The University of Tulsa (TU)

The University of Tulsa (TU) traces its roots to the Presbyterian School for Indian Girls, a small boarding school in Muskogee, Indian Territory, which was founded in 1882. In 1894, the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church elevated the academy’s status and chartered it as Henry Kendall College, a name that honored the first general secretary of the Home Missions Board. The first classes in the new college were held on Sept. 12, 1894.

Today, TU operates as an independent, nondenominational university. A top-rated research institution, TU welcomes students from many different faiths and countries. The TU campus fosters a rich, diverse experience for students and faculty regardless of religious or cultural background through a strong belief in mutual respect and understanding. TU students are divided among programs in five colleges: Engineering & Natural Sciences, 39%; Arts & Sciences, 21%; Business, 19%; Health Sciences, 12%; and Law, 9%. The most popular undergraduate majors are Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, Nursing, Exercise & Sport Science, Psychology, Finance and Business Management.

 

Facing a higher education landscape with fewer students, tighter budgets and stiffer competition—during a global pandemic—The University of Tulsa in January 2021 adopted a new five-year strategic plan that sets the university on a clear path to an exciting future. The plan builds on TU’s strengths as a highly regarded, small, private research institution with deep roots in the energy industry and a hunger for innovation. It recognizes the global need for cyber leaders and charts a course for growing the talent to supply the next generation of researchers and entrepreneurs in critical fields. It proposes a level of student support that few institutions can offer. And it depends upon the recognition that all degrees—particularly those in STEM and professional disciplines—are exponentially more valuable with a firm foundation in the liberal arts.

As TU enters into implementation of this plan, they also celebrate the shared values it brings forward, including their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion—in word and deed—and continuing to bind the future of the university to the city that shares its name. As TU succeeds, so does Tulsa.

With a population of 400,000, Tulsa, Oklahoma is an important center of commerce and industry with a thriving arts community. Tulsa’s entertainment options include professional sports, fine and performing arts, festivals, zoos, a water park, bike and hiking trails, rivers and lakes.

Tulsa boasts one of the nation’s most extensive collections of Art Deco architecture. Beyond Tulsa’s Deco District, downtown offers several other micro-districts — each with its own sense of place and things to do. From homegrown barbecue and Tex-Mex to fine French and Italian cuisine, Tulsa has restaurants to fit every taste and budget. Fresh sushi, independent coffee shops and vegan delicacies line Brookside while food trucks are a staple around Guthrie Green. From food to fashion, Tulsa offers a multitude of shopping experiences. Explore eclectic boutiques and pop-up shops near campus and downtown. Woodland Hills Mall is more than 1 million square feet of retail heaven with 165-plus stores. Tulsa also has a rich local music history, literally pioneering genres from western swing in the 1930s to the ‘Tulsa Sound’ in the 1970s to pop and alternative music today. Today, Tulsa has outstanding venues to hear live music.