A transformational investment is made in the future of public health
The University of Texas at San Antonio received a transformational $30 million gift from the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation to support the mission of the School of Public Health and improve the health of communities across South Texas.
This gift to the university and its academic health center, UT Health San Antonio, meaningfully advances the mission of this initiative and strengthens the university’s commitment to improving the health of South Texas. In recognition of the foundation’s generosity and partnership, the UT System Board of Regents approved the naming of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health in honor of Kate Marmion, the daughter of Janey Briscoe Marmion and granddaughter of former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and Janey Slaughter Briscoe.
The $30 million commitment will exponentially improve health outcomes for individuals and families across South Texas, especially in rural communities where access to quality healthcare remains limited. The gift also reflects the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation’s focus on improving the health of rural Texans. By establishing far-reaching endowments to support the community outreach work of the school, along with new fellowships and scholarships to advance the development of a public health workforce, the gift will serve Texas in perpetuity.
“This profound investment from the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation is a powerful testament to its enduring commitment to education, healthcare innovation and the well-being of Texans,” UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy, PhD, said.
South Texas faces significant health challenges, including higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions that place a substantial burden on individuals and communities. These issues are compounded by limited access to healthcare and other community-level challenges that affect overall health and well-being.
“The Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation is privileged to make this gift to The University of Texas at San Antonio School of Public Health,” said Dolph Briscoe IV, president of the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation. “A tremendous healthcare need exists in South Texas, and we are humbled by the opportunity to support the amazing faculty, staff and students at UT San Antonio in this critical effort.”
“This remarkable gift transcends far beyond a name. It honors Kate Marmion’s memory and love of South Texas, strengthens our mission and charts a path of hope and opportunity for generations,” said Francisco Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president for health affairs and health system at UT San Antonio.
Vasan Ramachandran, MD, FACC, FAHA, serves as the dean of the Marmion School of Public Health.
“We are profoundly grateful for this transformational gift, which allows us to confront the underlying factors that drive persistent health disparities in South Texas,” Ramachandran said.
This gift will position the school to continue providing state health improvement initiatives, including rural health, chronic disease prevention and child health. It will also augment workforce pipelines that prepare and deploy health professionals to serve underserved regions across Texas.
Health professional schools are a proven workforce pipeline
At the end of the 2025 academic year, more than 1,100 graduates from the university’s health professional schools joined the ranks of over 45,000 alumni advancing health and discovery across Texas and beyond its borders. Collectively, they represent the state’s largest producer of health professionals —physicians, nurses, dentists, biomedical scientists and allied health experts committed to meeting the growing demand for care.
On Sept. 1, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio merged to become UT San Antonio. Both of the independently designated Research 1 institutions are now united in advancing a shared vision for discovery, education and care. The highlights that follow detail recent achievements of the university’s six health professional schools.
Building momentum
The first Master of Public Health student cohort of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health is progressing toward graduation in 2026 — a milestone for the region’s newest public health graduate school. In summer 2025, the school began co-administering the Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health dual degree with the Long School of Medicine. The school will also launch two new programs in fall 2026: a Graduate Public Health Certificate for non-degree-seeking working professionals, and an epidemiology concentration for master’s students.
Fostering excellence
The School of Nursing now ranks in the top 11% of Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs nationwide in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges listing. The school was also named one of the National League for Nursing’s 2025 Centers of Excellence in Nursing Education, 2026 Best Colleges listing. The school was also named one of the National League for Nursing’s 2025 Centers of Excellence in Nursing Education, becoming San Antonio’s only nursing school with this distinction, which recognizes exceptional innovation and commitment to preparing skilled, compassionate nurses.
Filling critical gaps
The School of Health Professions celebrated two milestones in 2025: the graduation of its first Master of Science in Imaging Sciences class and the program’s initial accreditation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. The program is the only entry-to-the-profession master’s in the nation offering eligibility for three American Registry of Radiologic Technologists certifications.
Addressing community needs
In Spring 2025, the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine’s Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health program officially came under one roof. The dual degree prepares physicians to connect patient care with population health sciences, blending training in epidemiology, policy and prevention. The school’s Addiction Medicine Fellowship likewise responds to community needs. Open to physicians from any specialty, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited program trains fellows at UT San Antonio’s Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders and the South Texas Veterans Health Care System to diagnose and treat substance use disorders.
Expanding pathways
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is broadening opportunities for students to pursue innovation and strengthen the region’s biomedical workforce. The new Master of Science in Drug Discovery and Development trains students across all stages of drug creation, preparing them for roles in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research. The Graduate Certificate in Medical Physics offers doctoral-level scientists and engineers a pathway into clinical practice and prepares graduates for accredited residencies and board certification.
Leading interdisciplinary discovery
Ranked No. 1 in Texas and 30th worldwide in dentistry and oral sciences by the Academic Ranking of World Universities’ 2024 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, the School of Dentistry continues to strengthen its global reputation through innovative research and education. The school’s Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research recently secured its first National Institutes of Health grants to advance studies in nonopioid pain management, offering students new avenues for research and interdisciplinary training.