Student Success: Our Mission in Action
Ensuring student success is more than a goal — it’s who we are. From innovative classroom teaching to transformative support programs, our collective efforts are changing the lives of our students.
These results reflect your care, your collaborative spirit, and your commitment to their future. - 80.1% of the Fall 2024 first-time, full-time in college freshmen returned to campus for the sophomore year (that is an increase of nearly three percentage points in just two years). Our 85% retention rate goal is now within reach!
- 96% of our faculty members teaching core curriculum courses participated in early progress reporting — a record high that enabled coordinated outreach to more than 4,000 students who were struggling in the classroom early on.
- TXST awarded $258,000 in continuation and completion micro-grants this fall, helping 180 students stay on track to graduate.
- We saw a record number of students participating in events like Jump Start and Homecoming, attending football games, and volunteering for service opportunities like Huddle Against Hunger. Engagement like this shows that our students feel like they belong here, which improves the likelihood of them graduating from TXST in a timely manner.
If we can help a student finish strong, we must. Research and Discovery: Running to R1
Our drive toward Carnegie R1 status continues to accelerate. FY2024 research expenditures reached $183.4 million, up nearly $20 million from the previous year, and more than doubling over the past five years.
Doctoral education anchors this momentum. This fall, a record 786 students are pursuing doctorates at TXST, a 35% increase in five years. These scholars are driving discovery in every field, from health and education to technology and the environment.
The new doctoral student incentive program for Ph.D. students that we adopted this year (along with the expansion of Research Enhancement and Pivot Grant programs) will further strengthen the connection between faculty and student research — ensuring that when we open doors to discovery, we open them together.
From semiconductor innovation and generative AI to aging and dementia research, our faculty members are expanding knowledge that matters. Supported by the Texas University Fund and TXST’s $275 million investment in research capacity over the next five years, we are adding new academic programs, recruiting and retaining top scholars, modernizing facilities, bolstering research support, and creating new opportunities for graduate students.
If we can drive discovery that strengthens the wellbeing, workforce, and economy of Texas, we must.
Enrollment and Access: Expanding Our Reach
TXST continues to defy national enrollment trends, with growth across every segment — first-time freshmen, graduate students, online and remote learners, and international students. We welcomed the largest freshman class ever, and we enrolled more than 44,000 students overall (also a record). While international enrollment across the country dropped by 17% this year, TXST bucked the trend by enrolling 2,083 students (a 38% increase). And our momentum continues. For example, over 43,000 high school seniors have already applied to attend TXST for Fall 2026. That’s a 71% increase over last year at this time! We didn’t reach numbers like that until mid-December last year.
The enrollment growth we have experienced in recent years – much of which has come from expanding online programs, new co-enrollment partnerships with community colleges across the state, our new campus in Mexico, and the continued growth at our Round Rock Campus – has allowed us to do some amazing things. For example, there are few universities in the country experiencing such dramatic increases in employee headcount and salaries.
Compared to July 1, 2022, we have added 384 benefits-eligible staff members, an 18% increase, and we have 344 more benefits-eligible faculty members, a 23% increase. Enrollment growth has also allowed us to provide significant salary increases, including up to 25% raises for some employees who were making less than $30,000, and more than 15% raises for many faculty of instruction.
Our faculty has driven much of this growth by creating more than 25 new degree programs since 2023, including nine doctoral, seven master’s, and eleven bachelor’s programs. Another two doctoral, one master’s, and two bachelor’s programs are currently under review by the Coordinating Board.
TXST is weaving technology fluency across the curriculum to equip students for a future defined by innovation. With the state’s AI workforce projected to grow 27% by 2030, our role is clear: to ensure that TXST graduates are ready to lead it. Faculty members are embracing this mission with creativity and care by incorporating AI into advising, embedding micro-credentials into coursework, and exploring learning-focused applications that elevate teaching and research. Today, we offer more than 100 AI and machine-learning courses, and we have produced over 500 AI-certified graduates — evidence that TXST is helping to shape the future of work and learning.
Our accelerated online programs now serve almost 1,900 students — up from just 50 last fall. Our first cohort of graduates will walk across the stage next month. And new co-enrollment partnerships with community colleges are creating seamless transfer pathways for students who are seeking a four-year degree.
Meanwhile, our reach extends globally. Last week, we cut the ribbon on our first international location, our campus in beautiful Querétaro, Mexico (which enrolled 57 students this fall). Over the past years, we have also created new study abroad hubs on five continents, which will greatly reduce the cost of study abroad opportunities for our students. These hubs will also make it easier for our faculty members to create and lead study abroad classes in the future. Bobcats are learning, leading, and lifting communities around the world.
If we can make a TXST education accessible anywhere, we must.
Round Rock Campus: A Second Engine of Growth
The Round Rock Campus has become a cornerstone of our growth momentum. Enrollment at Round Rock has climbed 65% since 2022, driven by programs in health care, technology, and education – all of which are aligned with the population and industrial growth of Williamson County and north of Austin.
As the region grows, so does our responsibility to serve it. The Round Rock Campus is becoming a hub for workforce development and applied research, ensuring that our university’s influence grows in step with the region we serve.
If we can meet the workforce needs of this community, we must.
Economic Impact: A Powerful Driver
In the next few weeks, we’ll release a new Economic Impact Study that confirms what we have long known — TXST is a powerful driver of prosperity for both Central Texas and the entire state.
The study shows that in FY 2023–24, TXST added $7.7 billion to the Texas economy and $3.2 billion to the Central Texas region, supporting more than 75,000 jobs statewide and 32,500 across our region.
Every program, research breakthrough, and student success story strengthens our workforce and fuels a stronger Texas. For every dollar invested in TXST, students gain $6.80 in lifetime earnings, taxpayers see $4.50 in returns, and society benefits $17.40 overall. I look forward to sharing a closer look at this impact with you in the following weeks.
If we can drive prosperity for Texas, we must.
Athletics: A National Stage
We continue to build our athletic programs to best serve our student-athletes and elevate TXST's national profile. With our upcoming move to the Pac-12 Conference, record attendance, and new levels of fan engagement, Bobcat pride is resonating across the country.
The newly dedicated $37 million Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center and a $2 million gift from Mitchell Ward and Pam Wills-Ward for a new academic center reflect the confidence our supporters have in our future.
Athletics is a showcase of teamwork, determination, and unity. If we can inspire pride in every Bobcat, we must.
Looking Ahead
I believe that the same spirit of unity and resilience extends to every corner of TXST.
Like every university, we have experienced our own challenges this year. But I continue to be inspired by the way our Bobcat community rises to meet them. We care for one another, have faith in our mission, and are determined to keep moving forward together.
To every member of the Bobcat family, thank you for your belief in TXST and our students. Together, we are expanding opportunities and strengthening the communities that depend on us.
Our momentum is real. Our mission is strong. And our best days are ahead.
If we can build a better future, we must. I am proud to do that alongside you.
|
