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UTRGV poised to be the nation’s top producer of Hispanic graduates

UT Pan American has been recognized for awarding more degrees to Hispanics than nearly any other university in the U.S.

AUSTIN – For the second year in a row, The University of Texas-Pan American ranks No. 4 in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanics nationwide according to an annual report published in October by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. UTPA also ranked No. 6 in the number of graduate degrees across all disciplines awarded to Hispanics.     

The recognition is an indicator both of the immense potential in the Rio Grande Valley and the great need to expand access to the highest quality education and opportunity for groundbreaking research in this important region of Texas, said University of Texas System Board of Regents Vice Chairman Gene Powell, who also serves as the board’s special liaison to South Texas.

The UT System is currently working to establish The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which will also be home to a school of medicine, by combining the assets and resources of UTPA and UT Brownsville and, for the first time, allocate resources from the state’s Permanent University Fund to the Rio Grande Valley.

“We expect to very soon be the top producer of Hispanic college graduates in the nation in many disciplines,” Powell said. “This is an exciting time for higher education in the Rio Grande Valley and it is gratifying to witness so many new achievements and advancements there.”

UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., agreed that history will look back on the creation of UTRGV as a defining moment for the Rio Grande Valley and all of Texas.

“We envision an institution that will expand educational and economic opportunity for the region and draw talent from across the nation and around the world,” Cigarroa said.

When UTRGV opens its doors in fall 2015, it is expected to be the second-largest Hispanic-serving institution in the nation and will have a multicultural focus.

“There is an amazing amount of talent and drive in the Rio Grande Valley,” said UTRGV President Guy Bailey, Ph.D. “The UT System Board of Regents has again and again demonstrated its commitment to build a world-class university to help cultivate that talent.”

In addition to UTPA's rankings in awarding bachelor's and graduate degrees across all disciplines, the Diverse Issues in Higher Education report ranks UTPA No. 1 in awarding bachelor's degrees in Health Professions and Related Programs, No. 2 in the bachelor's degrees to Hispanics in English Language and Literature/Letters, and No. 3 in bachelor's degrees to Hispanics in Biological and Biomedical Sciences.

UTPA also ranks No. 1 in awarding master's degrees to Hispanics in the following areas: Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions; Mathematics and Statistics; and Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.

The magazine's annual list "Top 100 Degree Producers" is based on 2012-13 data provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

“The rankings represent the university’s commitment to promoting excellence in everything that we do, and in particular, in recruiting, retaining, serving and graduating Latino and Latina students,” said UTPA President Ad Interim Havidán Rodríguez, Ph.D.

UTPA also ranked among the top 10 in 10 other degree programs – five undergraduate and five graduate.

“The Board of Regents is exceptionally proud of the work already done by UT Pan American and UT Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley,” Powell said. “Now with the increased resources UTRGV will be able to access, the potential for the future is limitless.”

For a complete list of the rankings, along with the methodology used, visit http://diverseeducation.com/top100/.

About The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 in a historic move that will combine the resources and assets of UT Brownsville and UT Pan American and, for the first time, make it possible for residents of the Rio Grande Valley to benefit from the Permanent University Fund. The institution will also be home to a School of Medicine and will transform Texas and the nation by becoming a leader in student success, teaching, research and healthcare. UTRGV will enroll its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine will open in 2016.

About The University of Texas System

Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking research and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States, with nine academic universities, six health institutions and an enrollment of more than 214,000. The UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public universities in Texas. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $15.6 billion (FY 2015) including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With about 90,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.