View source for Troy University

{{Short description|Public university in Troy, Alabama, US}}
{{About|the university in Alabama|the university in New York|Troy University (New York)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox university
|name = Troy University
|image = TroyU-seal.png
|image_upright = 0.7
|motto = "Educate the Mind to Think, the Heart to Feel, and the Body to Act"
|established = {{start date and age|1887}}
|former_names = Troy State Normal School (1887–1929)<br>Troy State Teachers College (1929–1957)<br>Troy State College (1957–1967)<br>Troy State University (1967–2005)<ref>Songe, Alice. ''American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.'' Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ: 1978), p. 213</ref>
|type = [[Public university]]
|academic_affiliations =
|accreditation = [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools|SACS]]
|endowment = $192 million (2022)<ref>As of 2022. {{cite report |url=https://www.troy.edu/about-us/offices-departments/institutional-research-planning-effectiveness/fact-site/finance-reports.html|title=Summary of Endowment Values and Return |publisher=Troy University |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=May 4, 2023}}</ref>
|chancellor = Jack Hawkins Jr.
|students = 14,156 (fall 2022, all campuses and online students)<ref>{{cite web | title = College Navigator - Troy University | language = en | access-date = 2024-08-11 | publisher = [[National Center for Education Statistics]] | url = https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=AL&id=102368}}</ref>
| free_label2 = Newspaper
| free2 = ''The Tropolitan''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tropnews.com/ |title = The Tropolitan – Troy University's Student-Run Newspaper}}</ref>
|city = [[Troy, Alabama]]
|country = United States
|campus = [[College town]]
|campus_size = {{convert|820|acre}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://events.wsfa.com/Troy_University/v175228212.html |title=Troy University &#124; Troy &#124; Troy Events at wsfa.com |publisher=Events.wsfa.com |date=September 10, 2011 |access-date=January 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331213200/http://events.wsfa.com/Troy_University/v175228212.html |archive-date=March 31, 2012 |df=mdy}}</ref>
|sporting_affiliations = [[NCAA Division I]] [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]] – [[Sun Belt Conference|Sun Belt]]
|colors = {{color box|#6d0017}}&nbsp;Cardinal<br>{{color box|#b2b3b5}}&nbsp;Silver<br>{{color box|#000000}} Black<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trojan.troy.edu/styleguide/index.html#palette |title=Trojan 2.0 Best Practices and Style Guide|access-date=June 3, 2018}}</ref><br/>
|nickname = Teachers/Bulldogs (1910-1921), Trojans (1922-1930), Red Wave (1931-1972), [[Troy Trojans|Trojans]] (1973-present)<ref>{{cite web|website=www.troytrojans.com|title=What is a Trojan?|access-date=November 27, 2024|url=https://troytrojans.com/sports/2010/6/17/WhatIsATrojan}}</ref>
|mascot = T-Roy
|website = {{url|www.troy.edu}}
|logo = Troy University logo.png
|logo_size = 150
|free_label=Other campuses
|free = {{hlist|[[Troy University at Dothan|Dothan]]|[[Troy University at Montgomery|Montgomery]]|[[Troy University at Phenix City|Phenix City]]}}
}}

'''Troy University''' is a [[public university]] in [[Troy, Alabama]], United States. It was founded in 1887 as '''Troy State Normal School''' within the Alabama State University System, and is now the flagship university of the Troy University System. It was one of about 180 "[[Normal school|normal schools]]" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. Some closed but most steadily expanded their role and became state colleges in the early 20th century and state universities in the late 20th century.<ref>  Christine Ogren, ''The American State Normal School: 'An Instrument of Great Good' '' (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005) pp. 1-5, 213-235 [https://books.google.com/books?id=mUDHAAAAQBAJ&dq=OGREN+Christine&pg=PP1 online]..</ref>

Troy University is accredited by the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges]] (SACS) to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, education specialist, and doctoral degrees.<ref>[http://trojan.troy.edu/graduateschool/ Troy University Graduate School] Troy University. 2007–2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013</ref><ref>[http://trojan.troy.edu/catalogs/1213graduate/html/7G-hhs.html#doctorofnursingpractice Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)] Troy University. 2007–2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013</ref>

In August 2005, Troy State University, Montgomery; Troy State University, Phenix City; [[Troy State University, Dothan]]; and Troy State University (main campus) all merged under one accreditation to become Troy University. Prior to the merger, each campus was independently accredited. The merger combined staff, faculty, and administrators into a single university.

Today, the university serves the educational needs of students in four Alabama campuses and 60 teaching sites in 17 U.S. states and 11 countries. Troy University has over 100,000 alumni in 50 states of the U.S. and in other countries.

