Jaguars on the Prowl: TAMU-SA Expands With New Academic Building Groundbreaking
May 13, 2019 - Southside San Antonio
By: Dr. Joseph Lopez - Contributing Writer, San Antonio Sentinel
The Jaguars are on the prowl on the Southside of San Antonio. Monday morning, with the weather on their side, the university celebrated their 10-year anniversary with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new academic building. Attended by Texas A&M Regents, Texas Legislators and city and county officials, the event drew an enthusiastic crowd of supporters happy to see the city’s newest university expanding.
Mr. & Ms. Texas A&M - San Antonio were in attendance at the event. (Photo by Sentinel photographer Dr. Joseph Lopez.)
Texas A&M University - San Antonio (TAMUSA) was founded in 2009 to serve the greater southern region of San Antonio and develop a diverse and inclusive higher educational environment for students. With over 5,000 students currently attending and an alumni base well within the thousands, Texas A&M - San Antonio’s growth has made an impact on the Southside. Student Isaac Castro, a business major from Lytle, TX, stated, “Seeing this (University) growing is pretty awesome for the Southside, and them bringing a university to the Southside is an amazing experience.”
TAMU-SA President Cynthia Teniente Matson remarked that Texas A&M - San Antonio has a goal of enrolling 10,000 more students over the next 10 years. Matson also spoke with reverence about the legacy of Senator Frank L. Madla, who passed away in 2006 with a vision of having an institution of higher learning present on the Southside of San Antonio. “Today is about opportunity. Opportunity is one of our core values,” said President Matson. “This 10 year anniversary is a reflection of the opportunities created by the legacy of Senator Frank Madla.”
Mayor Ron Nirenberg addresses the crowd. (Photo by Sentinel photographer Dr. Joseph Lopez.)
Mayor Ron Nirenberg was also in attendance, giving a light hearted opening statement. “Don’t let these roadrunners in San Antonio know, but we all bleed maroon…and not only because I’m a Trinity alum, but because I love Texas A&M - San Antonio,” joked Nirenberg. “Bad jokes aside, I’m really proud of this university and the progress that has been made in our and the Southside over the last decade.”
The new academic building is set to be completed in 2020, further expanding classroom space and administrative office space for the growing university.