Tyler Junior College reported that it will commemorate its 100-year anniversary with public events, a fundraising goal tied to its founding year, and an alumni recognition ceremony on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18, 2026.
The institution originally opened on Sept. 17, 1926, operating with nine faculty members and 93 students. A century later, the public community college serves nearly 23,000 students annually across its academic credit and continuing education programs. That total includes more than 19,000 students taking credit courses and nearly 4,000 enrolled in continuing studies programs.
The anniversary schedule begins Thursday, Sept. 17, with a public event called TJC Gives Back Night, held from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at True Vine Brewing Company. The gathering is open to the public without an admission fee and is designed to bring community members and campus representatives together.
During the event, True Vine will introduce a specially branded TJC Centennial Brew. The business is supporting student financial aid by contributing $1 from every beer sold during the six-hour celebration directly to the TJC Impact Scholarship Fund. The venue will also offer commemorative pint glasses to the first 100 people who arrive. Live entertainment featuring performances by TJC students and staff will take place throughout the evening.
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the brewery gathering will host trivia games led by Dr. Factenstein. The competition is open to both individual participants and teams, featuring questions focused specifically on East Texas regional history and TJC institutional facts.
In tandem with the Founders Day event, the college established a Giving Day fundraising target of $19,260 to support the scholarship fund. The specific dollar figure serves as an intentional reference to 1926, the year the institution was established. Money raised for the TJC Impact Scholarship Fund is designated to assist students with direct educational costs, including tuition payments, required textbooks, and mandatory campus fees. Donors can contribute directly to the $19,260 goal online through the college's dedicated Giving Day web page.
Mitch Andrews, TJC vice president of institutional advancement and chief advancement officer, told Tyler Junior College that the institution's history has centered on expanding access to higher education since its founding, calling the centennial an opportunity to invest in future students.
The anniversary programming continues Friday, Sept. 18, the day following Founders Day. The college will host an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. inside the Rogers Performing Arts Center, located on the central campus in Tyler. The evening event is set aside to recognize selected alumni and supporters for their historical contributions to the institution.
Today, the community college maintains a 145-acre main campus in Tyler alongside multiple regional sites. It offers nearly 140 academic and vocational programs of study, including technical certificates, associate degrees, workforce training, and select bachelor's degrees across disciplines in the arts, sciences, business, healthcare, trades, and technology. The institution's campus life features active student organizations, fine arts programs, residential dormitories, and an athletic program that has earned 70 national championships.
Additional historical details and schedule updates regarding the institution's ongoing centennial activities are available through the college's main website.
