Generous Donation
Chris and Robin Huckabee, alumni and long-time supporters of Texas Tech University, have made a generous donation to the College of Architecture. The gift was made on behalf of the Huckabee family in honor of their father, Tommie J. Huckabee, and his contributions to the architectural industry and education. Huckabee was the first of three generations in his family to attend Texas Tech. Now, through his family’s gift, the College of Architecture will be renamed the Huckabee College of Architecture.
The gift will provide access to resources that elevate the educational experience for students and faculty while also supporting first-generation students, student scholarship, faculty enhancement, and areas of greatest need. A key focus of the donation is the revitalization of the infrastructure in and around Huckabee College through renovations that touch classrooms, technology, landscaping, and more.
Huckabee College is home to 861 students and 46 faculty members. It offers three bachelor’s degree programs and three master’s degree programs, including dual degrees with the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering and the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business. In 2019, Design Intelligence ranked the college tenth in the nation among architecture schools for the number of graduates most hired by firms. In July 2022, Huckabee College named a new dean, Urs Peter Upe Flueckiger, who has been at Texas Tech for nearly 25 years. He is looking forward to working with the Huckabee family to build a vibrant educational environment where students can think critically and creatively.
The Huckabee family gift is the largest ever made to the college. With the naming of Huckabee College, the family joins some of Texas Tech’s most generous donors in naming a college and making an investment that will allow the college to advance the quality of its programs; enhance the level of talent recruited for students, faculty, and staff; and multiply the impact graduates make in their field.
