The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Site Policies | Privacy Policy | Required Links | Fraud Reporting | UTRGV Careers
Clery Crime Reports | Texas Homeland Security | Texas Veterans | Mental Health Resources
Site Policies | Privacy Policy | Required Links | Fraud Reporting | UTRGV Careers |Clery Crime Reports | Texas Homeland Security | Texas Veterans | Mental Health Resources
How UTRGV
Stacks Up
STUDENT SUCCESS
ENROLLMENT FOR FALL 2023
DOCTORAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT
FIRST-YEAR RETENTION RATE
TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES
RESEARCH
SEEMS PROFESSOR STUDIES RIVER BEHAVIOR ON EARTH AND MARS
Dr. Tian Y. Dong, assistant professor of Ocean, Coastal, and Earth Sciences, is part of research that is investigating the concept of river sinuosity – the curviness of a river path – and its implications for understanding the behavior of rivers on Earth and Mars. The study examines river sinuosity in 21 rivers on Earth and six ancient Mars River Systems, unveiling two distinct sinuosity (curving) patterns differing from previous observations.
“The potential for a partnership with LANL has the power to transform our university’s research enterprise and create exceptional opportunities for workforce development,” said Dr. Thomas B. Spencer, associate vice president of Research Operations at UTRGV. “Through collaboration with LANL, we can amplify our research capabilities and provide our students with access to real-world projects, industry mentorship and potential employment opportunities.”
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
GRADUATION RATES
UTRGV RANKINGS
This significant milestone is important for the Rio Grande Valley because as the School of Medicine will be allowed to increase the number of students it is able to admit each year. Being able to develop and train more future doctors will allow the School of Medicine to continue to address the shortage of medical care throughout the region.
HEALTH AND MEDICAL
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AWARDED FINAL STAGE OF ACCREDITATION
CANCER AND SURGERY CENTER SET TO OPEN IN 2025
The UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center is part of the phase one development of UTRGV's McAllen Academic Medical Campus, which will spread across 38 acres. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, world leader in cancer care and research, is providing oncology advisory services to the center, to help develop and launch the cancer program in the Rio Grande Valley. Construction on the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center is slated for completion in late 2024, with the center open to patients in early 2025.
Fifty-four new UTRGV School of Medicine students received their white coats in this year's ceremony that serves as a rite of passage and marks the start of their medical career. This is the eighth cohort of UTRGV School of Medicine students. "To get my white coat today signifies that I've made it. I'm officially on this journey to become a physician. I can't wait for what comes next," said Shaunte Hadnot, a member of the Class of 2027.
CLASS OF ’27 CELEBRATES ANNUAL SOM WHITE COAT CEREMONY
UT SYSTEM NET ACADEMIC COST RANKING
36 FUTURE PODIATRISTS … 100% TEXAN!
A second cohort of future podiatrists has begun its journey at the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine –– the first school of podiatric medicine in Texas and one of only 10 in the United States. The group of 36 students – 18 female and 18 male – is 100 percent Texan, with nine of them from the Rio Grande Valley.
The new Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Materials Science and Engineering is the ninth doctoral program to be approved for the university since its inception in 2015, and the seventh to be implemented in the past two years. Overall, the new program bumps the number of Ph.D. degrees at UTRGV to 13.
ACADEMICS
FIRST PH.D. PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
PHYSICAL THERAPY DOCTORAL PROGRAM TO BEGIN SUMMER 2025
“The DPT program is a tremendous win for our students, communities and healthcare workforce,” said Dr. Michael Lehker, dean of the UTRGV College of Health Professions. “Very soon, our talented students wanting to pursue a physical therapy school will no longer have to leave the Valley and be burdened with the high tuition and fees many other PT schools charge.” The program will draw upon collaborations with existing programs at UTRGV, such as occupational therapy, communications disorders, medicine, physician assistant, nursing and others.
ACHIEVEMENTS
COMMUNITY
530
32,442
UTRGV received $1.4 million to convene with the Rio Grande Valley farmer community to implement climate-smart agricultural practices. Dr. Engil Isadora Pereira, assistant professor in the UTRGV School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, is principal investigator for the collaborative project, titled "Texas Climate-Smart Initiative (TCSI)." “UTRGV researchers will help advance the USDA's goal of expanding production and markets for climate-smart vegetable systems in the Rio Grande Valley,” she said.
UTRGV TO SPEARHEAD CLIMATE-SMART INITIATIVE IN VALLEY
READ MORE
Leaders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security expressed their willingness to engage with UTRGV students during a visit in June. “With this visit to UTRGV, I see great opportunities in the area of machine learning, artificial intelligence and cyber security through our grants programs and paid internship programs,” said Gregory Simmons, program manager for Office of University Programs, DHS S&T Directorate.
