Since 1937, the Tower has commemorated milestones of all types. From athletic championships and academic achievements to the inauguration of James E. Davis as the 31st president of UT, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, and the Tower was there to capture it all. Here are some Tower lightings to remember from 2025.
James E. Davis Inaugurated as the 31st President of UT
On Oct. 22, the Tower lit up in burnt orange with a “31” on one side to celebrate the inauguration and investiture of James E. Davis as the University’s 31st president.
2025 Presidential Citation Awards
In February, a burnt orange Tower honored the 2025 recipients of the Presidential Citation Awards, an annual award given to those who personify the University’s commitment to transforming lives. This year’s honorees were John L. Adams, Amir Husain, The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sam L. Susser.
Celebrating 50 Years of Transformational Support from The Cockrell Foundation
To honor The Cockrell Foundation’s legacy of giving, which now amounts to more than $100 million over 50 years, the Tower lit up with “100” on each side.
Longhorns Beat Aggies at Home, 27-17
The day after Thanksgiving this year, the Longhorns defeated Texas A&M at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, handing the Aggies their first loss of the season.
SEC Championships
This year, six athletic programs took home conference championships: Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Tennis, Rowing and Baseball. To celebrate each SEC championship, the Tower is lit entirely in burnt orange.
National Championships
Along with winning their respective conference championships, both Softball and Men’s Swimming and Diving went on to claim the national championship. Each year in honor of NCAA championships, the Tower lights up from top to bottom in burnt orange with a “1” on each side. With these two national championships in hand, as well as seven NCAA top three finishes, UT won the LEARFIELD Directors Cup for the second year in a row, which also prompted a Tower lighting during the first week of the fall semester.
Honoring the Terry Foundation’s Legacy of Supporting Students
In April, the Tower lit up in burnt orange to celebrate the almost 40-year legacy of the Terry Foundation, during which time over $100 million in scholarships have been provided to UT students. During the 2024-25 academic year, there were 192 Terry Scholars on campus.
Recognizing Students’ Academic Achievements
In April, the Tower lit up twice to celebrate students’ academic achievements — once to celebrate College Scholars or Distinguished College Scholars, and once to honor students who received significant national and international awards and accolades during the past academic year.
Texas Football Keeps the Golden Hat in Red River Rivalry Win Against OU, 23-6
For the first time since 1979, the Longhorns held a top 10 opponent from scoring a touchdown, granting them a victory over Oklahoma for the second year in a row. In honor of regular-season victories, the top of the Tower shone burnt orange.
Tower Darkens for UT Remembers
During the last week of each spring semester, the Tower darkens except for a white cap and observation deck for UT Remembers, a time to gather in remembrance of students and current and retired faculty and staff members who died during the past year.
Celebrating the Hildebrand Family’s Extraordinary Support
Having surpassed $100 million in giving, alumni Mindy and Jeffery Hildebrand were honored in burnt orange with a “100” on one side of the Tower in April in recognition of their longtime support of the University.
Celebrating the Class of 2025
As is tradition, during the University-wide Commencement ceremony, the Tower shone burnt orange to celebrate the graduating class — this year, with “25” lighting up each of its sides. For the 2024-2025 school year that ended in August, a record 15,963 degrees were conferred.
Welcoming the Class of 2029
Likewise, each August before the first day of class, freshmen gather in front of the Tower for Gone to Texas, a Texas-sized tradition to celebrate the beginning of their journey as Longhorns. This year, the Tower lit up burnt orange with “29” on all sides for the incoming class, whose members won’t see “29” on the Tower again until their commencement ceremony in May 2029.