==History==
[[File:Troy Normal School original faculty (1887) (now Troy University).png|thumb|left|Troy Normal School original faculty (1887)]]
Troy University is a public university with its main campus located in Troy, Alabama. It was founded as a [[normal school]] in 1887 with a mission to educate and train new teachers. [[Laura Montgomery Henderson]] was one of the school's original teachers.

Over time, the school evolved into a [[four-year college]] and in 1957 the Alabama Board of Education adopted the name "Troy State College" and granted it the right to issue master's degrees. In the 1960s the college opened satellite sites in Montgomery, Phenix City, and Dothan to serve the military personnel posted at [[Maxwell AFB]], [[Fort Benning]], and Fort Rucker (now [[Fort Novosel]]). More sites associated with military centers located throughout the United States and abroad followed in the subsequent decades, as well as support centers for students and alumni unrelated to the military.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.troy.edu/about-us/troy-support-centers/ | title=TROY Support Centers &#124; Troy University }}</ref> As a leader in online education, Troy University began offering online courses in the Fall Semester of 1997.<ref>{{cite web |title=Troy University Case Study|url=https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/resource-center/articles-resources/troy-university}}</ref> Troy University is known for its innovation in offering in-class and online academic programs in servicing traditional, nontraditional, and military students. In spring 2018, Troy University was ranked #19 among the "Most Innovative Schools" in ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''{{'s}} annual peer assessment survey. The main campus enrollment as of the fall of 2016 is 7,911 students. The campus consists of 36 major buildings on {{cvt|650|acre}} plus the adjacent Troy University Arboretum.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

{{stack|[[File:Telephone Booth at Troy University.jpg|200px|thumb|The old telephone booth at Troy University.]]}}
At least three prominent political figures have been associated with Troy University: [[George Wallace Jr.]], son of the late [[governor of Alabama|Governor]] [[George C. Wallace]], who was a former administrator at the university; [[Max Rafferty]], the [[California Superintendent of Public Instruction]] from 1963 to 1971, was dean of the education department from 1971 until his death in 1982; former Governor [[John Malcolm Patterson]] taught U.S. history at the institution during the 1980s.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

===Name change===
When created by the Alabama Legislature on February 26, 1887, it was officially named the '''Troy State Normal School'''. The school was located in downtown Troy until moving to the present location on University Avenue in 1930.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

In 1929, the name was changed to '''Troy State Teachers College''' and it subsequently conferred its first baccalaureate degree in 1931.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

In 1957, the legislature voted both to change the name to '''Troy State College''' and to allow it to begin a master's degree program. The name was changed once again in 1967 to '''Troy State University'''.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

On April 16, 2004, the board of trustees voted to change the name of the institution from '''Troy State University''' to '''Troy University'''. The transition to the new name was completed in August 2005 and was the fourth in the school's history.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

==Troy University System==
The '''Troy University System''' (formerly known as the Troy State University System) is a public university system in [[Alabama]] that coordinates and oversees the three branch universities of Troy University. The system was formed in 1982, as the campuses in [[Dothan, Alabama|Dothan]] and [[Montgomery, Alabama|Montgomery]] were granted independent accreditation status. In April 2004, "State" was dropped from the university's name to reflect the institution's new, broader focus. In August 2005, all Troy campuses were unified under one accreditation.

[[Image:Troy-Montgomery buildings.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Troy University buildings in downtown Montgomery]]

Troy University has a total of four campuses located across the state of Alabama:
* Troy University (main campus)
* [[Troy University at Montgomery]]
* [[Troy University at Dothan]]
* [[Troy University at Phenix City]]

In addition to the four campuses, there are also 23 additional support sites across the southeastern United States and other countries.

==Academics==
Troy University cumulatively offers 46 bachelor's degree programs, 22 master's degree programs, and 3 doctoral programs.

===Organization===
[[Image:Confucius Institute Troy University.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The [[Confucius Institute]] on campus.]]

