UTSA outpaces progress of every other school on U.S. News' best Texas colleges list

go roadrunners

Courtesy UTSA

The University of Texas at San Antonio has massively improved its high-quality educational experiences for students, earning it the highest increase of all public universities on U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges in Texas for 2024.

The home of the Roadrunners claimed No. 16 in Texas, and had an incredible 92-place leap from the previous year into No. 280 nationally for 2024. The public institution had an undergraduate enrollment of more than 29,600 students in fall 2022. The school, which costs $10,580 in tuition and fees for in-state students each year, ranks No. 151 for "Top Public Schools" by U.S. News.

In a release celebrating these latest rankings, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy explained some of the ways the university has strived to improve its student experience and success.

“Over the last decade we have worked strategically to become a Carnegie R1 institution, to be eligible for National Research University fund status here in Texas, to be recognized for our immense progress in student success measures, to become a Seal Certified institution from Excelencia in Education, and to showcase how our students benefit from a UTSA education as they enter the workforce with low debt and high economic and social mobility,” Eighmy said. “These collective efforts have been noticed and we are grateful for the recognition.”

U.S. News' profile of UTSA says the university prides itself for its research opportunities for all students, including first-years.

"A focus on learning outside the classroom challenges Roadrunners to apply knowledge and skills acquired in their courses to hands-on, real-world situations, preparing them for success in competitive job markets," the site says.

The university also boasts a diverse campus culture that encourages students to broaden their worldviews.

"Our students come from diverse backgrounds, and each has their own unique goals and dreams," the site says. "With 45 percent of undergraduates being the first in their families to attend college, UTSA is recognized as a national model for first-generation and transfer students."

Ahead of UTSA in the ranking is Texas State University in San Marcos, which also ranked No. 280 nationally.

Just behind UTSA is the University of the Incarnate Word. The private institution placed No. 17 in the Texas rankings and No. 296 nationally.

U.S. News' top 10 best colleges in Texas in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
No. 2 – University of Texas at Austin
No. 3 – Texas A&M University, College Station
No. 4 – Southern Methodist University, Dallas
No. 5 – Baylor University, Waco
No. 6 – Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
No. 7 – The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
No. 8 – University of Houston
No. 9 – Texas Tech University, Lubbock
No. 10 – University of St. Thomas, Houston

The full rankings can be found on usnews.com.

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

San Antonio hospital is one of the top 20 in Texas this year, says U.S. News & World Report

what the dr ordered

A San Antonio hospital has earned a healthy ranking in a prestigious new report: Baptist Medical Center lands at No. 20 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 ranking of Texas hospitals.

It ties for 20th place with Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth and Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene.

"Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio, TX is rated high performing in nine adult procedures and conditions," the report says, adding that the evaluation includes data from St. Luke's Baptist Hospital, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, and Northeast Baptist Hospital.

Baptist earns particularly high marks for cancer-related care and procedures, including leukemia, lymphoma & myeloma; and colon, lung, and prostate cancer surgeries. It also rates "high performing" for procedures related to heart failure, diabetes, stroke, and hip and knee replacements.

Rankings for the annual U.S. News study are based on scores in patient care, patient safety, outcomes, nursing, advanced technology, and reputation; 592 hospitals in Texas were evaluated this year.

Dallas' UT Southwestern Medical Center and Houston Methodist Hospital share the No. 1 spot on the 2023 list. (Last year, Houston Methodist was the lone holder of first-place honors in Texas; UT Southwestern was rated No. 2.)

Overall, Houston hospitals dominated this year’s Texas top 10.

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This story originally appeared on on our sister site InnovationMap.

U-Haul International/Instagram

Texas moves into top ranking in U-Haul’s list of growing locales

On the move

More movers hauled their belongings to Texas than any other state in 2022. And despite Austin and San Antonio's popularity with backpack-toting newcomers, heavier packers were mostly pointed toward Dallas and Houston, according to a new study.

In its recently released annual growth report, Texas ranks No. 1 overall as the state with the most in-bound moves using U-Haul trucks. This is the second year in a row and the fifth year since 2016 that Texas has earned the distinction.

U-Haul ranks the Houston suburbs of Missouri City and Conroe at No. 13 and No. 19, respectively, among U.S. cities with the most inbound moves via U-Haul trucks in 2022. The Dallas suburb of Richardson made No. 15 as the only other Texas city to make the list.

