image: University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo watches as UTSA Development Board Member Tom Frost and Kleberg Foundation President Helen K. Groves unveil a plaque naming a popular student gathering area after her parents Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg. Over the years, The Kleberg Foundation has donated more than $2.5 million dollars to UTSA to support a comprehensive bioscience initiative and to help purchase equipment for important research facilities for the College of Sciences. The most recent gift of $822,000 will fund the purchase of three high-powered electron microscopes for cutting-edge research. view more
Credit: Mark McClendon
UTSA President Ricardo Romo used the occasion of the dedication of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Commons on the University’s 1604 Campus to announce an $822,000 gift from the charitable foundation that honors the two Texans.
“For some time, we have wanted to create a lasting tribute to the Klebergs’ legacy of philanthropy,” said Romo. “So, several months ago, we asked the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System to approve the naming of one of our more popular student gathering places outside the new Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building as the Kleberg Commons.”
It seemed only fitting, he said, to use the dedication ceremony as the time also to announce the latest gift to UTSA from the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. The $822,000 gift will support the purchase of three state-of-the-art electron microscopes, including a scanning, a tunneling and an atomic force microscope. While housed in the College of Sciences, the new laboratory equipment will be made available for multi-disciplinary research ranging from physics and engineering to archaeology and art conservation and preservation.
“These microscopes, which represent some of the most important tools in modern science, will form the nucleus of a groundbreaking research unit that will be unique not only here in San Antonio but also in the entire state of Texas,” President Romo told the audience gathered on campus for the Kleberg Commons dedication Tuesday, March 11.
Other speakers at the ceremony included John Frederick, UTSA’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Helen K. Groves, president of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation – and the only child of the Klebergs.
Groves was joined by UTSA Development Board chairman Tom C. Frost in unveiling a commemorative plaque honoring the memory of her parents and celebrating the generosity of the foundation and its commitment to UTSA.
George Perry, dean of the UTSA College of Sciences, said that the gift of the microscopes would contribute to UTSA’s goal to become a premier public research university.
“I am so grateful to the Kleberg family for this generous gift and for their interest in scientific research,” he said. “This is an exciting time for the college, as we strive to advance scientific literacy, conduct cutting-edge research and provide leadership in the education of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups.”
Serving more than 5,000 students enrolled in nine undergraduate degree programs and 15 graduate programs, the College of Sciences is composed of six departments: biology, chemistry, computer science, geological sciences, mathematics and physics and astronomy.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is one of the fastest growing higher education institutions in Texas and the second largest of nine academic universities and six health institutions in the UT System. As a multicultural institution of access and excellence, UTSA aims to be a premier public research university providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
UTSA serves more than 28,500 students in 64 bachelor’s, 43 master’s and 20 doctoral degree programs in the colleges of Architecture, Business, Education and Human Development, Engineering, Honors, Liberal and Fine Arts, Public Policy, Sciences and Graduate School. Founded in 1969, UTSA is an intellectual and creative resource center and a socioeconomic development catalyst for Texas and beyond.