The university is composed of five colleges, a graduate school, and a division of general studies:

*College of Arts & Sciences
*College of Communications & Fine Arts
*College of Education
*College of Health & Human Services
*The Sorrell College of Business
*The Graduate School
*The Division of General Studies

===Confucius Institute===

[[Image:International Student Center at Troy.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The international student living/learning center, Pace Hall.]]
Established in 2007, the [[Confucius Institute]] at Troy University is a public institution affiliated with the [[Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China]], funded and arranged in part by [[Hanban]], which is itself affiliated with the [[Chinese government]], and the stated aim of which is to promote the [[Chinese language]] and [[Culture of China|culture]], support local [[TCFL|Chinese teaching]], and facilitate cultural exchanges.<ref>{{cite news|last=Penn|first=Brierley|title=China Business:A broader education|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/china-business-2013/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503331&objectid=11238085|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=March 3, 2021|date=2014-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422232850/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/china-business-2013/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503331&objectid=11238085|archive-date=22 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Mattis|first=Peter|title=Reexamining the Confucian Institutes|url=https://thediplomat.com/2012/08/reexamining-the-confucian-institutes/|work=The Diplomat|access-date=March 3, 2021|date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422231610/https://thediplomat.com/2012/08/reexamining-the-confucian-institutes/|archive-date=22 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The institute also offers summer camps for high school students, consultation for economic development, and promotion of Chinese outreach programs. Some have expressed concerns related to academic freedom and political influence of the Chinese government specially regarding such things as the comment of a former senior Chinese official, [[Li Changchun]] that Confucius Institutes are "an important part of China's overseas propaganda set-up".<ref>{{Cite web |title=More Must be Done to Protect Academic Freedoms Under Threat from China |last=Pearson |first=Elaine |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |date=April 7, 2019 |access-date=March 3, 2021 |url= https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/07/more-must-be-done-protect-academic-freedoms-under-threat-china}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Confucius Institute in NSW education department 'unacceptable' – analyst |last1=Lim |first1=Louisa |last2=Furze |first2=Anders |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=December 7, 2017 |access-date=March 3, 2021 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/08/confucious-institute-in-nsw-education-department-unacceptable-analyst}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=American colleges hosted 'an important part of China's propaganda set-up.' Now they're bailing out. |last=Spinelli |first=Dan |magazine=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |date=March 21, 2019 |access-date=March 3, 2021 |url= https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/03/confucius-institutes-china-spent-the-last-decade-bankrolling-hundreds-of-college-programs-now-congress-has-had-enough/}}</ref> Troy University was the first college in Alabama to open a Confucius Institute. Troy closed the institute in March of 2023, since the [[2021 National Defense Authorization Act]] would remove the university's eligibility to receive defense funding for having the institute starting in October of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clower |first=Matthew |date=2023-03-01 |title=Confucius Institute at Troy University has closed |url=https://today.troy.edu/news/confucius-institute-at-troy-university-has-closed/ |access-date=2025-10-28 |website=Troy Today |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Center for International Programs===
The university has over 800 international students from 75 countries on the main campus, and offers special programs for students such as the English as Second Language Center (ECL). Troy also has a dormitory named Pace Hall.

===Rankings===

{{Infobox US university ranking
| Forbes = 640
| USNWR_REG = 45 (South)
| Wamo_MASTERSU = 483
}}

Troy University has acquired several different institutional rankings:

*In 2019, ''[[Forbes]]'' ranked Troy as the 640th-best school in the nation. ''Forbes''{{'}} overall ranking centers on the value of the degree obtained by a university's students and measures, in part, the marketplace success of a school's graduate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/colleges/troy-university/?list=top-colleges|title=Forbes America's Top Colleges, Troy University|publisher=Forbes America's Top Colleges|access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>
*''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' in several categories for '''Regional Universities, South Region''', for 2020:
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|Category|Rank}}
|-
|Regional University, South || #51<ref name="auto1">{{cite web | title=Troy University Overall Rankings - US News Best Colleges | website=U.S. News & World Report | date=2017-10-03 | url=https://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/troy-university-1047/overall-rankings | access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>
|-
|Top Public Schools || #27<ref name="auto1"/>
|-
|Best Online Graduate Business Programs (Excluding MBA) || #61 (tie)<ref name="auto2">{{cite web | title=Troy University - US News Best Online Colleges | website=Rankings | url=https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/troy-university-102368/rankings | access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>
|-
|Best Online Graduate Business Programs for Veterans (Excluding MBA) || #27<ref name="auto2"/>
|-
|Best Online MBA Programs || #95 (tie)<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{cite web | title=Troy University - Online MBA Program | website=US News | url=https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/troy-university-OBUS0639/mba | access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>
|-
|Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans || #53 (tie)<ref name="auto2"/>
|-
|Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice Programs || #17 (tie)<ref name="auto2"/>
|-
|Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice Programs for Veterans || #11 (tie)<ref name="auto2"/>
|-
|Best Online Graduate Education Programs || #89 (tie)<ref>{{cite web | title=Troy University - Online Graduate Education Program | website=US News | date=2015-02-06 | url=https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/troy-university-OEDU0983/education | access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>
|-
|Most Innovative Schools || #14<ref name="auto1"/>
|-
|Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs || #14 (tie)<ref name="auto3">{{cite web | title=Troy University - Online Graduate Nursing Program | website=US News | url=https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/troy-university-ONUR0350/nursing | access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref>
|-
|Best Online Master's in Nursing Programs for Veterans || #6 (tie)<ref name="auto3"/>
|-
|}