“The 2022 trends in migration followed very similar patterns to 2021 with Texas, Florida, the Carolinas and the Southwest continuing to see solid growth,” U-Haul international president John Taylor said in a news release. “We still have areas with strong demand for one-way rentals. While overall migration in 2021 was record-breaking, we continue to experience significant customer demand to move out of some geographic areas to destinations at the top of our growth list.”

U-Haul determined the top 25 cities by analyzing more than 2 million one-way U-Haul transactions over the calendar year. Then the company calculated the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a specific area versus departing from that area. The top U-Haul growth states were determined the same way.

The studies note that U-Haul migration trends do not directly correlate to population or economic growth — but they are an “effective gauge” of how well cities and states are attracting and maintaining residents.

Outside of Houston, Missouri City is known for its convenient location only minutes from downtown Houston, according to its website. The city’s proximity to major freeways, rail lines, the Port of Houston, and Bush and Hobby Airports links its businesses with customers “around the nation and the world.”

Richardson moved up from its No. 22 ranking in the U-Haul study last year, when it was also joined by Grapevine (No. 15) and Carrollton (No. 25) - the latter two cities have dropped off the list. The Richardson Chamber of Commerce brags about the city’s 900 acres of parkland, extensive trail system, investment in the cultural arts, diverse array of neighborhoods, convenient Metroplex location, multi-modal transportation infrastructure, and high-tech business leadership.

The No. 19-ranked city of Conroe is “the perfect blend of starry nights and city lights,” according to the Visit Conroe website. Conroe offers plenty of outdoor activities, as it is bordered by Lake Conroe, Sam Houston National Forest, and W. Goodrich Jones State Forest. But it also has a busy downtown area with breweries, theaters, shopping, and live music.

To view U-Haul’s full growth cities report, click here.

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San Antonio suburb cashes in among the richest places in Texas for 2023

Where the 1 percent live

South and Central Texans wanting a glimpse into the lives of the 1 percent won't have to travel far to get a peek. Alamo Heightshas been renamed the third richest place in Texas for 2023 in a recent study, the same ranking as in 2022. Southlake, in the DFW, took the top spot, also reprising its past success.

HomeSnacks.com has been ranking cities, neighborhoods, counties, and states across America for more than five years, using data from the Census Bureau, OpenStreetMaps, the FBI, and other sources. For this year's study, released January 18, the website compared 355 cities with populations of at least 5,000 people to determine where "the richest of the rich" live.

With a median income of $239,833, and an unemployment rate of just 2.2 percent, it's no surprise to see Southlake flashing cash around. HomeSnacks shows the median home price for Southlake at $697,000, but as of this writing, Realtor.com lists the city's median home price listing at $1.3 million.

Alamo Heights had more grounded stats, including a median income of $147,475 and an even lower unemployment rate at 1.4 percent. The median home price on the list was similar despite the very different income bracket, at $614,000; Realtor.com does not betray such a disparate calculation, but it does still display a higher number at $694,000.

Bexar and Comal county cities Fair Oaks Ranch and Bulverde came in 16th and 17th. Median income in Fair Oaks Ranch is $127,917, while it's just $100,419 in Bulverde.

It appears that wealth is not only moving into Texas, but moving around, as well. Heath is up 8 spots from last year, breaking into the Top 10 at No. 7, followed by Highland Village at No. 8, up a huge 17 rankings.

Elsewhere in Texas ...

The Houston suburb of Bellaire came in at No. 2 with a whopping median income of $211,202 and other signifiers of affluence, moving up two spots from last year's rankings. Pearland, with a median income of $107,941 is the only other Houston-area city to rank in the top 20, squeaking in at number 20.

Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs dominated the list overall; a total of 13 cities in the area cashed in with a top-20 ranking. Lucas, a Collin County suburb with a population of 7,612 in the 2020 census, came in fourth, moving up from fifth place last year. With a poverty rate of just 1.1 percent and a median income of $159,563, the (comparatively) tiny little town is a haven for the well-heeled. Falling into the "more than comfortable" range are Coppell (No. 6), Heath (No. 7), and Highland Village (No. 8). HomeSnacks' 10th through 15th places are occupied by Keller, Royse City, Corinth, Krum, Rockwall, and Roanoke, in that order.

