BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley has confirmed it is expanding its engineering programs in Brownsville.
At a recent YTexas conference, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., said UTRGV had committed, in the fall, to “bring engineering fully back to Brownsville.”
In fact, UTRGV Senior Vice President Patrick Gonzales said the full programs offered in Brownsville will be in the mechanical and civil engineering disciplines.
Gonzales told the Rio Grande Guardian that UTRGV is expanding its civil and mechanical engineering programs on its Brownsville Campus. The first two years of each degree have always been available in Brownsville. He said the university now intends to offer third-year courses beginning Fall 2026 and fourth-year courses beginning Fall 2027.
“UTRGV’s decision to expand civil and mechanical engineering in Brownsville is driven by student demand and the workforce needs of our region,” Gonzales said. “Through conversations with industry leaders, these programs were identified as strong opportunities to better serve students and support continued economic growth in the Rio Grande Valley.”
UTRGV President Guy Bailey also spoke about the expansion of its engineering programs in Brownsville when he appeared last week on KURV 710.
“The thing about engineering, when you start moving it to more than one point, you incur a lot of expense, especially mechanical engineering, which is probably the most popular one, and civil, because you have significant lab investments that you have to make. That's a really significant investment.” Bailey told KURV Morning Show host Sergio Sanchez.
“We've reached a point where we think that we can really offer this profitably in Brownsville. And so both civil and mechanical will offer be offered fully at the Brownsville campus beginning this fall. Almost all faculty are in place now. I think the dean told me we have one more faculty hire to do. The lab is being built right now, and so we're very excited about that.”
Bailey acknowledged that with all the growth happening in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, offering more engineering programs is important.
“If you think about it, mechanical engineering is really important for industries like SpaceX and some of the industries that are developing out at the Port of Brownsville. Civil as well. We need civil engineering. They're important in all the construction projects, roads, water, all of all of these things are civil engineering issues.”
Bailey said offering the full mechanical and civil engineering programs in Brownsville will help in two ways.
“First of all, it'll cut down on travel for students, which is always important for us. And then the second thing, we think it'll be more widely available for people who really just can't travel at all. So, we're excited about it.”
In his interview with the Guardian, UTRGV’s Gonzales also spoke about two other items Mayor Cowen brought up in his remarks at the Texas conference.
Cowen referenced the work of the Task Force of the Future, which comprises UTRGV and Brownsville leaders. The task force was set up to address criticism that UTRGV was not offering enough programs in Brownsville.
Gonzales said the work of the task force is ongoing, and that the city plans to release an initial report soon summarizing the progress made during the first year.
“We are very pleased with the progress of the Task Force and grateful for the strong partnership UTRGV has long enjoyed with the City of Brownsville. We especially want to thank Mayor Cowen and his team for their leadership and commitment to our students,” Gonzales said.
“This work is focused on enhancing an already meaningful and transformative experience for our Brownsville students, and we are excited about what lies ahead as we continue building on our strengths together.”
In his remarks at the YTexas conference, Mayor Cowen also said that UTRGV wants to develop a new campus on the north side of Brownsville.
Asked to address this, Gonzales said UTRGV continues to explore opportunities to expand academic access and enhance educational opportunities for students in Brownsville and Cameron County. As part of that long-term planning, he said, the university has identified potential property in north Brownsville that could support future growth.
However, Gonzales said no land purchase has been finalized. He noted that any acquisition would require review and authorization by The University of Texas System Board of Regents, and that formal process has not yet occurred.
