Leslie Waggener Sr. (September 11, 1841 – August 19, 1896) was an American professor who served as the first president of the University of Texas at Austin.

[2] Waggener was born in Trenton, Kentucky, and earned degrees from Bethel College in 1860 and Harvard University in 1861.

[2][3][4] He joined the University of Texas in 1883 as an English literature and history professor in its inaugural faculty.

Waggener became the university's first president in 1895 upon the creation of the office, serving in an interim role for one year.

He died in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and was buried in Austin, Texas.