Texas State University has publicly launched the largest fundraising campaign in the history of the San Marcos school.

The “Next Is Now” campaign has been in stealth mode since 2014, generating $172 million from more than 40,000 donors and boosting the university’s endowment from $165 million to $300 million. This leaves Texas State less than $80 million short of the $250 million goal. The money benefits the main campus in San Marcos and the satellite campus in Round Rock.

Texas State says the campaign will help it achieve status as a Tier One research university. Today, the school is classified as a Tier Two research university and as one of eight emerging research universities in Texas.

Nine schools in Texas hold Tier One status: University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, and University of Texas at Arlington. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education determines a college’s or university’s research designation.

According to the University of Houston, Tier One universities are “known for world-class research, academic excellence, an exceptional student body, and the highest levels of innovation, creativity, and scholarship. Because of these accomplishments, these universities enjoy a national ‘brand,’ recognition, and prestige.”

The top priority of the Texas State campaign is funding for student scholarships and graduate fellowships. So far, the campaign has collected more $90 million for scholarships and fellowships.

“Next Is Now is also laser-focused on moving the university closer to our goal of becoming a Tier One research institution, which brings tangible benefits to our students and to the state of Texas,” Denise Trauth, president of Texas State, says in an October 8 news release. “Research creates new knowledge with the power to solve real-world problems.”

Other projects planned with money from the campaign include:

• Increasing the number of endowed faculty positions.
• Constructing a School of Music building in San Marcos with space for 600 students and more than 80 professors.
• Renovating the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment on the San Marcos campus.
• Adding equipment for health professions programs at the Round Rock campus.

Texas State tallied a combined fall 2021 enrollment of close to 38,000 at its San Marcos and Round Rock campuses.

“Texas State attracts hard-working, creative, daring, and determined students. They are the present and future face of Texas,” Trauth says. “We are not just fundraising for an institution. We are rallying support for the people who call Texas State home — the promising students, the inspiring faculty, the innovative researchers, the competitive student-athletes, and so many more.”