On Nov. 19, UTSA received a $2 million grant from USAA for a new tech college and the Be Bold campaign. This gift was awarded to support students pursuing degrees in artificial intelligence (AI), cyber, computing and data science while additionally, funding Be Bold — a student success, research and innovation campaign.
According to UTSA Today, there has been a 62% increase in enrollment in these programs since 2019, totaling 5,404 students as of 2024. “The new college will position UTSA to lead in the rapidly evolving landscape of advanced technologies,” UTSA Today wrote.
USAA’s donation will establish a new student success center, data repository and allocate approximately one-third of the funds to support student scholarships. “These three components will be integral to enabling student success and preparing them for the workforce,” wrote UTSA Today.
The success center will seek to offer experimental learning opportunities similar to those offered at UTSA’s other colleges. The center plans to include internships, externships, mentorships, co-ops and faculty coaching. “At UTSA, these strategies have proven effective in preparing students to successfully transition to professional careers and acclimate to workplace culture,” said UTSA Today. To honor the donation, The University of Texas System Board of Regents has approved the name “USAA Student Success Center” for three years.
Tom Troy, the USAA Chief Transformation Officer, shared his thoughts, “UTSA is a vital institution to our community, providing employers like USAA a talent pipeline that meets the needs of our workforce.” He continued, “USAA continues to be the largest employer of UTSA graduates and provider of internships for UTSA students. We’re thrilled to provide additional ways to support students and their success with this gift that will support the Student Success Center and complement the support we have for STEM scholarships for those attending the new college and on-the-job training.”
Further, the data repository will focus on students’ exposure to real-world applications through the opportunity to store, analyze and share data securely while encouraging research collaborations. The repository will also support the preservation and reuse of data across the new college’s programs and increase the visibility of research findings.
Additionally, a portion of USAA’s donation will go to UTSA’s Be Bold campaign, which “remains focused on creating opportunities for scholarships, experimental learning, and life-changing education.” Be Bold is the largest comprehensive campaign in university history, currently standing at $428 million, approaching its $500 million goal.
“I am immensely grateful to USAA for its continued partnership and for this significant gift, which will keep UTSA at the forefront of these future-looking programs while building the professional workforce pipeline for our region and our state,” UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said.
UTSA Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Heather Shipley, said, “This remarkable gift from USAA strengthens our commitment to student success.” She continues, “It enables us to deliver educational excellence across emerging disciplines, equipping students with the hands-on skills and critical thinking needed to meet complex, multifaceted challenges and lead confidently in these dynamic fields.”
The new college will be housed in San Pedro II, located at 622 Dolorosa St. in downtown San Antonio, alongside the San Pedro Creek. “Combined with its companion, San Pedro I, the new facility will enable UTSA to draw on the broad opportunities that exist in San Antonio to address the city’s pressing workforce needs, connect UTSA students with experiential learning and career-engagement opportunities and provide training to prepare students for careers in interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber, computing and data science.” It is set to open in spring 2026.