==Campus==
[[Image:Bibb Graves Hall.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Bibb Graves Hall from University Avenue on the Troy University campus]]

Troy University's main campus is located near downtown Troy. The campus sits along rolling hills with many old oak trees present along the streets and throughout campus. The first two buildings that were built on campus were John Robert Lewis Hall (formerly Bibb Graves Hall) and Shackelford Hall, both of which are still standing on campus today. Bibb Graves, who was Alabama's governor at the time of the building's dedication, is remembered for commissioning the [[Olmsted Brothers]] architectural firm of [[Brookline, Massachusetts]], to design the campus landscape plan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.troy.edu/history.html|title=History|website=www.troy.edu}}</ref> The Troy University Board of Trustees voted to rename the hall in [[John Lewis]]'s honor on August 26, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://today.troy.edu/news/troy-university-to-name-building-after-congressman-john-lewis/|title=Troy University to name building after Congressman John Lewis|date=August 26, 2020}}</ref>

Across from the chapel is a very small lake named Lake Lagoona, which is the drainage point of the creek that runs through the Trojan Oaks Golf Course.

The [[Trojan Oaks Golf Course|Trojan Oaks Golf Practice Course]], which used to be full-service, 9-hole, 3,211-yard golf course, is one of the pristine features of the campus with its rolling hills, oak and pine trees, and a creek running through most of the course. Troy was one of only 87 universities in the United States to have operated a full-service golf course on its own campus before closing the course and revamping it into a golf practice facility, and is still one of the few schools to operate a 9-hole or greater practice course on its campus.

[[Image:Barnes & Noble in Troy.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore]]

One of the favorite features of the campus is Janice Hawkins Park, which features an amphitheater, walking trails, a lagoon and several prominent art installations. Paved sidewalks curve throughout that park, and a pedestrian bridge straddles the lagoon on one end. Among the art installations are the "Violata Pax Dove", by the artist [[Fred Nall Hollis|Fred "Nall" Hollis]], and 200 replica [[terracotta warrior]]s that are spread throughout the park, representing the famous excavations in China.

==Student life==
===Student body===
There are 14,881 students enrolled at Troy as of Fall 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.troy.edu/about-us/offices-departments/institutional-research-planning-effectiveness/fact-site/quick-facts/index.html | title=Quick Facts 2022 &#124; Troy University }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023<ref>{{cite web |title= College Scorecard: Troy University|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?102368-Troy-University|website=College Scorecard |publisher=[[United States Department of Education]] |access-date=July 26, 2025 }}</ref>
|-
! Race and ethnicity
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|53|%|2||background:cyan}}
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|32|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]]
|align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2||background:violet}}
|-
| [[International student]]
|align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:#008080}}
|-
| Unknown
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:grey}} 
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|1|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|44|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|56|%|2||background:black}}
|}
{{notelist}}

===Residence halls===
[[Image:New Residence Hall Troy.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The largest residence hall in the Trojan Village student housing complex on the Troy University campus]]
[[Image:Trojan Dining Hall 5.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The Trojan Dining Hall]]
[[Image:Trojan Center Food Court 2.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Trojan Center food court]]
[[Image:Fraternity Row.jpg|250px|thumb|right|A view of Fraternity Row]]
[[Image:Rec_Facility.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Trojan Fitness & Wellness Center]]
Students who live on campus at Troy have a choice of 12 different residential halls to choose from:

* Clements Hall (coed by floor)
* Gardner Hall (men)
* Hamil Hall (women)
* Honors Cottage (coed)
* Newman Center (coed by floor)
* Pace Hall (coed by floor)
* Rushing Hall (formerly New Residence) (coed by building)
* Shackelford Hall (coed by floor)
* Trojan Village (coed by floor)
* University Apartments (coed)

===Trojan Dining Hall===
The Trojan Dining Hall is a large, two-story, restaurant-style collection of venues. Some of the restaurants inside the dining hall include a [[Boar's Head Provision Company|Boar's Head Deli]], [[Moe's Southwest Grill]], The Wild Mushroom, Bella Trattoria, Flying Star Diner, Basic Kneads Artisan Bakery, and Magellan's.

The hall also features an outdoor dining area with a large fountain.

