Courses taught at the facility will be instructed by Texas A&M faculty, and graduates of the A&M extension will receive an Aggie ring.
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Tuesday’s announcement comes after the University of Texas System opened the new Rio Grande Valley campus this fall after consolidating two of its former campuses in the region.
McAllen and Hidalgo County will contribute about $18 million worth of land and infrastructure to the campus.
The McAllen campus will have access to the Permanent University Fund, a multi-billion-dollar endowment created to help support eligible institutions of both the University of Texas and the Texas A&M University Systems, officials said.
The A&M System announced a new “teaching facility” to open in McAllen in 2017.
Recognized around the country for its premier engineering programs, Texas A&M University announced Tuesday it plans to open a teaching center and eventually a satellite campus in heavily-Hispanic South Texas in one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas. A&M’s entry into the community will provide even more options, local leaders said.
The campus will be built in the Tres Lagos area, which is northwest of McAllen. “Hidalgo County is proud to partner with the City of McAllen and Texas A&M University“.
The goal is to have a starting class of 100 students in 2017, according to the press release.
The letter of intent calls for the parties to conduct due diligence “expeditiously” but notes that any final agreement must be approved by the governing bodies of each party, including the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. They said it will transform the region and enhance the quality of life of south Texas.
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The region has worked for years to increase educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. The president there Michael K. Young will also lead the McAllen campus.
