$20 million gift to UTSA by Bill Klesse and his wife Margie names College of Engineering and Integrated Design

The University of Texas at San Antonio recently launched the public phase of Be Bold: A Campaign for Our Future, a $500 million fundraising campaign to support UTSA’s growth as a model for student success, a great public research university, and an exemplar for strategic growth and innovative excellence.

The capital campaign, first conceived in 2017, has been in what is traditionally known as the ‘quiet phase’ and has already raised $311 million in gifts and pledges. University leaders have prioritized fundraising areas to support UTSA’s transformative vision. These focus areas include student scholarships, graduate fellowships, endowed academic positions, special programs and capital projects across the university’s network of campuses.

Increased funds for student scholarships, graduate fellowships and endowed faculty positions are crucial to recruiting and retaining some of the most talented minds at UTSA. The university currently boasts 555 endowments to support students, innovative research and impactful programming. Nearly two-thirds of these endowments, almost 350, support undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving students and students in need.

UTSA also has nearly 20 endowed graduate fellowships, more than 80 endowed faculty positions and more than 100 program endowments. These funds are paving the way for UTSA to offer education and research programs of the highest quality, the hallmarks of a Tier One research university.

“Institutions like UTSA are the cornerstone of world-class cities. They drive social mobility and economic prosperity, educate the leaders of tomorrow, and discover new knowledge to address society’s greatest challenges,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy.

“This comprehensive campaign, the largest in the history of the university, will create new opportunities, expand strategic partnerships, and improve our campus infrastructure to benefit all our students and faculty. Simply put, this campaign will change lives by building a university of the future right here in San Antonio.”

Since the start of the Be Bold effort, more than 39,446 supporters from 19 countries and all 50 states have made 116,000 gifts and pledges of all sizes to support UTSA. In 2021 alone, the university received three transformational gifts.

Former Valero CEO and Chairman of the Board Bill Klesse and his wife, Margie, made a $20 million commitment to the university’s College of Engineering and Integrated Design, drawn by the opportunity to create pathways for women and students of color to enter the STEM fields. Their generosity is supporting student scholarships, faculty support initiatives and student success programs.

In recognition of the gift, UTSA named the college the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.