[[File:Trojan Dining Hall 6.jpg|400px|center|thumb|View inside the Trojan Dining Hall]]

===Trojan Center===
The Trojan Center is the activity center on campus for students. It features a movie theater, meeting rooms, gathering spaces, large ballrooms, the [[Barnes & Noble]] campus bookstore, [[Starbucks]], mail room, student activity offices, and a food court that features restaurants such as [[Chick-fil-A]], [[Steak 'n Shake]], [[Einstein Bros. Bagels]], Mein Bowl, [[Great American Cookies]], and [[Marble Slab Creamery]].

===Recreation===
[[Image:Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Troy.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore with Starbucks]]

Many recreational activities are available on campus. The Trojan Fitness Center offers fitness machines, free weights, and cardiovascular machines. Trojan Games recreation room has two billiard tables, two table tennis tables, and a foosball game. The Natatorium houses an eight-lane {{Convert|25|yd|adj=on}} Olympic-style pool. The Recreation Center Gym has two basketball courts, a cardio room, a dance room, and a large outside pool. Wright Hall Gym, located adjacent to the Natatorium, offers a basketball court, two volleyball courts, and four badminton courts. The Intramural Fields consist of four flag football fields, two softball fields, and one soccer field.

Trojan Arena, the newest facility on campus, is the home to the basketball, volleyball, and track programs, as well as being used for the university's commencement ceremonies and other special events with seating capacity of 6,000. The new Trojan Arena replaces the university's longtime basketball and events facility, Sartain Hall, which opened in 1962. Trojan Arena is equipped with 5,600 chair-back seats and several VIP suites and boxes. Under the main court is {{Convert|10000|ft2}} of basketball practice space. Beyond the normal concession area is a food court-style lounge and a simulated court area on the concourse. The arena includes seven upper-level suites and an exclusive Stadium Club area for donors, while also adding floor seating for students. Among the latest technology features of the new arena is a three-tiered rotunda at the main entrance, an interior concourse with concession stands, and a food court-styled dining center with various specialty food items. It features an LED ribbon board that panoramically encircles the entire arena with two {{Convert|767|ft2|adj=on}} video boards that enhances the total sports gaming experience, the only one of its kind in the [[Sun Belt Conference]]. The Trojan Arena is also home to the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame, with digital displays of its honored members located adjacent to the rotunda.

The campus also features a natatorium that includes a 9-lane, Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The university is currently in the middle of building an exclusive $25 million recreation center for students. The {{Convert|78000|ft2|adj=on}} facility will be located in the area formerly known as the Sartain Hall parking lot, near George Wallace Drive. Once completed, the building will house a multi-activity court, a basketball court, a free-weight training area, a circuit weight training area, special aerobic rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a multi-level walking track and four offices.

===Greek life===
Twenty-three traditional Greek organizations are on Troy's campus. In 2019, about 10% of undergraduate men and 13% of undergraduate women were active in Troy's Greek system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/troy-university-1047/student-life |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519151331/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/troy-university-1047/student-life |archive-date=May 19, 2017 |title=Troy University {{!}} Troy University {{!}} Student Life {{!}} US News Best Colleges}}</ref> Troy's IFC and NPC organizations have [[North American fraternity and sorority housing|traditional Greek housing]] for members use.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.troy.edu/student-life-resources/groups-organizations/greek-life/index.html |title = Greek Life {{!}} Troy University}}</ref>

===Music organizations===
Troy has more than six music organizations that are under the supervision of the John M. Long School of Music: the “Sound of the South” Marching Band, the “Sound of the South” Football and Basketball Pep Bands, the Troy University Symphony Band, the Symphonic Band, the Concert Band, and some ensembles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soundofthesouth.org/organizations/index.htm |title=Troy University "Sound of the South" |publisher=Soundofthesouth.org |access-date=August 11, 2014}}</ref>

===Student media===
The school newspaper, the ''Tropolitan'' (commonly referred to as "''The Trop''"), is located on the bottom floor of Wallace Hall. It is a weekly publication, written and produced entirely by students. The ''Palladium'' is located in adjacent offices in the same building. The Tropolitan has been ranked as one of the best college newspapers in the country, and was ranked as the #6 Best College Newspaper by the Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC) in 2017.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=http://tropnews.com/11546 |title=Publications receive awards |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415080602/http://tropnews.com/11546 |archive-date=April 15, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Also located in Wallace Hall is Troy University Television, also referred to as Troy TrojanVision. Troy University Television broadcasts three live entirely student-produced newscasts twice daily. TrojanVision Global News, TrojanVision Midday & TrojanVision Nightly News. Troy TrojanVision also produces a 30-minute sports show, Trojan Sports Now, every week. TrojanVision streams live online and can be seen at the university's YouTube page. Some of the students that major in broadcasting also help to produce ESPN sporting events for the university, including football, basketball, and baseball games.

