Key Takeaways
- Ed and Linda Whitacre donate $7 million to UT San Antonio to support student-athletes, engineering students, and diabetes research
- $2 million supports athletics scholarships, student services, and facilities as collegiate sports continue evolving
- $5 million funds diabetes and metabolic health research in South Texas, where one in six residents lives with diabetes
- Gift continues the couple’s longtime support of UTSA, including previous funding for training facilities and student success programs
- Engineering students benefit through expanded resources at the Whitacre Family Student Success Center
Longtime Supporters Make Major Gift to University
Ed Whitacre, former CEO of AT&T, and his wife Linda have committed $7 million to the University of Texas at San Antonio. The gift supports three areas: athletics programs, engineering student success, and health research focused on diabetes care.
The couple has supported UTSA for more than a decade, funding athletics facilities, student programs, and research initiatives. This latest commitment builds on their previous investments in the university’s growth.
“We are profoundly grateful to Ed and Linda Whitacre for their longstanding vision and support of our institution,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “These gifts reinforce the united power of higher education and healthcare, advancing our mission to make lives better across the communities we serve.”
Supporting Student-Athletes and Athletics Programs
$2 million from the gift goes directly to UTSA Athletics and the Klesse College of Engineering. The athletics portion provides funding for student-athlete scholarships, enhanced student services, and the university’s Bold Champions campaign.
Lisa Campos, UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, called the gift transformative. “Their commitment will strengthen our programs and enrich the student-athlete experience,” she said. “This gift reaffirms their belief that athletics is a vital part of a university’s growth, uniting our community and strengthening Roadrunner pride.”
The flexible funding allows UTSA Athletics to respond to emerging needs across its sports programs. The timing comes as collegiate athletics faces significant changes, and the Whitacres’ support helps ensure student-athletes continue receiving the resources they need.
The couple previously funded the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence in 2019 and supported construction of a basketball and volleyball training center in 2023. Their continued investment demonstrates sustained commitment to UTSA’s athletic programs.
Helping Engineering Students Succeed
Part of the $2 million supports the Klesse College of Engineering’s student success initiatives. The funds expand the Whitacre Family Engineering and Integrated Design Student Success Center Endowment, which the couple established in 2024.
The endowment provides ongoing resources that help students prepare for careers in engineering and design fields. Eric Brey, dean of the Klesse College, said the gift “ensures that generations of students will benefit from opportunities that prepare them to thrive in their future careers.”
Previous Whitacre gifts to the engineering college include funding for a metal 3D printer in 2019 and the establishment of the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Chair in Mechanics in 2013. The couple’s support spans equipment, academic positions, and student programming.
Fighting Diabetes in South Texas
The largest portion of the gift, $5 million, supports diabetes and metabolic health research at UT Health San Antonio. The funding honors the late William L. Henrich, MD, former president of UT Health San Antonio, and addresses a significant regional health challenge.
One in six people in South Texas lives with diabetes. The Whitacres’ gift establishes the Center for Excellence in Diabetes and creates the Ed and Linda Whitacre Distinguished Endowed University Chair for Endocrinology, Diabetes Care and Research.
Dr. Carolina Solis-Herrera, Division Chief of Endocrinology, serves as the center’s founding director. “We are profoundly grateful to Edward and Linda Whitacre for their loving, heartfelt and unwavering belief in our mission,” she said. “This remarkable seeding gift fuels our determination to push the boundaries of discovery, to pursue bold, innovative therapies and ultimately a cure for diabetes.”
The research aims to develop new treatments and preventive care strategies for diabetes, obesity, and related conditions that affect quality of life and longevity. At a time when Texas faces some of the highest diabetes rates in the nation, the funding empowers researchers to bring “hope, healing and life-changing progress to the countless families and communities who need it most,” Solis-Herrera said.
Francisco Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president for Health Affairs, noted the gift strengthens multiple areas. “Their generosity strengthens us in the most meaningful ways including advancing how we care for patients, enriching how we educate future health professionals, and accelerating discoveries that bring hope to families across South Texas,” he said.
A Pattern of Giving Back
The Whitacres have consistently supported UTSA since 2013, when they created the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Chair in Mechanics and funded athletics facility improvements. In 2019, they contributed toward a metal 3D printer for the engineering college’s Makerspace and committed to the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence.
In 2020, they supported construction of the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital, establishing the Ed and Linda Whitacre Clinical Diagnostic Unit. In 2023, they established the Whitacre Family Engineering and Integrated Design Student Success Center Endowment and supported the basketball and volleyball training center.
Their latest $7 million commitment continues this pattern of supporting students, athletes, and community health. The investment touches multiple aspects of university life, from student-athlete scholarships to research that could benefit thousands of South Texas families facing diabetes.
The gift demonstrates how private philanthropy can create lasting impact across education, athletics, and healthcare, directly improving opportunities for students and health outcomes for communities.
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