Texas A&M University System to open McAllen satellite to College Station campus

“We are excited to be exploring this opportunity in McAllen and we look forward to expanding Texas A&M’s presence here”, said Chancellor John Sharp in another press release. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa of McAllen said in a statement. Tres Lagos is a 2,571-acre planned community located in McAllen’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The city of McAllen has agreed to pitch in $10 million toward the construction of the facility and an additional $8 million towards utilities and infrastructure. It will sit on 100 acres of land.

According to the agreement, A&M’s intends to pay “the largest portion toward construction of the teaching facility”.

The campus, which will be built on land donated by the McAllen city government, is scheduled to open in 2017 with around 100 students.

In the near future college-bound students from the Rio Grande Valley will have the opportunity to earn a degree from Texas A&M University without having to leave the border, school officials said Tuesday.

Earlier this year, UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville merged to form the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The successful candidate will fulfill both a lecturer and ship officer position as needed; participate in the Texas A&M Maritime Academy seagoing courses every summer, and integrate both academic and ship operations to maintain licensing and educational requirements.

Current and former South Texas residents quickly hailed the announcement on social media.

“With the addition of a Texas A&M campus, our region will have two flagship institutions with access to Permanent University Funds”, said Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia, referring to the state’s multi-billion dollar higher education endowment fund. “Hidalgo County is proud to partner with the city of McAllen and Texas A&M University”. Education is the great equalizer. The president there Michael K. Young will also lead the McAllen campus.