in 2017, TrojanVision was ranked as the #1 Best College TV Station by the Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC).<ref name="auto"/>

===The "Sound of the South" marching band===
{{Main|Sound of the South Marching Band}}

The '''Sound of the South''' is the official marching band of Troy University. The [[marching band]] was established in 1939 and has been referred to by its current name since 1965. The band was named by John M. Long soon after he was hired as band director. The band, now boasting over 300 members on a regular basis, has enjoyed major success in performing at hundreds of marching band competitions, as well as dozens of different college and professional athletic venues. The band usually follows the football team to almost every away game, and has a smaller pep-band that plays at every home basketball game. It was during the thirty-two year tenure of Johnny Long, as he was commonly referred to, that the band program at Troy University established a prominent national reputation through its many featured appearances at music conventions, concert tours and recordings with the symphony band, as well as several nationally televised appearances with the "Sound of the South" [[Marching band|Marching Band]]. The band's "trademark" piece that is played before every performance of the band is called "The Fanfare" and was written by John M. Long in 1965.

==Athletics==
{{Main|Troy Trojans}}
[[Image:TroyTrojans10.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Troy Football Team 2009]]

Troy State Normal School began its sports program in 1909, when it fielded its first football team. Through the early years, Troy's athletics nicknames were not official and varied by the sport and the coach. Eventually, teams all began to use the name "Troy State Teachers", but when the athletic teams moved into NAIA competition, the nickname was then changed to the "Red Wave". In the early 1970s, the student body voted to change the name to Trojans after many felt that Red Wave was too similar to the University of Alabama's nickname, the Crimson Tide. Prior to becoming a member of NCAA Division I athletics in 1993, Troy University was a member of the Gulf South Conference of the NCAA Division II ranks. Troy's primary rivals were Jacksonville State University, Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama), and the University of North Alabama. In 2004, Troy joined the Sun Belt Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

[[Image:trtrojans.jpg|175px|thumb|left|Athletics]]

===Football===
{{main|Troy Trojans football}}
Troy University began playing football in 1909. The program has won three national championships, the NAIA national football championship in 1968, and the NCAA Division II national football championship in 1984 and 1987. Troy transitioned to the NCAA's Division I-A in 2001, became a football only member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2004, and joined the conference for all other sports in 2005. In 2001, Troy defeated Mississippi State at Scott Field in [[Starkville, Mississippi]], by a score of 21–9 which was the Trojans' first victory over a BCS level program. In 2004, the Trojans defeated a ranked BCS program for the first time ever, defeating #17 Missouri 24–14 at home on ESPN2. The Trojan football team made its first bowl game appearance in the Silicon Valley Football Classic on December 30, 2004, but lost to Northern Illinois, 34–21. In 2006, Troy won the Sun Belt Conference for the first time after defeating Middle Tennessee State toward the end of the 2006 season. Troy represented the Sun Belt Conference in the 2006 New Orleans Bowl as the conference champion for the first time where the Trojans defeated the Rice Owls of Conference USA by a score of 41–17. Troy participated in the 2010 New Orleans Bowl where the Trojans routed Ohio by a score of 48–21. Troy has most recently participated in the 2023 Birmingham bowl in Birmingham, Alabama, which the Trojans lost to Duke 10–17. That same year the Trojans became back-to-back Sun Belt Conference champions after beating Appalachian State 49-23 and Costal Carolina the previous year 45-26. 
Former Troy football head coach [[Larry Blakeney]] served 25 seasons as head coach between 1990 and the end of the 2014 season. He has led the program to three Southland Football Conference titles and five Sun Belt Conference titles, as well as guided the Trojans to seven FCS playoff appearances and five FBS bowl games. Blakeney boasts an overall record of 178–113–1 as head coach at Troy. Blakeney is the winningest coach in the Troy University history and he is the 4th-winningest collegiate coach all time in the state of Alabama, only behind [[Paul "Bear" Bryant]], [[Cleve Abbott]], and [[Ralph "Shug" Jordan]]. Blakeney is one of two coaches in college football history to be the head coach of a football program during its transition from Division II to I-A (the other being UCF's [[Gene McDowell]]).

