Campus Equity
At Texas Lutheran University, we are committed to a culture of respect and equity for every person on our campuses. On this page you can explore some of the diversity of our campus community.
"From its onset, Texas Lutheran has been committed to providing higher education in an environment that enables faculty and staff members to teach, know, support, and challenge students as individuals."
Stephen Anderson from Forward in Faith: A History of Texas Lutheran University
Student Demographics
Fall 2024 Overall Student Body
More Than One Race, or Unknown: 6%
Proud To Be A Hispanic-Serving Institution
With a Hispanic student population of 47 percent, TLU is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the Department Of Education. HSIs also serve students by promoting a racially diverse student body, fostering a positive and open campus, and providing services that are specifically designed to help Hispanic students.
Religious Diversity
TLU is one of 26 colleges and universities associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. The ELCA’s policies in support for diversity as well as its social commitments to justice can be found in various documents on their “Faith and Society” portal.
TLU students, faculty, and staff have a wide variety of religious identities, including no religion at all. We welcome religious diversity and the interfaith dialogues in our community and believe that it enriches our life together.
We do not require a faith commitment of any kind, for any member of our community.
Some self-reported religious identification percentages for the total student body, fall 2024:
· Catholic 18% · Baptist 10% · Lutheran 8%
Chapel services on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays provide opportunities for prayer, community, and spiritual growth. These are purely voluntary and incorporate worship practices from many Christian traditions. As part of the general education curriculum, students take at least one course in theology so as to cultivate informed reflection on faith and its relation to the contemporary world.
First-Generation Forward
Texas Lutheran University defines a first-generation college student as an individual whose parents or legal guardian have not completed a bachelor's degree but may have some college experience.
First generation college students make up 43% of our student body and is a claimed identity of many of our faculty and staff, including President Cottrell and other senior leadership. We celebrate the courage, perseverance, and hard work of our first-generation college students as they write a new chapter in their families’ histories.
In 2020 TLU was recognized as a First Gen Forward institution. As a member of the First Gen Forward Network, we join a national consortium of institutions focused on advancing the success of first-generation students. Involvement with First Gen Forward keeps TLU professionals informed on current research on first-generation college students and focused on how to build more inclusive experiences that emphasize students’ belonging.
From the first semester to the last, we look to build community among first generation students through a variety of programs from their official pinning ceremony, mixers connecting students to faculty, staff, and a variety of campus resources, to First Gen Graduation where they receive their first gen stole.
Veterans
As a university close to San Antonio, dubbed Military City, USA, TLU has several students, faculty, and staff with military backgrounds who have shaped our campus. Texas Lutheran has several areas that collaborate to support our veteran and dependent student population. Our Registration & Records Office houses the VA Certification Officer.
Student Affairs oversees Freedom Hall, a lounge space reserved for veterans and dependents. Our Veteran Services Assistant utilizes Freedom Hall to host programs that connect students to local resources, in addition to collaborating with campus departments to provide workshops on topics such as mental health and career development. Veterans and Society Together is an active student organization with the mission of providing a positive setting for veterans and dependents, and an outlet for non-military faculty, staff, and students to support those who have served and who are still serving.
LGBTQIA Plus Resources
LGBTQIA Plus Resources Texas Lutheran University is committed to maintaining an open, safe, and supportive environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer + (LGBTQ+) students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the campus community. For more information, see our LGBTQIA Plus Resources page.
Service Learning & Volunteering
Texas Lutheran University is dedicated to civic engagement; the action to meet the basic needs of a community. TLU graduates are empowered to collaborate for positive social change, both as local leaders and global citizens. Find out more about TLU’s work with Service Learning & Volunteering.
Student Engagement
TLU encourages student involvement through a wide variety of organizations, events, activities, workshops, seminars, and structured experiences that promote personal learning and growth in a student-centered environment. Discover more about TLU Student Engagement
Counseling Services
The Counseling Center at TLU recognizes the critical role that identity plays in one’s mental health and overall wellness. We know that bias and discrimination have significant consequences on marginalized communities and the individuals within them. This may impact an individual’s sense of safety, self-image, connections, and ability or willingness to receive care. We are committed to helping students navigate challenges related to mental health while honoring their identity and cultural context. We offer free and confidential services to all registered TLU students. We also connect students with free telehealth services that allow them to choose a provider who has a specialization or identity that best meets their needs. For additional information about counseling services or accommodations, please email Sarah Westerfield, LPC-S or call 830-372-8009.
Celebrating Community and Cultures
TLU honors the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our community members with celebrations throughout the year.
For more information: Celebrating Community and Cultures