Houston, University of, is a public, state-supported institution of higher learning in Houston. The Houston Independent School District founded the university, then called Houston Junior College, in 1927. The school adopted its present name in 1934 when it began to grant four-year degrees. The university separated from the school district in 1945 and became a private university. It became a public institution in 1963. The University of Houston is the largest campus of the University of Houston System. Other campuses in the system include the University of Houston–Clear Lake, the University of Houston–Downtown, and the University of Houston–Victoria.
Well-known alumni of the University of Houston include actor Dennis Quaid; track and field stars Carl Lewis and Leroy Burrell; basketball players Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes, and Hakeem Olajuwon; John J. Moores, founder of BMC Software and owner of the San Diego Padres; Rod Canion, founder of Compaq Computer Corporation (now part of the Hewlett-Packard Company); Tom DeLay, former majority leader of the House of Representatives; and golfer Fred Couples. The university’s athletic teams are called the Houston Cougars.
The university’s website at https://www.uh.edu/ offers additional information.
