It was a transformative year for The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, highlighted by $25 million in private philanthropy, President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., said Dec. 11 in his annual State of the University Address.
Dr. Cigarroa mentioned many key accomplishments of the Health Science Center, including establishment of a new asthma and allergic diseases research center, key faculty recruitments in every school, and approval of $195 million in state and university funding to build a signature new ambulatory center and a signature new research facility.
Perhaps nothing was more noteworthy in his speech than the private-sector giving that is boosting an array of programs.
State appropriations and faculty clinical practice revenues, which make up 29 percent and 30 percent, respectively, of the Health Science Center operating budget, are being greatly assisted by the dozens of significant private donations that were received during 2006, the president said.
The million-dollar gifts include $3 million from former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr., $2 million from the estate of dentist Dr. Stacy Wendell Clapp Jr., $1 million from Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Hayes, $1 million from USAA, $1 million from Mr. and Mrs. Brian MacDonald, $1 million from the A.R. “Tony” and Maria J. Sanchez Family Foundation, $1 million from Col. and Mrs. Robert Kelso, and $1 million from H-E-B.
“These generous donors believe this is a transformative time in our history as we make discoveries and offer services that transform the health of our region and nation,” Dr. Cigarroa said.
The State of the University Address may be viewed from a link under News on the Health Science Center home page, http://www.uthscsa.edu.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $529 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $14 billion biosciences and health care industry, the leading sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $34 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 22,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields. For more information, click onwww.uthscsa.edu.