Bailey: I never lived in a place where the values of the people were better

MCALLEN, Texas – The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley’s president, Guy Bailey, spoke at a forum hosted by The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects, sponsored by ERO Architects, on June 4 at the Embassy Suites Hilton McAllen Convention Center about the role education plays in driving regional economic growth, celebrating 11 years at UTRGV.

Bailey looked back on his time as president of the university, calling it the “best 11 years” of his life. He began his presidential term in July 2014 and was president of the University of Alabama most recently before his role. Bailey was inducted one year before UTRGV enrolled its first class in 2015, after the Texas Legislature united the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas–Pan American in 2013.

“I never lived in a place where the values of the people were better,” Bailey said. “Everybody here works hard.”

Bailey said the university graduated about 60,000 students over a 10-year period with some of the lowest debt in the state. He talked about the accomplishments the university has attained such as its MD program that opened in 2016. 

“We will produce our own workforce right down here, people who love the Valley want to stay in the Valley, want to treat folks in the Valley,” Bailey said. “They will be right here coming out of UTRGV and they will be your children.”

There are projects happening scattered all throughout the Rio Grande Valley from the university, Bailey said. He said the university added 2,000 people to its staff and generated $100 million for research and development.

“You don’t often think of universities as businesses, but we are, and that kind of investment transformed the Valley.”

Editor’s Note: Here is a video recording of President Bailey’s remarks at the I-LinCP forum:

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