The Austin area nabbed some of the top spots, too, with Lakeway coming in fifth and Bee Cave in ninth place. Statistics on Lakeway show a median home price of $481,900 and a median income of $142,566. Bee Cave, where the median income is $100,179 moved up four spots from 13th last year.

Texas' top 10 richest cities for 2023 are:

1. Southlake
2. Bellaire
3. Alamo Heights
4. Lucas
5. Lakeway
6. Coppell
7. Heath
8. Highland Village
9. Bee Cave
10. Keller

Visit HomeSnacks' website to see the top 100 richest cities in Texas, download the full list and rankings, or search to see where your city came in on the list.

Photo via areavibes.com

Thriving San Antonio neighbor declared America's 4th biggest boomtown for 2022

Population goes boom

New Braunfels was one of the most booming cities in America in 2022. The San Antonio neighbor ranks No. 4 among the top 100 U.S. cities for economic and population growth in a new study from personal finance website SmartAsset.

To rank the top “boomtowns” in America, SmartAsset analyzed data for 500 of the largest U.S. cities. The site evaluated topics such as five-year population change, average yearly growth in economic output (GDP), five-year growth in number of businesses, five-year change in number of housing units, one-year change in unemployment rate and five-year change in household income.

New Braunfels was not the only Texas city to make the list, coming just two spots ahead of the Houston suburb of Conroe (No. 6) and a Dallas-area suburb, Lewisville, which came in at No. 9.

What helped New Braunfels become the top boomtown in Texas and No. 5 nationally? The historic hill country town had the second-highest population and housing growth between 2016 and 2021 (36.10 percent and 40.86 percent, respectively), according to the study. Additionally, Comal County, where New Braunfels is located, had the eighth-highest business growth rate between 2015 and 2020 (23.94 percent) and average annual GDP growth has exceeded 4 percent.

Other Central Texas cities made the top-100 list, including: Cedar Park (No. 26); Round Rock (No. 48); Austin (No. 67); and College Station (No. 73). Notably, Austin was the only major metropolitan city in Texas to make the list.

Elsewhere in Texas
The Houston area's Conroe (No. 6 nationally) ranks highest in five-year housing growth and secured the No. 22 spot for that specific metric. It has also seen a considerable five-year population growth of 14.71 percent. Conroe, the report notes, is in Montgomery County, which ranks in the top 30 for both its annual GDP and business growth rates.

Meanwhile, Lewisville (No. 9 nationally) has seen a nearly 16 percent increase in the number of available housing units. Lewisville's population grew almost 8 percent from 2016 to 2021; according to the city's website, Lewisville has a population of 127,008. The average household income in Lewisville rose 30 percent during the same time frame. The SmartAsset study notes that Denton County, which Lewisville is located in, is also doing well, ranking No. 10 for business growth and No. 21 for its annualized GDP growth rate.

Five other Dallas-area cities cracked the top 100, and one other Houston suburb: Denton (No. 19), McKinney (No. 33), Frisco (No. 42), Flower Mound (No. 50), and Allen (No. 69). In 2021, Denton ranked No. 36, while McKinney sat at No. 39. Sugar Land, a Houston suburb, ranked No. 46.

The No. 1 U.S. boomtown overall is Nampa, Idaho’s third most populous city.

“Moving to a boomtown at its earliest stages can be a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors, as there's still plenty of room for growth. And for those who are looking for a job, there are usually plenty of opportunities available in rapidly growing cities,” Edith Reads, senior editor at TradingPlatforms, tells SmartAsset. “However, if a city has already reached its peak, it may be too late to get in on the action. In this case, it may be wiser to wait until the city's growth slows down before making the move. This way, you can avoid getting caught in the midst of a housing or job crunch.”

Travel + Leisure named this North Texas city among the world's 11 best places to visit in January

Tourist stampede

A national magazine is proclaiming what Fort Worth-area residents already know — that the city is a pretty great place to be this month. A new report by Travel + Leisurehas named Fort Worth one of the 11 best places to travel in the United States and around the world in January 2023.

"If the post-holiday blahs typically set in after the busy end-of-the-year season, planning a vacation, even a weekend getaway, can be just what the doctor ordered," writes Patricia Doherty in the article. "Whether you stay close to home for a local staycation or head to a far-off locale, experiencing a new destination or returning to a familiar favorite is a great way to start the year."

