Bailey nets Border Texan of the year honor

UTRGV President Guy Bailey was named the 2019 Border Texan of the Year Sept. 11 at the McAllen Convention Center for his work with the university.

“There is no question that since Dr. Bailey has been at the helm of UTRGV, the university is moving in the right direction,” said John David Franz, chairman of the Border Texan of the Year Committee. “The university is critical to the well-being of South Texans. It’s an opportunity for the young and old to get a first-class college education close to home.”

Some former Border Texans of the Year include state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen), former president George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of Energy  Rick Perry, and Bob and Janet Vackar, according to a Sept. 11 news release.

Under Bailey’s leadership, UTRGV is currently ranked “first among all Texas universities for awarding the most undergraduate and graduate degrees to Hispanics and is rated as one of the top public universities for value.” The university also successfully launched a school of medicine and added 17 new academic programs. Bailey credits these successes to the university community, according to the news release.

UTRGV Deputy President Janna Arney said the university would not be where it is today if Bailey was not president.

“We’re just so, so proud and really feel like it’s a well-deserved honor, and I know he has said it before, but we all believe that this is not only recognition of the work he has done … but also a reflection of the work of UTRGV,” Arney said. “We are really honored to be recognized by our community for the work we have done and we’re just so proud of this recognition for him.”

Franz said the demographic of the Rio Grande Valley makes it difficult to get a college education, but Bailey is making college education more affordable.

“I think what has happened is that the university has really become the Valley’s university,” Bailey said. “We have facilities all across the Valley from Boca Chica to Rio Grande City. We have a huge research presence there in Brownsville, the diabetes obesity institute, in addition to our teaching presence there.”

According to the UTRGV website, he served as president of the University of Alabama and of Texas Tech University; chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City; and provost and executive vice president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, prior to becoming president of UTRGV.

“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Bailey would accept the honor and we’re looking forward to UTRGV continuing to rise up and serve the Rio Grande Valley,” Franz said.

Bailey will be honored at a dinner and reception on Nov. 21 at the McAllen Convention Center.

“He will be honored with a plaque, a medal and a sash declaring him the 2019 Border Texan of the Year,” Franz said. “The proceeds from the event, Dr. Bailey will be able to designate a charitable cause, a scholarship fund, whatever he decides. He will select a beneficiary or beneficiaries for the proceeds of the event.”