[[Image:Movie Gallery Stadium.JPG|250px|thumb|left|Veterans Memorial Stadium, home of Trojan football]]

===Basketball===
The Troy University men's basketball team was under the direction of head coach [[Don Maestri]] for 31 years until his retirement in 2013. Coach Maestri is the winningest coach in school history, with exactly 500 career wins, and he has won numerous conference coach-of-the-year awards during his tenure at Troy University. The program has won 11 conference championships in basketball, with six of them coming in the Division I era. On [[1992 Troy State vs. DeVry men's basketball game|January 12, 1992, Troy defeated DeVry University]] of Atlanta by the score of 258–141 (or 253–141, according to some journalists).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bois|first1=Jon|title=Troy State 253, DeVry 141 Pretty Good, Episode 12|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4afzQyGo5Q |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/T4afzQyGo5Q |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|access-date=March 22, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This is the highest-scoring game in [[NCAA basketball]] history and Troy State's score of 258 is the highest score in NCAA basketball history. The Trojans competed in the 2003 NCAA Tournament in Nashville against Xavier University after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference title. In 2004, Troy was an NIT participant in a match-up against Niagara University. In 2008, coach Maestri was inducted into the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony in [[Dothan, Alabama]]. In 2009, the Trojans finished 3rd place in the Sun Belt Conference and competed in the CBI against College of Charleston. After winning the Sun Belt regular-season title in 2010, the Trojans would be invited to play in the NIT once again against Ole Miss. Maestri is a member of the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame.

[[Image:Trojan Arena Troy 9.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Main court in Trojan Arena]]

===Baseball===
The Troy University baseball team won two Division II national championships in 1986 and 1987 under the leadership of coach Chase Riddle. One of Troy's biggest victories in baseball came in April 1998 when the Trojans knocked off the #3 nationally ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 8–4 at Riddle-Pace Field on the Troy campus. Under the direction of current head coach Bobby Pierce, the Trojan baseball program has competed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament in 2006 and 2007. Troy also competed in the 1995 and 1997 NCAA Division One tournament under head coach John Mayotte. In 1999, the program tied the NCAA Division I record for most hits in the 6th inning, belting 14 hits (in the 6th) in a 34–4 rout of Stetson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_RB/2012/D1.pdf|title=Division I Baseball Records|publisher=NCAA}}</ref>

===Rodeo===
The program's governing body is the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. The rodeo program's home facility is the Pike County Cattlemen's Arena in Troy where it hosts a three-day rodeo each October that features college rodeo programs from throughout the southern region of the United States. Troy University calf roper Ben Mayworth won the 2007 national title in Casper, Wyoming, at the National Finals Collegiate Rodeo.

===Women's soccer===
The Troy University women's soccer team began in 2003 when the stadium, Jesse H. Colley Track/Soccer Stadium, was first constructed, seating 500. Later, in 2010, the stadium was renovated to include a press box to be used by both the track and soccer team. The field, costing around $1 million to build, measures about 115 yards by 75 yards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Facilities|url=https://troytrojans.com/facilities/troy-soccer-complex/2|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Troy University Athletics|language=en}}</ref> The team plays in the Sun Belt Conference, along with: South Alabama, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, Louisiana, Texas State, Little Rock, and ULM. Though, they are currently last in the east division with four conference points, compared to the leader's, South Alabama's, twenty-four points. Currently the team is led by head coach Ged O'Connor, and assistant coaches Nicole Waters and the new addition Kayla Saager.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sunbeltsports.org/standings.aspx?path=wsoc|access-date=2021-03-24|website=sunbeltsports.org|language=en|title=2021 Women's Soccer Standings }}</ref> Ged O'Connor, hired in January 2017, is just the seventh head coach in this program's history. O'Connor had prior experience to coaching from being the head coach of the Saint Leo University women's soccer team for eleven seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ged O'Connor - Head Coach - Staff Directory|url=https://troytrojans.com/staff-directory/ged-o-connor/400|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Troy University Athletics|language=en}}</ref> Furthermore, Nicole Waters will enter her third season with the Troy University women's soccer program come fall of 2021. Before Troy, Waters was a graduate assistant at Mercer University for two seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nicole Waters - Soccer Coach|url=https://troytrojans.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/coaches/nicole-waters/1435|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Troy University Athletics|language=en}}</ref> She is a Canada native, but after her collegiate career at Dayton, coach Waters played professionally at FC Slovacko Zeny of the Czech Republican league. The newly hired Kayla Saager joined the Trojans in 2020. Her soccer experience includes playing at three colleges in her career (NC State, West Virginia, and Binghamton). Saager will be held responsible for coaching the Troy University's attacking side, specifically.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kayla Saager - Soccer Coach|url=https://troytrojans.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/coaches/kayla-saager/1438|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Troy University Athletics|language=en}}</ref>

==Campus academic features==
[[Image:John Maloy Long Hall 3.jpg|250px|thumb|right|John Maloy Long Hall]]

===Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors===
The [[Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors]] was established on the campus of what was then known as Troy State University in Troy, Alabama by the [[National Band Association]] in 1979. The Hall of Fame contains the picture and biographies of band directors who have distinguished themselves in some way or who have made significant contributions to the field of band directing, conducting, or leadership.

