University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley President Guy Bailey is the 2019 Border Texan of the Year. He will be honored at a dinner and reception Nov. 21 at the McAllen Convention Center.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected as 2019 Border Texan of the Year. This is easily the highest honor I have ever received, and I am particularly pleased because it comes from my colleagues in the Rio Grande Valley, my adopted home and a place I dearly love,” said Bailey.
Bailey is a proven leader in higher education with extensive experience at the helm of large research institutions. He is the first president of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, serving since May 2014. Under Bailey’s leadership, Bailey credits UTRGV’s extensive success to the hard work and commitment of UTRGV students, faculty, staff and the Valley community.
UTRGV currently ranks first among all Texas Universities for awarding the most undergraduate and graduate degrees to Hispanics. It is one of the top public universities for value. A new school of medicine has 155 medical students, 168 residents and several hundred scientists and faculty. In just four years, there has been an addition of 17 new academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.
About Border Texan of the Year
The annual banquet recognizes individuals in the Rio Grande Valley who advocate for the improvement of issues important to the area, including education, funding, transportation, business, security, and health issues, and who highlights and helps pave the way for opportunities for the region. The annual banquet raises funds for area non-profit organizations of the honoree’s choice.
Previous Border Texan of the Year honorees include Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, Gov. George W. Bush, Gov. Rick Perry and Congressman E. Kika de la Garza. Also, Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn, Charles C. Butt, Chief Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa, and Bob and Janet Vackar.
Since its inception, Border Texan of the Year has also awarded over $1,000,000 in funds to Rio Grande Valley organizations.