DHS CONNECTS WITH VAQUEROS TO PROVIDE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES
READ MOREREAD MOREREAD MOREREAD MORE
LOZANO NAMED A ‘GREAT IMMIGRANT, GREAT AMERICAN’
READ MORE
Lozano said the Carnegie Corp. recognition is a wonderful opportunity to show UTRGV students and the surrounding Valley communities that efforts to work hard are never in vain and that hard work does not go unnoticed. “They have the power to make a difference,” she said. “I hope to serve as an inspiration for members of our community to recognize their own potential and to keep moving forward.”
TWICE AS NICE: SECOND GOLD RATING FOR CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY
READ MORE
UTRGV Chief Sustainability Officer Marinaella Franklin said the university is incredibly proud to be recognized again as a national leader in sustainability. “As the institute grows, there is more investment to sustainable practice, which pays off in terms of long-term investments. This will help position UTRGV for the prestigious platinum level when we report again in 2026.”
UTRGV is raising its minimum wage for staff from $13 an hour to $16.25 per hour. This adjustment is planned to occur with an effective date of December 2023 and will also address resulting compression issues. In addition, a 2% merit program for staff and faculty will be implemented in December 2023, marking the eighth straight academic year we have invested in either merit and/or market equity for our employees.
INVESTING IN OUR OWN
UTRGV DAY 2023: CELEBRATING THE FUTURE OF TEXAS!
AUGUST 30, 2023
UTRGV Day of Giving is a powerful one-day fundraising event helping build a better and brighter future for the Rio Grande Valley. With your support on this momentous day, the possibilities for what we can achieve together are infinite!
Day of Giving is your opportunity to give to the area of UTRGV that means the most to you. From academic programs and athletics to scholarships and support services, you can change the future of our community with one gift!
Join us as we show the power of #OneUTRGV!
$1 MILLION GIFT TO OPEN DOORS FOR MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS
A passion for helping students reach their educational goals led Robert C. and Janet Vackar to gift $1 million to the College of Liberal Arts to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in mass communication. “The Rio Grande Valley offers so much opportunity,” said Janet Vackar of Bert Ogden Auto Group. “I want to give local students who are passionate about the communication field the ability to receive a comprehensive and engaging education, which will open limitless doors to them in the future.”
CREATING PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE REGION
With a mission to advance regional economic, workforce and business development, UTRGV’s Office of Workforce and Economic Development expanded its network and reach to cities across the Rio Grande Valley through satellite offices in Mission, San Benito and Harlingen. A top priority of the expansion is to work closely with the cities and EDCs across the region to recruit and expand job and high-paying opportunities for UTRGV graduates.
GROWING THE STEM PIPELINE IN THE REGION
Heidi Shyu, the U.S. Department of Defense undersecretary for research and engineering, met with UTRGV leaders, community partners and representatives from a range of manufacturing organizations to discuss key topics – UTRGV's research and development (R&D) portfolio, engineering programs, student success and workforce, and economic development. "There is so much talent in this region,” Shyu said. “It is incredibly important not just for the DoD, but for commercial companies, to put satellites facilities here to grow our STEM pipeline."
ADVANCING LOCAL AG PRODUCTION
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded UTRGV two grants totaling more than $375,000 for the continued support of small-scale growers and producers through programs like UTRGV’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Advancement. “This is a great investment in our partners, who know how to help rural communities thrive,” said Lillian Salerno, the USDA’s rural development Texas director.
80.2%
50,000
UTRGV’s total research expenditures more than tripled since we opened in 2015, growing from $20.7 million to $64.4 million last year (FY22), an all-time high for the university. As we are getting closer to the end of the current fiscal year (FY23), I am excited to share with you that we are going to be finishing this year at another record high performance of total research expenditures in the range of $77 to 80 million. On our research excellence journey, we are now well positioned to soon reach Emerging Research University (ERU) status, then accelerate toward becoming a Carnegie R1 institution. In the next coming months, I will be sharing with you more specific performance metrics, targets, and timelines.
The new students are all from Texas, from the Rio Grande Valley to League City, and from a variety of academic disciplines. The scholarship program offers incoming undergraduate students room and board for the first two years and full tuition and mandatory fees for all four years. In addition, full tuition and mandatory fees are also covered for a graduate or professional program, including the UTRGV School of Medicine or the School of Podiatric Medicine.
SECOND COHORT OF LUMINARY SCHOLARS BEGIN NEW JOURNEY AT UTRGV
READ MORE
The project is a paid teacher residency pathway where year-long residents receive financial support from the school districts using a sustainable, budget-neutral approach, a model designed to meet the immediate personnel needs of each school district and ensure high-quality development of novice teacher candidates.
$1 MILLION GRANT TO LAUNCH SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM
READ MORE
The loudest grito heard at the 34th annual Mariachi USA concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California was belted by Jenika Montes, UTRGV junior and national winner of the Jarritos Mariachi USA Talent Search Competition. Montes, an Integrated Health Science major and member of the award-winning UTRGV Mariachi Aztlán, had plenty to celebrate at the concert. As the winning soloist, she got to perform on stage this summer, in front of 17,000 fellow mariachi fans.
MARIACHI STUDENT MESMERIZES 17,000 AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL
READ MORE
