A University of the First Class: Gregory Vincent

By Gregory Vincent in A University of the First Class, Features, May | June 2013 on April 30, 2013 at 9:59 am | No Comments

On the occasion of the Alcalde’s 100th anniversary, we asked Longhorns what “a University of the first class” means to them.

Gregory Vincent

Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement

The University of Texas at Austin has come a long way since 1950 when Heman Sweatt became the first African American admitted to the school of law. The efforts to integrate and diversify the University, to create a critical mass of diverse students, faculty, and staff were long in coming. In recent years, we have made great strides under the leadership of President Bill Powers. According to the Sweatt family, Heman’s greatest legacy lives on in the more than 10,000 young men and women who graduate from the University each year, who have benefitted from the interactions and exchanges of ideas with individuals of different backgrounds—only possible through UT’s commitment to creating and cultivating an inclusive climate of excellence, to educate Texans for our times.

Read more takes on the phrase “a University of the first class” here.

Illustration by Sean McCabe.

Tags: Gregory Vincent, Heman Sweatt