Think You Know UH?

In the nearly 100 years that the University of Houston has been a thriving campus, it has accumulated lots of fun lore and history that Coogs take pride in. You probably already know about Frontier Fiesta, or that it’s good luck to rub the cougar’s paw before a game or that the Student Center has a movie theater.* But you might not know these eight exciting facts that contribute to making our campus one of the greatest in Texas. Test your campus knowledge with these little-known facts about UH.

*If you didn’t know, you do now!

Most students are unaware of the lore behind this public art installation, which was purposefully designed to encourage student interaction. The creators of the sculpture, Jack Massing and Michael Galbreth, two UH alumni known as the Art Guys, wanted the piece to encourage the kind of lighthearted shenanigans meted out to statues at other college campuses. Today, students sometimes adorn the statue with UH T-shirts or holiday-themed accessories like reindeer antlers and pumpkins.  

Oftentimes, all the love and attention shines brightly on the University’s M.D. Anderson Library, but it’s important to recognize that UH has six additional libraries, each offering special collections and valuable resources available to the UH community. Among these, the Music Library at the Moores School of Music has an array of music-related materials and a serene study environment. The Music Library provides all students with access to music databases and resources for music research, spanning a variety of topics from medieval compositions to contemporary hip-hop, and everything in between.

The “calligraffiti” style mural is the work of French-Tunisian artist eL Seed, who said he wanted the mural to reflect a message relevant to the UH community. The large mural on the side of the Graduate College of Social Work includes a quote from Sam Houston translated into Arabic that reads, “Knowledge is the food of genius, and my son, let no opportunity escape you to treasure up knowledge.” The quote reinforces the University’s mission to provide top-tier education and to pursue meaningful research outcomes.

This 1968 game between UH and UCLA was the first nationally-broadcast, regular-season college basketball game in prime time. Over 50,000 fans filled the Astrodome for the much-anticipated Game of the Century. The event proved that a national audience would watch college basketball games during the regular season. The Cougars’ Elvin Hayes famously scored 39 points and faced off against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor). The game has gone down in history as the game that sparked national interest in college basketball. In 2022, the Cougars wore vintage-style jerseys to commemorate the era of the Game of the Century.

UH was the first university in Texas to offer robotic food delivery. A fleet of 30 autonomous Starship food delivery robots was initially introduced to UH in 2019, and they have since become an adored feature on campus. These robots deliver a wide range of food and beverages from seven distinct locations across the campus, including popular spots such as the Market, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Starbucks. In 2022, these efficient robots accomplished a remarkable 40,160 deliveries, with Starbucks, McAlister's and Panda Express emerging as the top choices among students and employees. As of now, these 30 robotic helpers maintain an impressive average of 195 deliveries daily.

The Frontiersmen, a select group of students chosen to proudly represent UH and bolster the spirit of athletics, Frontier Fiesta and other campus events, haven’t always been a vibrant part of UH's legacy – but they’ve had a modern resurgence. In 1991, a collective of students hailing from various fraternities came together to establish the fresh iteration of the Frontiersmen. Drawing inspiration from the original Frontiersmen of 1948, they adopted the group's name and its iconic attire, including wranglers, cowboy hats and dusters. Today, the Frontiersmen continue to exhibit their unwavering school spirit at every football game. They do so by proudly hoisting the UH and Texas flags high and sounding the BLAZE siren, contributing to the electrifying atmosphere that defines UH athletics events.

We’ve got 25,365 parking spaces for faculty, staff and students. Our campus includes six conveniently located parking garages and eight distinct parking zones. In some areas, UH also provides electric vehicle charging stations, supporting sustainable transportation in the community.

 

The Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine offers a range of unique programs that benefit both UH and the local community. Among these initiatives, the Healthy Connections program plays a vital role in addressing the pressing health care needs of Houston’s Third Ward and East End communities. This program places a strong emphasis on cultivating trust-based relationships, enhancing health literacy and expanding access to critical health care and social services.