From College to University
With the end of the war and a return to a regular nine-month academic program, the enrollment of A&M skyrocketed. Returning veterans, aided by the G.I. Bill of Rights, brought the enrollment of the college to a peak in its history of 9,000 students in the 1946-47 school year. For a few years the College even maintained an annex at an inactive Air Force base near Bryan (now known as the Riverside Campus). Despite overcrowded conditions, the expansion and development of its education facilities continued.
General Omar Bradley told the June 1950 graduating class:
"...At Texas A&M there has been an almost unlimited opportunity for you in science, in agriculture, and veterinary medicine, in engineering and arts. In true Texas tradition, you have been provided with outstanding training in military science, in aeronautical science, and in physical education. The men of Texas A&M can stand up to any men in the world and compare favorably their education and training for leadership - leadership in the pursuits of peace, and, if it comes to war, leadership in battle. This combination is significant, for the capability for a productive peace, coupled with the ability to defend your beliefs, as well as your resources, is essential to survival..."
Because of the great expansion in number and diversity of academic subjects the name of the College was changed to Texas A&M University on August 23, 1963. In the fall of 1964, women were admitted to A&M and, in 1965, membership into the Corps of Cadets became voluntary for male students. Women were first admitted into the Corps of Cadets in 1973 and formed their own outfit named W-1 in 1974. At first, they were assigned to their own units under male leadership which they progressively replaced. The first truly integrated unit was the Aggie Band in 1985 followed by Company G-1 and Squadron 9 in 1990. In 1971, Texas A&M University became only one of four institutions in the country to be designated a Sea Grant College, and in 1989 it was granted Space Grant status.
Seven sons of Texas A&M have won the nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor. More than 225 former students of Texas A&M have reached General or Flag Officer rank. Among these was the late General George F. Moore, '08, one-time Commandant of Cadets, whose brilliant service in the defense of Corregidor is one of the brightest pages of military history. Today, the outstanding unit of the Corps of Cadets carries the General George F. Moore flag.