The magazine rounded up suggestions for winter sports, sunny beaches, and fun places to explore, they said. The unranked list of 11 places ranges from chilly Park City, Utah and Minneapolis-St. Paul to warm-and-sunny Jamaica and The Bahamas.

Why was Fort Worth included? The Stockyards were a major draw.

Here's what they said:

"The Stockyards area in Fort Worth offers restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, a rodeo, and the history of the state’s famous livestock industry. Family entertainment includes the twice-daily longhorn cattle drive with drovers available for photo ops and questions. Walking tours, a petting zoo, horseback riding, and weekend rodeos at the Cowtown Coliseum are great fun. Shops offer western gear, art, and gifts, and at Flea Style, shoppers can design their own Stetsons. There’s nightlife at Billy Bob’s and the new Tannahill’s Tavern Music Venue, and through February 5, the 'Rodeo Rink' ice skating venue takes over the lawn of the Livestock Exchange Building with live music and a lights display. Stay steps away at Hotel Drover for great food and Texas hospitality."

In a head-scratching omission, the magazine did NOT cite the biggest event of the month in Fort Worth: The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo , taking place January 13-February 4 at Dickies Arena and across the Will Rogers Memorial complex.

It's a curious thing to leave out — not only because FWSSR is "legendary" — but because specific January festivals and events appear on a few other places in the list (i.e. the Lowcountry Oyster Festival on January 29 in Charleston, South Carolina; and the 10-day Great Northern Festival from January 25-February 5 in Minneapolis-St. Paul).

Nevertheless, Fort Worth was the only Texas city to make the list. The 10 other cities included are:

Park City, Utah
The Bahamas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Charleston, South Carolina
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
Jamaica
Mazatlán, Mexico
Queensland, Australia
Costa Rica
Vienna, Austria

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Official Texas Fashion Week sashays into San Antonio with top emerging designers

BURSTING AT THE SEAMS

Few among us have the clout to sidle up to Anna Wintour on Loewe’s front row, but one doesn’t need the ear of the legendary editor-in-chief to gain fashion inspiration. As Paris Fashion Week winds down in October, the locally hosted Texas Fashion Week is just kicking off.

The annual affair — the official fashion week of the state’s emerging fashion industry — strutted into San Antonio on October 1 and will inspire through October 7 with a full slate of runway shows, educational programs, and glamorous celebrations. A collaboration between the state nonprofit Texas Fashion Industry Initiative and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the event aims to give promising designers a chance to showcase their ideas.

KLRN’s TV studios at 501 Broadway will be the epicenter of four days of presentations highlighting inspiring new collections. The shows kicked off with a college night featuring Lillian Jenae Designs, Brøc, and Aubrey Frey Apparel, labels created by Texas university students.

“Texas Fashion Week aims to provide a platform for emerging designers to showcase their innovative designs, including students,” said Texas Fashion Industry Initiative Vice President Saige Thomas in a release. “Fashion students deserve a chance to stage their work as well, without the standard financial limitations holding them back.”

In addition to soaking in wardrobe inspiration, local fashionistas can enjoy fashion and beauty panels, a high school sustainability competition, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. An educational program on October 2 covers topics such as branding and drag.

The jam-packed days lead up to the Texas Fashion Industry Awards at the Tobin Center on October 6. A curated brunch at Kiki’s Coffee on October 7 gives gala guests one last chance to congratulate the winners.

The full schedule of events can be found at texasfashionindustry.org. A limited number of all-access and single-day passes are still available.

Comedian Chris Tucker returns to road after a decade with a stop in San Antonio

Comedy Comeback News

Comedian Chris Tucker will make San Antonio's Majestic Theatre one of the stops on his first major tour in North America since 2011, performing at the venue on Thursday, November 2.

The 33-city" Legend" Tour 2023 will kick off in Charleston, South Carolina on September 8, continuing through January 12.

This new date in San Antonio was added due to high demand, as well as a second date in Houston (November 4-5). Tucker will also perform in Irving on November 1.

"I started my career doing stand-up in comedy clubs and it's stand-up comedy that prepared me for all of my movie roles," said Tucker in a statement. "I'm looking forward to getting back to my roots. I love performing live, there's nothing like the energy of a live crowd and making people laugh."

Tucker’s career began in the early 1990s when he became a favorite on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Comedy Jam. He is best known for his role in the Rush Hour action-comedy film franchise, as well as Friday and The Fifth Element.