===The Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy===
Troy University's Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy was formed in September, 2010 as the result of a $3.6 million gift from Troy alumnus Dr. [[Manuel H. Johnson]], [[BB&T]], and the [[Koch family foundations|Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation]]. The center's mission is the advancement of [[free market]] economic ideas and its research and teaching efforts explore the idea that economic freedom improves the quality of life for citizens. The new center is part of the university's Sorrell College of Business and it is housed inside [[Bibb Graves]] Hall. Dr. [[Scott Beaulier]] served as the center's executive director from 2010 to 2015.

===University libraries===
The libraries on the Dothan, Montgomery, and Troy campuses house collections of more than 300,000 volumes, hundreds of thousands of eBooks, and over 250 databases.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Libraries {{!}} Troy University |url=https://www.troy.edu/libraries/index.html |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=Troy University |language=en}}</ref> The Troy University Library on the Troy campus is a [[Federal Depository Library Program|Federal Depository Library]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Directory of Federal Depository Libraries in Alabama, by Region – The University of Alabama Libraries |url=https://www.lib.ua.edu/research-tools/government-information/depository-libraries-by-region/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=The University of Alabama Libraries}}</ref>

===Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park===
The Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park is a {{Convert|23|acre|adj=on}} park on the Troy University campus that features an amphitheater, walking trails, a lagoon and the International Arts Center, which houses two art galleries and an interpretive center known as '''Warriors Unearthed'''. In addition, there are 200 replica terracotta warriors designed by the artist Huo Bao Zhu that are displayed throughout the park in exhibits representing the historic excavations in China. It is built in the honor of Mrs. Janice Hawkins.{{Who|date=November 2021}}

[[Image:Janice Hawkins Park.jpg|600px|thumb|center|Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park]]

===Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences===
The university was awarded a $3.2 million grant from [[NIST]] in 2018 to establish the Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences, a facility for research in recycling of plastic materials. The establishment of the center will facilitate and enhance Troy University's partnership with the local [[plastic recycling]] industry in order to increase competitiveness in the marketplace. This will assist in improving and increasing job creation in Pike County. The assistance of [[Richard Shelby|Senator Shelby]] (R-Ala) was instrumental in obtaining the funding for this venture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/9/shelby-3-2m-nist-award-for-new-research-facility-at-troy|title=$3.2M NIST Award for New Research Facility at Troy |publisher=US Senate|access-date=October 9, 2018}}</ref>

==Notable alumni==
{{Main|List of Troy University alumni}}

<gallery class="center" perrow="8" mode="nolines">
File:Gen Alfred G. Hansen.jpg|[[Alfred G. Hansen]], <small>1972</small>
File:Manuel H. Johnson.jpg|[[Manuel H. Johnson]], <small>1973</small>
File:Honore 300.jpg|[[Russel L. Honoré]]
File:Bobby Bright official photo.JPG|[[Bobby Bright]], <small>1977</small>
File:Don Gaetz (R-4th).jpg|[[Don Gaetz]]
File:Bennie G. Adkins Medal of Honor 140915-A-GH914-111 (cropped).jpg|[[Bennie G. Adkins]], 1979
File:Bill Johnson, Official Portrait, 112th Congress (alt crop).jpg|[[Bill Johnson (Ohio politician)|Bill Johnson]], 1979 
File:WilliamGGregory.jpg|[[William G. Gregory]], <small>1984</small>
File:James Halsell.jpg|[[James D. Halsell]], <small>1983</small>
File:Gen David W. Allvin (3).jpg|[[David W. Allvin]], 1989 
File:John F. Kirby (3).jpg|[[John Kirby (admiral)|John Kirby]]
File:Gen Lori J. Robinson (2).jpg|[[Lori Robinson]],  <small>1992</small> 
File:Jeff Struecker (cropped).jpg|[[Jeff Struecker]]
File:MarshallBWebb.jpg|[[Marshall B. Webb]], <small>1994</small>
File:Lt Gen Howell.png|[[Scott A. Howell]], <small>1995</small>
File:CMSgt James A. Roy.jpg|[[James A. Roy]],  <small>2000</small> 
</gallery>

==References==
{{Portal |Alabama|United States}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.troytrojans.com/ Troy University athletics website]

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{{Troy University}}
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