Built Together.
Building Real Futures.
What we learn, discover, and create as a campus community are inspired by the relationships and connections surrounding us. Our Centennial Celebration offers the opportunity to applaud 100 years of discovery, creativity, inspiration, innovation, and success. On this historic occasion, we rededicate McMurry to providing an outstanding learning community, advancing academic excellence, and educating servant leaders, as we build brighter futures together in service to the members of our community.
One hundred years ago, McMurry College was opened with few resources, big ambitions, and focused resolve. McMurry was deemed a “first class” institution a few years after opening. Now, 100 years later, the University is still prospering.
McMurry is ranked among the region’s best colleges. The institution is recognized as a College of Distinction. McMurry serves our military community and receives accolades for helping those who serve others. The University is recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI).
Our talented graduates are building upon their education to enrich all industry sectors while contributing to the well-being of their fellow citizens. Working together, our students, faculty, and staff demonstrate that pursuing academic excellence and service to others is making a lasting and positive difference in our world.
The McMurry Centennial offers the occasion to celebrate a century of success. Looking back, we recognize how the past can shape our future. While the future is unknown, a visionary strategic plan and commitment to academic excellence will allow achievements and success to continue. What we contribute together depends on the strength of our connections – to our communities – locally, regionally, and globally. Educating servant leaders will ensure we build brighter futures for the next 100 years – together – as a community.
10th President
McMurry University
Administrative Leadership
Board Leadership
Presidents of McMurry
The founder of McMurry University was James Winford Hunt, a Methodist minister and former president of Stamford College. Hunt was unwilling to relinquish his dream of a West Texas Methodist college after Stamford College closed. He began to urge the establishment of a school in Abilene, where the Baptist Church had founded Simmons College and the Church of Christ had established Abilene Christian College. In 1920 the education board of the Northwest Texas Conference voted to establish a college in Abilene.
Dr. Clustor Q. Smith
Dr. Thomas W. Brabham
Dr. Frank L. Turner
Dr. Harold G. Cooke holding a shovel at the groundbreaking for the Gold Star dormitory.
Dr. Gordon R. Bennett
Dr. Thomas K. Kim
Dr. Shimp at his inauguration ceremony at McMurry.
Dr. John Russell standing in front of Radford Auditorium.
Dr. Sandra Harper