He's been in only a few films since the Rush Hour series ended, but recently had a prominent role opposite Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Viola Davis in Air.

Tickets will be available on Tuesday, October 3, at 10 am on Ticketmaster.

THE LEGEND TOUR DATES (*new show):

Fri Sep 08 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Sun Sep 10 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
Wed Sep 20 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
Fri Sep 22 – Memphis, TN – The Orpheum Theatre Memphis
Sun Sep 24 – Durham, NC – DPAC
Sat Sep 30 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre-Oakland
Tue Oct 03 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
Wed Oct 04 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
Thu Oct 05 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Sat Oct 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Tue Oct 10 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre Columbus
Wed Oct 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Aronoff Center
Thu Oct 12 – Cleveland, OH – State Theatre at Playhouse Square
Wed Oct 18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
Thu Oct 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center
Sun Oct 22 – Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome at France-Merrick Performing Arts
Thu Oct 26 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Wed Nov 01 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Thur Nov 02 — San Antonio, TX — Majestic Theatre*
Sat Nov 04 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Sat Nov 05 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center*
Tue Nov 07 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Theater
Wed Nov 08 – Kansas City, MO – Music Hall Kansas City
Tue Nov 14 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts - Moran Theater
Wed Nov 15 – Orlando, FL – Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Fri Nov 17 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Sat Nov 18 — New York, NY — Beacon Theatre*
Wed Nov 29 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre
Sat Dec 02 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
Mon Dec 04 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theatre
Thu Dec 07 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Tue Jan 09 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Hall
Fri Jan 12 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre

Hopdoddy mooves toward regenerative meats, nixing plant-based substitutes

86 the Beyond Patties

Hearty Central Texas-based chain Hopdoddy Burger Bar has unveiled a new lineup of regenerative burgers that are supposed to be better for the planet and the consumer.

The term ‘regenerative burger’ could cause a few head-scratches: Some may think of lab-grown or 3D-printed meat, while others think of plant-based alternatives but it’s neither. It is grass-fed meat, sourced a bit differently. "Regenerative farming" is a term used to describe farming and grazing practices that claim to restore and rebuild degraded soil, resulting in better-quality air and water.

Hopdoddy’s vice president of culinary Matt Schweitzer explained that it all began with with a sense of obligation to do better as a brand for the consumers and the ecosystem.

“We felt like we could really take a stand and look to move our entire supply chain in a regenerative fashion, so we could really be proud of the work we’ve done and we could hopefully leave the animals, the farmers, the ranchers, the native grasslands, and our planet a better place than before we started,” says Schweitzer.

The new menu items include the "Roosevelt Burger" with grass-fed regenerative bison; the "Nashville Hot Sandwich" with regenerative raised chicken; the "Regenerative Royale," which is a play on a classic double quarter-pounder with cheese; the "Mother Nature" with grass-fed regenerative beef; and the "Buffalo Bill" also uses regenerative bison, but appears not to be grass-fed.

The five burgers are available at all Hopdoddy locations nationwide. The beef and bison are sourced from Texas-based regenerative company Force of Nature, while the chicken is from Cooks Venture.

With this launch, Hopdoddy removes all plant-based meat substitutes from its menu, significantly reducing the options for vegans and vegetarians. The company felt the ingredients and ethos of the alternative meats — describing some such as Beyond Meats as "falsely advertised" regarding nutrition in a press release — no longer aligned with its values and mission. However, the house-made veggie patty remains on the signature "El Bandito" burger.

Schweitzer says the regenerative burgers have received positive feedback, as people are excited to know where their food comes from, how it gets to their table, and what type of impact it causes. Regarding the future of regenerative meat, he says there is no doubt it could become mainstream soon.

“I think the flavor profile, the eating experience, the story, the mission, the purpose, really speaks for itself," says Schweitzer. "So, I really think it’s a matter of time until 'regenerative' is talked about in the same way that 'organic,' or 'sustainable,' or those type of buzzwords are talked about."

To further show its commitment to regenerative agriculture, Hopdoddy is also one of the sponsors of Common Ground, a documentary about the pioneers of the regenerative movement, premiering October 4 in Austin. The "uplifting" film, according to a release, features well-known actors Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, Jason Momoa, Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder, and Donald Glover, emphasizing that this motley crew does share one thing in common: a strong belief in regenerative agriculture.

For more information about the new regenerative burgers, visit hopdoddy.com.

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