Thursday, December 29, 2022
  Around Campus

By News and Internal Communications

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – New beginnings and growth were the themes at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2022. The university community welcomed new partnerships, broke ground on future projects and made campus history.

This year UTRGV was able to:

  • Become the first university in Texas – and one of only 10 in the nation – ready to prepare and graduate Doctors of Podiatric Medicine. 
  • Welcome the first cohort of Luminary Scholars, a scholarship program made possible by the UTRGV’s historic $40 million gift from philanthropists MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett.
  • Break ground on a new Collegiate High School and a new Cancer & Surgery Center.
  • Sign a joint admission grant with South Texas College (STC).
  • Officially announce the approval of football, women’s aquatics, a marching band and expansion the spirit programs.
  • For the third straight year, UTRGV recorded a first-day enrollment of more than 32,000 students at the start of the Fall semester.
  • Juliet V. García, a communications professor, was presented with The Presidential Medal of Freedom.

UTRGV continues its commitment to helping its students succeed, receive a quality education and expanding the opportunities available. The university is also expanding those opportunities to make them readily available around the Valley, beginning with opening doors to several new collegiate high schools.

Athletics is currently the buzzword at UTRGV. The new additions are seen as growth and creating some major noise around the state for the seven-year-old university. The start of football is slated for the year 2025.  

As the year ends, here is a look back at what UTRGV started, the bonds strengthened, accolades achieved and the paths created all with our ‘V’s Up’.

JANUARY

The UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine held its inaugural White Coat ceremony in October at the Harlingen Convention Center.
The UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine held its inaugural White Coat ceremony in October at the Harlingen Convention Center. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)

FEBRUARY

 

MARCH

 

APRIL

Some of Dolores Huerta's youngest fans were excited to meet the icon in person during a reception in September honoring the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit – “Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields/Revolución en los Campos.”
Some of Dolores Huerta's youngest fans were excited to meet the icon in person during a reception in September honoring the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit – “Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields/Revolución en los Campos.” (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)

MAY

 

JUNE

For the third straight year, UTRGV recorded a first-day enrollment of more than 32,000 students at the start of the Fall semester.
For the third straight year, UTRGV recorded a first-day enrollment of more than 32,000 students at the start of the Fall semester. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)

JULY

 

AUGUST

Dr. Juliet V. García, a communications professor, was presented with The Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 7 at the White House.
Dr. Juliet V. García, a communications professor, was presented with The Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 7 at the White House. (UTRGV Photo)

SEPTEMBER

 

OCTOBER

 

NOVEMBER

Travis Bush was named the first head football coach for UTRGV in December.
Travis Bush was named the first head football coach for UTRGV in December. (Photo by UTRGV Athletics)

DECEMBER



ABOUT UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.