Texas College is an historic post-secondary institution located in the heart of the East Texas city of Tyler, which provides a unique college experience for the students it serves. The College was founded in 1894 by a group of ministers of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church who were interested in offering a quality education to African American youth. In the spring of 1894, Texas College received its original charter from the State of Texas and the teaching and learning process became a reality. The first class began in a four-room frame house with six students. From these meager beginnings, Texas College has evolved for 120 years into an institution with a rich heritage that is committed to its mission. The mission of Texas College is to ensure that graduates experience a balanced intellectual, psycho-social and spiritual development aimed at making them active and productive members of society. 

The College recognizes the dynamic nature of the modern world and, hence, the need to integrate faith with technological and scientific advancements to improve the human condition. 

Today, with its diverse student, faculty and staff populations, Texas College admits students of any race, color, gender, religious affiliation, or national or ethnic origin. The College is an affiliate of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and has a modified open admissions policy that permits it to serve a broad-based traditional and non-traditional student clientele. 

To fulfill its mission, the following core values are ensued: 
Academic excellence— to develop a culture of curiosity and creativity that will 

• challenge the frontiers of teaching/learning, 
• stimulate research, 
• raise the level of analytical reasoning and inquiry, and 
• enable students to acquire leadership, human relations, communication, and technology skills; 

Integrity — to instill the pursuit of character, honesty, and sincerity of purpose as the moral rubrics upon which the behaviors of our graduates and College family are anchored; 

Perseverance — to implant diligence, enterprise, and pride in the application of skills, knowledge, and abilities developed during the course of study at Texas College; 

Social responsibility — to promote in the College community a conscious awareness that we are all stewards of the resources entrusted to our care; 

Tolerance — to emphasize an openness to divergent points of view, applying an eclectic approach to rational and analytical thinking; and 

Community service — to encourage self-extension in service to others as the heart and soul of our educational enterprise. 

All departments, administrative units, and support functions are unrelenting in implementing the strategies aimed at achieving the mission of Texas College