 2008: Regents Approve Athletics Fee

On February 20, 2008, the Regents of The Texas State University System approved the athletics fee to reinstate football at Lamar University.

May 19, 2008: Ray Woodard Chosen as Head Coach

On May 19, 2008, Ray Woodard was selected as the head coach for the Lamar University football program.

2009: Partnership for Online Dual Credit Program

In the summer of 2009, Lamar University partnered with the University of Texas at Arlington to create stateu.com, an online dual credit program for high school students in Texas.

August 2010: Completion of Cardinal Village Phase V

In August 2010, Lamar University completed construction of Cardinal Village Phase V, bringing on-campus housing capacity to 2,500 students.

September 4, 2010: Football Team Returns to the Gridiron

On September 4, 2010, the Lamar University Cardinals football team returned to the gridiron after twenty seasons without a team.

2010: Cardinal Village Capacity

As of 2010, Cardinal Village at Lamar University had five "Phases" with the capacity to house 2,500 students.

2010: Reinstatement of Football Team

In 2010, Lamar University reinstated its football team.

2010: Renovation of Provost Umphrey Stadium

In 2010, in anticipation of the return of the football program, Lamar University renovated and upgraded Provost Umphrey Stadium and the Dauphin Athletic Complex.

2011: Renaming of Cardinal Village Phases

During the summer of 2011, all five phases of Cardinal Village were renamed for previously demolished residence halls on campus: Phase I – Gentry Hall, Phase II – Morris Hall, Phase III – Combs Hall, Phase IV – Campbell Hall, and Phase V – Monroe Hall.

2011: Southland Conference Play Begins

In 2011, the Lamar University Cardinals football team began playing in the Southland Conference.

2012: Referendum to Finance Setzer Student Center Renovation

During the Spring 2012 semester, the Student Government Association passed a student-wide referendum with 81% approval to finance the renovation and remodeling of the Setzer Student Center.

2012: Total Enrollment Milestone

In Fall 2012, total student enrollment at Lamar University reached 15,000 students.

2013: Student Admission Rate

According to the site, 76.6% of students who applied to Lamar in 2013 were admitted.

2013: Inaugural Season of Women's Softball

The women's softball team began play at Lamar University in the 2013 season.

October 7, 2014: Groundbreaking for Wayne A. Reaud Building

On October 7, 2014, Lamar University broke ground for the Wayne A. Reaud Building, which houses the Reaud Honors College and university administration offices.

October 2014: Groundbreaking for Wayne A. Reaud Building

In October 2014, Lamar University broke ground for an administration building named the Wayne A. Reaud Building, which would house the newly established Reaud Honors College.

2014: Forbes Ranking

Lamar was ranked #602 in Forbes' 2014 America's Top Colleges report.

2015: Tennis Club Wins Club of the Year

In 2015, the Tennis Club won Club of the Year and made an appearance at the national tournament.

2015: National Universities Tier Two Ranking

Lamar was ranked in Tier Two of "National Universities" by the U.S. News & World Report's 2015 ranking.

January 2016: Will Davis Hired as Head Coach

In January 2016, Will Davis was hired from LSU to replace Jim Gilligan as head coach of the Lamar University Cardinals baseball team.

December 2016: Mike Schultz Named Head Coach

In December 2016, Mike Schultz was named the head coach of the Lamar University football program.

2016: Tennis Club Wins Club of the Year Again

In 2016, the Tennis Club won Club of the Year again and made another appearance at the national tournament.

April 12, 2018: Reopening of Renovated Setzer Student Center

On April 12, 2018, the renovated Setzer Student Center reopened after a $28 million renovation project.

2018: Winning Record and Third-Place Finish

In 2018, Mike Schultz guided the Lamar University Cardinals to a 7–5 record and a third-place finish in the Southland Conference, marking their first winning record in nine seasons since the program's return.

November 22, 2021: Legislative Approval for Library Expansion

On November 22, 2021, the Texas Legislature approved $44.9 million for library expansion and improvements at Lamar University.

2021: Student Enrollment Statistics

In 2021, Lamar University enrolled over 17,000 students, with a gender distribution of 36% males and 64% females, and an ethnic distribution of 47% White, 25% Black/African American, 18% Hispanic or Latino, 4% Asian, 3% International, and 2% Other.