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| Texas Tech is a public research university. We gained recognition as a Tier I research university with 40,000 enrolled in 2015. Texas Tech was originally known as Texas Technological College, founded February 10, 1923.At Memorial Circle, on the campus, is a statue of Will Rogers on his horse Soapsuds. This statue is wrapped in red crepe paper prior to each football game. The inscription reads: “Lovable Old Will Rogers on his favorite horse, Soapsuds, riding into the Western sunset” |
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| The Masked Rider is the oldest and most popular mascot of Texas Tech University that still exists today. Originally the Masked Rider started as a dare in 1936 and was then called the ghost rider, because no one knew the rider's identity. These ghost riders circled the field at home football games and then disappeared.The Masked Rider did not become an official mascot until 1954, when Joe Kirk Fulton led the team out onto the field at the Gator Bowl. Fulton, wearing Levi's, red shirt, a black cape and mounted on a black horse awed the crowd as the team made one of the most sensational entrances ever.Today the Masked Rider, with his or her “guns up”, leads the team out onto the field for all of the home games. The Masked Rider is one of the most visible figures at Tech. |
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| Another Texas Tech mascot is Raider Red. Raider Red attends events where the Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate. |
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| Also at TTU, is the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. HSC began in 1969 as Texas Tech University School of Medicine. Today it is a seven-school university located in Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas/Ft. Worth, El Paso, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa. |
