The university's name honors Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross, the son of a pioneer Waco, Texas, family and a popular soldier, governor, educator and humanitarian.
Sul Ross State University and Rio Grande College are part of The Texas State University System, the largest college system in the state after the University of Texas and Texas AandM systems.
Rodeo is significant part of the Sul Ross program, and the university is the birthplace of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
Begun originally as the Sul Ross State University Study Center, the college was renamed the Uvalde Study Center in 1985 and again the Uvalde Center in 1989.
Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, was created in 1917 as a teacher college.
Rio Grande College is one of the largest producers of Hispanic teachers in the state, and Sul Ross State University is regularly recognized as one of the outstanding educational institutions for Hispanic students.